Implementing a New System

The South African Government decided to outsource the task of disbursements of

Government grants during the early 1990s to private companies. AllPay was one of
the private companies to be awarded the contract. The implementation team
comprised of individuals from different cultural and educational backgrounds who
had not previously worked together. The following short passages have been
selected from a larger case study in relevance to this discussion.

The short space of time between team formation and project implementation
meant that there wasnt really an opportunity to get to know each others strengths
and weaknesses, but from the start, there was a mutual and absolute commitment
to success....... The implementation team, having never worked together before,
faced the challenge of implementing a high-tech system in one of the most
politically troubled provinces of South Africa without accurate information within a
time period that was unheard of....... The team had to think on their feet, and deal
with people who were disillusioned with the old system and unsure of the new.....
Effective, timeous communication was vital and was divided into informal, formal
and beneficiary communication. Informal communication referred to day-to-day
discussions between team members, while formal communication related to
contractual decisions and agreements. Beneficiary communication was a
comprehensive, though time-consuming exercise....... Besides the challenge brought
about by the timing, dealing with a vast number of people and the obvious security
risks associated with transporting cash-dispensing machines, the team also had the
elements and environment to contend with.

Excerpts from a case cited at http://www.icoste.org/ The Electronic Magazine of the

International Cost Engineering Council, (Vol. 17, No. 4 - April 2004)

Despite the challenges, the team pulled it off very well. AllPay managed the task 3.6
percent below budget, more beneficiaries were paid and more sites visited in the
first month of payment than any of the other private companies. The beneficiaries
were effusive in their praise when they saw the results of the new system. AllPay
actually went on to win an industry award for the commendable effort put in by
their implementation team. The key success factors in this case are:

Good equation within the team

Communicated well and displayed courage and total commitment

If these factors had been missing they would have found it difficult to withstand the
challenge posed by the task and would have been totally ineffective as a team.

Implementation teams face many challenges during the course of completing their
work and the problems can vary based on the situation. However, there are a few
key issues that have been identified as more likely to occur. Their impact in the form
of ineffective teamwork or poor team performance is discussed here:

Fundamental Reasons for Ineffective Delivery by Implementation Teams:

Team Repport: Unlike office work teams, implementation teams created for a
specific task and deputed by an organisation to other locations dont have the
luxury of time in order to get to know their team members well. They have to start
on the job almost instantly. Work has to take precedence over conflicts or
personality clashes. Inability to find a way to establish a working equation can lead
to poor cohesion and poor team performance.

Role Clarity: Implementation teams are usually jointly responsible for the job
execution and have to find ways to distribute the implementation effort among the
team members. Role clarity takes on greater significance since each person has to
take on a definite task and complete it so that the team as a whole can accomplish
the implementation effort.

Time Management: Implementation teams have to work at an efficient pace and

ensure that they complete the work within a given timeframe so that they can move
on to the next location or return to their regular jobs.

Poor Planning and Scheduling of Activities: Implementation teams that are not well
trained for the job can create lots of problems, especially when implementing
complex changes. Implementing too rapidly, not spending enough time training the
user, not providing adequate documentation and the worst of all, improper
integration into the business. (See Example 1)
Presentation skills: Implementation teams have the unenviable task of bringing
about change or introducing new concepts. Though the saying goes that new ideas
are always met with resistance, the key lies in properly explaining the idea for the
other side to see reason. Implementation teams need training in presenting new
methods, selling concepts and convincing others.

Inflexible attitude: Flexibility and adaptability have to be intrinsic in implementation

teams. They are likely to run into a brick wall if they are unable to adapt their work
to the local conditions especially in international markets. Integrating software tools
and campaigns globally is an area where problems can crop up for implementation
teams. Exposure to customization and an orientation towards adaptability become
critical. (See Example 2)
Inadequate Guidelines on Dealing with Cross Cultural Issues: Teams operating in a
cross cultural context can find it tough. They can potentially fail when they are not
provided with proper guidelines for the implementation effort, especially when faced
with local opposition. Its the we do things differently syndrome. This is a common
refrain and this kind of rigid thinking makes transfer of learning very difficult.
Implementation teams have to learn to deal with resistance and try to diffuse the
misgivings of the local employees.

Implementation teams do come across many hurdles and certainly need the
constant support and involvement of higher management in the company to
successfully accomplish their task. They need access to a decision making line
within the organisation that functions much like an oversight committee to oversee

smooth implementation. Communication channels have to be open and the decision

making line has to be alive and ticking to monitor the progress of the
implementation team, make resources available to them and help in swiftly
resolving any problems or conflicts that come up along the way.
Example 1

There have been instances in SAP integration when the implementation of software
solutions carried out by their in-house IT team has been lacking in some way, owing
to which they have had to call in an outside consultant (specialized in post
implementation support) to rectify the problem.

The implementation teams have to ensure seamless integration between SAP

systems and non-SAP systems in the organisation. Issues that come up usually
pertain to the quality of the implementation in terms of proper business alignment
and whether organisational adjustments have been made to integrate the new
technology into the existing system. In fact, when any kind of software business
solution is introduced in an organisation, if the implementation proceeds too rapidly,
the integration may be imperfect.

