Shows
Virtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastConversation with Sharon Koifman, remote work expertThis episode is a podcast conversation with Sharon Koifman of Distant Jobs, Sharon is a remote working expert and shared many great thoughts to make remote work better for all involved
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2020-07-0742 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorking from home during corona virus part 11 – BoundariesIn this article I consider the need to establish some boundaries in your work from home workplace and how and how frequently we communicate with colleagues
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2020-04-2511 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorking from home during Corona virus part 10 – love it or hate itThis article discusses how we will all come to either love or hate working from home. Everyone will have their own experiences and find the good and the bad in the process
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2020-04-1913 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorking from home during Corona virus part 9 – BalanceThis article discusses the challenge of finding and maintaining balance in life when moving to a work from home situation as a result of the corona pandemic
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2020-04-1514 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorking from home during Corona virus part 8 – SharingThe article discusses the balance between sharing and over sharing in a work from home situation. Finding the right balance can be challenging for many
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2020-04-1011 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorking from home during the virus outbreak part 7 – adaptingThis article discusses the challenges faced by individuals and businesses adapting to a comprehensive work from home situation in response to virus control
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2020-04-0411 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorking from home during the corona virus part 6 – flexibilityThis article discusses flexibility in a mass work from home situation, one where entire families may be all trying to live and work in a common location
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2020-04-0111 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorking from home during corona virus part 5 – marginalisationThis article discusses how marginalisation can occur in a work from home setting and provides both individuals and managers some tips to reduce its occurence and impact
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2020-03-2812 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastVirtual teams during viral separation part 4 – conflictIn this article I discuss the challenges of conflict in the workplace when personnel are working from home in an environment of social isolation and stress
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2020-03-2611 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastVirtual teams during viral separation part 3 – trustThis post discusses ways of maintaining an environment of trust when your organisation suddenly adopts a work from home policy. Without trust teams can fall apart and productivity suffer
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2020-03-2111 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastVirtual teams during viral separation part 2 – engagementHow do a team of people who are used to seeing each other daily in an office environment maintain their engagement with each other and the organisation when they are suddenly separated.
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2020-03-1717 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastVirtual teams in a time of viral separation Part 1 – introductionThis is the first of a short series of posts aimed at supporting and providing advice to those now to working remotely. I've addressed them in terms of what you should consider if you are suddenly faced with having to move your team to work from home through issues such as the current global virus challenges.
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2020-03-1416 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastEnvironmental Uncertainty Complexity in Virtual Team EnvironmentsThis is the final theme from the complexity series I began some time ago. Environmental uncertainty complexity impacts the complexity of the project through issues such as the uncertainty of the marketplace for the product and surrounding the project while it is being undertaken; the ways in which the project communicates with its stakeholders; the stakeholders influence over the project and; the political landscape influencing the project and its outcomes. Marketplace – Many projects are undertaken in corporate and social setting in which the marketplace for the outcomes of the project are uncertain and rapidly changing. You can see responses to...
2019-08-2010 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastAdvice for the new wave of resource projectsAfter a number of years of quiet we are starting to see the new wave of resources projects initiated. Now is the time to ensure personnel leading and within these new projects learn from the past and prepare for the future, yet much of the in house corporate knowledge that would have supported this in the past has been lost in the past half decade. Project teams need to find ways to rebuild their knowledge base around collaborative, virtual team projects to have successful futures.
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2018-12-0411 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastElectronic Support Upgrade for Anzac Frigate case study with Betsy ClarkThis podcast is the second of a two part interview with Betsy Clark, President of Software Metrics. In the interview we discussed a case study Betsy contributed to the recently published book 'Integrating Program Management and Systems Engineering'. The book is a joint effort between PMI and International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). Among her contributions to the book, Betsy provided two case studies, the one which is subject of this podcast is her review of the electronic support upgrade for the Royal Australian Navy's ANZAC class frigate.
The book is the product of five years of research...
2018-04-2424 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSystem Engineering and Program Management F/A 18E/F case study with Betsy ClarkThis podcast is the first part of an interview with Betsy Clark, President of Software Metrics. In the interview we discussed the recently published book 'Integrating Program Management and Systems Engineering'. The book is a joint effort between PMI and International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). Among her contributions to the book Betsy provided two case studies, one on the development of the F/A 18E/F Super Hornet which is the subject of much of this podcast. The book is the product of five years of research and writing by a large team of contributors led by Eric...
