Effective Teams for Global E-Lab

Outline 1) How to make your team effective –identify needs: make personal contact –brainstorm: think broadly –hit the ground running 2) What to avoid –free riding –clashes within the team –breakdown of communication with the company

Effective Teams (1) Identify Needs talk with the company early and clearly –by phone or in person if possible e.g., Uruguay entrepreneur visiting –build relationship with key intermediaries e.g., with Sandy, Endeavor, Melbourne students listen carefully to their stated priorities –specific tasks will probably be clear –general needs may be more vague

Effective Teams (2) Brainstorm 1) Who is the customer? Who could be the customer? What do these customers need? 2) What technology does the company have? What could they have? What solutions can they provide? 3) What business elements do they have? What do they need: strategy, marketing, sales, money, team? Discuss, then break the initial work into four pieces, then put it all together

Effective Teams (3) Hit the ground running in January Become experts in this industry, in general and for this country, before you leave the US; look around the world for useful comparisons; MIT tech links? Clearly define your project with the company, in writing, including a detailed assessment of how you will spend your time Be flexible: meet every day during January to assess/update/revise your plans and priorities Provide the promised deliverables PLUS something that exceeds expectations (on strategy…?)

How Good Teams Go Bad (1) Free Riding: what if one person does not pull his/her weight? Try to understand what is the problem: overwork, motivation, personal issues? How can these be addressed? Most problems start small and quickly snowball. Talk openly and clearly about who is doing how much work. Keep (rough) track of hours worked or effort? Be clear with each other on when you have more time to prepare during the fall. Write down deliverables with dates. On the ground, you are all in it together. You have to trust your team. Build trust before you go: help each other with something outside G-Lab.

How Good Teams Go Bad (2) Clashes within the team This is not like any other team project at Sloan; you are living and working together 24 hours a day; AUSTRALIA WILL BE DIFFICULT If you can, find time to simulate this environment, e.g., work for a complete weekend together; assess what issues arise Agree on a mechanism for resolving disputes, by voting or require unanimous agreement Talk to us (but this only works before you go)

How Good Teams Go Bad (3) Breakdown of communication with the company establishing a personal relationship early is important define clearly how much time they will spend with you; who exactly will you interface with? Try to have a clear channel to the CEO; watch out for internal politics Keep the intermediaries fully informed; manage these relationships; have them talk with the company often Talk to us (again, only works before you go)

How Good Teams Go Bad (4) Hubris: pride before the fall –We know all this A failure to listen to the company or to others –What is he saying? Lack of respect –What youre saying is obviously wrong Breakdown of communication –Did he just say what you think he said? Watch for danger signs in yourself and others

What we will do Each team will be assigned one TA, to talk with you at least once a week –clearly communicate any problems early to Seckin or Rodrigo Professors have three roles –as intermediaries (more for some projects) –intervening when a problem develops; please come to us before it becomes a crisis –if your company goes bankrupt in December...

What we will not do Go to the library for you in January –Figure out what you need and what you can access remotely