Example 2

CRM (Client Resource Management) tools and CRM campaigns have to be

implemented in the global markets of an organisation.

An implementation team is trained and sent by a company to various global centres

to carry out the implementation of CRM initiatives. The team receives a blanket
corporate order to bring about standardisation. But problems come up when they
get down to the task in an Asian country. The issue is the lack of readiness of that
market for the global CRM system because of a lack of a proper data collection
mechanism. The local marketing people are also unsure that the CRM campaigns
will work in that market due to cross cultural differences. They suggest a certain
amount of redesign in the CRM package before it can achieve the end goal of being
customer centric. Conflicts arise during the redesign process.

Many multinational companies look for global integration of their software business
solutions and other processes. But global integration barriers can only be
transcended through a flexible approach.

Issues in Cross Cultural Teams

Cross-cultural teams can have their fair share of problems once the novelty of interacting with new people
fades. From simple issues like understanding language idioms to more complex work culture issues, there is
scope fot a lot of problems. Global organisations are transferring people increasingly to other countries
which creates cultural diversity within work teams. Though teams are now an accepted form of planning,
strategizing and operation, team based management techniques are still evolving world over and when you
introduce the additional element of cultural diversity, it throws a whole new spanner in the works!

Potential Problems Areas in Cross Cultural Teams:

A) Communication, Language and Expression
The quality of communication is a key concern in cross cultural teams. Everybody could be speaking English,
but certain forms of slang or colloquialisms may not be clearly understood leading to misinterpretations.
Teamwork is a collective effort and all the players have to fully understand the direction that the discussion
is taking. Misinterpretations can be kept to a minimum if everybody aims for clarity, otherwise team
effectiveness is bound to suffer. To prevent problems associated with miscommunication, team members
have to be encouraged check with each other for clarity either through paraphrasing or by asking questions.
Paraphrasing basically involves restating a point and then asking - "Is that what you meant?"
Communication problems are particularly significant in cross cultural virtual teams. Here are an example of
two kinds of virtual teams:

1.

The international virtual team that typically interacts across continents and countries, to collaborate on a
common task. This is almost always a cross cultural team.

2.

Virtual teams within the same country or city when a part of the team opts for telecommuting they use
email and other forms of telecommunication technologies to coordinate work.

Both types of teams will work on a project without regular face-to-face interaction, and therefore have to
make their written email communication and telephone conversations as clear as possible. They also have to
develop a work ethic of prompt response to queries, if this is not forthcoming it can be a little unnerving and
there is no chance of you dropping by the office of your team colleague to discuss the issue.
In the international virtual team with its cross cultural mix of people, it should be expected that some
amount of ambiguity is bound to creep in. Care has to be taken with wordings especially when there is
disagreement on an issue. Even mildly sarcastic comments meant as a joke can be misinterpreted by a team
member in another country and cause a conflict.
Information gaps are another problem area for the virtual cross cultural team. Everybody has to be on the
same wave length as far as information and data goes. These teams can greatly benefit from Groupware
software, a relatively recent concept in networking using multi-user technology. This kind of software allows
access to a shared database, provides email services, allows sharing of work files, allows online chats,
scheduling, and tracking of joint projects. Companies are paying a lot of attention to the use of the right
technology to make communication and collaboration among virtual teams effective. For instance, at 'Cisco'
their collaboration technologies are enabling their teams to share resources, information, and talent
regardless of time or location. A case study
at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/msit/infowork/spspttcs.mspx portrays how Microsoft
developed tools for their virtual teams in order to address collaboration requirements across disparate
locations and cultures

The other issue with international virtual teams is decision making. Decision making is a team activity and
given the time zone differences, the team has to find a mutually agreeable time band for direct
communication through conference calls or video conferencing. If there is a great deal of divergence and
disagreement on the right course of action to be adopted, then a stalemate may be reached. The team may
need to follow up with lots of explanatory emails and calls before they reach a consensus.

http://www.teambuildingportal.com/articles/team-failure/cross-cultural-team
http://www.teambuildingportal.com/articles/team-failure/implementation-teams
Working Together for a Common Good
Some team members tend to limit the degree of cooperation they contribute. They feel that in giving
more, their skills and competencies are being exploited without any assurance that they will be justly
rewarded. Cooperation should be perceived not by the amount of work that is added, but by the
degree of necessity or urgency by which it is needed. Values should be based not for a particular
members benefit but for the entire team.
The benefits of a fruitful completion may not inure to a particular individual but are likely to spread out
to the entire components of the organization in terms of sustainability and stability.
Ponder on this brief narrative:

