is the receptionist better connected than you are ... · is the receptionist better connected than...
TRANSCRIPT
Is the Receptionist Better
Connected Than You Are?
Building an Effective Team
Using
Organizational Network
Analysis
Micki Nelson, CIO
MWH is a Global Environmental
Engineering/Construction Company
• Privately held
• Over 150 years old
• $1.3B yearly revenue
• 6500 employees
• 145+ IT professionals
world wide
• Over 200 offices located in Asia, Africa, North America, South
America, Europe, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand
2003
• MWH will be the premier global provider of wet infrastructure services by seeking
profitable, sustainable growth opportunities that build on our core competencies
and combined strengths.
• The corporation uses its global position and knowledge management concept to
export best practices around the world instantly.
• Extremely decentralized, independent culture
• No consistent global practices
• Strongly relational…a coffee pot culture existed
• Build a centralized, global IT organization that can operate virtually from anywhere
• Improve the overall performance and reduce cost
The Culture
The Challenge
The Vision
Goal setting, gap analysis and careful
planning was used to attain our goals
Where do we want to be (2004 )?
How do we get there (tactics)?
How do we know we’ve arrived (metrics)?
How do we stay there (and improve)?
Where are we now (2003)?
Organizational Network
Analysis
Ed
Tim
Bob
Pam
Sal
Sue
• ONA provides a picture of how work really gets done
• ONA is the study of who you know, not what you know!
• Relationships -- are multi-dimensional and „discovered‟ through the questions we ask
• Network structure will facilitate or impede effectiveness of team
• ONA provides quantitative metrics
• Three networks were examined at MWH:
– Information Network
– Awareness Network
– Energy Network
Density: Robustness of Network
• Number of ties, expressed as percentage of the number of
pairs
• Dense networks have more face-to-face relationships
12
3
56
4
9
12
10
1314
78
11
15
16
Low density calculation example:
12 people = 132 possible connections
Number of pairs = 132 / 2 = 66
16 connections / 66 pair = 25%
Distance: Ease of Network
Connection
• Average number of steps to reach all network participants
• Lower scores reflect a group better able to leverage
knowledge and communicate important information more
quickly
Centrality: Identifies Influential
People
• How well connected each individual is
• Technical definition: Number of ties a person has
Network analysis is NOT about the
org chart
Organization Chart
Network MapSenior Vice President
Jones
2003: Information sharing is higher
within groups than across them
Network Measures
Density = 6%
Distance = 3.2
Centrality = 9
Central People
Smith (29)
Jones (26)
White (21)
Doe(21)
= Pasadena
Location
= High Wycombe= Warrington
= Chicago
= Denver
= EMEAI Other
= Walnut Creek
= AP Other= USA Other
= India= Other
= Christchurch
Asia-Pacific
UK
Americas - ERP
Americas
QUESTION ASKED:
“Please indicate the extent to which the people listed below provide you with information you
use to accomplish your work.” (Responses of frequently and very frequently.)
2003: Many people with low tenure are
central to the information network
QUESTION ASKED:“Please indicate the extent to which the people listed below provide you with information
you use to accomplish your work.” (Responses of frequently and very frequently.)
Network Measures
Density = 6%
Distance = 3.2
Centrality = 9
Central People
Smith (29)
Jones (26)
White (21)
Doe (21)
= 2-5 Years= 5-10 Years= 10+ Years
= 0-2 yearsMWH Tenure
2003: The awareness network is much
denser than the information network
QUESTION ASKED:“I understand this person's knowledge and skills.” (Responses of agree and strongly agree.)
Network Measures
Density = 19%
Distance = 2.1
Centrality = 29
= Pasadena
Location
= High Wycombe= Warrington
= Chicago
= Denver
= EMEAI Other
= Walnut Creek
= AP Other= USA Other
= India= Other
= Christchurch
Central People
Nelson (74)
James (68)
Smith (65)
Mona (65)
What were the obvious challenges?
• Creating a collaborative global/virtual “team”
• Improved project execution
• NIH (not invented here)
• Culture
• Time zones
• Systems & processes
• Communication and collaboration
• Spreading the VISION
So what? What have we done with
this information?
• ONA has been done every year since 2003
• Specific tactics have been put in place each
year
• A variety of tools and techniques have been
tried with varying success
Tactic: Team Building
• Bringing teams together regionally and globally
• Facilitated Meyers Briggs (MBTI) training and
awareness
• Facilitated technical sessions
• Facilitated communication/interaction training
• Facilitated and informal
social interactions
Tactic: Job swaps
• Trade jobs across regions
• 2 weeks to 2 months in length
• Immersion exposure to regional culture &
expectations
• Opportunity
for social
interaction
Tactic: Clearer career paths
• Documented “Performance Track” with KPIs
• Commitment to “advertise” all jobs internally
and globally
• Succession planning at all levels
• Cross-team participation
when interviewing and
selecting applicants
Tactic: Interpret Network Map
to advance specific personnel
actions
India
Asia-Pacific
Americas
Individual role
change removed
barrier and
boosted
collaboration.
Europe
Americas - ERP
Tactic: Time zone
accommodation
US UK
IndiaNZ
Creative
(or multiple)
meetings
Flexible
work
hours
Collaboration
tools
Tactic: Improved systems and
processes
• ITIL: 88% of iNet trained
– Change Management
– Incident Management
– Release Management
– Problem Management
– Configuration Management
• Global standards
• Remote management tools
Tactic: Varied and improved
communication
• Communicate, communicate, COMMUNICATE!
– Instant messaging
– Staff meetings
– Web casts
– Internal newsletter
– Discussion threads
– Knowledge bases
So… Where are we now?
