Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (A) Greg James, a global manager at Sun Microsystems To resolve a serious customer system outage as required by a service agreement Sets out to meet with his entire member in customer implementation team spread across India, France, UAE, and US Rather than finding a immediate solution to the rapidly escalating customer situation that motivated his trip, he finds himself facing distributed work. Interpersonal Conflict and management issues in global collaboration are threatening to unravel his team. Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (B) This case updates the steps Greg James took to solve the problems that instigated the crisis. Greg James solves the problems involved in his team's breakdown and creates team cohesion to help them function together effectively.

1. Managing a Global Team:
Greg James at Sun
Microsystems, Inc. (A) & (B)

2. Managing a Global Team
Context
Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (A)
• Greg James, a global manager at Sun Microsystems
• To resolve a serious customer system outage as required by a
service agreement
• Sets out to meet with his entire member in customer
implementation team spread across India, France, UAE, and US
• Rather than finding a immediate solution to the rapidly escalating
customer situation that motivated his trip, he finds himself facing
distributed work.
• Interpersonal Conflict and management issues in global
collaboration are threatening to unravel his team.
Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (B)
• This case updates the steps Greg James took to solve the
problems that instigated the crisis.
• Greg James solves the problems involved in his team's breakdown
and creates team cohesion to help them function together
effectively.

3. Questions to Address
A. What instances of leadership do you see (or want
to see) in Greg’s behavior?
B. Are there instances of managerial behavior in
Greg?
C. How are the two different?
D. Are there any commonalities?
E. What are your Learning?
Managers and Leaders: Are They Different?
by Abraham Zaleznik
What Makes a Leader?
by Daniel Goleman
The Work of Leadership
by Ronald A. Heifetz and Donald L.
Laurie
Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?
by Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones
Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups
by V U Druskat and S B Wolff
Our References

4. Assessing Effectiveness Fit
4RC - Four Resonance Check on Leaders / Managers
Organization
Leader /
Manager
Employee
Belief/
Attitudes/
Values
Alignment
with External
Source
Perception
to wards
Customer
Sun Microsystems
HS Holdings’
Banking System
45 Member Global Team
7-France, 16-India
11-UAE & 11-US
TIC, Technology Integration Company
Every Organization needs
Leaders / Managers for
Driving their strategic
Objective.
It is imperative to Check the
4 Resonance of a leader /
manager with the
Other elements of
Interactions for their
Fit with the Organizational
Objective/Strategy.
We shall try to see
In the next slide we made
an attempt to at least
assess
The resonance fit Between
Sun’s Emerging Strategy
And Greg’s ability and

5. Resonance Fit between
Organization & Leader/Manager
Organization
Greg James
[Strategy & Industry]
1. Sun Controlled all of the
elements (Technology,
Product, Services etc). Global
Talent:- Choses employees
based on talent or leadership
rather than location.
2. Industry characterized by high
product turnover, Heavy
Investment in R&D, Price war,
Cost Cut i.e., Business need
Adaption, Aggregation &
Arbitrage.
1. Specialized in technology, a
star engineer in technical elite.
Rose through development
projects to managing teams.
2. Sun’s pursuit for a global
presence, James identified for
high profile team management
at implementing enterprise wide
solutions. Adaptive to Open
Work: Applied for him & his
team.

6. Top Possible Prevailing
Leadership/Managerial Traits in
Greg (From Case-A)-1/2
ATTRIBUTE MANAGERS LEADERS EVIDENCE
- Recruitment: Efforts (Page
8, Para 2,3)
- Opportunity identified by
Lawry (Page-5, Last 2 Para)
- Recruitment: Global Team
& Open Work (Page 8, Para
2,3,4)
01) Managers and Leaders: Are They
Different?
by Abraham Zaleznik
A. What instances of leadership do you see (or want to see) in Greg’s behavior?
B. Are there instances of managerial behavior in Greg?
C. How are the two different?
D. Are there any commonalities?
Commonality of a Leader & Manager in the Attribute
Uniqueness of a Leader or Manager in the Attribute

7. ATTRIBUTE MANAGERS LEADERS EVIDENCE
- Time Zone and Work:
Directing (Page 8, Para
5,6,7,8)
& Exhibit – 4.
- Adjective Rich Feedbacks
from India, US, UAE &
France Directing (Page 9-10)
- Greg James: Desire to
work with SUN (Page 5, Last
4 Para)
01) Managers and Leaders: Are They
Different?
by Abraham Zaleznik
Top Possible Prevailing
Leadership/Managerial Traits in
Greg (From Case-A)-2/2
A. What instances of leadership do you see (or want to see) in Greg’s behavior?
B. Are there instances of managerial behavior in Greg? How are the two different?
C. Are there any commonalities?
Commonality of a Leader & Manager in the Attribute
Uniqueness of a Leader or Manager in the Attribute
Debatable Commonality of a Leader & Manager in the Attribute

