Yael Zofi's Blog

10 people. 5 countries. 4 time zones. Some might say this is a recipe for disastrous meetings. In many cases, that may be accurate. A team setup like ours presents various challenges, including communication, relationship building, and conducting team meetings. This is especially important for us because our business is productive meetings.

At Meeteor, we’ve created a software that facilitates the creation of a thoughtful meeting agenda, capturing clear meeting notes, and managing effective follow-through. Our coaching and skill-building services provide training and change management support to transform the meeting culture of a team or organization.

As CEO, it’s my job to ensure our team is conducting effective virtual meetings and building strong relationships. Here are five lessons I’ve learned managing virtual meetings for team members across multiple countries, languages, and backgrounds.

1. Spend the first few minutes catching up.

At Meeteor, we have a bi-weekly team alignment meeting in which we share progress toward monthly milestones, align on cross-workstream efforts, and discuss company-wide topics. The first few minutes of each meeting are purely social. People talk about their hobbies, weekend adventures, and family lives.

This check-in time allows us to develop and maintain bonds that make working together from afar more enjoyable and manageable. We rely on these bonds to help us overcome cultural differences  and communication barriers. It’s no surprise that with multiple team members for whom English is their second (or third) language, we sometimes encounter communication challenges in our daily work. Healthy relationships full of trust and caring allow us to face these communication differences with curiosity and a light heart.

2. Video and audio quality matters (and so does how you use it).

We opt for video meetings whenever possible. Seeing people’s expressions and their smiling faces gives us body language information that increases understanding and connection. When compromised internet speeds make the video or audio quality choppy, we stop screen sharing and ask individuals to open the presentation materials that we’ve already provided as pre-work on their own screens. We’ve experimented with a variety of video conferencing softwares in order to find the one that works best for our team. We also invested in a wide-angle camera and a good microphone for our conference room, so that all team members can see and hear each other.

3. Empower everyone to participate.

Our team meetings often consist of a small group gathered in one room and other team members participating virtually. It can be easy for the co-located group to start chatting with each other without including the virtual participants, so we make it a practice to intentionally check in with virtual team members throughout the meeting. Sometimes this means asking virtual participants to speak first when the discussion moves to a new topic or to share final thoughts as we wrap up a subject.

At Meeteor we practice our core value of “Respect” in every interaction – respect for self and for others. Team members know they can speak up at any time during meetings to ask others to share their thoughts. This helps the meeting leader to ensure balanced participation.

4. Use a chat app to complement your meetings.

With team members located across four different time zones, it’s not always convenient to hop on a quick call as we only have a few overlapping work hours each day. Using an online chat app with mobile capabilities like Slack or HipChat enables team members to communicate without being at their desks. While I don’t promote working off hours, there are times when input or information is needed in order to move work forward. An after hours phone call is a clear disruption at the dinner table, but a quick message typed on your phone is less so.

Chat apps support team member communications and relationships between meetings. Team members communicate frequently on work topics but also share personal and fun information, like co-located team members would do over lunch or in the coffee room. This reinforces healthy team relationships.

5. Make your meetings meaningful.

If meetings aren’t engaging and productive, participants will quickly begin multitasking whether it’s a virtual or face-to-face meeting. We always provide an agenda ahead of time so participants know what we’re going to accomplish in the meeting. Sometimes we use shared Google documents for brainstorming so everyone can contribute in real time.

Part of making meetings engaging is ensuring the right people attend. We only include the people who need to be in the meeting because they have information important to share or would gain value by participating. Team members who don’t need to be in a meeting but who would benefit from knowing meeting outcomes are kept in the loop with a meeting summary. We use the Meeteor app to record, share and store meeting notes that provide context, detailed next steps, and decisions.

Virtual meetings are here to stay.

The number of geographically disbursed teams is only growing. Whether your team is scattered in 2 locations or 20, you can use these five learnings to build a healthy and productive team – wherever your colleagues reside.

[image error]About Mamie Kanfer Stewart

Mamie Kanfer Stewart is CEO and founder of Meeteor, a software and consulting firm that enables better meetings. Mamie is driven to help others optimize their time and cultivate their team to achieve results. She has been featured in Inc., Forbes, Business Collective, and PC Magazine. She was a keynote speaker at Lean Startup Week 2016. Follow her on LinkedIn.

 

AIM Strategies®

AIM® is a results-driven Human Capital Consulting firm specializing in Global Leadership Development, Co-located and Virtual Team Facilitation, Cross Cultural Communications, and Change Management Services. To request information about AIM’s experiential packages (5D’s™ Consulting Methodology and ACT™ Virtual Coaching Process), email: info@aim-strategies.com and follow AIM® on LinkedIn.

The post How to Make Your Virtual Meetings More Meaningful from a CEO’s Perspective appeared first on Making Virtual Teams Effective with Yael Zofi.

“A fantastic compliment to A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams. Filled with information and engaging activities, this is sure to become a go-to resource for any virtual manager.” –Mamie Kanfer Stewart, Founder & CEO, Meeteor

Yael Zofi knows that a connected team will always operate, commit, coordinate and conduct business more effectively. In THE VIRTUAL TEAMS ACTIVITY GUIDE, she reveals how virtual teams separated by time and space, can still enjoy success. This book provides a blueprint to telecommuters, freelancers, vendors and remote virtual members, giving them a radical new way of looking at connecting in today’s working world.

Today, virtual teams are assembled to secure a powerful competitive advantage, with dispersed colleagues of all types, roles and skill-sets, working together-while physically apart to achieve results. This intense web of virtual (and real) relationships requires better team collaboration and greater human connection.

Managing a Virtual Team is not easy considering the built-in challenges for communications. Even the most talented managers need to regularly rethink and retool to attract new talent, and manage teams effectively, yet as little as 33% of leaders receive adequate training to handle issues unique to the virtual environment. Some common challenges are:

• How do I build a strong team with widely dispersed people who’ve never met?

• How do I do this across continents and cultural differences?

• How can I establish trust and accountability?

