Working with Offshore Teams: Tips from the Trenches

I’ve had the opportunity to work with a variety of offshore teams on various projects. While very challenging these relationships can indeed be valuable. So how do you make the most of these partnerships? Here are a few observations.

Language

The most challenging piece of an offshore partnership is the language differences. While most business people around the world speak English, it will typically be a British version and/or be accompanied by a heavy accent. This all becomes more difficult when trying to communicate on a conference call with a choppy reception and the other end sounding like they’re in an auditorium.

How to deal with it. There is no good answer here. Two approaches seem to help, first have someone onsite to act as a translator. This is typically someone from the same vendor, who has been assigned onsite. Ultimately though you need to become accustom to the language, this only comes with time. Surround yourself with people who speak the language. Don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand. When on the phone be sure you’re able to concentrate on the call with little background noise or distractions. Overtime the accents will become more understandable and the language gaps will be clearer.

Communication

Surprisingly talking does not equal communication. When dealing with any remote team, clear communication is critical. To frequently conference calls are stressful and where in a normal situation you would ask for more information, on a call you may feel it’s too difficult and you’ll just send an email. Conference calls are critical for a project. Don’t let them go to waste. Ask questions be sure that your question was understood correctly. I’ve found it’s difficult to get participation from an offshore team on a conference call. Typically one individual will do all the talking. Work to get more than yes and no answers and more participation from the whole team. Also in these calls try to encourage conversation outside the simple status updates, you might find out important information.

Beyond the conference call its important to follow up with a clear recap of what occurred on the call. This helps make sure everyone on the call is on the same page and all action items are assigned. With any remote team, following the activates between discussions is difficult. Use email frequently. Insist on a formal agenda and meeting minutes. Clarify action items and blocking issues. If a blocking issue does arise take care of it immediately.

Culture

There are significant culture differences that come into play when dealing with international vendors. These culture differences are stem from national/ethnic traits, to corporate/vendor culture. There are traits that surface simply due to the continued relocation of team members.

My experience has been that Indians don’t tend to question authority.  I’m not saying challenge authority, but rather look for clarification and understanding. What seems to happen is that individuals will take a message from a higher-up or client that may not be clear, and instead of working with the source to understand it, they will go to their peers to help understand the message. While this may work in some situations, often times it takes much longer to get the right information. When this works the best is when there are a series of mentors available to the offshore team. A series of experienced individuals various team members can turn to. To help this process, try to keep one vendor and one team as long as possible. Inevitably the vendor will swap out resources on you but hopefully you can hang on to a few key resources that can fill this mentor role. When working one-on-one with an offshore resource be sure you have been understood clearly, ask them to repeat what needs to be done, not simply do you understand.

Working culture. These guys work hard, really really hard. They work nights and weekends, often they work far from their families. Even in India they will travel to different cities to work in  central location for a client. It is so important to realize these guys a working really hard for you. Take time to make that personal connection with them (if they let you). Get to know your offshore team by name. Express your gratitude to them individually for their effort. A note about working habits, since these folks don’t technically work for you, they may not tell you when they’re going on vacation. Ask regularly when upcoming holidays are and what vacations are planned so you don’t end up with a skeleton crew right before a huge deployment. If you have on site resources realize when they take vacation it’s typically for a month so they can get back to India.

Conclusion

Offshore and outsource projects can be highly effective if leaders take the time to consider the variety of challenges the show up in these situations. Communication is always a critical component of any business initiative. In an offshore model communication is more important than ever. Leaders are dealing time zone changes, language differences, and cultural differences. All these challenges can be overcome with increased and clear communication.

Types of presentations

An effective way to prepare a presentation is to begin with a clear understanding of the purpose of the presentation. Generally there are three main types of presentation, each with a different goal. Depending on which type you’re targeting, your content and focus may change.

Discussion Presentation

The primary goal of a discussion presentation is to gather input and feedback from the audience. Discussion presentations are most effective when one or more discussion questions are clearly defined and communicated to the audience. Supporting background information is typically provided to provide context before opening up for discussion. A typical audience for a discussion presentation would include subject matter experts and other core individuals. Multiple discussion presentations may occur in order to include all facets and aspects of a discussion. For example an initial discussion may present a challenge and solicit possible options. A second discussion may present the proposed solution to all impacted parties to solicit feedback from those individuals.

Inform Presentation

Informational presentations are typically geared to larger more general audiences. The focus of an informational presentation is more “matter of fact” in nature, discussing the facts of a situation. Presentations of the Inform type don’t typically ask questions of the audience. Ideally those questions that do surface would look to clarify points within the presentation. Inform presentations can also be thought of as training presentations. The objective is to communicate information clearly from one group to another.

