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collaboration platforms
groupMind
solutions
January 2004
Change only sticks when executives take steps to ensure the buy-in of their whole team.
groupMind
solutions
When we talk about the group mind, we are odays business leaders cant afford to referring to the expansive pool of ideas that move on a new idea or action plan becomes available when a group of people without the creative collaboration of commingle their ideas, questions, perspectives, everyone responsible for executing the plan. knowledge and experience in relation to a "Change succeeds best when executives take specific goal or issue. The group mind steps to ensure the buy-in of their whole team." represents the sum total of everyones positions Leaders need new ways to rapidly garner honest and concerns. Accessing the group mind gives feedback from team members, from interdepenpeople the ability to instantly see everyones dent teams, and from suppliers and customers so ideas in a contextual framework that supports they can find out "if the emperor is wearing no specific results. All suggestions, comments, clothes," thus avoiding costly mistakes. All of votes and survey responses are reported equally this must be accomplished very quickly and anonymously. When within narrow time constraints. structured to further a Challenging in the best of companys strategic goals, this circumstances, these tasks are rich pool of data forms the much more difficult to achieve Successful collaboration basis of meaningful conversawhen teams are geographicallydepends on a companys tions that lead to improved dispersed. ability to tap the group results. To address these challenges, we mind which is a hidden at GroupMind Solutions have Through our consulting work resource that exists within developed a powerful set of with hundreds of companies every organization, online tools and best practices from high-tech start-ups to the that can be used to unite teams Fortune 500 we have grown regardless of size, across distance, time, and to appreciate the power of the location, or structure. culture in a common virtual group mind. When members of environment. Within this a team are given the opportunivirtual workplace, our consultty to actively influence the ing practice and collaboration thinking of the group as a software help leaders unify teams into a whole, they gain a unique sense of belonging. cohesive whole by harnessing the power of the Contributing to the group mind engenders groups collective wisdom, or group mind. This feelings of trust, empowerment, and inclusion, hidden resource exists within every and creates a context for the expression of organization, regardless of size, location, or innovative ideas. Harnessing the cumulative structure. Successful collaboration depends on a wisdom that results is pivotal to achieving companys ability to tap the group mind which is strategic alignment and attaining goals, for both a hidden resource that exists within every organco-located and dispersed teams. ization, regardless of size, location, or structure.
groupMind
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ecision-making is more complex and alignment harder to achieve when people no longer run into each other in the hall or work side by side in a conference room. It is easy for team members who live and work in different locations to become isolated and cut off from each other and from the shared purpose of the group. We believe dispersed teams need four things to effectively harness the power of the group mind: 1. a virtual workplace that bridges distance, time and culture 2. equal access to information 3. the opportunity to have rich, qualitative conversations 4. an established set of tools and best practices
It is our belief that the Web is the best place to establish this kind of flexible, shared work environment. Conference calls, video conferencing, and e-mail can create temporary bridges, but for an interface to truly eliminate boundaries of distance, time, and culture, it must support asynchronous work. Companies need a comprehensive, easy-to-use, well-organized online environment that puts everyone, regardless of location, time zone or work designation, on the same page. When teams make the leap to Web-based collaboration, they gain 24-hour-a-day access to a shared workplace they can reach instantaneously from anywhere in the world, at a time that is convenient for them. This enables them to give input when they have the time and the ability to focus, yet their responsesand the responses of all other team membersare held in a shared environment that is accessible to all. Team members have continuous access to data, project updates, individual accountabilities, and statements of needas well as the capacity to comment on all of the above. When teams have access to this kind of shared data, in an environment equipped with built-in decision-making tools, it becomes possible for them to do substantive work with people in offices across the state or on the other side of the world. Because people can enter the virtual workspace whenever they want to, a sales manager in Taiwan, a manufacturer in Singapore, and a sales force based in Germany can be active, contributing members of a dispersed cross-disciplinary team without having to change locations or leave their primary work responsibilities. 2
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container for data, and precludes the need for people to learn a new tool. When companies use the same technology to add value before, during and after face-to-face meetings, productivity increases. During the planning phase of an offsite, we often use our web-based software to survey participants about what they see as the critical priorities for the meeting. Polling the group mind in this way ensures that presenters are on target, addressing the real issues and concerns of the audience. Leaders often tell us that this data has been invaluable to them in preparing for meetings. At the offsite, we use the same software, which people are already comfortable with, to accelerate the process of posing questions, responding to speakers, holding multiple discussions, and gathering and ranking issues for action. At the conclusion of the offsite, people use our software to give feedback about the meeting. A virtual workplace is now available to team members when they return to their various places of work around the country or around the world. The same tool now provides members with a way to stay connected and to continue to collaborate on project follow up. Utilizing the same technology during and after an offsite has the advantage of providing selected team members (both those who attended the offsite and those who didnt) with immediate archiving of all the interactions that occurred during the offsite: the PowerPoint presentations of the speakers, the reactions, decisions and consensus-building that occurred. All of this rich data leads to significant, productive conversations and continues to be available asynchronously after the meeting is over. 3
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ar too frequently, dispersed teams arrive at an offsite to do planning, armed with contradictory data and a different sense of what needs to be done. Team members arrive locked in their individual silos, and the agenda is far too full to take the time to help people gain a unified sense of the whole. Yet it is crucial for members of dispersed teams, particularly those from different functions, to share a larger sense of context for their work.
