Resources for Training

Rob Winwood: Project Skills for use straight away

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https://youtu.be/lwaLGlZev9c

Boltić: What was the specific experience you had with Scatterwork and what was the project that time?

Winwood: Sure, no problem at all. I used to work with a company DSM Nutritional Products who were based in Kaiseraugst in Switzerland. And they decided that they had a need for specific project management training, which they certainly did, and decided to call on an expert to do that.

The problem was what they didn’t want was a just a manual and a boring list of to do’s. They wanted something that would actually apply to the situation that we were working at the time and then practical and could be used afterwards. And that’s why Scatterwork was chosen.

Boltić: So in specific, how how did Scatterwork meet those expectations and what were the specific benefits that you can draw out of this training?

Winwood: OK, we had a mixed group of I suppose around about 20 people who were involved in the training which took place over three days in total.

And the key thing was that you could take away something you could use straight away from that process, bearing in mind the people who attended the training hadn’t had any formal project management training at all.

I don’t think anybody had that particular career, so it was new to all of us but it was particularly important that we could then take what we’d learnt and use it straight away. And I guess what was key in the training itself was that we used real examples throughout.

It wasn’t example stuff; it was real things that happen in our day to day work.

Boltić: So are there any additional impressions that you would like to share about Scatterwork and working with them?

Winwood: Yeah, when we did the training to be absolutely honest with you I had absolutely no idea what to expect and I don’t think anybody else did. It always helps to have an empathetic trainer, somebody who is enthusiastic and friendly but firm when he needed to be and we certainly got that with Scatterwork and I think we all appreciated that.

And it was done in detail, it was done in a logical fashion so everybody could follow without knowing any of the background whatsoever. So unusually in that, that you can take something from ground zero and basically leave the training at the end of the time with something you can practically use straight away.

Boltić: Thank you so much for doing this interview with us.

Winwood: You’re very welcome.

Guest: Dr Rob Winwood, Proprietor at Winwood Bioscience, Helions Bumpstead, Haverhill, UK

Interviewed by: Dr Zorana Boltić, Aim Professional, Project Management and Lean Six Sigma Consultant and Trainer on behalf of Scatterwork GmbH

Can you offer global services to local clients?

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Can you offer global services to local clients?

Clients who are local deliver locally. Or maybe globally or something in between.

But when we look at the inputs that local clients use, some of them will be local, (particularly people will be local to the business) and they will be using global inputs – there is virtually no business these days that doesn’t use some product or service that comes from somewhere else.

So the question was “Can you offer global services to local clients?” And the answer is a resounding “yes”.

So if you want to discuss this or any of your other project issues, please connect with me at gd.scatterwork.com.

Thank you.

Dr. Deasún Ó Conchúir (pronounce) is a Collaboration Consultant at Scatterwork, which supports Project Solutions for Virtual Teams.

Email: deasun@gd.scatterwork.com

Tel: +41 79 692 4735 Talk to me

LinkedIn: Connect with me

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Scatterwork Guest: Why must virtual teams have soft skills?

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My name is Howard Esbin and I’m the creator a virtual team game.

Virtual Team members need trust to collaborate effectively. The research shows that the lack of trust is fundamentally the greatest challenge that virtual teams globally are facing today. The research also shows that there is a direct correlation between social emotional intelligence on virtual teams, that’s soft skills, and the degree of trust that may manifest.

The research also shows that if there is limited soft skills,chances are trust will be affected and there will be a significant lack thereof. The challenge for virtual teams, leadership and training is that there is insufficient time to build relationships. There is an inability to read nonverbal cues and there’s a lack above water cooler moments. The goal for effective training is to actually create virtual water cooler equivalence and to promote symbolic communications.

The research further shows its symbolic communication and the equivalent water cooler moments are going to be tied to a variety of soft skill applications. Our original research has identified twenty best practices and when one looks at these in total,they’re all about engaging and connecting the whole person and virtual team emotionally at the start a project. These best practices help a virtual team,essentially of virtual strangers, break the ice and therefore provide the equivalent of water-cooler moments using online play, games and creativity.

