Teams365 Blog - Potentials Realized

#TEAMS365 #1728 Effective Virtual Conversations tip #63

9/24/2018

Welcome back to Monday’s EVC Tip - #63 in the series.

This week’s tip is all about getting you to think about matrix management. In the virtual space it is likely that your team members are part of multiple teams and may be reporting to several different leaders.

Remote team members may have a local leader or supervisor they see on a regular basis, and also a more remote team leader who actually works more closely with them on the macro level.

For example, maybe a person is part of a continent wide marketing team. This team is continent wide in focus, and because they are based in a more remote location, they report into a local office regularly. They are expected to work with both the local and regional leaders. Each team has different ways of working and different cultures. The regional marketing team is more laid back and creative, while the local team is detail oriented and fast paced. It can be a challenge for the employee to navigate both sets of working relationships, work cultures and leadership styles.

Key to this process is being intentional, and proactive, in discussing many of the issues that may emerge. If three-way meetings are possible – between the employee, the local leader and the regional subject leader, it can be useful to talk through how as a partnership you can be most effective in supporting the employee in getting the results needed for the organization.

Some key issues you will want to clarify early on in your communications within matrix relationships include:

Clarifying roles, responsibilities and reporting structures
Identifying overlaps and gaps
Clarifying goals and priorities (especially if there are different priorities)
Identifying resources available

You can read more about this on page 334 of Effective Virtual Conversations.

Enjoy!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Effective Virtual Conversations | Coaching Team Leaders
We provide team and leadership development support through coaching, consulting and training services
Author of several books including the 2018 Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner & Effective Virtual Conversations (2017)
Email: info@potentialsrealized.com
(416)996-8326

#Teams365 #1421: 20 Remote and Virtual Team Activities: #15 - Matrix Management

11/21/2017

Matrix management is one of the many challenging elements of being part of a virtual team. In matrix management we are part of several teams, reporting to different bosses and leaders. Challenges arise when there is a lack of clarity with what you need to report on, when and how.
Today’s activity gets you working with your team to map out the different elements of their own matrix management relationships.

Time needed – 10 min plus discussion time (which may occur after the team activity with each matrix relationship)
Materials needed – Pen and piece of paper. Or screen and file

Instructions:
Have people think about the different reporting relationships or teams that they are part of. On their piece of paper have them sketch out who those teams are – names of leader, team members and what the team or entity is called (i.e. Local level team and Hq)
Once each person has laid it out, then have team members write in the top priorities for each team the are part of.
Following from this there may be a series of instructions followed by a pause so people can write things down. Questions/instructions could include

Write down the top 5 priorities for this team (this quarter, this year, this month)
Think about the leader of this team. What are the issues you need to report on? When do these need to be reported? To what level of detail do issues need to be communicated? What structures are there to support you around this?

Thinking now to the team level:

How often does this team meet?
What ways do you connect with the team?
What type of conversations are important to have with members of each team?
What are the specific conversations you need to have? With whom?
What feedback would you like to ask from each team member?
What feedback do you want to provide to others?
What else is important to note?

Have a great conversation,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats.
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

#Teams365 #1379: Virtual and Remote team Activities #5: Team Roles - Matrix

10/10/2017

Within any team exists a series of roles. Roles can be both formal and informal in a team. For example, in projects you may have the project lead who is responsible for coordinating and leading the different functions. Clarity around the other team members’ roles is also critical, to avoid overlap, duplication and gaps in the project.
In high performing teams, we know that team roles help with not only execution (getting things done) but also maintaining teams. This holds true in virtual teams. If we focus only on getting things done, while short changing relationships, things may become unbalanced. In the virtual domain, team roles and clarity around this becomes even more pronounced with the importance of matrix relationships.
Matrix relationships occur when a virtual team member may report to two or more leaders. It could be that one person is working locally, and the other globally, or it might be the case where the team member is supported by the project lead as well as a technical expert.
Facilitating discussion around team roles and matrix relationships is an important part of team building. Without clarity, it is likely that many issues will recirculate.
In working through matrix relationship roles it can be important to ask the following questions:
What roles exist within the team and this matrix relationship?
What issues need to get communicated, and when?
What happens if directions are in conflict or contrast with the other?
What values underpin this work?
When will all three parties need to sit down and meet (virtually or in person)? Quarterly? Semi-annually?
How are disagreements handled?
In Teams365 #599 http://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-599-6-leadership-questions-matrix-management I also included these 6 questions to consider:

1. What are your current priorities in each team?
2. What overlap is there for you?
3. What roles do you play in both teams?
4. What responsibilities, opportunities and constraints should we as team be aware of?
5. What could be made more clear for you?
6. I need the following support ----- from ------ to be successful
You may also be interested in looking at this post as well:
Teams365 #594: Matrix Management: 4 Keys to Making it Work"
http://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-594-matrix-management-4-keys-to-making-it-work
What are the discussions you want to, and need to have, around team roles and matrix leadership?
There are entire bodies of work around team roles including the work of Belbin. A topic for future posts, perhaps!