When all of this data and documentation of the process that was used to arrive at the data is readily available, all members of the team can contribute from a level playing field. As an added bonus, new team members, whether they be in New York, London or Nairobi, only have to click on their web browser to review project history and get up to speed.
Too often in organizations, decision-making is To gain this perspective, everyone involved in based on inferences and assumptions rather than the project needs to have equal access to the on a common pool of data that is understood by same contextual materials and documents. An everyone involved in making the decision. When Australian engineer, a German buyer and a two people begin a conversation about what Silicon Valley CEO need to be should happen in an organiable to quickly access a zation and they dont share common pool of data. It is not the same data or have a comenough for data to be mon framework for interpretToo often in organizations, gathered. It must be organized ing it, it is extremely difficult to support specific goals and it for them to listen to each decision-making is based must be shared through a other or to reach a on inferences and distribution platform that consensusabout how to assumptions rather than ensures access to everyone. proceed.
on a common pool of data People often go through life In creating virtual workspaces seeking confirmation of their for dozens of teams around that is understood by pre-established belief systhe world, we have learned the everyone involved in maktems. This is not usually a importance of archiving ing the decision. conscious process; it is an project history so it is clearly unconscious filtering of data organized and easy to find. An to locate evidence that effective archival system validates their world view. should contain all contextual This filtering process, though information relevant to the project: internal and external white papers, unintentional, often keeps people from accurateinternal data, industry analysis, surveys, results, ly perceiving data that is right in front of them. budgets, and strategic planning documents, as It reduces their objectivity and keeps them from recognizing new possibilities. well as conversations relevant to project goals.
groupMind
solutions
In our experience, the range of thought represented in the group mind can be a powerful antidote to habitual thought patterns. When people have contributed to a shared pool of data, they are much more apt to acknowledge the validity of that data. Carefully chosen focal questions can lead a group to a shared understanding about what that data means. When everyone in an organization has equal access to the same data, and is supported in interpreting it effectively, team members begin to make decisions based on a common set of facts, rather than on what they think or hope to be true.
itself. Weve posted book reviews, lists of best practices and personalized bios of team members online, and have utilized threaded discussions and online symposiums with subject experts to create trust and camaraderie among dispersed team members.
