Overcoming A Propinquity Deficit

I first learned the term "propinquity" on a road trip.  I bought the audio cd of "Influencer: The Power to Change Anything" by Kerry Patterson (and others) to convert downtime into my own private learning lab on wheels.  

Propinquity caught my attention the way odd sounding words do, but it really hit home when I applied it to my experience of working with virtual teams.  At the time, my group was spread out across ten different corporate offices and I was headed to one of them while I listened. 

The theory of propinquity, the impact of space on relationships, by Festinger, Schachter, and Lewin is explored in several applications in this book, including the corporate environment.  Their research shows that physical proximity plays a key role in spontaneous group efforts at work, and that distance contributes to silos. "If you want to measure who doesn't trust or get along with whom, take out a tape measure."

Well, my group was sorely lacking in propinquity and we did have our silos.  Yet, we also had some very strong relationships within the group that crossed time zones and state lines.  What were those individuals doing to overcome their propinquity deficit?

• Client Teams - While the organizational chart reflected teams grouped by location and function, it took members from several teams to pull a whole project together for a client.  These less formal client teams formed strong relationships as they learned to respect what the others contributed to the project and trust that the hard work they handed off to the next team member would be met with the same level of effort and skill.  They rarely saw each other in person, but they communicated by phone, email, and IM on a daily basis.
• Teleconference Lunch 'n Learns - This is a great tool for learning and it also puts the spotlight on an individual as a subject matter expert.  As remote team members get to know each other for their specialties, they become more likely to reach out across offices when they have a question. 
• Newletters - A monthly newsletter kept the teams in touch.  In addition to articles on clients and projects, it featured different team members each month so the group could learn about their backgrounds, their hobbies, their families, and their career aspirations.  Another section highlighted work anniversary milestones, graduations, wedding and baby announcements, and special honors.  Photos were included wherever possible.  Names on the organizational chart became real people.
• Quarterly Strategy Sessions - The budget included travel funds so that the top leaders of the group, each from a different office, could meet quarterly to create and review strategy.  These were key relationships for keeping the entire group connected and strong. 
• Shared Outlook Calenders - Management opened their Outlook calendars to the entire group to encourage interaction.  When you can't walk down the hall to see if someone's free or in a meeting, a quick check of the Outlook calendar is a pretty good alternative.  This also allowed the leadership team to find out in advance about travel plans so that they could sync up and arrange for additional face to face meetings while traveling to the same location.

The bottom line is that virtual teams have to make an effort to get the same strong working relationships that other teams come by more easily based on their proximity.  

I highly recommend "Influencer" for many reasons, the theory of propinquity being one of them.  And if you've read this far and not said the word "propinquity" out loud, you should give it a try.  Rolls right off the tongue and is guaranteed to get someone's attention if expressed at your next virtual team meeting. 

Building Successful Change Leadership Teams

I'm pragmatic by nature, the practical kind of leader you can count on to keep the business running at an even keel.  So when someone says "We need to make a change..." my first reaction is usually "Why?"

Does this make me Change Resistant?  On the contrary.  As someone whose career has centered around business transition, it just means I'm true to the definition of a pragmatic - concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just in theory. 

If your organization is undergoing a major change initiative, take a look at who's on that leadership team.  To be successful, it needs a healthy mix of perspective and experience.  

• The Innovative-Not much change will occur without your innovators.  These leaders have the fresh ideas and the energy to keep the team moving forward. 
• The Tenured-These are the leaders who have seen change come and go within the organization.  They know what's worked, what's failed, and why.  Their knowledge about past initiatives contains critical information for the success of the current mission.
• The Well Connected-Networking is what these leaders excel at.  If your initiative needs support from another area of the organization, they can get that done.  They also know where you'll meet resistance, why, and what you can do about it.   
• The Voice of the People-Of your entire leadership team, these individuals are the most in touch with your employee base.  They play a critical role during integration and restructuring initiatives.  Not only can these leaders articulate the perspective of the employees during your planning phase, but they'll also be critical for corporate communications once actions begin.
• The Pragmatic-These leaders are not in favor of change for the sake of change.  They want to know there's a true business advantage, one that they can be communicated to the stakeholders.  They'll make sure the change is sustainable and carries a true return on investment. 

