“We struggle to pull together an effective team quickly, when we need to innovate rapidly.”
“We struggle to pull together an effective team quickly, when we need to innovate rapidly.”
Darrell Velegol, PhD
2023oct03
Another in this series of “Innovation Opportunities” (InnOps).
SITUATION: One client needed to respond with innovative ideas or they were out. But the people on the project were distributed across four continents and few had worked together!
PROBLEM: How can a team come together in a few weeks, establish trust, and make real progress?
ROOT CAUSE: The team hasn’t worked together on small projects before, and so haven’t shared the experiences that build trust.
IMPACT: If the innovation requirement is urgent and important, you could LOSE that business!
COACHING TIP: Find “connectors” who know two or three team members well enough to at least call them by their first names.
STRUGGLES BEFORE: Before we started, this client had been working with their client for more than 5 years, but now the competition was heating up, and so also the demands.
VICTORY AFTER: We found a smart, energetic connector and pulled together a team within 3 weeks. VPs, R&D, marketing, manufacturing, supply chain, all of it. My client made enough progress to retain their client, and the superstar connector built a big reputation within the company.