Have a great Tuesday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats.
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations - Conference calls? Webinars? Virtual coaching work? Pick up a copy of my new book, Effective Virtual Conversations, at Amazon. You can also purchase a copy direct from our site, signed by me!

\#Teams365 #1311: Team Building Tip #147: Matrix Management

8/3/2017

This week's team building tip #147 gets you thinking about the question "What should I know about how matrix management can work best?". This is a strategic question for any virtual team. Matrix management issues abound in many virtual teams, with team members being supported by, and having to liaise with, multiple leaders. There can be an art, and skillset required when moving into matrix management relationships, that all team members should consider.

Questions to think about as team members - individually and collectively are -

1. Who do I report to? On what issues?
2. What are their preferences in terms of - how they like to be communicated with? When they want issues flagged?
3. When is it appropriate to flag other issues with my other leaders or team members?
4. What support do I need? Where do I get resources?

For other posts on Matrix Management, refer to these Teams365 posts:

Teams365 #595 - Where's the Loyalty?
Teams365 #594: Four Keys to Making Matrix Management Work. Read it here

Have a great Thursday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats.
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

Connect with us to be the first to know more about launch events around my newest book - Effective Virtual Conversations - which launched this week.

#Teams365 #1156: Four Keys for Matrix Management - Virtual Teams

3/1/2017

This month's focus here at the blog is going to be on virtual teams. Whether you are working remote across a bigger city, or globally across five timezones, making virtual teamwork, work better is a key priority for many leaders, team members and organizations today.
When we lead virtually, it is quite common to have some, or all of our staff, also supported by other leaders in a matrix management arrangement. Today's post includes four keys for making matrix management work:
1. Clarify roles and responsibilities - In matrix management it is essential to clarify who is responsible for what, and what type of support the employee needs from both parties.
2. Clarify reporting - Given that virtual staff members may be reporting to two or more supervisors/leaders, what needs to be reported, how and when? Are work reports shared virtuallly and/or centrally for ease of access, efficiency and to avoid duplication.
3. Clarify overlap - What's the overlap and gap in the matrix management relationship. Take note of what might fall through the cracks and what be duplicated effort.
4. Make three-way reporting meetings regular. While a meeting of all parties - the two managers and staff may not occur every month, consider how and when you want to connect to provide updates, do reviews and coach. Making these touchpoints planned and intentional may be a more process related approach than some in-person leaders have been accustomed to.

As you consider your work as a virtual leader, what do you notice about what is important to you and your team? What requires attention?

Have a great Wednesday and start to March,
Jennifer

#Teams365 #1116: #FlashbackFriday: Six Sources of #Conflict with Matrix Management

1/20/2017

It is Friday and time to take a look back at one of our more than 1100 blog posts. Yesterday I focused on matrix management in our weekly team building tip and I thought it would be useful to take a look back at one of our past posts on matrix management, namely - sources of conflict in matrix management teams. With the growth of more virtual teams being able to surface and address conflict in the virtual realm is becoming a well needed skill set. Many times conflict in the virtual domain is easy to ignore, but has the ultimate impact of lower productivity and results. Given the long distance relationship this can lead to significant fails and impact.

So how do we become more proactive in addressing conflict within virtual teams and the matrix management environment? We need to be aware of where conflict may stem from. Consider these sources which I initially mentioned in Teams365 # 601

"Matrix leadership and team arrangements are becoming much ore common place today. Once only relegated to project and global teams, matrix arrangements are much more common-place. It can be important to recognize acknowledge potential sources of conflict, so that you are aware of them and can mitigate.

Here's a list of potential sources of conflict in matrix teams include:
* Conflict between local level priorities and global or project priorities
* Conflict between direction and style of local leader and matrix leader
* Style conflict
* Potential conflict on multiple levels around communication styles - direct versus indirect communication - (refer to Geert Hofstede's Culture scales)
* Conflict created by working across multiple time zones which can impact meeting times, and perceived favoritism
* Conflict around resourcing (perceived and real)
* Conflict around team membership - my "local" team and my "project" team
* Conflict around team culture - how things are done on different teams and what's acceptable and not

These are just a small representation of potential conflicts created in the matrix environment. What is important is to equip team members with enhanced skills in working across differences and recognizing your impact with others.