reativity, clarity, and commitment arise from successful conversations. In responding to a question about what makes teams effective, Michael Schrage of MIT media labs said, "Innovative managers need to Shared Information Builds Trust manage the interactions between people. What Trust is a difficult issue for virtual teams. gives a conversation weight, dimension, and Creating a shared pool of data is one way relevance is having a shared space where peodispersed teams can build trust. ples ideas can play out in front Rather than staying isolated of one another." To collaborate within their own constraints effectively, people need access and concerns, team members to each others thinking. Creating a shared gain a sense of the team as a Dispersed teams, like all pool of data is one whole. When people know teams, need tools that encourwhat other team members are age structured conversations way dispersed teams thinking, and can see their own about strategy, direction, can build trust. ideas contributing to the group performance, and change. mind, they gain confidence in the decision-making process, and their trust in each other When teams arent co-located, grows. Answers to the question, "What do we these kinds of substantive conversations cant have in common?" naturally emerge. occur naturally. Companies have tried to compensate for this through the use of e-mail Virtual workplaces can also support the kind of and large-scale conference calls. Conference informal water cooler conversations that calls begin to address the issue of distance, but readily occur when teams are co-located. We they cant resolve the issue of time. When an have been able to create rich, welcoming online engineer in Manila has to get up at 2 A.M. to environments by customizing a site to reflect the participate in a conference call, she is at a identity, process and sign-posts of the team distinct disadvantage. It is only in an online 5
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environment, where everyone can engage in conversations when it is convenient, that time zone problems can be mitigated. In order for meaningful conversations to percolate throughout an organization, they need to be: archived for accessibility organized by process steps presented within a context
environment and in his own time, he is much more likely to respond fully and thoughtfully, thereby offering valuable insights to the group.
Bill Bruck
groupMind
solutions
feel that their concerns, feelings, and opinions have been solicited and heard. Of course there are times when attributed comments are more appropriate to a groups process. When responsibilities are being assigned; when progress is being tracked; or when intact teams are working together over time, knowing who said what can be essential. Facilitators must be sensitive to using the right modality at the right time. When teams are operating in a virtual environment, it is critical that both anonymous and attributed feedback can be used.
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divergent thought not only turns up innovative ideas; it ultimately leads people to move toward consensus. Weve watched this phenomenon occur repeatedly. When people are asked to contribute their own thinking to the group mind and are then given the opportunity to view the collective ideas of the group, they feel reassured that their own thinking is being taken seriously and become more receptive to other peoples ideas.
groupMind
solutions
were headed in this one direction, but here are several voices that were strongly opposed. I wonder if there is something these people are seeing that you should be aware of? What do you think this person meant when she said this? What can you learn from her dissent?" Discussions resulting from these questions often unearth critical issues that were previously considered undiscussable. Calling attention to these issues early in a groups process ultimately generates much stronger buy-in from everyone when a decision is ultimately reached. It is our experience that this kind of honest discussion, used in conjunction with convergent processes, leads groups to a cogent analysis of the issue and a clear understanding of what has to happen next. A norming process automatically begins to take place. As people see the energy of the group moving in a particular direction, they instinctively course-correct and move toward the center. Alignment naturally takes place. Consensus happens much more easily than it would otherwise, with greater buy-in from all involved.
The four fundamental problems are: People dont understand the relationship between their work and the organizations larger strategic vision Team members whose job it is to execute the plan havent felt included in the planning process Organizational infrastructure hasnt been changed to support the plan There are insufficient mechanisms for tracking progress
Successful decision-making needs to happen in the context of a coordinated strategic plan. There needs to be a clear alignment between a teams actions and the companys overall strategic purpose. Disparate teams need to have a series of initiatives that can be linked together to focus their energy in the same direction. Team members must be able to clearly see how each of these initiatives supports the organizations larger strategic goals. When teams arent co-located, this kind of alignment is harder to achieve. Our web-based software makes it possible for dispersed team members to clearly understand the choices their organization is making, as well as the rationale for those choices. By using the group mind, people can look at proposed plans and give feedback in an archived environment that is available to everyone. Contributing to the group mind helps people feel that their thinking was part of the final outcome.
We have found that leaders are very responsive to feedback received through the GroupMind.
groupMind
solutions
Even if their ideas arent ultimately adopted, people need to know that their thoughts were considered. In traditional settings, when people speak serially, there is never enough time to hear everyones ideas and concerns. But when our software is used to poll the group mind as part of a planning process, peoples ideas can be expressed and collated so quickly that it becomes possible to hear from everyone who will be influenced by the decisionthose charged with its implementation as well as those affected by the change. Incorporating the input of such a diverse pool of stakeholders increases innovation and often turns up problems and scenarios that might not have been otherwise considered, yielding a much more realistic, well grounded plan.