THE VIRTUAL TEAMS ACTIVITY GUIDE, (AIM Strategies®; November 15, 2016; $18.99 Spiral-Bound) is the perfect companion to ‘A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams,’ (AMACOM; August 11, 2011; $27.95 HC/PPB) offers proven best practices through thought-provoking activities designed to help managers and teams better understand and connect with their virtual counterparts. This step-by-step blueprint includes powerful tools to help remote teams connect and build trust without face-to-face interaction. Yael Zofi’s fresh new book provides:

• 8 Characteristics of High Performing Virtual Teams (HPTVs)

• 4 Pillars essential to remote team success

• Virtual Wheel of Trust™ Model

• 7 Global Leadership Dimensions to ensure dynamic leadership

• Roadmap to effectively charter your own Team Setup™

THE VIRTUAL TEAMS ACTIVITY GUIDE is a must for any organization to succeed in the expanded landscape of telecommuters, freelancers, vendors and remote members. It’s practical and easy to read, with real life examples and activities that you can easily incorporate into your own virtual work life to maximize your virtual team’s full potential.

Buy your copy of The Virtual Teams Activity Guide from Amazon today and use it to make your virtual collaborations more effective.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yael Zofi is the CEO of AIM Strategies® a global management consulting firm focused on virtual teams and leaders across a broad range of industries. She has worked with clients such as AT&T, Chase, General Electric, Metlife, Pfizer, Philips, USDA, Viacom and Nokia. Read more at yaelzofi.com and on the AIM Strategies® blog.

Title:THE VIRTUAL TEAMS ACTIVITY GUIDE

Author:Yael Zofi

Pub. Date:November 15, 2016

Price:$18.99 Spiral-Bound
Pages:127

ISBN:978-1-5323-1447-7

Tel:718-832-6699

Web:yaelzofi.com

The post Engaging Activities Help Virtual Teams Collaborate A New Book by Yael Zofi, AIM Strategies® CEO appeared first on Making Virtual Teams Effective with Yael Zofi.

Volume 16 • Issue 4

Welcome to AIM® Virtual Team Building eNews!

With the holiday season sneaking up, end of the year employee performance evaluations are not far behind. Year-end provides the opportunity to take stock of how well goals were met for the current business cycle, and to set new objectives going forward. According to research conducted by RW3, makers of Culture Wizard, 85% of employees are now part of at least one virtual team, and 73% believe that the advantages of virtual teams outweigh their challenges (RW3, 2016). The AIM Strategies® team agrees with these findings based on our 18+ years of experience working with local, global and virtual teams.

Virtual teams are popular for very good reasons – – they allow for greater flexibility and quicker decision making – – which in turn means increased profits. In order for this work format to succeed, managers must know how to monitor and evaluate performance remotely. In this AIM® eNews edition we share insights about how to solve some of the challenges virtual teams face when managing performance from a distance.

In This Issue

Performance Management Scenario
Problem #1: Lack of Face-To-Face Interaction
Problem #2: Ineffective Performance Reviews
Virtual Performance Management Solutions
8 Tips for Virtual Performance Evaluation Feedback
Going Forward

Performance Management Scenario

The AIM® team thought about how to convey these challenges to our readership, and made the decision to describe an example that we came across more than once. Please look at the scenario described below, which may be familiar to some of you! How would you, or did you, handle a similar situation?

Senior Manager at US-Based IT Company, let’s call him Steve, supervises a virtual team of 6 team members who mostly work in different cities around the world (Dallas, New York, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Switzerland) doing system implementation and software upgrades. Only one team member (John) works at the same office as Steve. Steve and John see each other weekly and often talk through business issues and interact during coffee and lunch breaks. Steve has never met his other team members in person, though they regularly communicate via email and video conference meetings.

Now that it’s time for performance reviews and the evaluations are due, Steve realizes that he is less equipped to properly evaluate several virtual team members due to their somewhat limited interactions. He can comment on goal achievement but not specific behavior-based steps since he has not had the chance to regularly observe or interact with them. Even though team members informed Steve about their achievements and documented deliverables in their project management tool, Steve is still not aware of the processes, behaviors or approaches they utilized to get the job done.

In contrast, Steve can comment about John’s achievements and believes that John has done more work than his colleagues since Steve interacts with John on a regular basis and sees him often.

Earlier this year, Steve gave feedback to each team member during one-on-one meetings and made several attempts to ensure team members heard his messages about product quality and profit challenges as well as critical business deadlines. There were several misunderstandings about client proposals which were resolved, but now the team is somewhat behind on meeting goals and Steve is now faced with the challenge of improving his virtual team’s performance.



He wonders, “What’s approach should I take?”

If you were coaching Steve what’s the best approach for him to (1) ensure performance evaluations are fair and (2) to set expectations for the next period? Since Steve’s team did not excel at performance, Steve is not in a position to give bonuses this year, so he has to get his message across while keeping motivation high.

Let’s first define the problems in this scenario:

Problem #1: Lack of Face-To-Face Interaction

The scenario shows why it’s difficult for Steve to accurately evaluate his virtual team members’ performance. Despite regular virtual communication, interpersonal interaction is lacking; however, Steve has constantly observed and interacted with John and therefore, he believes that John works harder.

This psychological phenomenon occurs because of something organizational psychologists call ‘Availability Heuristic’, or a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind. Simply observing John’s behavior regularly causes Steve to conclude that John is a greater contributor than his virtual counterparts. Staying in touch via video conference meetings and emails may not be enough for Steve to understand situational challenges and contributions. As noted above, Steve has a good idea about each team member’s outcomes, but not their processes, and this can cause inaccurate evaluations and untargeted feedback – both of which lead to stagnant performance.

Problem #2: Ineffective Performance Reviews

According to the ‘Trends in Virtual Teams Report in 2016’, 59% of virtual team employees feel performance reviews are not worth the time invested. This widely held belief could be the reason that Steve’s team rejected his performance feedback, leading to little or no improvement from one year to the next. Negative performance evaluations can also be seen as a threat to employees’ job-related self-esteem. Social psychologists, such as Alvin Zander (Performance Appraisals, Effects on Employees and Their Performance, University of Michigan) have found that sometimes people react to an evaluation in a self-defeating way, like questioning feedback or simply ignoring it, to lessen the threat to self-esteem. Keep in mind that most employees want to know how they are performing and what their potential career growth opportunities are within the organization, and how they can improve. The key factor in evaluations is to use a review discussion, which virtual team managers can use (1) without a great deal of training, and (2) to enhance team members’ self-esteem.