What do you see as possible conflicts which could emerge in your matrix work?"

If you are a matrix manager this week take the opportunity to discuss with your team members in their one on ones where potential conflicts exist, or could exist, and how together you want to resolve them.

Have a great Thursday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
(416)996-8326

#teams365 #1115: Team Building Tip #119: Matrix Management

1/19/2017

We are at Team Building Tip #119 today which focuses in on Matrix Managers. One of the main areas of leadership we focus our support on here at Potentials Realized is on virtual leadership. As a former virtual leader myself I know how important great matrix management as a skill set really is. Unlike supporting staff that are just down the hall, in virtual team leadership we have to be very comfortable in managing from a distance. It's likely that some, if not all, of our team members will also be supported by other managers closer to their site. This matrix management arrangement requires a number of things for success:

1. Being confident in the team members ability and really practicing empowerment of team. As a virtual and matrix manager we have to let go of the reins and let go of control.
2. Clarify the different roles and responsibilities if team members are supported or managed by more than one leader. It can be useful to ask yourself
Who is responsible for what?
What feedback loops need to happen in between the different leaders? With the staff member themselves?
What type of support does the team member need from each matrix manager?
What's working and what's not?
3. Micro-monitoring, not micro-managing

What other tips do you have for successful matrix management?

Click here for past posts on Matrix Management from the Teams365 blog.

Have a great Thursday!

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
(416)996-8326

#TEams365 #1059: Team Building Tip #111 - Matrix Management

11/24/2016

Today's Team Building Tip gets you thinking about the matrix management environment which is so common in virtual teams. Part of successful matrix management involves letting go - letting go of your ability to directly do things, know everything, and have all the details. This requires a certain level of confidence in both your staff's abilities and also your own.

For many years I facilitated sessions for a multi-session leadership development program which ran over the course of 15 months. One of the mantras which emerged in almost every cohort was "micro-monitor, don't micro-manage". Especially in a matrix relationship, it's important to be aware of the key metrics, and it is essential that our role moves to one of troubleshooter, enabler and liaison with resources and people.

If you have a team that you lead virtually, it may be a great opportunity this week in your meetings to discuss these questions:
What do you need in order to be more successful?
What if any issues do you need support on?
Who can I help connect you with?

You may also want to check out these past Teams365 posts on Matrix Management as well.

Have a great Thursday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
(416)996-8326

#teams365 #602: Matrix Management - Top Tips

8/25/2015

Over the past few weeks we have been exploring the idea of matrix management. In today's post I was curious to see what others on the web had been saying/writing in relation to similar topic areas. I searched for to five matrix leadership skills and came up with this wonderful article from European CEO on these Top 5 Matrix Skills (Read it here).

In their article they mention:
Learning from others
Communicating through technology
Engaging and Listening to others
Empowering others
Connectedness to the Broader Business

If you are a matrix leader, how do you compare in these areas? Are there other skills you would recommend?

Take a look at how these compare to some of the Key Competencies for Global Team Members I wrote about a few weeks ago in Teams365 #587.

I also came across a great article on 7 Tips for Leading Projects in a Matrix from the International Matrix Management Institute. They have a number of excellent resources available for those that lead in the matrix.

What other resources would you recommend for others around matrix management?

Have a great Tuesday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Potentials Realized - Leadership and Team Development, Coaching, Retreats
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Email us to find out how we can support you and your team in enhancing your collaboration through coaching, training or a retreat program

#Teams365 #601: Potential Sources of Conflict in Matrix Teams

8/24/2015

Matrix leadership and team arrangements are becoming much ore common place today. Once only relegated to project and global teams, matrix arrangements are much more common-place. It can be important to recognize acknowledge potential sources of conflict, so that you are aware of them and can mitigate.

Here's a list of potential sources of conflict in matrix teams include:
* Conflict between local level priorities and global or project priorities
* Conflict between direction and style of local leader and matrix leader
* Style conflict
* Potential conflict on multiple levels around communication styles - direct versus indirect communication - (refer to Geert Hofstede's Culture scales)
* Conflict created by working across multiple time zones which can impact meeting times, and perceived facoritism
* Conflict around resourcing (perceived and real)
* Conflict around team membership - my "local" team and my "project" team
* Conflict around team culture - how things are done on different teams and what's acceptable and not

These are just a small representation of potential conflicts created in the matrix environment. What is important is to equip team members with enhanced skills in working across differences and recognizing your impact with others.

What do you see as possible conflicts which could emerge in your matrix work?

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Mentor RoadMap(TM)
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