How Executives React to Groupware

Groupware &
Executives
Lions, Jackals and Gazelles

© 2012 Group Solutions, Inc.
All rights reserved. Lions, Jackals and Gazelles 1

How do executives
react to groupware?

Group Decision-
Dynamics making

Productivity Commitment

But first, a metaphor…


Lions are in charge…

• They set 100% of
strategic direction
• Distrust democracy
• Hate group
process, but love
productivity
• Expect a good agenda
• Understand about 15%
of the ”frontline” issues

Jackals are in charge when
lions aren’t around…
• They understand about
50% of strategic
direction
• Tend to deflect
bad news back down to
the Gazelles
• Understand about 50% of
frontline issues
• Tend to filter only good
news up to the Lions
• Hate surprises

Gazelles are always running…
• They understand about
85% of “frontline”
issues
• Understand about 15%
of strategic direction
• Can respond to
changing demands
rapidly
• Usually don’t have
much sanction to act

Group
Dynamics

Lions are scary!
Lions eat jackals and gazelles…


Group
Groupware in Action
Dynamics
• Anonymous, many-to-many input levels the playing
field quickly, allowing all relevant ideas to be aired
safely
• Group dynamics are present, just very different
• Surfaces issues between the hierarchy
quickly, allowing each level to understand the issue
from the other levels’ perspectives
• Strategy linked to front-line reality
• No filtering of information

Decision-
making

Not quite a
democracy
Lions are use to getting their way…


Groupware in Action
Decision-
making

• Multi-level participation in decisions is new territory for
most groups!
• Careful determination of the rules-of-engagement
upfront are critical, particularly with the lions
• Expectations about how a decision will be made
need to be cleared in advance
• All the information is on the table (thanks to
anonymous input) for a good decision


Productivity

Getting results
matters!
Lions want efficient and effective
meetings…


Groupware in Action Productivity

• Expect two-fold increase in meeting productivity
(minimum)
• Plan to get to meaty issues quickly
• Brainstorming, categorizing, ranking and recording
happen quickly (almost trivial)
• Not what you expect… deep issue-base verbal dialogue
is generally 90% of the meeting
• Minutes are handled by the tools – save and share

Commitment

Deep down, they
know buy-in is key
Lions get it – controlled involvement is
important for some decisions…


Groupware in Action Commitment

• Buy-in can be tested with anonymous polling
• Generally, participants at all levels need to feel
their ideas had a fair hearing vs. needing to be
right
• Groupware strongly supports all types of
participative decision
• With multiple levels present, commitment to
decisions is stronger

Group Decision-
Groupware & Dynamics making
Executives
Productivity Commitment
Conclusions
• Once underway, all levels enjoy the freedom to explore
ideas without worrying about level
• Richer conversations and multi-level understanding of
the issues occurs
• Executives hear issues they’ve never heard before and
recognize they need to know about them!
• In our experience, executives find groupware sessions
to be productive, rewarding, and eye-opening


How Executives React to Groupware

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