2017-11-1442 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastIntegrating Program Management and Systems Engineering with Stephen Townsend of PMIThis podcast is a special interview with Stephen Townsend, Director of Network Programs at the Project Management Institute (PMI). In the interview we discussed the recently published book 'Integrating Program Management and Systems Engineering'. The book is a joint effort between PMI and International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). The book is the product of five years of research and writing by a large team of contributors led by Eric Rebentisch and is both a really solid reference and a guide for integrating the two often conflicting disciplines of program management and systems engineering.
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2017-10-1737 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastMethod and Scope Complexity in Virtual Team ProjectsUnderstanding the impact of method and scope complexity on a project is an increasingly important requirement. Projects are getting bigger and the interfaces continue to grow. In this environment, understanding how mature the definition of the project is and how this is impacted by increasing amounts of new technology and immature assumptions allows project leaders, business leaders and project personnel to deliver better outcomes for all involved.
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2017-09-2615 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastGoal Complexity in Project EnvironmentsGoal complexity in project environments includes issues such as the clarity of project objectives, any bias the project may have toward particular outcomes and solutions, how mature the decision making policy is and the overall understanding of any required trade off between cost, schedule and quality. Getting these issues resolved and clarified at the onset of your project will reduce much of the ongoing delivery risk.
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2017-08-2213 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSocial Complexity in Project Virtual TeamsIn part II of the short series looking at different contributors to complexity in projects and how it impacts and is impacted by virtual teams considers the social interaction and social complexity aspect, including the impact of communications, respect, commitment, contract types and procedures. This article and podcast follow on from the previous one which looked at forms of structural complexity and virtual teams.
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2017-08-0828 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastResponding to Organisational Complexity Training CourseI am really happy to announce that from November this year Ulfire will be delivering the Responding to Organisational Complexity course developed by ICCPM on their behalf in Western Australia and eventually also in the Northern Territory. The course is a unique offering that addresses a gap in knowledge between undergraduate and post graduate training around complexity. The first Perth course starts on 6th November 2017.
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2017-07-2404 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastStructural complexity and project virtual teamsAs part of the short series looking at complexity in project virtual teams we are looking at structural complexity, how it is defined, what makes a project structurally complex and how that structural complexity contributes to or is influenced by having project virtual teams as part of the project make up.
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2017-06-0614 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastInterview with Deb Hein of ICCPMThis post is for a podcast interview with Deb Hein the CEO of the International Centre of Complex Project Management (ICCPM) where we discuss the current state of complexity in projects.
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2017-04-2514 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastIntroduction to the use of Virtual Teams in Complex ProjectsComplex projects seem to be appearing everywhere, or at least everyone seems to think they are. This is an introductory article to the role virtual teams play in complex projects, it sets out some of the challenges in differentiating between truly complex project and those that are really just large or at best complicated.
This is the first of a series of articles that will dig into more of the detail of where virtual teams contribute to the complexity of many modern projects and help to establish a better understanding of where complexity sits in the world of...
2017-04-1112 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastProject Communications ComplicationsProjects are becoming increasingly complicated, they have more stakeholders, they are bigger and they are generally getting harder to complete. Lost in all the growth and complication is the need to address the increasing communications complications, as the teams and challenges have grown so has the need to establish an understanding of their communications needs.
This article discusses some of the challenges and suggests a need for the leaders of the projects to become more inclusive and open in the tools and techniques they use and make available to their teams.
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2017-03-2112 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastThe Power Of Thank You and Showing GratitudeShowing gratitude to your staff and colleagues through a simple, quick email reply with a thanks or a thank you can mean the difference between a grateful and engaged workforce and one that feels they are only there to serve your every need. Taking a few second to acknowledge someone's work is a quick, simple and meaningful way to help to keep your team motivated.
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2017-03-0708 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastThe Good and Bad of International Project TeamsUnderstanding why your project is adopting an international execution strategy is an important step in planning your project. There are a number of reasons modern project may or may not go international, they will all have a large influence on the way the project is run and its potential risk profile.
This article considers five of the major reasons that will influence the decision.
