ContactsHome
Events > Past Events
Monday October 9, 2006
When Distance Matters: Improving Global Team Performance by Minimizing Virtual Distance ™
(Product Management Thought Leader Series)
THE CHALLENGE
Working and interacting in virtual space has become commonplace in organizations around the globe. Study after study shows that cost savings have been the number one reason for using virtual workspaces to house a distanced workforce. Virtual work has other benefits. High-speed telecommunications and the internet allow access to far-flung expertise, faster communication turnaround, 24 X 7 coverage and a host of other positive outcomes.
However, little is known about how this trend impacts long term critical performance drivers and whether the short-term cost advantages can be sustained. In fact, the rapid deployment of virtual teams has outstripped our traditional ways of managing employees, teams and organizations. Global virtual work poses some major challenges:
• Cultural differences;
• Absence of a working history;
• Lack of appropriate leadership models;
• Unclear goals and;
• Other factors
Left unattended and aggregated across the networked organization, these issues may eventually lead to impacts on both short-term and long-term performance and innovation.
This session is designed to present the Virtual Distance Framework and Methodology to enhance innovation and performance and mitigate some of the risk that arises in these environments. Attendees will leave with a fresh, unique take on what causes specific problems to arise. Participants will also leave with strategies for improving both individual and team performance. In addition, participants learn how Virtual Distance can be quantified using analytical and predictive tools. With these measures in hand, organizations can pinpoint critical areas that used to be considered “soft” and intangible. This allows organizations to collect baseline data that can be used as a guidepost for quantifying future improvements and communicating those to shareholders, customers, employees and other stakeholders.
As always, there will be ample opportunity for networking and discussion.
Presenter
Karen Sobel Lojeski, Ph.D , Founder and CEO of Virtual Distance International (VDI)
Dr. Karen Sobel Lojeski is CEO of Virtual Distance International (VDI), a research-based management advisory and consulting firm in New York specializing in improving Virtual Team Management, Leadership and Outsourcing Relationship Management. VDI’s offerings are based on the concept Karen developed called Virtual Distance. VDI’s services are designed to help companies manage emerging issues that can impede success and innovation in a world in which “virtualization” of work in a global setting has become the standard mode of operation and is propelling organizations to transform their business models and partner networks.
Prior to launching VDI, Karen spent 18 years in corporate America. She held management positions at Stratus Computer, Inc., Chase Manhattan Bank N.A., and Mercer Consulting Group. She was Chief Operating Officer for Prolifics, a JYACC company, and Vice President of North America for Xansa, an international management, IT, and outsourcing consultancy. Karen has recently been appointed Research Director for the Institute of Innovation and Information Productivity, an industry/research consortium founded by HP and Microsoft designed for the purpose of developing new ways of measuring the impact of innovation and interactions with information and other technologies on productivity and effectivity.
Karen is also a regular columnist for Ziff Davis’ CIOInsight Magazine writing on the subject of Management and Leadership issues in the Digital Age. Karen is also working on a book about Virtual Distance for publication in 2007.
Event Logistics
Time : 6:30 - 9:30PM Date : Monday, October 9, 2006
Location: Support Center for Nonprofit Management, NY
Dinner : Deli Buffet Format: Networking / Presentation / Networking
Cost : $30 - PDMA, $40 - Non-Member, $15 - Student
Early-Bird (until October 2nd): $25 - PDMA, $35 - Non-Member, $10 - Student
PDH : 2 PDH
Event Flier
Directions