Virtual Performance Management Solutions

How can we help Steve handle performance from a distance?

Below are several virtual performance management tips based on Yael Zofi’s acclaimed book, A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams. We have grouped these tips into 4 key areas of virtual team management, with specific bullet-pointed steps that Steve can take to enhance each one.

Manage Context Communications

CHAPTER 3

Set appropriate channels, E.g., video conferencing tools & ensure everyone has access
Hold regular 1:1 daily/weekly updates with each member to discuss issues/progress/tasks
Interact with the team to provide targeted ‘just-in-time’ feedback to drive performance
Ensure everyone briefly comments on what is going on in their world via a round-robin at the beginning of meetings


Foster Ongoing

Collaborations CHAPTER 3

Utilize online project management tools to collaborate across time zones
Use virtual integration tools to engage in ongoing conversations
Provide real time updates to help projects move along
During team updates, ask members to state their perspective on an issue to better understand each other’s values and styles
Get your FREE summary of “Today’s Collaboration Tools”


Build Virtual

Accountabilities

CHAPTER 4

Set expectations up front regarding what needs to be done and who does what – provide deadlines so that everyone knows and is committed
Create a “share point” or a “shared drive”, or find another tool that helps everyone stay informed
Report issues as they arise to ensure Honesty-Trust is reinforced
Give daily updates & send EOD e-mails to review progress
Check results regularly & create feedback loops

Manage Project

Deliverables

CHAPTER 6

Implement stronger tracking systems to ensure clarity around both what and how the team achieves outcomes
Regularly discuss how members contribute to results
Get real-time updates as projects move along
Strive to understand how deliverables can be affected by different cultural, ethical, and interpersonal values; put the effort into knowing your team

8 Tips for Virtual Performance Evaluation Feedback

When Steve gives virtual team members performance feedback from a distance he can follow these 8 practical steps, and use the best virtual communication medium he can (video is best, telephone a close second):



1. Focus on the behavior, not the person.



2. Start the performance review discussion by asking the team member for his or her view first (e.g., how they view the job and work environment, are there issues with technology, what expectations do they have of you or their virtual teammates?).



3. State your perspective about performance and present both- what the person does well (or as Yael Zofi refers – Reinforcing Feedback) as well as areas for improvement (Re-directive Feedback). This approach provides team members with a balanced view and realization that negative feedback can be used as a development tool, not a personal criticism.



4. Next, give examples of desirable behaviors, followed by specific opportunities for performance improvement.



5. Provide time for questions and talk about both things that you agree and disagree about performance.



6. Then summarize performance, and do not measure one team member’s performance against another since comparisons foster resentment.



7. Construct a performance improvement plan and plan a follow up discussion about future opportunities (e.g. advancement, exposure, new assignments, role expansion).



8. Finally, close the performance review discussion on a constructive and encouraging note – and remember that performance review discussions are a two-way process – team members’ inputs are essential for ‘ownership’ on their part of the process!

Following these simple steps will help team managers, like Steve, and his virtual team members to improve and excel in the future.

Going Forward

Steve now realizes that ‘out of sight does not mean out of mind’, and there are many effective practices he can use to manage performance from a distance. Some require a little retooling to ensure that dispersed team members stay on track and work more efficiently together, even when physically apart.

Steve can read A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams or get the latest Virtual Teams Activity Guide companion exercise book. He can also Contact Yael Zofi at AIM Strategies® and set a short virtual coaching call to make his virtual team more effective.

Questions or comments? Contact us: info@aim-strategies.com or Call: +1.718.832.6699 / 6767. We will provide consulting, training and coaching services to help you make your own virtual teams more effective. Check our Previous Client List & Feedback to get more information about AIM Strategies® and Yael Zofi’s consulting, training and virtual coaching services.

The post 8 Tips for Virtual Performance Management appeared first on Making Virtual Teams Effective with Yael Zofi.

With the increasing challenges of global competition and shifting market demands, virtual teams are finding it essential to effectively manage meetings anywhere and anytime. Fast-changing technology has provided project managers with tools to facilitate constant communication. Whether it is Skype or other conference technologies over mobile devices, it is well accepted that conducting meetings now transcends geographic boundaries.

However, conducting virtual meetings among any number of colleagues who are physically separated, working remotely and representing multiple agendas and cultures provides additional challenges. Because of this, it can be difficult for virtual meetings to achieve their intended goals or to be considered an “amazing success.”

The Potential of Virtual Teams

As someone who has made it my life’s work to explore global environments and effective behaviors of Virtual Teams, I understand that teams, virtual or otherwise, are formed to fulfill an important need, often to secure a powerful competitive advantage.

While Virtual Teams offer many advantages, the lack of in-person interaction creates its own set of issues. Perhaps the most critical one is the difficulty in maintaining clear, concise communication among virtual team members. Connection is the lifeblood of organizations, and without a human connection to facilitate communication, virtual teams cannot achieve optimum performance. This applies to virtual meetings in the form of both conference and video calls.

10 Strategies to Make Your Virtual Meetings Successful

The good news is that you can follow specific actions to improve the effectiveness of virtual meetings. As the meeting leader or facilitator, you can follow these 10 proven tips to make your virtual meetings successful.

1. Assign virtual meeting roles.

The facilitator of the meeting does not always have to be the person who calls the meeting, although it often is. The facilitator should be skilled in group dynamics and cross cultural and language appreciation, as well as asking relevant questions and managing time. Assign a note-taker and time-keeper for your virtual meetings and consider rotating the roles among team members.

2. Send out the agenda in advance.

Prepare and distribute the agenda and pre-work before the virtual meeting takes place. Keep the meeting focused on moving through the agenda items.

3. Begin with the end result.

State the objectives at the onset of the call so participants are aware of the desired end results for this meeting.