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2017-02-2116 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastEngineering Project Skills For The FutureTechnology and costs are rapidly changing the way future projects will be approached. Those running these new projects will need new skills and techniques to be successful. It will no longer be a case of being able to simply being able to deliver technical work, team members will need to be exceptional communicators and understand how to work in increasingly complex and harder to predict environments.
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2017-02-0719 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastDeveloping International Project CommunicatorsTraining and developing personnel to take on the key roles of leading international interfaces in virtual team projects is an ongoing task for most businesses who operate in the space. This article considers some of the reasons the development of personnel for these roles is important.
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2017-01-2411 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSurviving at the Deep End on International ProjectsAll too often organisations send personnel off on international project assignments with little to no support. They receive a visa, a plane ticket and a contract and that's about it, the organisation then trusts to luck and the employee's skill that the secondment and the project associated with it will be a success.
It really does not have to be that way though, a little bit of training, some mentoring and coaching and general support than the outcomes can be so much more predictable.
This article is for those on the receiving end of these poorly planned...
2017-01-1015 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastMotivations To Succeed In International Teams CommunicationSecuring personnel for international or intercultural assignments and postings can be a difficult task. It is generally easier to find candidates with the right technical skills than the right cultural and motivational ones, yet, getting the motivational balance wrong can lead to major issues as the deployment progresses.
This article looks at some of the issues associated with finding those right personnel for your needs.
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2017-01-0314 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWho Are Our Leadership Role ModelsFinding real, genuine leadership role models in the crowded and highly distorted modern world is a major challenge for aspiring leaders. All too often they are left choosing between a media creation on a TV show or in a movie, a politician or a sporting personality, when the people they really need to be emulating are the business leaders, business leaders who are unable to show their true colours because of corporate spin and media control.
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2016-12-3012 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastUnderstanding Your International Project PartnersBuilding a successful international project team relationship requires a broad span of abilities, these range from whatever the technical needs of the role are to many interpersonal and cross cultural abilities. This article discusses some of the ways an organisation can access and utilise many of these skills, skills that can be either internally or externally sourced.
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2016-12-2708 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSelecting Personnel For Expat RolesSelecting personnel for an expat assignment is a critical activity that can have major impacts on the overall outcome of a project. Pick and send the right people and you will have a solid and productive team who will take care of each other and deliver the best project possible, pick poorly and your project outcomes could be very disappointing and personnel will not have a good experience.
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2016-07-1220 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastMaking First Contact In International ProjectsThis article looks at some of the challenges faced when setting up a new virtual team in establishing and building contact between the locations and the personnel. This first contact can be challenging from a cultural and organisational perspective, with many different barriers blocking what is a vital part of the organisational configuration.
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2016-06-2813 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastTraining Budgets For Virtual Team CommunicationsAchieving value from your training budget investment is an ongoing challenge for many projects and businesses, securing the budget is sometimes the easy part, with demands from all corners on its use. This article however argues that at least a portion of a training budget should be spent on leadership and communications skills.
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2016-06-2113 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastLanguage Problems In TeleconferencesSomething as simple as the complexity of language used in teleconferences in virtual teams, particularly those involving personnel for whom English is a second or third language, can lead to confusion and a sense of exclusion. This article argues for the use of a simple project vocabulary to enable all personnel to speak more or less on a level platform.
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2016-06-1411 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastVirtual Team Communications Across Time ZonesUnderstanding how to plan and manage communications across timezones is fundamental to building a stable and reliable virtual team communications plan. As the number of timezones between locations increases, projects find themselves stretching their communications further and further and placing a greater emphasis on written communications over verbal, this in turn leads to a lessening of the quality of communications.
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2016-06-0718 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCommunications Equality In ProjectsEmbedding communications equality in your projects and businesses is particularly important in virtual team environments. Having a conscious and considered approach to maintaining equality in communications will mean your personnel regardless of their geographic location are all able to contribute to the dialogue in your projects and work toward its success.
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2016-05-3113 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCommunication Silos In Virtual TeamsCommunication Silos occur in virtually every organisation and project, personnel get so engrossed in their day to day work they forget to share news and information with those outside of their immediate circle. In virtual teams, communication silos can become particularly destructive as the walls of the silos are defined by the distance between the teams and can be impenetrable to any but the most direct efforts.