Approval Presentation

Once various alternatives have been considered and evaluated, the Approval presentation provides the opportunity to explain the problem and proposed solution for acceptance by leadership or governing entities before moving forward. Effective approval presentations typically frame the problem, as well as process that led to the solution. With the objective of this presentation type concluding with a yes or no decision, all efforts should be made to answer potential questions well before the actual presentation. This type of presentation should avoid debates about the correct way to accomplish something. Those discussions should occur before this in discussion presentations. The result of those debates and discussion should be summarized in the approval presentation.
Effective approval presentations provide a clear explanation of the problem faced, summary of findings and options reviewed, as well as a brief overview of the steps taken that led to the proposed solution. Most importantly the presentation should clearly communicate what the audience is being asked to approve. At the conclusion of the presentation the audience should have a solid understanding of their task at hand and information required to accomplish the task and approve or deny the proposal.

Conclusion

Regardless of your situation, beginning with a clear understanding of your objective is critical for achieving success, and presentations are no exception. Clearly identifying your presentation type enables you to guide and focus the discussion to meet the real objectives of your presentation. Utilizing the Discuss, Approve, and Inform concepts will help you succeed in your future presentations.

Team Conflict Resolution

Importance of conflict resolution strategies

Successful teams (and families) are the amalgamation of many different individuals into a cohesive unit. With this variety of personalities it is critical that team leaders understand how to effectively manage conflicts. While some may argue the best solution is prevention, others believe conflict is inevitable and can be healthy for a team. Regardless of philosophy successful teams will, at some point, be confronted with conflict within the group. “Conflicts are part of individual relationships and organizational development, and no relationship or organization can hope to mature to productivity and be successful without being able to resolve conflicts effectively” (Cottringer, 1997).

Facilitating conflict resolution is a skill all team leaders should understand. Various processes exist to manage these events and all forms the facilitator and team members must agree on the means for resolution. “In order for a team to be successful, it is essential that members know the basics of conflict resolution, delegation, and consensus building” (Convey, 1994). When the team members are unclear on the process or unable to implement an agreed upon resolution process, additional conflicts can arise from the mediation. One of the first steps, when brining a team together, is defining the team charter. It is within this charter that the process for conflict resolution should be noted. Additionally team members should be educated in the basics of the mediation process. With this foundational knowledge the team can effectively work through conflicts as they arise.

Sources of conflict

The sources of conflict can be as varied as the individuals within the team. These sources can range from working style to personalities conflicts. Understanding the various sources of conflict enables the leader to work through the resolution process more effectively. For example, in a large organization nearby, a project team was experiencing a series of conflicts. Analysis of the sources indicated misunderstandings on what the problems were that the team was actually facing. A few individuals stated the team produced poor quality work while others stated the work was not being completed on time. As this team discussed the conflict a second source became evident. The organization and team had conflicting understanding of the goals the team was striving toward. Significant pressure was being placed on quantity while the core team was attempting to work on the quality of the solution. Even where the overall goals were agreed upon, there were additional conflicts regarding the on the strategies and tactics to achieve those goals. What we see on the surface of a conflict is only the tip of the iceberg (McDaniel & Carstarphen, Solving Conflicts – Building Trust!, 2004). Leaders and team members need to dig in and understand the true sources of the conflict in order to devise the appropriate solution. Approaching a conflict with partial information may result in a solution that address only part of the problem or maybe none at all.

The Conflict-Concerns-Goals-Actions (CCGA) Process

Various processes exist that enable the team to gain the required understanding of the conflict. Most successful processes follow a standard flow of conflict identification, understanding the various concerns, clarifying the goals, and identifying possible actions (McDaniel, Conflict to Cooperation, 2005). This flow is called the CCGA process, for Conflict, Concerns, Goals, Actions. “The value of the CCGA process is that it “short circuits” our tendency to simply jump from our personal understanding of the conflict directly into a solution before considering other worthy factors.” (McDaniel & Carstarphen, 2004).

The first stage of this process is agreeing on what the conflict is. This process accomplishes two key elements, first it calls out the fact that there is a conflict within the team and it clarifies what the conflict is. With the team members in agreement on the issue, the group can move on to the second phase, Concerns. In this second stage the facilitator work to uncover the issues and motivations that are driving the conflict from each party. This process requires the team have a level of trust to begin with. In the concerns phase the team members begin to use that trust when discussing their concerns. As the concerns are raised a variety of emotions can flood the discussion. The facilitator and team need to be able to trust each other enough and communicate effectively to work through this process. Once the individual’s concerns are understood, the group can move to clarifying the goals. In the third stage the team answers the question “what are we trying to accomplish”. Clarifying the objectives sets a flag for the team to use as a guide when determining a course of action. With the goals understood the team is now free to move on to discuss possible actions for resolving the conflict. While named CCGA, there is an additional “C” which truly enables the whole process. This process relies heavily on communication. The success of this process comes from the communication abilities of those involved. Being able to trust and communicate through the discussion without attacking or withdrawing is critical to successful resolution. These qualities need to be exhibited by both the facilitator, and team members.

