The digital era that we are all a part of now, has created numerous opportunities, but also a lot of shackles in terms of being constantly connected to work in a global setting. While it may be late evening in one part of the world, a client sitting thousands of miles away may be at the peak of one’s office hours so in need of getting in touch with the service provider who has just finished dinner. According to results from a study by marketing research firm Gallup, about a fourth of Americans do some part of their work from home, while about half are involved in virtual or remote work, leading to numerous shifts in behaviours. Body language, for instance cannot be adjusted for remote work, even if text messages and emails do suffice to some extent. This leads to poor or improper talent management, as misinterpretations lead further to low engagement, productivity and innovation. Any distance in remote communication would fall under three categories- physical, operational and in affinity. To bridge such gaps, researchers had advised against the bombardment of the team with messages. Communications must be crisp and devoid of ambiguities. Such communication must be done as per pre-established norms. Instead of cribbing about the misinterpretation of body language, team leaders must strive hard to gauge the hidden opportunities within written communication. To build a sense of affinity, celebrations must be broadcast on some intentional space, something of a platform.

Source:https://hbr.org/2018/02/how-to-collaborate-effectively-if-your-team-is-remote

Uploaded Date:03 March 2018

While most people think of innovators as the mercurial geniuses, it is a faulty stereotype as proven in the recent book released Mapping Innovation written by Greg Satell. Some steps have been suggested to build a team geared towards developing business innovations. As a first step, a psychological safety must be put in place, so that the employees are not scared to try out experiments as done successfully by Google in “Project Aristotle”. The talent recruitment process must be clear from the start, about the mission to match the people with the right positions. Instead of focusing on ideas, innovators must work on solving problems. This recruitment can instill even further creativity if the talent pool has diversity, as varying ideas then emerge. The top management must value teamwork, and instill among the employees a collaborative streak.

Source:https://hbr.org/2018/02/4-ways-to-build-an-innovative-team?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_monthly&utm_campaign=technology&referral=00208&spMailingID=19097281&spUserID=OTY0OTMwNTk5NwS2&spJobID=1201766625&spReportId=MTIwMTc2NjYyNQS2

Uploaded Date:01 March 2018

The open-loop system at play in organizational life has a high impact on individuals concerned. Human beings take on emotions from the people in their surrounding environment. One even starts resembling others around, in a process known as “mirroring”. While negative emotions have a greater mirroring impact, positive ones also do have substantial an effect. That is why, vibes must be positive as emotions are contagious, so spread quickly. Leaders adept at the art of talent management realize this, and tweak their systems accordingly. They know that collaboration and productivity are enhanced in happy cultures. Positive emotional spirals also build a sense of long-term thinking. One reason for the high-performance levels at Google, is the social sensitivity built in through the work culture.

Source:http://www.cpbj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20180223/CPBJ01/180229956/emotions-are-contagious–make-sure-theyre-positive-the-behaviorist&template=mobileart

Uploaded Date:27 February 2018

Digital transformation is one of the key challenges facing leadership teams at present. A key tenet here is not too change too many things, especially those that are already working well. Employees do not respond well when there are constant changes in personnel. There are certain kinds of conversations, that leaders need to engage in with their team members during reorganization. The first of them is the one on the team storyline. This includes the achievements of the last year, things they are proud of, and what measures could be added in. This is an ideal medium to gain business intelligence on what employees really feel, and in what ways their productivity could be improved. Another such conversation needed is on new challenges the team members would like to take up. This stage must involve the actual customers’ live feedback. A leader good at talent management will make sure, that the final conversation ought to be on how to realign the work. This requires a shared understanding of team goals. These now need to be revisited to align with the bigger picture of what is needed then. Overall, a strategy of ‘listen, leverage, learn’ must be adopted.

Source:http://www.cultureuniversity.com/3-conversations-mobilize-team-reorganization/

Uploaded Date:23 February 2018