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2016-05-2414 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastImpact Of Outsourcing On Virtual TeamsOutsourcing has become synonymous with virtual teams for many. As the impact of globalisation and the advance of technology has meant that jobs and workflows are continually changing, relationships are needing to evolve and personnel must adjust to the changes of office dynamics to remain relevant.
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2016-05-1714 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastPlanning For Project Communication DisruptionsCommunications is such an important part of business life it is largely taken for granted, but as teams are becoming increasingly distributed, planning for the eventuality that at some stage in your project communications will become disrupted is an important activity for a business or a project to undertake.
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2016-05-1018 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastInternational Project Video MeetingsGetting the best from video meetings requires both the right technology and the right processes and mindset. Deciding how and where to deploy video conference and video meeting technology then ensuring your personnel approach the meetings with the right perspective of cultural understanding will make them effective and productive experiences for all concerned.
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2016-05-0320 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastManaging Marginalisation In Virtual TeamsRecognising and managing the effects of marginalisation in a virtual team environment is one of the major responsibilities of the leadership of the team, all team members are at risk of marginalisation at some stage but particularly those in small and remote offices who may not receive the level of information and attention as the central and usually larger offices. This article attempts to highlight some of the symptoms and cures.
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2016-04-2613 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastStrategic Alignment Of Virtual Team GoalsUndertaking a comprehensive strategic alignment session at the start of a virtual team project is essential to ensure all parties have a common set of goals and understandings before the project starts. This article considers some of the reasons and benefits of such a session.
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2016-04-1920 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastLanguage And Colloquialisms In Virtual TeamsThe use of colloquialisms and specialist technical language can be a great way to short hand conversations in a group with a common technical, regional or cultural background, but, when you start to work with others from different backgrounds or in different locations, these linguistic short cuts and regional colloquialisms can become a liability. This article considers some of the challenges of their use and argues for the use of a more simple language.
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2016-04-1210 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastValue Of Face To Face Meetings In Virtual TeamsFace to face meetings are key to relationship building and the development of trust in virtual teams. They can be expensive upfront but properly managed and structured should reap rewards many times the value of any costs incurred. This article considers some of the key times you should consider holding face to face meetings and their value.
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2016-04-0514 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWhy You Need Great Communication SkillsGreat communication skills are essential for virtually every role these days, gone are the days when someone could have a successful career without being able to communicate well with others. As we move into a more networked and virtual society, those with the abilities to communicate effectively will become increasingly in demand in business and society.
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2016-03-2915 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastAdapting To New CulturesAdapting to new cultures as part of a corporate move or expat placement can be a challenging experience for many if not all people involved. In this article we consider some of the specifics of a relocation and how different individuals may or may not adapt.
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2016-03-2213 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastThe Value Of Communications Coaching To Virtual TeamsRecognising the value of coaching in a modern workplace can deliver great benefits in terms of personal development and improved corporate and project outcomes. This article considers the benefits of communications coaching for leaders of virtual teams.
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2016-03-1516 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCommunicating With Peers In Project Virtual TeamsFor every member of every project team, communicating with your peers is a day to day occurrence, yet many struggle with the demands to communicate well, particularly with those they can't see, the members of virtual teams. This article offers some assistance in improving your communication with your peers.
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2016-03-0820 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCommunicating Down In Project Virtual TeamsLearning how to communicate down to your team members is a skill all project managers and leaders need to learn. Regardless of the context of your team, you need to be able to deliver timely, useful and contextually appropriate updates to keep your team informed and motivated.
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2016-03-0119 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCommunicating Up In Project TeamsLearning to communicate up in a project team, particularly a virtual team, is a skill every team member will need at some stage in their career. Understanding the needs and expectations of your managers from both an administrative and a cultural sense is critical.
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2016-02-2314 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastDeveloping International Skills In Virtual TeamsOrganisations have many different mechanisms available to them to assist their personnel in developing the skills required to survive and throve in international assignments. This article explores some of the options and outlines how they can be both a developmental tool for the individuals and also deliver real benefits for the company.
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2016-02-1620 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastDeveloping A Personal Expat Support NetworkThis article discusses how you can build your own support network when you find yourself on a virtual team expat assignment with no formal company support in place. Building a strong personal support network allows you to thrive in your new location rather than struggle to understand the new challenges.