8. What
Greg Missed
Refer (Case-A)
Exhibit-4: Surveys of Satisfaction with Open
Work for Greg James's Team
50
Fallacy with
Survey:-
Integrating Europe &
Middle East
50
Of Concern:-
Distance Collaboration
HR Practices
Employee Satisfaction
Management Support
WorkSpace Effectiveness
45 Member Global Team
11-US
16-India
7-France
11-UAE

9. Conflict (Interpersonal) and
management issues in global
collaboration
US
Viewed as
Favorites.
Water Cooler
Conversation
(Non US
Team).
Unfair Work
Load ( France
& US).
FranceCompensation
Mismatch -30%
less than US.
Job Security
Because of
LAW.
Country Based
Benefit –
Vacation.
IndiaWant more
responsibility
on customer
technology
customization
& Innovation
than
maintenance.
Interpersonal
Issue Rahul &
Ahmed.
UAECulture
Influence
(Developing
relationship
requires more
time).
Feel
disconnected.
Require more
Face-to-Face.
Perceived as
Sub-group on
India.

10. What Trait of Leadership in Greg posses
(From Case-A) that showed the results in
Case-B
02) What Makes a Leader?
by Daniel Goleman
Self awareness Less evident in case substance (Debatable)
Self regulation Less evident in case substance (Debatable)
Motivation Being driven
to achieve for
the sake of
achievement
• A passion for the work itself
and for new challenges
• Optimism in the face
of failure
Empathy Considering
others’ feelings,
especially when
making decisions
• Expert in attracting
and retaining talent
• Sensitivity to cross cultural
differences
Social Skill Managing
relationships to
move people in
desired
directions
• Effectiveness in leading
change
• Efforts in building
and leading teams
Uniqueness to be a Leader
Debatable Uniqueness to be a Leader

11. Our Thoughts on Case-A
03) The Work of Leadership
by Ronald A. Heifetz and Donald L. Laurie
What probably Greg need to do?
Get on the balcony.
Don’t get swept up in the field of play.
Instead, move back and forth between the “action” and the “balcony.”
You’ll spot emerging patterns, such as power struggles or work
avoidance.
This high-level perspective helps you mobilize people to do adaptive
work.
Protect leadership voices from below.
Listen to whistle-blowers, creative deviants, and others exposing
contradictions within your company.
Their perspectives can provoke fresh thinking. Ask, “What is this guy
really talking about? Have we missed something?”
Maintain disciplined attention.
Encourage managers to grapple with divisive (tending to cause
disagreement or hostility between people) issues, rather than indulging in
scapegoating or denial.
Deepen Leadership the debate Trait to unlock required polarized, by Greg superficial James
conflict.
Demonstrate collaboration to solve problems.

12. 04) Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?
by Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones
Our Learning
What did Greg probably do as a
leader?
Evidence: Case B
The way he
Responded
on the issues
Evidence: Case A
The way Greg assessed &
Reflected on the issues
Except over Exhibit-4

13. 04) Building the Emotional Intelligence of
Groups by V U Druskat and S B Wolff
Our Learning : Case-B
How did Greg Understood Emotions of
others?
Evidence:
Case-B
Page-1, Para 3
Page-2, Para
1,2,3
Case-B
Does not show
Evidence of
integrating
HS Holding or TIC

14. 04) Building the Emotional Intelligence of
Groups by V U Druskat and S B Wolff
Our Learning : Case-B
How did Greg create Awareness of
Emotions?
Evidence: Case-B
Page-1, Para 2,3
Page-2, Para 1,2,3
Possible steps Greg James took as a Leader

15. 04) Building the Emotional Intelligence of
Groups by V U Druskat and S B Wolff
Our Learning : Case-B
How did Greg help Regulate of
Emotions?
Evidence: Case-B
Page-1, Para 2,3
Page-2, Para 1,2,3
Possible steps Greg
James took as a Leader

16. Our Learning
Questioning Leadership style adapted by
Greg?
CONSULTING
STYLE (Ideal)
LOW MOTIVATION
HIGH COMPETENCE
DIRECTIVE
STYLE (Ideal)
LOW COMPETENCE
HIGH MOTIVATION
DELEGATING
STYLE (Ideal)
HIGH MOTIVATION
HIGH COMPETENCE
SUPPORTIVE
STYLE (Ideal)
LOW COMPETENCE
LOW MOTIVATION
SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLES
India
France
*
US
UAE
(Debatabl
e)

17. Thank
You