Transcript June PDD: Presentation 2

Practical Guide for Project
Management Across Borders
How to keep stakeholders engaged, break through
cultural barriers, and develop strong virtual teams
Agenda
Key Topics
1
Introduction
2
Virtual Team Management
3
Global Stakeholder Management
4
Tips for Navigating Different Cultures
5
Wrap Up
Page  2
Introduction
 Background
 Originally from Louisiana
 Started my career in Sales and Marketing for pro baseball
 Moved to Argentina in 2012
 Currently living in Bentonville with my fiance
 Project Experience
 Came to Walmart Shared Services in 2009
 Customer Liaison with Canada and Puerto Rico
 Implemented workflow processes and systems in Mexico and Central America
 Implementation of new technology in all Latin America
Page  3
Virtual Team Management
1
Building Your Team
2
Managing Performance
3
Communication and Collaboration Techniques
Page  4
Selecting Your Team
Teams are normally assigned however there are times
when you must hire or negotiate for your team members
Team Competencies
Competency
Traditional
Virtual
Technical
High
High
Planning & Improvement
High
High
Communication& Influence
High
High
Adaptibility
High
High
Leadership
Medium
High
Problem Solving
Medium
High
Time Management
Medium
High
Page  5
Selecting Your Team Other Considerations
Passion for the Project Goals
 Look at the team members background to gain insight into their interests.
 Give them a clear vision of the project.
Enjoy Working Together
 Have a productive mix of working styles.
 Avoid working in siloes.
Availability
 Personal and professional time contraints.
 Ability to travel.
..."It's your attitude, and not your aptitude, that determines your altitude“
-Frank Broyles
Page  6
Achieving High Performance
There are a few techniques that can be used to increase virtual team
engagement…
Team Mangagement Tips
 Onboarding- There must be a well
planned program.
 Build Trust- Teams don’t focus if they
don’t trust one another.
 Team Building- It’s more than having
drinks after work.
 Motivation- Keep teams excited and
focused on objectives.
 Measuring progress- Share
successes and recognize team
members for their accomplishments.
Page  7
Communication and Collaboration Techniques
Face to Face Meetings
Respect Time and
Language Differences
 Personal Connection
 Ease of use
 Reduce Travel
 Everyone needs
access
 Adjust work
schedule
 Enforce updates
 Be aware of words
you are using
 Allow for Non Verbal
Communication
Page  8
Virtual Workspaces
Global Stakeholder Management
1
Find your Stakeholders
2
Manage Expectations
3
Communication Technique
Page  9
Stakeholder Identification and Analysis
The first step is identifying your stakeholders and recognizing the
influence thy have on your project
 Use your whole team to identify
your stakeholders in each region.
 Assess how their goals align with
your project and what you are trying
to achieve.
 Plan for preferred communication
methods
Page  10
Manage Stakeholder Expectations
Key Messages
 Have local champions
 Align objectives with local
organization
 Offer language support
 Involve stakeholders in planning
 Be consistent with communication
 Exceed expectations
Page  11
Communication Technique
A major piece of project management is influencing and getting clear
messages across
Key Messages
5
10
5
5
 Over reliance on email can be
ineffective
 Get feedback on communications
 Account for different languages
 Know the local rules!
 Keep it simple
75
Formal Meeting
Report
Phone Call
Page  12
Informal Meeting
Email
Breaking Through Cultural Barriers
1
Benefits of Cross Cultural Teams
2
Cultural Impacts on Project Management
3
Resources
Page  13
Benefits of Cross Cultural Teams
Unique experiences with
dealing with risks and
issues.
Adapt language and
communication style to
better meet customer
needs.
Page  14
Create a team open to
sharing new ideas and
driving innovation..
Multi Cultural teams can
help keep you up to date
on issues specific to the
region you are working.
Regional Profiles- Latin America Example
Consider the affect of your management style on
how different cultures approach situations
*United States
Latin America
Independent
Interdependent
Egaltarian
Risk
Direct
Task
* Source: Globe Smart
Page  15
Status
Certainty
Indirect
Relationship
Techniques for Cross Cultural Management
Organization
 Keep leaders informed and pay attention to protocol
 Be more deferential to leaders and be careful openly challenging those
in authority.
 Be sure to ask often for feedback and personal opinions
 Use more niceties in written and verbal communication.
 Ensure you have approvals before communicating to broader
organization
Communication
 More about the “how” than the “what”
 Use active listening skills
Time
Page  16
 Plan for meetings and other activities to go over scheduled time.
 Plan for translation time.
Things to remember when travelling
Travel
 Allow time in itinerary for
unexpected and plan time to
relax
 Know key phrases in target
language
 Network with your project
stakeholders
 Exhibit high amount of energy- It
keeps local teams motivated
 Enjoy the experience!
Page  17
Do You Have
Any Questions?
Page  18