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2016-02-0917 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastHow Companies Develop International Communication SkillsDetermining the appropriate level of training and support for your personnel before sending them off for an international assignment can mean the decision between a full training program and little to no training at all. In the first of a group of articles, we discuss the levels of training to be considered.
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2016-02-0211 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastGoing Native On Overseas AssignmentsFor many who spend large periods of time on overseas assignments the risks and opportunities of going native need to be carefully understood. There are many positives with the phenomena such as a greater level of connection to the host country and culture, but taken too far, personnel can become destructive or obsessive, leading to poor overall results for the business and its staff.
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2016-01-2610 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastImpostor Syndrome And What It Means For YouUnderstanding how impostor syndrome may impact you or your colleagues and how it may be holding back your business is an important way to be able to get the most from yourself and your company. This article aims to begin to describe how impostor syndrome can affect us all one way or another.
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2016-01-1913 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastIs A Virtual Team Right For My Project?Determining whether a virtual team approach is right for your business, your project and your personnel is a critical decision that must be carefully considered.
This article discusses some of the issues associated with making this decision and offers some advice to consider.
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2016-01-1218 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastHow Virtual Reality Could Transform Virtual TeamsAs virtual reality technology becomes more accessible and, the software and server power needed to bring it into more of a mainstream business environment, its worth considering who virtual reality technology could impact virtual teams communication.
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2016-01-0516 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastLittle People Not Big Data Make Teams EffectiveIn this article we consider the meaning of big data and how it may impact on virtual teams and those who work within them. Big data is such a fashionable term, yet many still don't really have a grasp on why it is one how it may change their lives.
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2015-12-2212 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastTrust, Respect And Fear: Emotions Of Getting Things DoneTrust, respect and fear are the three emotions that most impact the ability of a business or a project to be effective. Sadly, fear is always going to play a part somewhere along the way, but trust and respect must be strong and present in all relationships for a long, sustainable and productive relationship to be built and maintained.
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2015-12-1513 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSocial Media Use In Virtual TeamsBusinesses everywhere are struggling with whether to try to control the ways in which their personnel use social media in connection with their working lives. Some businesses are embracing the possibilities of using social media to support stronger and more resilient virtual teams, while others are still unable to let go of control of the message, insisting that their personnel don't use their social media accounts for any form of business relationship.
In this article, we suggest that the time has arrived for companies to get out of the way and even encourage their personnel to use social...
2015-12-0812 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire Podcast8 Effective Virtual Team Leadership SkillsUnderstanding and developing the skills to be a great leader of virtual teams is something that all members of these teams need to build. Leading virtual teams requires a skill set that builds on the skills of a leader of a co-located team.
This article identifies eight of the skills that need to be developed to become a truly great leader of virtual teams.
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2015-12-0113 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSimplicity In Virtual Team CommunicationsMaintaining the appropriate levels of simplicity in communications in virtual teams is an unending challenge. Resisting the temptation to write ever more complex, jargon filled emails or use multitudes of communication platforms is hard when there are so many tools to choose from and the jargon is such a part of our working lives.
Yet, simplicity is key to maintaining clear and reliable communication, and effective communications are the glue that holds teams together.
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2015-11-2415 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastHow To Build High Productivity Virtual TeamsAttaining high productivity from virtual teams is a challenge for many businesses, this article introduces some steps to help get the most from your teams.
From spending time planning for your virtual team venture to ensuring you have a suitable reward structure and avoid a blame culture there are many steps you can put in place to build a high productivity virtual team.
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2015-11-1713 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire Podcast4 Ways Your Virtual Teams May Be FailingThere are many ways virtual teams can fail to deliver the outcomes expected of them. This article draws on all of our years of experience and research to identify the top 4 reasons virtual teams fail and offers some suggestions for ways to avoid the worst of the failures.
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2015-11-1014 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastUnderstanding Asymmetrical Risks In Project PlanningAsymmetrical risks are frequently discounted in the estimation and management of projects, yet the impact of a risk with a high downside can cause major issues within any project.
This article considers why we are so bad at conceptualising asymmetric risks and how the impact of disregarding them can have a disproportionate impact on virtual team activities.
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2015-11-0312 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastConsistent Messaging In Virtual Team CommunicationsIn this article we consider how important it is to maintain a consistent message when leading teams.
Having all of the project team leaders not just say the same thing, but act in a way that reflects their words, helps personnel maintain their focus and avoids un necessary distractions.
