How to foster high performing teams, presented at SIM Boston Technology Summit 2018 by Nicole Mills and Sam Aleksanyan.

1. A + B = X Factor!
The Formula for Improving IT Performance

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Helping Clients Achieve Outstanding Performance
EVERY. SINGLE. TIME
• Boutique Consulting Firm
• Niche Focus in IT Space
• Specialists in Project Execution, Change
Management, and Project Emergency Response
• Experienced Team with Operational
Backgrounds
• Driven by Customer Satisfaction

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Today’s Discussion
• An age-old question… Nature vs. Nurture?
• A new approach to team performance
• How to give your teams what they need
• Defining your own formula for success!

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AN AGE OLD
QUESTION

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We See Nature vs. Nurture at Work Too
Nature Nurture
WHAT DRIVES PERFORMANCE???

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Understanding Team Behavior
Dependable
Passionate
Driven
Healthy Dynamics = High Performance
Challenged Dynamics = Poor Performance

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A NEW
APPROACH

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Being Able to See Team Dynamics in the Moment!
• David KantorMy “model” informs my preferences for how I like to communicate, behave, and
interact with others!

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Speaking the Same Language
• David KantorPower Affect Meaning
Action/Productivity
Time-bound
Focus on Completion
“I Do”
“I Want/Need”
Trust & Relationships
Express Emotions
Caring About Others
“I Feel”
“I Care”
Data & Analysis
Purpose & Mission
Ideas & Understanding
“I Think”
“I Wonder”
David Kantor

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Right Actions at the Right Time
• David KantorMove Bystand Follow
Initiate
Take Action
1st to Share Idea
Oppose
Challenge
Push Back
Vet Concepts
Connect
Unbiased
Big Picture
Support
Carry Ideas Forward
Get Behind
David Kantor

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Right Environments for Right Outcomes
• David Kantor
Closed Open Random
Formal Leader
Defined Roles
Plan Focus
“Command & Control”
Egalitarian
Process Focuses
All Inclusive
“Collaborative”
No Process or Structure
Autonomy
Individuality
“Creative”
David Kantor

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GIVING
TEAMS
WHAT
THEY
NEED

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Two Stories: Giving Teams What They
Need to Perform
1. Kill the Death March
2. Interpreting 2 Languages

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In project management, a death march is a project that the
participants feel is destined to fail, or that requires a stretch of
unsustainable overwork.
The general feel of the project reflects that of an actual death
march because project members are forced to continue the
project by their superiors against their better judgment.
Wikipedia
Kill the Death March!
Adapt to and leverage the team’s operating system

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Knowing the Telltale Signs…
• Disengaged
• Demotivated
• High Team Turnover
• “Poison Pill” Culture
• Under-Performing
• No Sense of Purpose
© 1985 Apple
Project was entering third year of an original “six month” timeline
with virtually nothing to show for it

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Identifying What’s Missing
- Shifting Requirements
- Unclear Benefits
- Changing Prioritization
- Low Executive Support
- Organization Model:
Closed Power
- Team Model:
Open and Random Meaning
Nature (Project DNA) Nurture (Project Environment)

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Giving the Team What They Need
Closed Gaps in the “DNA” of the Project
Establish
Project
Purpose
Define
Customer
Value
Clarify
Scope
Define
Project
Deliverables
Align on
Timeline
Addressed Project Environment

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Project Results
System Go-Live: Jan 2018
Project Hand-Off: May 2018
Final Phase Completion: Sept
2018
- Team became self-responsible
and owned their work
- Significantly improved morale
- Real, measurable progress
towards final goal
- Executive satisfaction and
engagement increased
Project Performance Behavior Changes

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Interpreting 2 Languages
Navigate between different profiles
Anonymous
The worst distance between two people is misunderstanding.

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Are We Even Speaking the Same Language?
Image: TechRadar

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Common Team Structure
DirectorPower
DeveloperMeaning
Sales ManagerAffect
Project ManagerAll of the above!

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Thinking/Analyzing Sensing/Doing
It’s in Our DNA… Literally

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Leadership is often closely associated with action oriented language
Many leaders have been hugely successful in relying upon intuition, which naturally puts them at odds with the
notion of “data driven decisions”.
Being Able to See Our Differences

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Technical experts are often closely associated with meaning oriented language
For business leaders who are “action oriented”, there can be skepticism that data could out-perform their own intuition.
The notion of “time” to “test”, “model”, “estimate”… can be a trigger point!
Being Able to See Our Differences

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Knowing the Telltale Signs…
Underperforming Project Team:
Different Communication Styles Lead to Breakdown  Urgent vs. Important
Urgent Important

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Team and Management Dynamics
Profile:
Open and Random Affect
Finance Team Managers
Profile:
Closed Power and Meaning
Clash!
- Alienation from previous finance leads
- Lack of advocacy from project team
- Issues were not prioritized and closed in a timely manner

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Incorporating Affect Elements
Ensure that finance team feels their needs are met.
Goal: Change perception of system from hinderance to positive
impact.
- Trim testing procedures list
- Provide advocacy for finance issues
- Drive issues identified in testing to closure
- Assisted in creation of user-friendly documentation

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Project Results
System Go-Live: Oct 2016
Fewest issues in finance
module, compared to all other
functional areas post go-live
- Improved outlook on new system
- Improved UAT performance from
one of lowest to one of highest
- Active finance participation in
remainder of project activities
Project Performance Behavior Changes

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YOUR FORMULA
FOR SUCCESS

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Solving the Equation
Team Nature + Healthy Environment
=
HIGH PERFORMANCE!

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Give Your Organization What It Needs
• Build a team DNA that is balanced in it’s actions &
communication
• Nurture a healthy environment for performance – Empower &
have their backs!
• Be the interpreter  Bridge the communication gap
Practice Mixing Your Own Formula!

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Thank You for Listening!
Any Questions?

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Stay in touch!
Nicole Mills Sam Aleksanyan
nmills@abraic.com saleksanyan@abraic.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-mills-33a16952/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/samaleksanyan/
@nicole_r_mills