the challenge of change in geek-oriented companies
DESCRIPTION
Silicon Valley Managers and HR / OD professionals are as knowledgeable as anyone about working with highly analytical, technology-centered organizations. Technical teams need care and feeding to work well under the pressure of accelerating demands. At the same time, their members are not always receptive to efforts to engage them, impart leadership skills, or embed a customer-focused culture.TRANSCRIPT
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Meeting the Challenge of
Change in Geek-Oriented
Companies with
Lucy Freedman
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Welcome
Goal:
Increase our ability to add value in
high-tech workplaces by better
understanding their world and
engaging them where they are
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Geeks are… “…the knowledge workers who specialize in the
creation, maintenance, or support of high technology.
They have job titles like programmer, product manager,
project manager, Quality Assurance engineer, system
designer, system architect, Web developer….
CIO, CKO, CTO….”
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Why Is This Important?
• Economic engine
• They can really benefit
• It’s time to remove the firewall (if
there is one)
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Missed Opportunities
• Executive role modeling
• Process improvement
• Product quality
• Retention of top talent
• Reputation with customers
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It’s Hard to Watch This…
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Agenda
• What changes deliver the most value?
• Setting the stage
• Do’s and don’t’s
• The SYNTAX approach
• Insights and motivators
• Clever hacks
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Setting the Stage
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OD and High Tech
• Parallel growth over half a century
• Culture gap
• Transformative technologies
• Corporations ARE people
• Huge upside potential for partnering
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Purpose of OD /
Leadership Development /
Change Initiatives
• Increase profitability
• Adapt to new conditions
• Enhance culture
• Increase efficiency
• Manage crisis
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OD Interventions
• Consulting Skills
• Negotiation Training
• Meeting Format
• Process Improvement
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High Tech Workplaces
• Growing population
• Nature of the work
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High Tech Workplaces
• Growing population
• Nature of the work
• Geek factor
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Geek Factor
• Geek work is head work
• Relies on discretionary effort
• High need for collaboration
• Over- and under-assertive styles
• Low interest in leadership
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“Sharing knowledge actually takes a huge
amount of communication and
documentation. This can be a problem for
people who both by personality and the
demands of focusing on mental work
have to isolate somewhat.”
--from Team Geek, by Brian Fitzpatrick
and
Ben Collins-Sussman
Need for Collaboration
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Don’ts
• Don’t force participation
• Don’t target individuals to fix
• Don’t assume that geeks
are aware of their impact
• Don’t disrupt cultures that
are working
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Do’s
• Provide clear structure
• Use data
• Help hack the system
• Respect work flows
• Recognize emotional risks
• Apply good design
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Good Design
• Mostly invisible
• Guides behavior
• Supports business strategy
• Elegant
• Meets people where they are
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SYNTAX = Structure
• Dovetails with culture and
business needs
• Has immediately observable
impact
• Feeds into multiple application
programs
• Covers full spectrum of styles
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SYNTAX of INFLUENCE
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• Aim frame
• Goal questions
SYNTAX: PLAN
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SYNTAX: LINK
• Establish rapport
• Keep communication
open
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SYNTAX: BALANCE
• Make clear, complete
requests and agreements
• Follow up
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SYNTAX: INFORM
• Gather information from
their map
• Use what and how
questions
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SYNTAX: LEARN
• Solicit and give feedback
• Try something new
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Smart Work The Syntax Guide to Influence
Second Edition
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Addressing the Challenge
• Facilitate, not impede
• Seed interest
• Allow low profile participation
• Use multiple platforms
• Be irreverent
• Rinse and repeat
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Idea Exchange
What have we learned?
Insights that are helpful for
consulting in high-tech
organizations
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What do they want?
Motivators for high-tech employees
to engage in organizational or
leadership development
Idea Exchange
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Creative Interventions
• Two leaders: TL and TLM
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Creative Interventions
• Two leaders: TL and TLM
• Develop tribe-to-tribe links
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Creative Interventions
• Two leaders: TL and TLM
• Develop tribe-to-tribe links
• No-meetings Thursdays
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Creative Interventions
• Two leaders: TL and TLM
• Develop tribe-to-tribe links
• No-meetings Thursdays
• Design interdependence
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Creative Interventions
• Two leaders: TL and TLM
• Develop tribe-to-tribe links
• No-meetings Thursdays
• Design interdependence
• Bring food – intermittently!
With thanks to Brian Fitzpatrick, Ben Collins-
Sussman, Paul Glen, Dave Logan
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Change Readiness Factors
• Valid business case for change
• Linkage between HR/OD and
technical departments
• Rumblings beneath the surface
• Opening to ask for help
• Ability to meet immediate need
within change framework
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More Ideas
• Change Readiness Assessment https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BL8B8KV
• Successful Change Strategy
Session
• Team Geek
• Leading Geeks
• Smart Work
• SYNTAX Messenger (e-zine)