Our Clients
Discover the organizations partnering with us to achieve transformative virtual leadership results.
Client Stories
Telekom - Virtual Leadership Training
Have a look at our participants' feedback from Telekom regarding one of our recent global projects.
Newmedica - Building Trust in the Virtual Space
Newmedica, a leading provider of ophthalmology services, found itself in the midst of major change. Since joining the Specsavers Group in 2016, the company had grown substantially, requiring evolution of the management structure and the development of a new strategic vision. Since the Senior Management Team responsible for the development and implementation of this vision were based all over the country, they called on Ghislaine Caulat from Black Gazelle to help them work more effectively and build trust. Some of the managers involved kindly shared their experiences with us for this case study.
The problem: A team in a state of flux
With a mix of people who were new to the business, some who had been with Newmedica for a long time, and some who had recently come across from Specsavers, the Senior Management Team struggled with a lack of social cohesion and shared understanding. The fact that the majority of the work was being done virtually was another factor team members had little opportunity to get to know each other outside of the task at hand, and everyone was perpetually busy.
“There was a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm within the team,” muses Central Operations Director Dave Price. “The problem was a lack of structure and clarity to balance out that energy. We were doing a lot of ‘solutionising’ in the moment rather than thinking long-term and delegating.” Managing Director Rebecca Lythe concurs: “We were guilty of a lot of ‘yes, yes, yes’ but not enough in-depth conversations about how those things would come about.”
The presence of different personalities and levels of experience in the team also led to some friction, much of which was being delegated to Rebecca to deal with rather than solved among team members. “With all the recent and ongoing changes to the makeup of the team, we felt that we needed a way to bring everyone together and work on getting us to perform at the level required,” explains People Director Kate Skilton. “Ghislaine came recommended, and we initiated the development process with her.”
The intervention: Challenging the way people communicate
To get to the bottom of the issue, Ghislaine started by shadowing one of the Senior Management Team’s virtual meetings. She then conducted individual interviews with each director to understand their personal qualms and desires. After briefing the team to outline the process, Ghislaine asked everyone to complete some pre-work and self-reflection. She then conducted a total of four three-hour workshops over the course of two weeks. These workshops focused on four essential pillars:
Developing a shared understanding
Building trust within the team
Agreeing on ways of working virtually
Considering how the team communicates
“To be honest, I was very skeptical at first,” confesses Karen Croker, Director of Contracting & Managed Services. “I felt like I’d sort of seen everything when it comes to leadership development and frankly, I just wanted to get on with my job.” Luckily, Ghislaine’s approach managed to convince Karen and her colleagues. “Once I had my one-on-one conversation with Ghislaine, I felt much better. Her approach was unique, it made me stop and think.” Kate Skilton agrees: “Ghislaine continually challenged us, while also making sure to bring quiet people into the conversation. She’s really good at pushing for clarity, which I think empowered people to be honest.”
Ghislaine used the neuroscience-based “NeuroColor Inventory” and various other exercises to help the team understand their own and each other’s communication style preferences and ways of thinking. She also asked the team to turn their cameras off during meetings to facilitate deeper listening. This raised some eyebrows at first. “We all felt it was ‘bonkers’, but it really made us think,” says Commercial Director Caroline Hudson. “It made me realise I often have too much input going on when I’m in meetings. I also learned a lot about how to use my voice more effectively.”
At the end of the workshops, the team created a charter with a new shared purpose, goals, and agreements about ways of working they can refer back to. Ghislaine also observed another meeting several weeks later to assess the team’s progress and offer some final feedback.
The outcome: Heightened awareness, deeper understanding, greater effectiveness
The members of the Senior Management Team widely agreed that the development process was very valuable and made an impact, both inside the team and for members individually. “This process was a real eye-opener. I started to think much more in terms of dynamics and how people were feeling,” says Karen Croker. “I felt much happier at work afterwards because it helped me move forward with some relationships that I felt stuck in. I was totally converted!”
“The process made me realise I’m not always great at listening – I’m often already thinking I don’t agree,” admits Finance Director Michael O’Keeffe. “I make a conscious effort to
slow down and listen now, and to ask my team helpful questions rather than solving an issue for them.” Dave Price agrees: “I now sometimes turn my microphone off to make sure I’m listening rather than talking all the time.”
The team also saw a shift in dynamics and meeting effectiveness. “We have jumped up a few levels in terms of what we talk about, the meetings are now strategic rather than getting stuck in operational matters,” explains Kate Skilton. “I don’t think we were an easy group to work with, but Ghislaine made a huge effort to make this work for us, and it made a really big impact.” Caroline Hudson adds: “It feels like we now have a shared vocabulary to work with. It has enabled us to work more collaboratively, rather than each person doing their own thing and the others simply signing off on it.”
“This is the most relevant training I’ve seen about leadership and collaboration in the virtual space,” concludes Rebecca Lythe. “There’s lots of training around virtual work floating about, but no one adapts it and makes it as relevant as Ghislaine. We got so much done as a team and received tons of actionable individual feedback. In terms of value for money and what we got out of this process, it was incredible.”
FDI - Virtual Project Management Across Fifteen Time Zones
When the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) set out to create a consensus statement on sustainability in dentistry with the support of five industry partners, the project seemed complex enough in itself – even before the pandemic forced the organisation to move everything online. With the help of Black Gazelle, the FDI managed to turn a challenge into an advantage and create a comprehensive document supported by a wide range of actors from across the sector – as well as sow the seeds of sustainable change in dentistry.