In summary, why must virtual team’s have soft skills? To be productive virtual teams need to trust each other. In order to trust, virtual team members must be self-aware and pacific, appreciate their differences and communicate honestly. These are all soft skills. Thank you.
Virtual Teams (1)

Dr. Deasún Ó Conchúir (pronounce) is a Collaboration Consultant at Scatterwork, which supports Project Solutions for Virtual Teams.

Email: deasun@gd.scatterwork.com

Tel: +41 79 692 4735 Talk to me

LinkedIn: Connect with me

Please share with colleagues, who also get 10% off their first booking.

Use Games to Build your Virtual Team

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https://youtu.be/3HZn_34cRhM

 

Hello and welcome to this short video from Scatterwork about using games to build your virtual team. Virtual teams needs defined operating agreements, they need to implement rituals and they need to share planning.

Now, operating agreements, ground rules or whatever you like to call them are essential so the people operate in more or less the same way.

For example somebody may have made strenuous effort to get to a meeting on time or maybe they had to put a baby to bed or change your flight. So not sticking to the agreed time can have big consequences so it’s better to have rules.

Rituals help the momentum when systems fail.So for example when a call is held at the same time every day but the link drops out but because it’s a ritual,the parties spend several minutes trying to reestablish contact.

If it wasn’t a ritual they were just go offline and the work would not get done. And then chairing the planning:
engagement is lacking if planning is simply imposed but that’s much more true in the virtual environments.

For example how work is done can be very local so telling people what to do is not always the best way to do it.

But when it’s completed, it’s shared with the whole team and that’s an issue for the team as a whole.

So the question is: where is the glue that holds the team of people together and the suggestion is that games can be used to help build a virtual team. Think if the games that people play at parties to speed up the process of getting to know everybody. And these days there are a lot of shared applications so that several people can log in at once and use them and they’re great tools for games.

So here’s one: your virtual team needs to introduce its members to others (think Facebook terms) so put the members in groups of three and by having them in separate groups, then you’ll get more ideas than if you put them all in one team.

Then tell them within each team to connect with each other by text or voice and then find out how to connect with
Google slides or some other application, where several people can join in at the
same time and then develop a page to introduce the people in the team. And then afterwards bring all the teams back together and hold a competition to select the best page.

But this is very useful because even the fact of producing a page together with photos and text generates interaction and the interaction, notice, cannot even start without real time communication. And the team learns how to access a cooperative working space which can be used for other things.

So if you find this interesting remember that Scatterwork supports Project Solutions for Virtual Teams and the contact details are on this page.

Thanks very much.

Dr. Deasún Ó Conchúir (pronounce) is a Collaboration Consultant at Scatterwork, which supports Project Solutions for Virtual Teams.

Email: deasun@gd.scatterwork.com

Tel: +41 79 692 4735 Talk to me

LinkedIn: Connect with me

Please share with colleagues, who also get 10% off their first booking.

Do visas & permits hinder team meetings?

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https://youtu.be/RxmbWmL8Dxs?rel=0

This video from Scatterwork is about the effects of visas and travel permits on team meetings. For example, project kick-off meetings.

In an international team we almost certainly have holders of different passports and this can affect both their access rights and how long it takes to get them for the location of the meeting. This can be further complicated if they also require transit through other countries on the way.

Then different countries have different ways of applying for visas:

Sometimes we just arrive and show our passport, other times we have to apply in advance. Sometimes it takes several days or even a couple of weeks, other times you can pay extra and make it go fast.
Sometimes you have to physically hand in your passport and then while that’s in progress, then you can’t travel and do other things.

So it gets really complicated. The alternative is to hold a properly structured virtual meeting and that is something that we at Scatterwork.com can help you with so we look forward to hearing from you if that’s interest to you, thank you.

Invite your colleagues to sign up for the Scatterwork Newsletter and they will also get a 10% discount on their first workshop.

What NOT to do during teleconferences with your virtual team!

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Teleconferences are vital to globally dispersed teams, but sometimes it’s difficult to give them your full attention. In this video post I share a simple tip for making your teleconferences more effective.

Also, if you have any queries that you’d like answered before going ahead with the virtual training program with us then please do tell us. Use our FREE, no-obligation phone conference at any time.