4. Use ground rules.

Decide on ground rules in advance of the meeting, and remind participants of them.

These can be as simple as:

Make sure that callers says hello and introduce themselves.
Say your name each time you speak.
Use your mute button to eliminate background noises.
Focus your comments and keep them short.

5. Engage the team around the virtual meeting process.

Pause halfway through the meeting to check in with participants about the meeting process. Ask them what’s going well and what needs to change and incorporate this feedback into the second half of the meeting. Checking in halfway allows the facilitator to adjust before the end of the meeting. Engage participants again at the end of the meeting and apply this feedback to future meetings.

6. Protect self-esteem by ensuring that everyone is treated with respect.

Facilitators should model respectful behavior to meeting participants. Help meeting participants establish specific ground rules such as “respect each other” and “listen without judgment.” When a small group of people dominates the discussion or has side conversations, remind them of the shared ground rules and refocus the conversation.

7. Intervene immediately if you believe things are running off track.

Gently and firmly intervene if a participant is off-topic or acting out of sync with the ground rules. For example, say, “Thanks, Jean, for making that point. Let’s note it for later since it’s not part of today’s agenda.” or, “Jason, let’s let Michael finish the point before responding to it. Thank you.”

8. Be sure to get everyone involved to maximize the entire group’s input.

Ask yourself, “Is this meeting necessary, or could the discussion be replaced by email?” If you decide the meeting is necessary, make sure it’s an interactive experience for everyone. This is more difficult when participants are connecting through technology. Keep track of who is actively engaged, and draw silent individuals into the discussion.

9. Debrief at the end of the virtual meeting.

Ask team members whether they found the meeting valuable and what they want to Stop/Start/Continue. See how well the meeting matched your agenda and intended outcomes. Conclude the call by summarizing, confirming decisions and reiterating next steps.

10. Assess the effectiveness of the virtual meeting and make adjustments for next time.

Evaluate what worked and what didn’t before planning the next meeting. Was every participant essential? Could the issues have been handled differently? Was this precious time used to brainstorm, resolve differences and make decisions instead of just to share information?

Virtual meetings are indispensable for moving complex projects along between colleagues who live and work remotely. These 10 strategies go a long way towards making them successful.

Does your organization hold virtual meetings? What makes them (un)successful? Please share your thoughts below.

Editor’s note: AIM truly enjoyed the collaboration with Meeteor. To have your meetings transformed into a daily highlight, visit Meeteor today.

The post 10 Strategies for Virtual Meetings That Win appeared first on Making virtual teams effective with Yael Zofi.

Volume 16 • Issue 3

WELCOME to our e-Newsletter on our Cross-Cultural Perspective From a Virtual Team Member in Israel!

Internationally known, New York City based virtual teams expert and author of ‘A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams,’ Yael Zofi, recently traveled to Israel to investigate the business climate and see how virtual teams were being run in the Middle East. When asked her about her impressions and experience, she discovered that the cross-cultural adventure and working as a virtual team member had its challenges.

In This Issue

Cross-Cultural Changes
Unique Aspects of Business Culture
Your Virtual Team Member Experience
Managing Time and Managing Yourself
Time Zone Challenges
Tips for Becoming a Better Virtual Team Member
Global Business and Management Consulting
About AIM Strategies®

Cross-Cultural Changes

Q1 Interviewer: “What kind of changes have you noticed in Israel since you were last there?”

Yael Zofi (YZ): “It was quite obvious to me, from the moment I landed and ensconced myself and family members in a rented apartment outside of Tel Aviv, that Israel has accomplished a lot that was visible to any traveler, and also within the overall global business environment. A nation coming into existence in 1948, sitting in a desert, obviously has transformed itself into a country with a huge worldwide presence having modern cities alongside farmland. There is much gentrification in the cities themselves and the suburbs.


Oftentimes, while traveling up and down the country, I felt I was back in the States. Seeing similar buildings, cities and suburbs and crowded centers of population with contemporary malls and glass structures reminded me of modern urban metropolitan locations around the world. Even the neighborhood around the farm I grew up on is almost unrecognizable.


Israel now is seen as a center of technology and innovation. I was reminded of that every day when I was driving the roads using the Israeli developed Smartphone app – ‘Waze’. Now Waze is used around the globe helping drivers navigate around traffic problems, road hazards and even the police – thankfully.


For such a young country they have made so many advancements, despite their challenges.


There used to be a water shortage, but they have created a conversion system. There is a special way to water the plants- now used all over the world, long tubes with holes, a slow watering mechanism. As a child, I remember we weren’t allowed to water plants in the summer. And now they’ve figured out how to change salt water into sweet water.


If there’s a problem, they create a solution. That’s what’s kind of cool about the country often called ‘The Startup Nation’. A small nation surrounded by enemies, Israel has learned how to survive and thrive despite their challenges.


It’s very energizing to see such a mindset of innovation in such a concentrated space. Israel doesn’t get the credit it deserves – how advanced, how loving, positive and inviting, what curious learners they are, how much they like to travel, innovative. A democratic country in the Middle East – an amazing phenomenon…”

Unique Aspects of Business Culture

Q2. Interviewer: “What are some uniquely Israeli ways of doing business that you feel all cultures could benefit from and why? And how would you compare it to the way business is conducted in the USA?”

YZ: “I think, what I really like about Israeli business culture is its directness in conversation. It’s typical to ask personal questions, about upbringing, about where you went in the military, where your family is from, etc. Just about everyone I met- we shared something personal. There was a real cross-cultural connection at the relationship level. Interestingly, as someone who lived there until I was 10 years old, I found that the Israeli’s business English terms are similar, so I found it easy to converse in Hebrew. I think the unique thing was the way that one would say something and another would jump in – we often jumped into one another’s sentences.



In the US we seem to be more “polite” and “reserved” when conversing about potential business deals. Israelis are more open and direct – even at times coming across “brusk”. For example, In Israel, people are not afraid to ask how much it costs, how much you charge. These are not conversations you have in the US. In my experience, Professional Services Fees are always a difficult conversation to have with any US client. It’s sort of a guessing game. But in Israel, those conversations were easier, and even expected.