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2015-10-2710 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastThe Martian – The Ultimate Virtual Team ChallengeThe recently released movie 'The Martian" contains some excellent examples of the difficulties of communicating in an extreme virtual team environment. Without giving away the plot to the book or film, this article tries to draw out the examples and bring them back to a more terrestrial virtual team environment where time zones, technologies, trust and empowerment are just as relevant.
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2015-10-2013 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastVirtual Teams In Engineering ProjectsEngineering projects have been using virtual teams for over a decade to deliver major facilities and equipment, along the way they have had varied success in the outcomes of their projects. This article considers how the highly technical focus taken at the planning stage can lead to a lack of consideration of the human communication requirements for these teams to be really effective.
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2015-10-1312 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastPersonal Networks In Virtual TeamsThe value of strong personal networks can not be underestimated in a virtual team environment. Having trusted colleagues and friends distributed around the organisation means you will get insights and support in areas you may not have ever considered previously.
You will experience fewer surprises as work progresses and, in the event of any conflicts, you will be able to access your networks to get a deeper understanding of the background to the conflicts and culturally relevant solutions.
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2015-10-0613 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastPodcasts In Virtual Team CommunicationsPodcasts are emerging as a great addition to the selection of tools available for members of virtual teams to stay in touch with each other, learn about each other's cultures and be kept appraised of project status.
With their ease of production and increasing simplification of delivery, audio files such as podcasts need to be considered as part of the mix when planning your virtual team communication strategy.
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2015-09-3013 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCultural AssimilationFor those undertaking an expat posting, the challenges of cultural assimilation are real and can be surprising and complex.
This article considers some of the challenges faced by a new expat when they are working to blend into their new location and understand how things work.
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2015-09-2210 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastComparing Communication Technologies In Virtual TeamsChoosing the right communication technologies to support your virtual teams is critical to their ability to interact efficiently.
Having the right tools and knowing how to use them will make your teams more productive, their outcomes more predictable and should help avoid some of the conflicts typically encountered in virtual team environments.
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2015-09-1513 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSelf Awareness For Successful CommunicationsBeing aware of your personal beliefs and perspectives is a very important attribute in an effective communicator. Your personal beliefs will influence how you deal with others and how you communicate both one on one and in a group setting.
Building self awareness is therefore a critical skill needed by effective leaders and team members.
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2015-09-0809 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastUnderstanding The Costs Of Communication FailuresFailing to communicate in a robust and effective way has been the cause of many project failures. Issues fail to get the attention they need because of the reluctance of some in the project to communicate with others and to ask for assistance where needed.
This article discusses a number of the causes of communication failures, offering suggestions for ways virtual team communications can be managed to make them more effective.
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2015-09-0113 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastVirtual Team Communication ToolkitThis article explores some of the communication skills needed to successfully lead a team through the use a series of metaphors written around hand tools.
Learning to communicate in different ways, with different people.
Adapting your communication style to match the needs of the situation, and the cultural expectations of the audience, is critical for effective cross cultural leadership.
Those with a single style will suffer through a lack of flexibility and lack of empathy in their communications, it is important to learn to adapt.
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2015-08-2514 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastHow To Avoid Personnel Burnout In Virtual TeamsBurnout is one of the less discussed, yet most destructive side effects of many virtual teams. Due to the global nature of many virtual teams, leaders, managers and team members find themselves continually engaged with the work at hand, working both their local core hours and frequently extended hours to remain engaged with their virtual colleagues.
This article aims to discuss some of the causes of potential burnout in virtual teams and offers some solutions and suggestions for consideration.
A well rested member of a team is always more productive and able to focus on the task...
2015-08-1815 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire Podcast7 Problems With TeleconferencesTeleconferences are the backbone of communication for many virtual teams, yet they are often incredibly ineffective and unproductive exercises, resulting in wasted time, disengagement of personnel and for those participating outside of their core hours, are also a major intrusion into personal time.
This article raises seven of the major problems with teleconferences and the symptoms and efficiencies they bring to the businesses using them.
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2015-08-0412 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCultural FiltersThis article discusses how we all apply filters to our cultural experiences. These filters can either help of hinder our ability to work effectively in cross cultural situations.