A successful change initiative starts with the right idea, at the right time, and led by the right people.  Build a balanced change leadership team, and you'll be off to a great start.







 

Beware the Ides of March

Today is March 15th, which turns out to be the "ides" of March on the Julian calendar.  Now I'm no study of Shakespearian plays, but I know a few quotes, and "Beware the ides of March" from Julius Caesar is one of them.  The significance of this day for Caesar is that he will be assassinated by a group of conspirators.  And despite numerous warnings and signs, Caesar, a very superstitious man, still ventures forth on the ides to meet his doom.  

One of the themes of the play is that the characters confuse their private selves with their public selves.  Caesar loses his ability to distinguish between his omnipotent, immortal public image and his private, vulnerable self.  His ambition leads him right into the deathtrap.   

It seems not a day goes by that we don't hear about some celebrity, politician, or corporate leader apologizing, defending, or resigning as a result of a scandal.  They had a lapse of judgement about their omnipotence and are now paying the price.  Did they also receive warnings along the way that they refused to heed?  Did they believe that their public image was untouchable, that no one would dare betray them, or that they were beyond reproach? 

Integrity is a measure of how well your actions align with your core values and represent your purpose.  Another way to define it is when your public self and your private self are in alignment.  And since each person defines their own integrity, it takes vigilance to develop your alignment between your calling and your conduct.      

"Beware the ides of March" could be a reminder to all of us to heed the warnings when our integrity is in jeopardy.  

Virtual Teams & Technology, A Fairy Tale

Gather round everyone, and I'll tell you a fairy tale about how technology enabled virtual teams to live happily ever after...

"Once upon a time, there were teams of hard working employees, each reporting in to a noble leader right there in their own offices. Times were peaceful, clients were happy, and bonuses were paid out every year. Then one day, the benevolent Queen Economy fell victim to a terrible illness. In order to survive, the businesses were forced to consolidate, and the employees now reported to noble leaders in offices remote from their own. With little money to travel, how would they communicate, hold meetings, work together as a team? Fortunately, the businesses were blessed with technically savvy professionals who set them up with sophisticated web conferencing capabilities, highspeed data transfer lines, global phone systems, and video teleconferencing equipment. Soon, order was restored across the land and times were again peaceful for the new virtual teams. In fact, things went so smoothly, Queen Economy was able to stay focused on her health and made a full recovery. And they all lived happily ever after."

Wouldn't it be great if it were true? That all we need is the right technology to connect us and then everything just falls into place? But alas, the truth is that technology is just one piece of the puzzle.

In fact, after attending a webinar last week, I learned that most experts on virtual teams consider technology to be a much smaller part of the success story. An important part, but only ~10% of the total equation. So what's the other 90%? According to authors Jessica Lipnack and Jeffrey Stamps, "Virtual Teams - People Working Across Boundaries With Technology", 90% of the success comes from the people component.

This made me smile a big smile. Why? Because I worked for many years leading virtual teams, and that had been my exact experience. And if you're leading virtual teams right now, it should make you smile, too. It means you're an important part of the success equation, and any opportunity for you to step up as a leader and show your stuff is good news.

So yes, make sure your teams have the technology they need to work and to connect, but, don't be lured in by the fairy tale that technology it's the end all solution. Your virtual teams need you and your ability to create an environment that unites them while still recognizing their unique cultural differences, skillsets, and histories.

And while we focus on our virtual teams this week, let's also take a moment to send a Get Well card to Queen Economy. I think she could use it.

Written Word or Spoken Word?

[This blog is an excerpt from my presentation, Communications During Times of Uncertainty]

Let's say you have an important communication that needs to be delivered to your organization. And, let's assume that like many companies in the last few years, there's been a lot of change and uncertainty within the organization. How do you determine the proper communication vehicle for your message?