Overall I found that these types of sensitive topics are considered normal and straight to the point in Israel. I think it creates a kind of ‘Instant Trust’ that it is quite refreshing.”

Your Virtual Team Member Experience

Q3 – Interviewer: “How was your experience of being a virtual team member for an extended amount of time?”

YZ: “Technology did indeed provide some communication challenges. When I was remote, especially when my phone died four times, I had only intermittent connection with my home based team. I was often unable to make a phone call back to the States. I was therefore not able to check on most things being done directly.



I had to count on my virtual team members and their email communications in order to follow up by seeing their beginning and end of day reports. I also struggled a lot with the time zones. It was difficult to have a double schedule – where I had daytime meetings, and then at 9 pm and even 11pm I had to participate on conference calls back in the States, which was 7 hours earlier.



As a virtual team member I didn’t want to be on a call at 11 pm every night, so that was frustrating. I can relate – you are the furthest one away. At one point I had a virtual coaching call lasting a few hours, I was extremely tired, maybe still jet lagged. So, what I did in order to stay alert and not sound sleepy, was to make sure I sat upright, so my voice would sound more awake and confident.



Towards the middle of the trip, the scheduling became a major issue. I learned how really important it is to have a really strong, clear communication schedule. At my office in New York, my schedule is a bit messy but I can quickly send my assistant a text. When I was remote, because I was dealing with multiple schedules, what started to happen was at times a complete disconnect. I had such a mix of am/pm and business and personal calendar items and on top of that, I had people texting, emailing and calling me – people wanting to visit with myself and my family, changing schedules and night time calls. I could not control the schedule.



The Israeli cross-cultural mentality is more relaxed about ‘let’s get together’ and ‘we’ll see you’ … but in the States, we have scheduling. It is less ad-hoc, less spur of the moment. So, in Israel I had to just start to handwrite everything the old fashioned way. There was one meeting that I forgot about and the person sent a text to say where he was located. The meeting wasn’t on any calendar. He said he was sitting and waiting. Luckily it was only 3 blocks away, so he never knew. This illustrated a cultural difference that of separation between work and life and work and business.”

Managing Time and Managing Yourself

Q4 – Interviewer: “ How did you manage to separate your constant demands of doing business and finding personal time?”

YZ: “I tried to maintain some boundaries. This was very difficult and probably not effective. My work station was the kitchen table. Someone always needed something. The lack of boundaries made it more challenging to work virtually.



Next time I would pre-contact and rekindle some relationships earlier, send personal notes in advance, and schedule more in-person visits. Most of the lunches were successful and I enjoyed who I met, people made great recommendations, but it was too late to plan special appearances, presentations and site visits. It occurred to me that I should have organized a larger gathering and get to see several people at once. (Then be able to focus on scheduling the work priorities as a follow-up).

Time Zone Challenges

Q5 – Interviewer: “What became a troubling issue for you? One that caused you to lose focus?”

YZ: “Being a virtual team member, I was looking forward to communications from my team in the US office. So hearing from my teammates was a nice welcome, especially when it was 5 or 6 pm in Israel when the emails would start coming in and I knew that my team were starting their day on the East Coast. That made me smile.



But at times, even seeing emails was not enough to prevent me from feeling disconnected.



We all need feedback. When I felt disconnected and frustrated, knowing I’m not going to get the work done due to other demands, it would have been nice to get something personal from the team. Looking back, it might’ve been helpful to take pictures and share events. Even if I couldn’t be there, I knew things were happening and wanted to participate from a distance. I needed more structure.



We conducted an initial Skype call, but we did not stick to the plan. The initial call for our weekly team meeting was great and we should’ve stuck to it and made sure to keep a regular scheduled communication.



It’s interesting how dependent we are on technology to stay in touch. A neighbor was telling me that some people when they travel to Israel, bring several phones and devices just to avoid any potential hiccups in communication. Next time, we could work more effectively. The limited time I had, I just wanted to focus on the most important things at the time.”

Tips for Becoming a Better Virtual Team Member

Q6 – Interviewer: “What would you do differently next time as a virtual team member?”

YZ: “Personally, to be a better virtual team member in the future, I would need to create a workspace with more privacy, a shared drive with regular updates, and a determined focus on what needs to be done at that moment. I personally need more human connection- even if only by phone, remembering Out of sight does not mean out of mind…”

Global Business and Management Consulting

Q7 – Interviewer: “How did your experience shape the direction you would like to move forward in your global leadership and virtual team consulting work?”

YZ: “My experience in Israel this time made me realize there is a lot we at AIM Strategies® can contribute, with our expertise in cross cultural communications and virtual team management. I’m even more excited about the possibilities of working more directly with Israeli business management at the strategy and business level, global companies that are located in Israel and around the world.”

About AIM Strategies

AIM Strategies® Applied Innovative Management® is a results-driven Human Capital Consulting firm specializing in the areas of: Global Leadership Development, Co-located and Virtual Team Facilitation, Cross Cultural Communications, and Change Integration Services. To request information about AIM’s experiential learning methods (5D’s™ Consulting/Proprietary Training Methodology and ACT™ Coaching Process), please email info@aim-strategies.com. In upcoming issues of this newsletter, we’ll update you on tips and techniques related to raising your innovative management IQ. We are confident that the solutions we develop fit your needs and culture. Please forward this newsletter to your colleagues and visit www.aim-strategies.com  to learn more about how our services unlock the people potential of your organization!

The post Cross-Cultural Outlook From a Virtual Team Member in Israel appeared first on Making virtual teams effective with Yael Zofi.

For those of you who liked and were interested in our recent blog about the challenges of being a Virtual Team member – while in Israel, here is the continuation.

Internationally known, New York City based virtual teams expert and author of ‘A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams,’ Yael Zofi, recently traveled to Israel to investigate the cross-cultural business climate and see how virtual teams were being run in the Middle East.

INTERVIEW

Q3. Interviewer: “How was your experience of being a virtual team member for an extended amount of time?”