If our filters lead us to react badly to some of the experiences, that reaction may be interpreted by our local colleagues as representing disapproval, leading to a break down of relationships and eventual degrading of our abilities to collaborate. If however, our cultural filters allow us to experience different things as new, interesting and simply different we can use them to build stronger and more enduring working relationships.
2015-07-2810 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWork Life Balance In International ProjectsWorking across multiple timezones can bring many challenges to those involved, not least of which is how to maintain a healthy work life balance. In this article we consider some of the major issues to be addressed when a project manager is faced with leading a distributed team. We identify some things to avoid and offer suggestions of ways that a balance can be achieved that lets both the Project Manager and their staff survive the project.
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2015-07-2112 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastOutsourcing And Virtual TeamsUnderstanding the relationship between outsourcing and the use of virtual teams is important to facilitate strong working relationships between offices. When a business starts to outsource its work it needs to plan for how it will manage its relationships, many of which will move from face to face to virtual. Some businesses will simply assign work to another location and await its completion and return, this is a very high risk approach however.
Experience has shown that the greater the level of planning and preparation that goes into establishing communication between locations, the more predictable the outcomes will...
2015-07-1013 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastBuilding Corporate Culture In Virtual TeamsCorporate culture is a critical part of building and maintaining a brand. Matching employees and business partners to a business's culture will ensure that the business has a clear public image and will help clients and future employees determine if your business is right for them. The challenge of building a corporate culture in a virtual team based organisation is a complex one, particularly when the business is established as a distributed team model from the start.
This article attempts to unpack some of the challenges facing both new and established businesses when establishing a corporate culture...
2015-06-3009 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastThe Future Of WorkThere are a number of scenario's to consider when thinking about the future of work. Clearly technological evolution and indeed revolution will have a major impact, that is very much a given, the big question is how will society respond to the technological changes, at the personal, corporate and societal levels. Will there be resistance or acceptance of the technologies and their impact on the status quo, how will large corporates and developed economies respond to the disruption to their traditional place in the pecking order, and how will we prepare the next generation to gain the most benefit...
2015-06-1111 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastEmployee Feedback In Cross Cultural TeamsDelivering and receiving feedback in cross cultural teams is a relatively high risk, but high reward endeavour. Done well it can help built strong and dependable teams who understand each other and are committed to supporting each other in their work. Managed badly, the feedback cycle can destroy working relationships through seemingly innocent comments, misunderstandings and reactions.
Feedback may either be seen as overly critical or overly praising dependant on the expectations and cultural norms of the parties involved.
This article attempts to set out a few points to consider when planning for a cross cultural feedback...
2015-05-0511 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastWorkshare Planning For Project SuccessEffective workshare planning is imperative for the success of any virtual team project. Planning the way in which the work to be undertaken will be shared, who will be responsible for the outcomes of the project and obtaining the full engagement at the overall business level will ensure the project is given every possibility of success.
This article discusses some of the major factors to consider when embarking on a workshare planning exercise.
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2015-03-2414 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastBuilding Trust Across CulturesBuilding trust across cultures is a complex and difficult task that is critical to the success of a virtual team. Without a fundamental level of working trust between individuals and groups it is not possible to establish or maintain a high performing team.
There are several different ways in which individuals are culturally programmed to build trust, through transactional experiences, relationship building or through working with those who have a strong shared common interest or history. Each of these will readily understand how to build trust with like individuals but will struggle to do so with those...
2015-03-0312 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastTeam Building Tips For Virtual TeamsTeam building is one of the keys to successful virtual teams. With the teams forming to undertake a specific project or deliver a change to an organisation it is often easy to overlook the bonding phase between virtual colleagues, when this happens the team will take longer to form and the bonds binding team members will usually be weaker, leading to fragile relationships that will break down under tension.
Undertaking well planned and structured face to face or remote team building will help to avoid these weaknesses and instead build a team that is cohesive and interdependent...
2015-02-1716 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastTeam Composition Diversity Between CulturesUnderstanding how to balance the different team attributes of personnel from different cultural backgrounds can unlock a broad range of potential synergies in a virtual team. Team members from individualistic cultures, where often teams are made up of specialists, are best suited to some work while those from more collective cultures, where teams tend to be built to get the best overall outcome from the group are stronger in other areas.