Awareness has increased
dramatically
2003 Network
2010 Network Measures
Density = 33%
Distance = 1.7
Centrality = 53
Central People
Nelson (142)
Park (117)
Dickson (109)
Doe (103)
2003 Network Measures
Density = 6%
Distance = 3.2
Centrality = 9
2010 Network
Employees central to the Awareness
Network tend to have longer company
tenure
Awareness Network –
responses of agree,
strongly agree
How long have you worked
at MWH?
4 – 7 Years
0 – 6 Months
6 Months – 1 Year1 – 1.5 Years
1.5 – 2 Years
2 – 4 Years
110 – 20
Years
>20 Years
7 – 10 Years
Connections in and between
regions have increased significantly
2003 Network
2010 Network
Americas
Europe-Africa
Asia Pacific
ResourceNet
Middle East
With tenure, cross-regional ties
become more common
MWH AmericasEMEAIMWH APResourceNetMWH Global
Employees with less
than 4 years tenure
Employees with 4 or
more years tenure
Daily or weekly virtual communication
is common for individuals central to
iNet and the information received is
considered effective
Information Effectiveness
Network – responses of I know
this person and have found
them to be effective sources of
information
How often do you communicate
virtually with iNet employees
overseas
No Response
Never
Once a Year
Quarterly
Monthly
Weekly
Daily
High level of collaboration
86%
Never Weekly Daily
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%86% of iNet
team
members talk
to a team
member in
another region
every week.
In fact, 62% do
this daily!
Most iNet business units cross
geographical boundaries
Information Network –
responses of frequently,
and very frequently
What is your business unit?
Other
Application Services
Customer Services
Infrastructure Services
MWH Global iNet
MWHCI IDCOPS
Project & Solution Services
Most central energizers appear
to share iNet news with others
Please indicate what is the
primary way that you
personally become informed
about iNet business
activities and operations
Energy Network –
responses of energizing
In-House Webcasts via KNet
iNews
Managers Other than Your Own
Other Colleagues
Direct MWH manager
Individuals who strongly disagree
that iNet communication is
effective are on network periphery
I feel that iNet
communication is effective
and adequate
Energy Network –
responses of energizing
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat AgreeAgree
Strongly Agree
Did not respond
Most individuals central within
information network understand
iNet strategy
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat AgreeAgree
Strongly Agree
I understand the iNet
strategy
Information Network –
responses of frequently,
and very frequently
Effective Information comes from
those who are enthusiastic about
providing high quality work
Information Effectiveness
Network – responses of I know
this person and have found
them to be effective sources of
information
Always
Very often
Often
SometimesRarely
Almost NeverNever
I am enthusiastic about
providing high quality work
… and from those willing to go that
extra mile
Information Effectiveness
Network – responses of I know
this person and have found
them to be effective sources of
information
Always
Very often
Often
SometimesRarely
Almost Never
Never
I am willing to go the extra mile
…and where their job is a source of
personal pride
Information Effectiveness
Network – responses of I know
this person and have found
them to be effective sources of
information
Always
Very often
Often
SometimesRarely
Almost Never
Never
My job is a source of
personal pride
Results of Globalized Team:
More innovative solutions
Project
work
Today: Work
flow follows
the sun…
Whoever is
awake is
working
Issue
resolution
Virus attack
management
System
maintenance
Project
collaboration
Enterprise
rollouts
Technical
collaboration
Today: One Global iNet Team provides more consistent and
efficient service
Results of Globalized Team:
Dramatically improved metrics
2002 2010 2002 2010 2002 2010 2002 2010
93%
98%5.2%4.3%
195145 1/30
1/45
IT cost as % of
gross revenue IT personnel
world-wide
Ratio of IT staff
to employees Customer
satisfaction
2010: Key ONA findings
• iNet ONA results continue to show MWH IT is a good model of how a global organization should operate – and our customers agree
• Silos continue to break down from region to region and especially within each region
• Significant positive changes in the network data occurred indicating that iNet as a whole has a greater sense of iNet‟s purpose
• Nearly all of the expertise and peer groups found ways to overcome geography and collaborate more frequently – cross-regional business units are effective
• iNet‟s internal communication continues to improve with a 27% increase over the last three years
• Understanding of iNet strategy has increased – 45% increase over 2007 survey
• Cross-regional ties have remained strong despite reduced travel budgets – teams are using other collaboration tools
• Energy is obtained from within one‟s own region, although most principle/manager level staff are viewed as energizers
• The most effective information comes from those who are enthusiastic about providing high quality work and are willing to “go that extra mile”
Lessons learned over 8 years
• Yearly tactical network goals are important
• Participation in yearly survey is important
• Use of ONA must be positive
• Metrics gained will substantiate tactics
Today iNet is a tightly integrated, heavily
collaborative, world-wide team
To this…
From this
Tangible Benefits to MWH:
Savings of $30M over eight
years
Less than 1% of savings
invested in the ONA
90+% improvement in
awareness of other staff‟s
capabilities
Increase in Customer
Satisfaction
MWH was an early Leader in
utilizing ONA
• Utilized ONA for MWH
starting in 2003
• MWH successes with
ONA featured in
numerous
publications and at
conferences
Other Resources
• Rob Cross website: http://www.robcross.org/consulting_testimonials.htm
Look under “Case Studies” for MWH – written in 2005
• The Network Roundtable/University of Virginia:
https://webapp.comm.virginia.edu/networkroundtable/
• The Hidden Power of Social Networks: Understanding How Work Really Gets
Done in Organizations by Robert L. Cross & Andrew Parker
• Wall Street Journal article written about MWH‟s use of SNA:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123273549517510905.html
• Micki Nelson, MWH CIO – [email protected]
