A synopsis of the "Virtual Hallway" Principle in practice. An international engineering management and their team is having difficulty working together. They were required to together to develop the company's next-generation product.

3. 3
Business Challenge:
The success of [XYZ’s] next-generation
merged product offering is highly
dependent on the collaboration and
integration of our globally dispersed
engineering teams.

4. Highly Effective Managers are Key
• Authority and ability to choose the people with the right
abilities/skills/mindset
• Conflict resolution and integration skills
• Credibility resulting from a proven track record
• Expertise in process management, including diagnosing problems,
assessing situations and generating and evaluating problems
• Cross-cultural depth of knowledge, cultural intelligence expert
4
A high-performance team requires a strong leader.
Effective team leaders should posses competencies which include:

6. Results of Internal Environmental Scan:
7 Ways to Increase Global Team Effectiveness
6
Build
TRUST
Right People
in the Right
Places
Establish
Initial
Relationships
Communicate
Effectively
Manage
Time
Differences
& Distance
Develop
Cultural
Intelligence
Unified &
Clear
Strategies &
Priorities
Manager
Responsibilities

7. Unified & Clear Strategies & Priorities
– Unified management team sets and clearly communicates
shared goals, objectives and plans to entire team
– Any changes in goals must be agreed upon at the appropriate
manager level and information disseminated appropriately
– Managers lead by example
– Managers monitor own agendas and communication
– Encourage feedback and open communication when priorities
are becoming unclear or conflicted
– Attendance of R&D heads to Product Management meetings
7
GAP: Undefined and changing strategies cause disruptions, confusion, and a sometimes a
“wait and see” approach at lower levels. Manager and teams have deliverables, objectives and
accountabilities in conflict with their counterparts’ objectives.
Think “Virtual Hallway”

8. Right People in the Right Places
– Acknowledgment and understanding of knowledge and
competency gaps (hard and soft skills)
– Develop and deploy comprehensive and workable on
boarding or training plan of workforce
– Place key influencers and knowledge experts in correct
roles;
– International Assignments
8
GAP: Missing expertise, knowledge and global mindset hinders performance and
integration. Including, but not limited to: knowledge of IP / technical expertise or
application-specific knowledge.
Think “Virtual Hallway”

9. Right People in the Right Places
– Select competent leaders/members with “global mindsets” who are:
• “Brokers” AND high influencers
• Able to work in conditions of change and ambiguity
• Strong at conflict resolution and comfortable with integration
– Structure and supervise group interactions with intervention or
buffering of “Bottlenecks” when needed
– All team members are aware in advance and understand that teams
are anticipated to have constructive conflicts and disagreements
9
GAP: Some members or leaders may be negatively affecting progress and integration.
Brokers (positive change agents) are not in influential positions. Bottlenecks (inhibitors) are
impeding the team-building process.
Think “Virtual Hallway”

10. Communicate Effectively
– Over communicate
– “Rules of engagement” for acceptable and preferred communication
means is established in advance.
– Encourage communication preferences: In-person, VC, telephone,
voicemail and email
– Email etiquette training, if needed.
– Recognition and understanding that not all are communicating in their first
language. Nuances in language translations or interpretations may
become misconstrued or misunderstood.
10
GAP: Not enough communication or communicating without respect. Groups or
individuals are not “kept in the loop” for necessary information. Communication styles and
methods sometimes cause misunderstandings. First language challenges or translations
sometimes cause misunderstandings.
Think “Virtual Hallway”

11. Establish Relationships
– Team members are introduced at the beginning stage of
new team formation or new member entry
• “Kick-off” communications and messages
• Team Rosters / Team Org Chart
– Travel to meet in person, if can be arranged
– Leverage a colleague’s knowledge. In particular, those who
have objective and positive understanding of how to
effectively work with cross-cultural groups
– Regularly refer to “Rules of Engagement” communication
11
GAP: Local geographies have pre-established relationships and bonds with their
coworkers and peers. Remote geographies are pushed together without knowing,
understanding or empathy for others.
Think “Virtual Hallway”

12. Develop Cultural Intelligence
– Cultural Intelligence assessments and follow-up training and
coaching.
– Cross-cultural training to occur prior to assignment to teams
– Facilitator-led discussions or workshop
– Tap internal knowledge and expertise
12
GAP: Diverse work style and cultural preferences cause clashes. Tolerance for different
work styles is not development or missing. Management does not know how to work
with other cultures
Think “Virtual Hallway”

13. Manage Time Differences and Distance
– All parties should be equally respectful of differences in
time, workweeks and holidays.
– Proactive consideration not to exclude members just
because of the inconvenience of distance
– Over communicate: information repositories,
calendars, written work plans and project timelines
13
Think “Virtual Hallway”
GAP: Different work weeks, time zones, and holidays cause disruptions to
time schedules and project timelines.

14. Build Trust
14
Think “Virtual Hallway”
GAP: Trust issues are causing suspicion, lack of cooperation and power
struggles

15. 13 Behaviors to Build Trust
1. Talk Straight
2. Demonstrate Respect
3. Create Transparency
4. Right Wrongs
5. Show Loyalty
6. Deliver Results
7. Get Better
15
“The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M.R. Covey
8. Confront Reality
9. Clarify Expectations
10.Practice Accountability
11.Listen First
12.Keep Commitments
13.Extend Trust