A thousand years ago in Germany, a duke had decided to rebel against his king because he felt he had
been unjustly berated and embarrassed for a minor malfeasance. For the duke, it was an unfair
treatment, considering that his tax contributions to the kingdom were quite significant.
The people, who worked for the duke along with their spouses and children, stayed on to give support
to their noble master, mindless of the soldiers who were just about ready to launch their attack. The
king, however, gave instructions that only the men folk would be arrested. The women and children
should be allowed to leave the castle unharmed. The king was confident that the castle will eventually
run out of provisions and this would force everyone to come out.
However, it seemed that the dukes castle had enough provisions stored, since everyone still remained
inside for quite some time. The king then gave orders that if the duke will not end the siege, the
villagers living in one of the Dukes nearby estate would be harmed by setting their homes on fire.
Before the order could be carried out, the king received a note from the dukes wife. The duchess,
along with the other womenfolk and the children, had decided to leave the castle but would like to
seek the kings reassurance for their safe passage. The letter also came with a request to allow the
women to bring out of the castle anything which they could carry on their backs.
The king, of course, acquiesced to the duchess plea; after all he had a standing order to the soldiers
not to harm the women and children. Besides, the women were capable of carrying only so much on

their backs. Whats important is that the kings soldiers can now launch a full assault against the duke
and his men.
The king personally went to the site to make sure that the women and children will be given safe
passage. However, the ruler and his soldiers were dumbfounded in seeing the women and their
children, as they came out of the castle gates. They were hobbling and staggering under the heavy
weight of the burden they were carrying on their backs, as they tried with all their strength to get past
the kings soldiers.
The officers of the royal army were furious at the sight of wives carrying their husbands on their backs,
daughters carrying their fathers or sisters carrying their brothers, while the children helped keep the
men from slipping off. Although looking greatly embarrassed, the duke and his men hanged-on for
dear life, hinged on their womens backs. The soldiers were just about ready to pounce on them the
moment the king gave the orders.
However, the outraged soldiers could do nothing because the king was so amused at the sight of the
audacious women, mindless of losing all their aristocratic poise and composures and at the
discomfiture of the men on their backs. The king merely laughed at the whole situation and ordered
the men to leave the women alone, since he had given his word for their safe passage along with
whatever they could carry on their backs.
The tale ends with a note that the duke and his men renewed their loyalty to their king out of
gratefulness for his fairness and lack of ruthlessness. Accordingly, the said ruler, King Konrad III had
renamed the dukes stronghold as The Castle of the Faithful Wives," which up to this day, still exists
in the city of Weinsberg, Germany.

Admitting Failures
Success can only be achieved if mistakes that were committed along the way have been

addressed and redressed. Hence, it is also important for team members to acknowledge ownership of
failures so they can delve into their own personal circumstances and what keeps them from performing
effectively.

One of the more popular project management anecdotes tells of how a newly installed CEO of Ford
Motor Company asked the senior executives to acknowledge their failures. This was in 2006, when
Ford could no longer ignore the fact that the company was ailing and on the verge of closing down
manufacturing plants and laying-off workers.

The progress reports were to be color coded green to denote that a respective department was doing
well and operating according to plan, while the red color code would indicate that a department had
been encountering difficulties and problems.
Much to the astonishment of the new CEO, all reports submitted and placed on his desk were all green
and not a single report was color coded as red. This was despite the fact that the company had
suffered losses of several billion dollars during the previous year.
Imparting stories that instill a greater consciousness for setting aside individualities helps in creating a
natural community of team workers. After all, winning teams can create a positive workplace
environment, which of course leads to the success of the business organization.

http://www.brighthubpm.com/resource-management/121315-project-managementanecdotes-when-teamwork-triumphs-or-fails/
Stories and anecdotes about teamwork are great tools for keeping the team members focused on the
bigger picture. Theyre quite interesting because their story lines tell of typical human situations that
end with a "punch line;" this makes the story extraordinary and thought-provoking.

Looking Back at the History of Multidisciplinary / Multifunctional Teams

The concept of pooling different competencies into a core unit became popular during the late 1940s,
and each unit was called a multidisciplinary or multifunctional team. These teams were assigned to
help different countries that were reeling from the devastating effects of World War II, a time when the
problems they had to face were multi-faceted.
The U.S. was at the forefront of the reconstruction projects in Germany and Japan, through the
occupational government that was set up along with the other Allied nations: Great Britain and France.
Accordingly, their ultimate goal was to transform the two countries governance into a democratic
form.
By 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was established and since then has
become a strong democratic nation, except for the regions in East Germany. Nevertheless, the Cold
War between East and West ended in 1990, with the East finally giving in to the rule of democratic
sovereignty.

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The Japanese and their emperor embraced the doctrines of democracy and adopted the new
constitution in 1946. The new doctrines included Japans fervent vow of never going to wage war
against any nation, ever again.
Stories of accomplishments, particularly those that are based on historical facts, have great lessons to
impart. They serve as reminders to everyone that nothing is impossible to achieve if all work together
for the common good. Conflict and adversity only beget failure, and this has been proven time and
again -- but they are exactly the challenges to hurdle in order to make success more meaningful and
resounding.
Project management stories and anecdotes about team work have helped smooth out differences of
opinions, attitudes and behaviors among team members. Inasmuch as goals have to be achieved
within a particular time frame, it is quite important that these differences be resolved at the soonest.