There’s Always a First Time

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Remember the day you were called to join a project team? You were never part of a team before. You may have heard about this particular  project, now you’re invited to join the team, but you didn’t know what was expected of you. And you didn’t know the people. All you knew was that they were located in different places. No wonder you were apprehensive. And possibly quite a bit thrilled.

Rightfully so! You were invited to join because you possessed a quality the team needed. Meanwhile you are part of the team, do the job to the best of your abilities and are still trying to figure out what Project Management is and how Project Teamwork could be improved.

For you and like-minded people the answer is this exciting on-line training program which is offered with this Scatterwork course

Virtual Team Building Workshop

It provides new and existing teams with a basic understanding of what Project Management is and offers them a hands-on training experience in working together successfully in a simulated project with the Global Team Simulator, an on-line simulation and learning tool.

This course takes 3 x 3 hours, which may be taken consecutively or spaced over a period of several weeks. Communication is via broadband internet. 3 or 4 participants form a team which will be monitored and coached by an expert trainer.

Former participants have attested this course a real live-like quality. Click here for details.

 

 

 

Get Serious, Start Gaming!

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Become a successful Project Manager with a reality-like virtual project simulation

Not so long ago, learning almost exclusively took place in classrooms. You had to go to classes, which were held at a set place and time. Today, the classroom comes to you.

You can now decide where and when classes will be held. In he office or at home, you can now train to become a better project manager or project team member at your convenience  All it takes is a computer, a broad-band connection and to be linked into our challenging virtual project simulation:

Scatterwork’s Virtual Project Management Game.

The simulation requires teams of 3 or 4 people, who may be located anywhere in the world (like in real life). At predetermined dates they will have their virtual workshop meetings to play the game, to drive the virtual project forward. An experienced workshop leader will coach, guide and debrief the participants. Altogether, the workshop is an affair of four half-day sessions.

The participants will benefit in multiple ways. They will learn to work with people in other locations and deal with problems typical in virtual project work. Whether they are just a stone’s throw away or on separate continents, one of the major problems team members must overcome is in the area of communications. Our virtual project simulation will alert them to the pitfalls on the slippery road of virtual communication and help them develop effective communication skills.

This game has long been tested and improved in traditional classrooms with small teams grouped around a computer. The brand-new virtual version now takes it one step further by bringing it to you as an individual, thus making it even more realistic.

For details on cost, scheduling and technical requirements or for information on any other Scatterwork project management workshop, just email Scatterwork Marketing.

Food for Thought About Virtual Teamwork

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We talk about a Virtual Team. if team members are located in different places. That can be anywhere around the globe. Working together in this fashion requires a different approach to teamwork, but offers some really neat advantages: wider choice of skills, faster implementation and execution, reduced travel time and expenses, flexibility and more.

If virtual teamwork is so good, why then is it not universal? Research points to a large number of issues waiting to be resolved, both social and technological. It will take some time before all of the main issues have been addressed. Traditionally, managers like to see who is working for them, however, the benefits of virtual teamwork have shown to outweigh the shortcomings, even at this stage of the development process.

A most effective tool to advance the process is computer-based teamwork simulation helping project people develop their management skills. Scatterwork offers a live interactive team simulation program, which helps team members acquire management competences, leadership and team working skills.

Learning never turns into a boring experience as team members don’t work alone, a project manager can invite team members to participate over the internet, regardless where these members are located. According to previous participants, the program has a very realistic feel. Indeed, it is the works of a highly qualified project management experts group and is also led and debriefed by an expert. Altogether, it consists of 4 half-day events.

For more information, contact Scatterwork Marketing.

Project Managers aren’t born, they are made

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Mostly self-made. To improve your team’s Project Management skills, Scatterwork offers you its live internet-based interactive simulation program. It’s learning by gaming! It simulates different project management scenarios, which challenge you and your team to complete the project within given time and budget constraints.
The program known as “Improve Your Skills With a Challenging Project Management Game” has been conceived by project management experts from a wide range of industries and business environments.
You don’t work alone, but also invite your own team members wherever they are located to participate. The program is led and debriefed by an expert and consists of 2 half-day events.

Interested? Just set up a call to your trainer by 19 March. Without obligation.