This article considers how to go about establishing the right balance and introduces some of the factors to consider.
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2015-02-0310 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastTips For Visiting Virtual Team OfficesVisiting your partner offices as part of a virtual teal project can be brought with potential risks. Cultural, business and personal mistakes are relatively easy to make, but equally easy to avoid, or at the worst, to mitigate to the level that they may even help build relationships.
This article gives some tips, such as avoiding a sense of intimidation during your visit, maintaining a level of cultural sensitivity and considering extending your stay beyond the time needed for business only, to consider when making those all important business trips.
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2015-01-2010 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCommon Virtual Team ProblemsThis article discusses some of the key virtual team problems that occur in organisations, it highlights the causes of the problems and draws out some ways in which these issues can be identified and avoided.
Many issues will occur on project after project in organisations, some organisations will quickly learn how to build and run effective virtual teams, others will have very varied results with some projects being successful and others extremely problematic. A considered and planned approach will, however, usually help avoid many of the major issues.
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2014-12-1911 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastEmail Use In Virtual TeamsGetting the most from email in a virtual team environment is far more then just sending requests and receiving responses. Used well, email can be a good tool to help maintain a trusting environment and relationship between team members.
Email is frequently treated as a purely transactional tool, resulting in a purely transactional relationship. With due consideration, email use can genuinely help build a team. This article considers some of the challenges and offers suggestions and solutions to doing things better.
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2014-12-0910 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastDistributed Team ReviewHolding a regular distributed team review ensures that the host organisation is getting the best efficiency and value from its distributed teams, and that the personnel in the teams are receiving the support and leadership they need to perform at their best.
Reviews should be performed, at a minimum, at each major change in the focus of a operationally focussed distributed team and, at each major stage change in a distributed team working on a project.
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2014-12-0407 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastEmpathy In Distributed TeamsEmpathy is a vital skill to build in a distributed team relationship. Virtual colleagues need to be empathetic to the cultural, social and temporal expectations placed on and experienced by their colleagues.
The different pressures coming from each team member's working situation, social and cultural environment can be a major cause of misunderstanding between personne. This article discusses some of the challenges faced and introduces some ways to mitigate and manage the impact of these differences.
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2014-11-2510 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastCorporate Politics in Virtual Team OrganisationsIssues around corporate politics are common in co-located organisations where they are generally well understood and managed, however, the issues associated with corporate politics extending beyond a single location into a virtual team are less well understood but can be equally destructive.
This article discusses some of the common issues and challenges associated with corporate politics in virtual teams, the causes, impacts and some potential resolutions.
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2014-11-1810 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSurviving Culture Shock In An Expat RelocationUnderstanding the impact of culture shock in an expat relocation, planning for the potential experiences and seeking and providing support through the process through corporate mentoring, local administrative and cultural assistance and accessing existing informal expat communities will make the experience easier for most expats.
This article discusses some of the major issues that will be experienced during a relocation and provides a sense of the way in which the changes can be managed and understood.
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2014-11-1110 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastSurviving An Expat RelocationUndertaking an expat relocation contract is an exciting and risky experience in the career of many employees. Some will thrive in the experience, emerging as a more rounded, more experienced and more valuable employee, others will find the experience traumatic and may well suffer lasting personal and career damage.
This article attempts to highlight some of the major areas to consider when planning an expat relocation, things to include when planing for the experience and offers some guidance to help things go smoothly.
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2014-11-0412 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastManaging Not For Profit Virtual TeamsA not for profit organisation operating in multiple locations will face different challenges to those of a for profit organisation. Among these are their limited access to funds to pay for technology and any training they may need, the relatively low level of control the organisation has over the level of commitment and turnover of personnel and the difficulties motivating staff, who are often volunteers, to do something that may not have signed up for.
Many not for profit organisations do however have highly motivated and enthusiastic personnel, something that many for profit businesses sadly lack.
2014-10-2810 minVirtual Team Dynamics - The Ulfire PodcastTemporal Diversity in Virtual TeamsUnderstanding the concept of temporal diversity, where individuals and teams will each place a different value on time, timeliness and schedules is one of the key skills needed to successfully lead a international virtual team.
When team members place widely differing values on the time available it can lead to tension and conflict in the team, This tension in turn can result in schedule issues and failure to deliver the desired outcomes.
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2014-10-2109 min