“… (continued) Towards the middle of the trip, the scheduling became a major issue. I learned how really important it is to have a really strong, clear communication schedule. At my office in New York, my schedule is a bit messy but I can quickly send my assistant a text. When I was remote, because I was dealing with multiple schedules, what started to happen was at times a complete disconnect. I had such a mix of am/pm and business and personal calendar items and on top of that, I had people texting, emailing and calling me – people wanting to visit with myself and my family, changing schedules and night time calls. I could not control the schedule.

The Israeli cross-cultural mentality is more relaxed about ‘let’s get together’ and ‘we’ll see you’ … but in the States, we have scheduling. It is less ad-hoc, less spur of the moment. So, in Israel I had to just start to handwrite everything the old fashioned way. There was one meeting that I forgot about and the person sent a text to say where he was located. The meeting wasn’t on any calendar. He said he was sitting and waiting. Luckily it was only 3 blocks away, so he never knew. This illustrated a cultural difference that of separation between work and life and work and business.”

Q4. Interviewer: “ How did you manage to separate your constant demands of doing business and finding personal time?”

“I tried to maintain some boundaries. This was very difficult and probably not effective. My work station was the kitchen table. Someone always needed something. The lack of boundaries made it more challenging to work virtually.

Next time I would pre-contact and rekindle some relationships earlier, send personal notes in advance, and schedule more in-person visits. Most of the lunches were successful and I enjoyed who I met, people made great recommendations, but it was too late to plan special appearances, presentations and site visits. It occurred to me that I should have organized a larger gathering and get to see several people at once. (Then be able to focus on scheduling the work priorities as a follow-up).

Q5. Interviewer: “What became a troubling issue for you? One that caused you to lose focus?”

“Being a virtual team member, I was looking forward to communications from my team in the US office. So hearing from my teammates was a nice welcome, especially when it was 5 or 6 pm in Israel when the emails would start coming in and I knew that my team were starting their day on the East Coast. That made me smile.

But at times, even seeing emails was not enough to prevent me from feeling disconnected.

We all need feedback. When I felt disconnected and frustrated, knowing I’m not going to get the work done due to other demands, it would have been nice to get something personal from the team. Looking back, it might’ve been helpful to take pictures and share events. Even if I couldn’t be there, I knew things were happening and wanted to participate from a distance. I needed more structure.

We conducted an initial Skype call, but we did not stick to the plan. The initial call for our weekly team meeting was great and we should’ve stuck to it and made sure to keep a regular scheduled communication.

It’s interesting how dependant we are on technology to stay in touch. A neighbor was telling me that some people when they travel to Israel, bring several phones and devices just to avoid any potential hiccups in communication. Next time, we could work more effectively. The limited time I had, I just wanted to focus on the most important things at the time.”

Q6. Interviewer: “What would you do differently next time as a virtual team member?”

“Personally, to be a better virtual team member in the future, I would need to create a workspace with more privacy, a shared drive with regular updates, and a determined focus on what needs to be done at that moment. I personally need more human connection- even if only by phone, remembering Out of sight does not mean out of mind…”

Q7. Interviewer: “How did your experience shape the direction you would like to move forward in your global leadership and virtual team consulting work?”

YZ: “My experience in Israel this time made me realize there is a lot we at AIM Strategies® can contribute, with our expertise in cross cultural communications and virtual teams management. I’m even more excited about the possibilities of working more directly with Israeli business management at the strategy and business level, global companies that are located in Israel and around the world.”

The post Part II: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Being a Virtual Member appeared first on Making virtual teams effective with Yael Zofi.

Internationally known, New York City based virtual teams expert and author of ‘A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams,’ Yael Zofi, recently traveled to Israel to investigate the business climate and see how virtual teams were being run in the Middle East. When asked her about her impressions and experience, she discovered that the cross-cultural adventure and working as a virtual team member had its challenges.

INTERVIEW

Q1. Interviewer: “What kind of changes have you noticed in Israel since you were last there?”

Yael Zofi (YZ): “It was quite obvious to me, from the moment I landed and ensconced myself and family members in a rented apartment outside of Tel Aviv, that Israel has accomplished a lot that was visible to any traveler, and also within the overall global business environment. A nation coming into existence in 1948, sitting in a desert, obviously has transformed itself into a country with a huge worldwide presence having modern cities alongside farmland. There is much gentrification in the cities themselves and the suburbs.

Oftentimes, while traveling up and down the country, I felt I was back in the States. Seeing similar buildings, cities and suburbs and crowded centers of population with contemporary malls and glass structures reminded me of modern urban metropolitan locations around the world. Even the neighborhood around the farm I grew up on is almost unrecognizable.

Israel now is seen as a center of technology and innovation. I was reminded of that every day when I was driving the roads using the Israeli developed Smartphone app – ‘Waze’. Now Waze is used around the globe helping drivers navigate around traffic problems, road hazards and even the police – thankfully.

For such a young country they have made so many advancements, despite their challenges.

There used to be a water shortage, but they have created a conversion system. There is a special way to water the plants- now used all over the world, long tubes with holes, a slow watering mechanism. As a child, I remember we weren’t allowed to water plants in the summer. And now they’ve figured out how to change salt water into sweet water.

If there’s a problem, they create a solution. That’s what’s kind of cool about the country often called ‘The Startup Nation’. A small nation surrounded by enemies, Israel has learned how to survive and thrive despite their challenges.

It’s very energizing to see such a mindset of innovation in such a concentrated space. Israel doesn’t get the credit it deserves – how advanced, how loving, positive and inviting, what curious learners they are, how much they like to travel, innovative. A democratic country in the Middle East – an amazing phenomenon…”

Q2. Interviewer: “What are some uniquely Israeli ways of doing business that you feel all cultures could benefit from and why? And how would you compare it to the way business is conducted in the USA?”

YZ: “I think, what I really like about Israeli business culture is its directness in conversation. It’s typical to ask personal questions, about upbringing, about where you went in the military, where your family is from, etc. Just about everyone I met- we shared something personal. There was a real cross-cultural connection at the relationship level. Interestingly, as someone who lived there until I was 10 years old, I found that the Israeli’s business English terms are similar, so I found it easy to converse in Hebrew. I think the unique thing was the way that one would say something and another would jump in – we often jumped into one another’s sentences.

