Managing global teams - GDC

Tips for managing global ( international)  teams

1. Meetings

•     Don’t expect that every one on the phone understands and gets 100% of the conversations, ensure to send MOM/follow-up email and clearly articulate the actions items in the email

2. Daily scrum meeting with offshore account managers
• Until things stabilize it is strongly recommended to have daily 10-15mins Scrum/touch bases calls (both at the beginning and end of the work day ) with your counter part in Global team
• Ensure to have a tracker/spread sheet to track all action items divide actions items to high/medium and low priority.
3. Working hours
• Create a overlap plan for work hours.
• Most of the  teams (i worked with) works from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM ,I observed that some times team is  ready to extend their business hours if situation demands. But use this option sparingly
• also make sure that extra time /effort put is properly compensated like giving a comp-off etc
4. R& R and SOD
• Remember your offshore team sits 10000 miles away from you, more time you invest in getting the clarity ownership/R&R sooner you can stabilize the account.
• Create good R&R for all levels in your account
5. Team structure
• Some global teams (like India teams) are more tend to follow the hierarchy , ensure you get better understanding on reporting structure  and thoroughly follow it
• Also build relations ships with one level above your counterparts
• Ensure you have that you have proper management layer at your offshore team – it is not easy to manage and provide guidance each individual from onsite
• If your solution permits add GDC based managers in your onsite team
6. Initial setup
• Get your offshore counter part ASAP
• Give free hand in building his/her own team  – this will help him in a. feeling the ownership b. Get best resources. At the same time be involved in overall resource planning and see all the staffing needs are addressed or not
• Plan for one/ two trips to  offshore to  meet them in person and spend some time with team
7. Team room , this is good tool not only to have project related info but also to have some team events, photos, face book ..etc
8. Governance model
• Ensure to build a good governance model for controlling the overall account management.
• Maintain the transparency in account governance
• Do proper stakeholder mapping and ensure to embed offshore team correctly and accurately with client’s team
• Have your offshore team to handle monthly governance/steering committee  calls with client team , this will help them get first hand information on client’s expectations/pain points
• Some times your offshore counter part required guidance as they don’t involve in all client’s meeting, don’t hesitate to give guidance/direction to them
• If possible involve offshore  in sales/solutions phase itself