Here's a short list of factors to consider:

Size and Geography

Is this a global organization, a single office site, or somewhere in between? If an organization is in one location, regular face-to-face communication by leaders is recommended during times of uncertainty as this can be done at no extra cost and it strengthens relationships with management. However, the more sites you have, especially with a global organization, the more expensive it is to deliver a message in person. Teleconferences can be used when language won't be a barrier and time zones are manageable. Recorded video/audio emailed or posted to an intranet site can also be effective if a Q&A session is not needed. If you have senior staff in each site available to deliver your message, this can be another way to deliver your message in person without the expense of travel. Otherwise, written communication will be most cost effective for multiple sites.

Urgency of Delivery

Most communications that need to be delivered urgently are not celebrations. They tend to fall along the lines of emergencies (natural disaster), major organizational change that has just occured (key leader is leaving to "pursue other career options"), and instructions for speaking to press/clientele (as in, "no comment"). Under these circumstances, your initial communication is best done in writing. You may be an excellent speaker, but the reality is that very few of us are able to effectively deliver urgent news in person without inadvertently creating more cause for alarm. There's nothing like being called into an unscheduled meeting without an agenda to send an already nervous team into a panic. Your staff will convert an urgent tone of voice into anxiety, a hurried body language into fear, and their own minds are racing so fast they won't hear much of your message. Conversely, a well written memo can be delivered quickly via email without passing along emotion that can be misinterpreted. It also allows the individual to go back and read it as many times as needed to fully comprehend the message. Your initial email can always be followed up with teleconferences and team meetings depending on the next consideration, which is:

Potential for Emotional Reaction

Is this a message that will add to the uncertainty (hiring freezes), confirm fears (closing an office), or be perceived as a takeaway (cutting benefits)? If so, your communication plan should include face time so that questions can be raised and addressed before emotions mushroom. If the communication involves detail that employees need to have, plan to send it in writing in advance to the management team for review with talking points. Follow up with a memo to the full staff, and ask the management team to address with the teams immediately thereafter using the tips from the talking points. Allowing time for Q&A is important when emotions are running high.

Instructional vs Informational

The more instructional your message, the more important it is to put it in writing. If you are communicating a deadline, an action with multiple steps, a policy, training expectations, etc., these need to be given in writing to provide clarity and consistency at the time of the communication. It further allows the reader to file it away or put it on their calendar and review it again when they most need it. Informational communications such as sales wins, high level news sharing by multiple teams, and year-on-year status can be done verbally during team meetings and conference calls. These can be accompanied with bulleted PowerPoint slides as needed, but the details can be delivered verbally allowing individuals to take notes of what is most relevant to them.

Private Sector vs Public Sector

If your organization is privately owned, you have more bandwidth to put information in writing without need to consult with the legal department. Once a corporation has stockholders, there is a need to be more cautious about the content of written business communications. Emails can be forwarded, intranet content can be cut and pasted into new messages, and memos can be photocopied and brought home in briefcases. Conversely, verbal communications translated into an individual's own handwritten notes are less likely to travel. Your message can be delivered verbally along with an instruction of confidentiality and request that it be cascaded internally as needed in further staff meetings. An example of this would be a high level monthly financial status that's shared with senior level management and then cascaded verbally to employees prior to the detailed written quarterly statements that go out to all the stockholders.

Credibility of the Communicator

If you plan to deliver a message in person, make sure the person delivering it (and that includes you), has credibility with the team being addressed. Get feedback on this. Do you come across with sincerity and authenticity? How do you do with Q&A? Do you have an established relationship with this group or is this your first meeting? During uncertain times, face-to-face meetings are a wonderful opportunity to restore trust with teams. However, if it's not done well, it's also the fastest way to alienate yourself and create suspicion about your message. Get the right speaker for your audience, or else plan to deliver it in writing instead.

Here's to good business communciation, especially during times of uncertainty.

Chariots of Fire

On paper, it was really a good idea. I was looking for a family friendly film to show to the Jr & Sr High classes from our church, when I came across Chariots of Fire at the local library. Perfect! It's about values and personal faith. It's an inspiring true story. It's about the Olympics, and that's what's playing in primetime television right now. The movie is 120 minutes long, so I'd show the first half one Sunday and the second half the next. Great plan.

