Roche Pharmaceutical
Develop a global virtual team

Participants reported feeling more positive, clear, together and inspired. The team redesigned their communication schedule and use of information sharing technology… And breakthroughs were reported in the area of stakeholder relationships.

“I thought I might not remember anything from this experience, once I restarted my daily work madness, but I have to say it is working very well. The emotional control is helping me a lot. I learned what is really important for me in my work, and how to increase my empathy, and this is influencing –positively- the way I am working now.” Programme participant

Our client was the leader of a senior, global, multi-cultural, virtual team working in a mission-critical part of the business. The team was located in several timezones, speaking different mother tongues and faced high levels of challenge in their stakeholder groups.  The team was growing and roles were changing.  The key questions we needed to answer were: Was the leader leading the team effectively in this environment? What could be done to bring the team together to focus on the bigger picture? What could be done to ensure virtual working was more effective? What could be done to bolster the skills and confidence of the team members to operate in the environment of transformational change?

We began with a process of insight gathering by phone and skype across the globe. Some team members reported that they found this process by itself developmental. As a result of this analysis we selected and tailored some key tools from our Collaboration Agility suite that we believe would help focus the team. These included:

  • The four areas of focus for a global virtual team
  • The skills of collaborative agility
  • Emotional awareness and resilience in challenging environments
  • Robust conversations in global virtual teams
  • Stakeholder management in global virtual teams

We designed and delivered an intimate and intensive programme that would:

  • Build clarity about the bigger picture
  • Connect the team members across cultural and functional boundaries
  • Develop personal resilience during change
  • Agree pragmatic solutions to issues of technology, timezones and communication
  • Deliver some ‘magic’ to the team’s stakeholders.

Participants reported feeling more positive, clear, together and inspired.  The team redesigned their communication schedule and use of information sharing technology for example setting up regular ‘water cooler’ conference calls and using information sharing technology. And breakthroughs were reported in the area of stakeholder relationships.

They said
What words sum up your approach? Intensity, knowledge of myself, feelings, development. We are always so focused on objectives, and hard work, that I really appreciated this exceptional time dedicated to grow up as a person within this team. I thought I might not remember anything from this experience, once I restarted my daily work madness, but I have to say it is working very well.  The emotional control is helping me a lot. I learned what is really important for me in my work, and how to increase my empathy, and this is influencing –positively- the way I am working now. As a recent member of the team, I felt somehow unsure , but now, I am more confident in the value I can add to the team, and I am more participative. You are able to transmit a lot of energy and to engage the group. There is no distance between you and us.  You provide peace and knowledge. I love the way you listen to us, and the way you explain the exercises. I have attended some other management and leadership training courses, and I would like to let you know that is the first time that I have so a warm feeling about the trainers. I hope we can continue working together in the future.