In the US we seem to be more “polite” and “reserved” when conversing about potential business deals. Israelis are more open and direct – even at times coming across “brusk”. For example, In Israel, people are not afraid to ask how much it costs, how much you charge. These are not conversations you have in the US. In my experience, Professional Services Fees are always a difficult conversation to have with any US client. It’s sort of a guessing game. But in Israel, those conversations were easier, and even expected.

Overall I found that these types of sensitive topics are considered normal and straight to the point in Israel. I think it creates a kind of ‘Instant Trust’ that it is quite refreshing.”

Q3. Interviewer: “How was your experience of being a virtual team member for an extended amount of time?”

YZ: “Technology did indeed provide some communications challenges. When I was remote, especially when my phone died four times, I had only intermittent connection with my home based team. I was often unable to make a phone call back to the States. I was therefore not able to check on most things being done directly.

I had to count on my virtual team members and their email communications in order to follow up by seeing their beginning and end of day reports. I also struggled a lot with the time zones. It was difficult to have a double schedule – where I had daytime meetings, and then at 9 pm and even 11pm I had to participate on conference calls back in the States, which was 7 hours earlier.

As a virtual team member I didn’t want to be on a call at 11 pm every night, so that was frustrating. I can relate – you are the furthest one away. At one point I had a virtual coaching call lasting a few hours, I was extremely tired, maybe still jet lagged. So, what I did in order to stay alert and not sound sleepy, was to make sure I sat upright, so my voice would sound more awake and confident.”

The post Part I: Virtual Team Expert Becomes the Virtual Team Member appeared first on Making virtual teams effective with Yael Zofi.

AIM Strategies® human capital consulting services firm specializing in virtual team management and cross cultural leadership proudly celebrates our 18th year in business!

Why celebrate 18 years in business, you ask?

In Hebrew 18 is also the symbol for life (Chai), and multiples of 18 symbolically mean the gift of “life” or luck. It also means passion, maturity, and a turning point.

AIM® grew from my passion for helping global leaders and their virtual teams across cultures stay competitive in the worldwide market.

Technology and globalization have accelerated change in ways it was impossible to predict 18 years ago. Armed with the knowledge gained through thousands of client engagements and over 10,000 active global business contacts, I have delivered measurable success strategies for global executives and their virtual teams with cross cultural coaching programs and self learning books.

And now we have reached a turning point as we look forward to an exciting year ahead:

a. Getting ready to reveal a new Virtual Team Trust Audit for clients that will revolutionize how teams build trust and accountability in the workplace.

b. Launching a series of virtual team Live Online (LOL) webinar sessions later this year utilizing our new sound-proof audio recording room.

c. Delivering new cutting edge consulting solutions and practical business management tools based on my four business management books, with a greater focus on ‘A Managers Guide to Virtual Teams’ to take your learning to the next level.

d. Providing advisory solutions and assessments such as our popular Team SetupTM (TSU) Tool and People Management AssessmentTM (PMA)

e. Offering the latest learning solutions, making your virtual teams more effective.

f. We will be accepting new clients for Executive Coaching starting in April.

Be sure to check www.yaelzofi.com for delivery updates and latest news. As always, stay in touch via LinkedIn and social media.

From all at AIM Strategies® business solutions and virtual team advisory consulting team, it’s been a pleasure bringing you the latest in virtual team coaching and we wish you continued results and business success.

Thank you for making our virtual teams consulting practice successful.

Here’s to another 18 – To Life!!!!

Yael Zofi

Virtual Team Management Expert

Global Leadership Communications Coach

www.yaelzofi.com & www.aim-strategies.com

Email: yael@aim-strategies.com or call 718-832-6699

The post AIM® Celebrates A Milestone – 18 Years in Business appeared first on Making virtual teams effective with Yael Zofi.

Volume 16 · Issue 1 · Winter 2016

Decoding the Indian Nod!

Cross Cultural Competence with High- and Low-Context Cultures

Learn to decode the ‘Indian Nod’ in this issue of our eNews and get tips for building your cross cultural communications blog posts.

In This Issue

Cross Cultural Misunderstandings
Decoding the Indian Nod
High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures
Now Let’s Try It Out!
About AIM Strategies®

Cross Cultural Misunderstandings

We all know the benefits of having colleagues exhibit cross cultural competence in work situations. And, you probably also realize that within your team’s cross cultural communication, understanding each other and getting on the same page to accomplish business goals can be quite tricky. Even when you have culturally diverse teams comprised of highly qualified, productive people, simple miscommunications can be frustrating and disruptive to the workflow. Luckily, these misunderstandings can be minimized if we clarify the kinds of situations that lead to miscommunication and conflict.

Have you ever misread a physical gesture made by one of your colleagues?

In reading nonverbal cues you may have concluded that someone was responding yes to your idea – only to later realize that they did not agree at all and, in fact, thought it was a waste of time! With 55% of communication being nonverbal , a basic misunderstanding like this example can cause unnecessary conflict and decrease your organization’s effectiveness. Unfortunately, this is all too common. Take for example, the Indian Nod. What exactly does that gesture mean? Is that person agreeing with you? Are they saying ‘yes’? Does that mean that person is on board with your project?

Decoding the Indian Nod

The Indian Nod, or ‘Indian Head Bobble,’ is a gesture used in every day communication that varies speed and direction in order to convey specific meanings. You may observe that during client meetings or strategy sessions a colleague from India will nod his or her head consistently throughout the conversation – even in response to directly conflicting points! This can be confusing or even frustrating to the untrained eye, but take a closer look before you jump to a conclusion.

The Indian Nod can range from slow and soft to rapid and vigorous, even from front to back, and side to side. With the head bobble, Indians can communicate things like affirmation, understanding, acknowledgement, and friendship. A nod that you assume means “Yes I will finish that today” could actually mean “Okay, I hear what you’re saying.”