In our experience, leaders have been very responsive to feedback received through the Contributing to the group mind. When executives group mind helps can ask team members focal people feel that their questions and quickly scan through their written responsthinking was part es, they get an immediate of the final outcome. sense of the impediments The group mind also provides a the team is facing. Gaps unique system of checks and become obvious and execubalances. If an initiative is tives can take the necessary being railroaded through by a few dominant steps to provide the requisite resources, changes, voices, the group mind can be used to counter and support. balance that momentum. Facilitators can readily locate opposing opinions: "Now wait a minute. If you want marketing to support his plan, youre going to have to give us more time." Or "This is a great idea, but how are we going to pay for it?" Culling out these dissenting voices, which have been systematically archived in the group mind, enables the group to address problems that might not have arisen until later, averting potentially costly oversights. Organizations can course correct before they even hit the ground.
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The group mind can help organizations build this kind of accountability. Within the larger collaborative environment, small project teams can have designated virtual workplaces structured to fit their specific needs and further their teams objectives. These individualized workplaces, when well designed, can not only serve the team in question but also reduce isolation by encouraging ongoing interactions with other teams. When teams work on projects with multiple interdependencies, they need systems and mechanisms for interactive feedback so they can readily work with each other throughout a projects history. Effective long-distance collaboration requires a continuous feedback loop so problems can be addressed sooner. Rather than waiting for problems to be brought up at a periodic offsite, it is essential that a system be in place that enables problems to be raised and addressed expediently. In order for this kind of self-correcting mechanism to be in place, dispersed teams need to employ fast cycles of feedback. Our software can be used to supply this kind of feedback. Teams can use it to offer support, to report on progress, to discuss interdependencies, and to monitor each others progress. On reviewing the online project overview chart, one team may say to another, "We thought that getting Product Committee approval was our task. Why do you have it listed as yours?" This gives the other team a chance to clarify an important interdependency. Responsibilities are clarified, gaps are identified, and teams can readjust their priorities as needed.
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ty to learn from other peoples lessons, they can avoid repeating the same mistakes. Having roadmaps enables people to build upon strategies that have previously been successful, rather than having to continually reinvent the wheel. When the group mind is used to capture and publish what people have learned, an invaluable archive is created. Knowledge can be stored in a structured way that people can access indefinitely. As more people benefit from the repository of wisdom that resides in the group mind, more people contribute their learning. The group mind grows, eventually becoming a storehouse of collective intelligence for the whole organization. Knowledge can also be shared through communities of practice. Communities of practice are groups of people who share a common interest. A community of practice might be several sales managers in one organization or a group of project managers who work in different companies. By engaging in open dialogue with each other, everyones understanding increases and knowledge grows. Providing communities of practice for specific disciplines multiplies productivity and increases creative thought. Tapping the group mind is a great way to create communities of practice so that people can share their thinking and build on each others ideas.
With both dispersed and co-located teams, we have seen the group mind help leaders: Ask the right questions Get the right people together Make quick decisions Align an organization or a team Quickly understand strategic priorities Identify gaps in understanding, process, planning, and performance The world has changed and it will not go back. Businesses are now interacting across an electronic interface. Cycle times for innovation have gotten shorter. The global marketplace has been deconstructed. Organizations that learn to effectively employ the power of the group mind will have a definite advantage in meeting these challenges.
Providing communities of practice for specific disciplines multiplies productivity and increases creative thought.
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GroupMind Solutions
groupMind
solutions
GroupMind Solutions is a consultancy of organizational development and business process consultants working with software engineers to develop web based collaboration tools for implementing change through alignment. Our purpose is to build alignment and effective change in organizations, by developing cutting-edge collaboration practices and tools for use by a broad segment of consultants and process managers. The GroupMind Express tools greatly increase the capability for managers to swiftly change the direction, make decisions and communicate information about strategy throughout the organization. We believe that the future of organizational consulting and strategic planning lies in the marriage of technology with the knowledge of resistance to change, so that people become more effective and efficient in their efforts. Our clients and consultant partners return to us over and over because they appreciate our ability to create highly satisfying and productive partnerships with them to develop solutions for successful change. Clients tell us that they value the simplicity, speed and clarity of our tools, as well as our integrity and belief that informed decisions lead to lasting change.
For information and additional White Papers, or to learn more about GroupMind Solutions, visit our website at groupmindexpress.com
groupMind
solutions
GroupMind Express, GroupMind Solutions, and the GroupMind Express logo are trademarks of GroupMind Solutions. Copyright 2004