Chariots of Fire went down in flames. My son was part of the viewing group, and he wasted no time afterward telling me that it was the most b-o-r-i-n-g movie he'd ever seen. No way was he sitting through the second half next week. There were no chariots, Mom, much less chariots of fire. Plus, they talked with accents so he couldn't even understand what they were saying.

*Sigh* I saw the same movie with my church youth group when I was in high school, and we loved it. What happened?

Well, in retrospect, turns out there were a few key differences.

First of all, movies have come a long way since then. Considering the special effects these kids are used to, this film had no chance of holding their attention. Who cares that it won 4 Academy Awards. The only special effect Chariots of Fire had to offer was slow motion to create suspense and drama during the foot races.

The film is rated G. G means Good when you're looking for something parents will approve of for a church youth gathering, but it means Go-to-sleep to the average teenager. Back in the early 80's, a teenager would still go see a G rated film. If it was redone today, they'd have to spice it up to at least PG-13 if not R. Seems teenagers don't go to G rated films anymore unless it's one of those nature sagas like March of the Penguins or Earth where it's cool to be green.

And as for the connection to the Olympics, well, yes they are in fact taking place right now. However for these kids, it's just another TV program. When I watched Chariots of Fire, it was a year after the 1980 Winter Olympics. Anyone remember where those games took place? Lake Placid, NY. I lived in Saranac Lake back then, just 9 miles away. When the Olympics came to town, we volunteered at the events, worked at the restaurants, participated in opening and closing ceremonies, and even had the chance to watch the games in person. School closed for two weeks while we hosted visitors from around the globe. For us, the Olympics had been a very real and personal experience.

So where did I go wrong? I took the surface value similiarities - teenagers, Olympics, epic film, church activity - without considering the underlying contextual differences, and assumed a favorable outcome. Frankly, I know better.

I'd still recommend Chariots of Fire, just in case you haven't seen it. And this week, I'm grateful for the reminder to look below the surface.

Be the Catalyst

Catalyst: a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction by reducing the activation energy, but which is left unchanged by the reaction. (http://www.chemistry.about.com/)

If you work in the sciences, I'm sure you're quite familiar with catalysts and how they can be used to move a process along faster and at a lower temperature. And since the catalyst is unchanged by the process itself, you can use it over and over again.

Regardless of the industry in which you lead, doesn't that sound like something you'd like to have at your next business meeting? Imagine it, an entity that lowers the political temperature of the room and speeds along the process by creating a different path for finding the solution. Wishful thinking? Not at all. In fact, as a leader, that catalyst could be you.

As you attend your meetings this week, pay attention to situations where tempers flare, discussions get stuck, or agendas go off the tracks, and notice how you and others engage/don't engage. Do you sit back and wait for the reaction to finish itself out without you? Do you enter the reaction, but find that you're not making an impact? What would you do differently if you were willing to play the role of catalyst in that reaction?

Here are some things to consider:

* You have to be willing to set your personal agenda aside. The catalyst isn't trying to direct the outcome. Rather a catalyst is allowing the current process to find it's best path to reach the desired end goal as defined by the group.

* You may have to give up the glory for the greater cause. Many times, the catalyst isn't even remembered at the end of a reaction. In fact, if it truly becomes a changed reaction, the group deserves the glory for following the new direction, not any one person. Over time, others will notice that meetings are improved just by your presence.

* You need to be very grounded and centered. The catalyst is unchanged at the end of the reaction, and thus you need to be in a mindset that is open and present, but strong and enduring. If you are distracted or unsure of yourself, you will not be able to meet the demands of the catalyst's role, and may get used up or burned up by entering into the reaction.

Look for your opportunities and give it a try. You may find that you are effective in this role in some situations and not in others. Just like a chemist, you have to know when a catalyst will improve the reaction, and you have to use the right catalyst for the other elements involved and for the desired outcome. But as a leader in your organization, you likely have some good instincts about this already.

Here's to good Chemistry in your workplace this week.