Conclusion

“As a team leader, one must realize the paradox that surrounds conflict. The team needs to embrace conflict as a means of generating and evaluating ideas. While at the same time, it must shy away from it to prevent anger, frustration, or alienation. The biggest challenge for the team leader is figuring out how to balance these two forces” (Brockmann, 1996) Utilizing a standard process for conflict resolution provides the team with a basis for trust in discussing issues. Working through this process enables the team to understand all the elements creating the friction as well. The CCGA process also helps the team work through solutions that address not only the conflict itself but the underlying concerns the team members have. Working with the human side of teams can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding. Following an agreed upon process such as the CCGA enable teams to work through issues ranging from lunch plans to even the most emotionally charge conflicts, through a defined communication process.

References

Brockmann, E. (1996). Removing the paradox of conflict from group decisions. Academy of Management Executive , Vol 10 (Issue 2), p 61-62.

Convey, S. (1994). Performance measurement in cross-functional teams. CMA Magazine , Vol 68(Issue 8), p 13-15.

Cottringer, W. (1997). Conflict Management. Executive Excellence Magazine , Vol 14 (Issue 8), p 6.

McDaniel, G. (2005). Conflict to Cooperation. Austin: 1st World Library.

McDaniel, G., & Carstarphen, M. (2004, Apr). Solving Conflicts – Building Trust! Retrieved Jan 30, 2009, from Texasnonprofits: http://www.txnp.org/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=1482

Townsley, C. A. (2008). Resolving Conflict in Work Teams. Retrieved January 30, 2009, from Team Building Directory: http://www.innovativeteambuilding.co.uk/pages/articles/conflicts.htm

Organizational Change: Readiness Assessment

When addressing the topic of change within an organization, leaders need to start the process on the right foot. Many change initiatives fail due to poor initial planning.  Taking an initial assessment of will help identify where the organization is now and what potential obstacles might impact the transformation.

Change initiatives find a higher level of success when all aspects of organizational transformation are addressed. Frequently their are many unseen elements within an organization that can derail a change initiative.  Understanding the organization’s readiness enables you to address challenges before fully engaging in the full change initiative.

What’s in a Readiness Assessment

The first section, the Vision or Communication section, identifies the degree to which the change initiative is understood by both the leadership and stakeholders. The goal is to ensure that all key players have clear view of what the change is and what the success criteria are. Frequently different members of leadership may have different agendas for the same initiative. Simply asking the question “what does success of this initiative mean to you” demonstrates the successfulness of the original communication efforts as well as possibly revealing personal agendas. When significant differences are seen in the Vision/Communication section additional time should be spent building and communicating a clear message. Alternate agendas found during this stage may signify challenges in the future. Individuals may derail or block initiatives if their objectives aren’t being met. Understanding this early enables the team to plan and possibly mitigate the situation.

The second section is typically a series of questions relating to the engagement of leadership and employees. How committed to the change is the organization. Do they feel a sense of urgency for it and are they willing to work toward the change. Unmotivated employees won’t achieve the desired results. Willing employees with no sense of urgency will find other more important things that will slow, halt or even hurt the change initiative.

The assessments conclude by examining various factors impacting the initiatives ability to succeed and be maintained over time. Are resources and people available to implement the change. Does the organization have the funding to train staff in new processes. Are there regular process reviews scheduled. Has the organization planed for conducting retrospectives on the initiative and committed to acting on the results.

Performing a readiness assessment is critical to any change initiative. These assessments callout the real challenges facing the initiative. The best change initiative is doomed to fail if the organization is not ready.

Resources

Here are a couple free online resources that help provide some context on the topic.

• http://www.performanceprograms.com/Surveys/Changeready.shtm
• http://www.abarisconsulting.com/websiteProfit/articles/P_ABARIS_ChangeReadinessAssessment.pdf

Personal experience

Utilizing a template from the Change management Pocket Guide published by Change Guides LLC., I performed an assessment of my own organizations readiness for change. Using the Change Readiness Audit was rather straight forward. While we scored well on questions like "Do people understand how the change will benefit customers and stakeholders" (Nelson & Aaron, 2005) It became evident that our change initiative still needed work in areas such as leadership accountability and resource availability (Nelson & Aaron, 2005). These are just a few of the questions asked in this tool. The Change Readiness Audit is a single page template that asks straight forward questions about your initiative. While other assessments utilize a mathematical grading system, this tool offers Yes, Somewhat and No as options for each question. The result is an easy to use tool that clearly identifies the state of your initiative in key areas that can lead to failure if not addressed.

I was very satisfied with this tool in its ability to identify areas needing attention in our organization before moving forward with our change initiative. I plan on using this tool in future engagements and would. Take some time to perform an assessment on your organization. You’ll be glad you did.

Works Cited

Nelson, K., & Aaron, S. (2005). The Change Management Pocket Guide. Cincinnati, OH: Change Guides LLC.