If the nuances of this gesture are unfamiliar to you, don’t worry! The Indian Nod has been baffling India’s tourists for years. Yet as business professionals in an increasingly globalized world, we don’t have the luxury of allowing potential misunderstandings to fester, possibly escalating into missed deadlines. To succeed, we need to learn more about the variety of communication styles that impact our workplace.

High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures

In “A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams,” Yael Zofi explains the subtle ways that cross cultural communication can derail projects. Research indicates that different cultures utilize varying forms of contextual information to create meaning while interacting.

Context refers to the type of information that you and your colleagues exchange and interpret to varying degrees. India is what anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined a ‘high-context culture‘ as opposed to a ‘low-context culture‘ such as the United States, Switzerland or Germany. Depending on which culture you are from your understanding will be based on how much emphasis you place on contextual cues.

High-context cultures are those in which communication is predominantly indirect. Tone, facial expressions, and interpersonal relationships are more important than words alone. Your Middle Eastern, South American, and South East Asian colleagues are more inclined to use non-verbal communication because they anticipate that those around them will read between the lines. Therefore, the Indian Nod reflects an indirect communication style that says things without verbally speaking them.

Conversely, in low-context cultures, communication is direct, explicit, and task oriented. Your North American and Western European colleagues rely on verbal speech to send and interpret messages rather than gestures, expressions and positions.

So what does this mean for your virtual team?

It is important to keep in mind and decode who within your team embodies high and low contextual styles and then adjust your leadership style accordingly.

As Yael Zofi states, “One rule above all guides virtual team behavior…assume positive intent of your teammates. Simply, give others the benefit of the doubt. ”

Now Let’s Try It Out!

Now, with an understanding of high-context and low-context cultures you see how important it is to be aware of these differences in cross cultural communication. The next time you see an Indian colleague nodding his or her head during a meeting, ask specific questions about the topic before making assumptions that could hurt the effectiveness of your million dollar idea.

Follow these guidelines to make sure you never leave an Indian Nod misunderstood again:

1. First consider what you know about the person you’re communicating with: Where are they from?

What is their personality like? How do they usually communicate?

2. Then reiterate what you think is being communicated in order to confirm or correct your interpretation: Is your perception accurate or did they mean something else?

Are you getting the whole story?

3. Finally, collaborate to clarify ‘next action’ items: Now that you’ve reached common ground, what do each of you agree to do next?

When will your commitments be done by?

Making a genuine effort to learn more about the communication tactics of global colleagues will greatly increase your cross cultural competence. This will also enable you to develop shared understandings and productive work relationships that will take your culturally diverse teams to the next level.

For guided information on how to improve your virtual teams, connect with Yael to discuss which of her advising services and management consulting solutions will best suit your needs.

– Jazmin Fuller

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Jazmin Fuller is currently pursuing her Masters in Organizational Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University.

About AIM Strategies

AIM Strategies® Applied Innovative Management® is a results-driven Human Capital Consulting firm led by CEO Yael Zofi, our expertise is in: Virtual Team Facilitation, Global Leadership Development, and Cross Cultural Communications.To request information about AIM’s experiential learning methods (5D’s™ Proprietary Training Methodology and ACT™ Coaching Process), please email info@aim-strategies.com. In upcoming issues, we will update you on tips and techniques related to raising your innovative management IQ. We are confident that our virtual teams solutions solve your business problems. Please forward this eNews to your colleagues and visit www.aim-strategies.com and www.yaelzofi.com to learn how our services unlock the people potential of your organization!

The post Building Your Cross Cultural Competence by Decoding the Indian Nod appeared first on Yael Zofi.

Communication and team building in virtual teams can be challenging, particularly while working on short term projects with people from different cultures around the world.

Clinton Dix, Ed. D. describes his interpretation and team building strategies in his guest post below.

Three Challenges of Virtual Team Leaders presented in A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams by Yael Zofi (Hint: It’s all about RELATIONSHIPS!) are:

1) Overcoming feelings of isolation within team members;

2) Overcoming the lack of understanding of team members’ personalities and ways of working; and

3) Overcoming the lack of personal history between team members.

When I first read that section of Yael Zofi’s book, it really struck me as being true. I have operated as a part of several virtual teams since 2004. But it was on the team that I was on from 2012 until 2015 that this really came alive.

The virtual team that I was on was actually a set of different teams. While the entire set of people remained pretty much the same, the actual makeup of each team was different. This is actually a phenomena called teaming by Dr. Amy Edmondson, in her book, Teaming (Harvard Business Press/Jossey-Bass, 2012). Dr. Edmondson defined teaming as the act of teamwork without the benefit of stable team membership. So my teams were multicultural, were made up of different individuals at different times, and had varying objectives. The individual teams might operate for a couple of months to over a year.

In addition, while I knew, to some degree, everybody on the team, the other team members mostly did not know each other.  So form a social network analysis perspective, I was the common node. In this context I found that all three of the challenges that Ms. Zofi’s listed were huge. It was up to me, as the social connector of the team, to meet those challenges.

So what I did was to meet periodically, using Skype, one-on-one with each team member. Through this process I was able to accomplish several things: Overcome their feelings of isolation (some of these team members were not co-located with any other colleagues from our various partnered organizations). I was able to learn some more of their personality and work habits. I would then allude to these traits in our team meetings so that the other team members would learn about the others. I would suggest that others talk one-on-one, via Skype, to hash out specific issues.

Our organizations are overtly spiritual, and talking about spiritual things, and praying for each other is common. So I would strengthen the relationship between team members by asking about their personal lives, being concerned for what was going on with their families, and by praying for each other during the meeting. I found that my role on these teams was very relational. For those teams that I was team leader I had much greater task oriented responsibilities, but I found that, in those situations, I could not reduce the relationship orientation that I took.

On the contrary, as team leader my relationship orientation needed to be even greater than on those teams where I was not leader. So I found that social connections were the lubricant that made virtual teams work. Ms. Zofi, in her book, gave a very useful framework of the challenges that helped me create the right kind of oil to make the teams function. She was correct: Virtual teams are all about relationships!

Clinton Dix can be reached via LinkedIn

The post The Secret to Communication and Team Building in Virtual Teams appeared first on Yael Zofi.