The FDI set out to work with experts from all over the world and every aspect of the sector, as well as industry giants Colgate Palmolive, Dentsply Sirona, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK CH), Procter and Gamble (P&G) and TePe, to create a broad consensus statement that would offer an overview of sustainability-related challenges and solutions in the sector. As one would expect, finding common ground between such hugely diverse players is a major challenge – especially when working virtually across no less than fifteen different time zones.
“We really needed professional guidance on how to structure and manage this process in the virtual space”, explains FDI project lead Rachael England. “Originally, we planned to have a face-to-face roundtable, but this was out of the question in Covid times – and flying in experts from across the globe wouldn’t have been an example in sustainability either. Moving the project online was daunting, but with the help of Ghislaine from Black Gazelle we managed to produce incredible results – probably better than if we had taken the original approach.”
Black Gazelle set out to structure and organise the Sustainability in Dentistry (SiD) project with the FDI. The project consisted of the FDI ‘task team’ led by Prof. Nicolas Martin, Professor in Restorative Dentistry at the University of Sheffield, which was responsible for drafting the document; the five major industry ‘founding partners’; and diverse stakeholders across academia, dental practice, manufacturing, dental associations, regulatory bodies and health ministries who were to be consulted.
This setup meant that nearly fifty people were involved in the creation of the consensus statement. The organisation opted for a Delphi process, wherein the task team would put specific questions to the participants, create a new draft based on their answers, ask new questions, and repeat this process several times to narrow down the issue. This Delphi process concluded in a series of four online workshops facilitated by Black Gazelle. The entire process, from inception to delivery, was supported by an online platform where participants could consult the document and answer questions in their own time.
Getting everyone’s voices heard
Managing aspects like speaking time and group dynamics in a virtual space and a limited time frame is no easy task. “Keeping everyone engaged was a challenge that took a lot of work and thought, but that was managed wonderfully by Black Gazelle”, attests Sean Taylor, Director of Education & Public Health for the FDI. “Ghislaine took a leading role in structuring the project, which led to an efficient and effective process. Having a professional like her on board is invaluable for projects of this size and complexity.”
Black Gazelle’s approach also helped assuage any hesitance participants may have had at the prospect of attending a virtual meeting with several dozens of peers. “I had some concerns beforehand, since this was the first time I participated in virtual workshops”, admits doctoral candidate Hasan Jamal, who took part from Saudi Arabia. “I was worried that it wouldn’t be as efficient. However, Ghislaine did a brilliant job throughout the process and made me feel as if I've done this numerous times. She made us all feel welcomed, and she addressed all our questions.”
Participants agreed that the setup and moderation provided by Black Gazelle allowed everyone’s voices to be heard and reflected in the final document. “Creating a safe and transparent space where everyone can provide their own view is the key to success in a project like this”, explains Joel Hornberger, Director of Global Health, Environment & Safety at Dentsply Sirona. “Having an experienced and impartial moderator like Ghislaine is absolutely essential for that, and with her help we ended up with a very well-rounded perspective in the final document.”
Paul Batchelor, Associate at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and dental lead at the UK National Association for Primary Care, agrees: “I was really impressed to see such a wide representation of different people in this project. There can be cultural differences in how our profession sees itself and is seen across the globe, which could lead to heated discussions or misunderstandings. I picked up some of those elements in this project, but they were managed very well and only added value.”
Unusual techniques for success
Several participants commented on some of the more unusual techniques Black Gazelle employs to make virtual meetings a success. “I really liked the centring breathing exercise at the start of each workshop, which helped to get everyone focused on the matter at hand”, says Elizabeth Shick, Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. “It was something I had never seen before in meetings like this, but I thought it was a very nice holistic touch.”
A point of contention was the requirement to keep cameras off during the workshops. Based on over 19 years of experience in virtual leadership and virtual facilitation as well as a total of nine years of in-depth research, Black Gazelle makes the conscious decision not to use cameras during virtual meetings. In addition to visual distractions, the use of cameras gets in the way of dialogic interventions and participants tend to be more open when they are not constrained by other people’s facial expression. While most participants agreed that the policy was beneficial to minimise distraction, some mentioned that they would have enjoyed at least briefly seeing who they were talking to.
The beginnings of change
Overall, everyone involved was very positive about their experience on the Sustainability in Dentistry project and found many benefits in participating virtually. “Other formats involving live meetings would have been much less efficient and would likely have delayed the project, which would disturb continuity”, explains Prof Nicolas Martin, “Given that all the participants are busy professionals who engaged with this project voluntarily, the asynchronous platform was hugely helpful in creating pockets of time during which people could comment and engage. I would happily use Black Gazelle’s services again on a project like this.”
The success of the project led not only to the creation of a widely supported consensus statement, but also to the beginnings of tangible action around sustainability for some of the participants. “I learned a lot during the workshops and wanted to put it to good use”, explains Professor Shick. “After the project concluded, I reached out to a colleague from Harvard School of Dental Medicine who had also participated to see if we could do something more with this. Since then, we have organised a special interest group around sustainability within the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) which we hope to launch later this year. We look forward to getting students involved and engaged with sustainability from early on in their careers.”
Seco Tools – Leading Change Virtually Across Europe
When Seco Tools set out to restructure resources across their European markets, they knew the project would involve many difficult conversations, complicated by a short time frame. Despite being well-versed in virtual working, the company decided to get Black Gazelle on board to help streamline the process and support the aspects related to the human side of change. Seven of the managers involved shared their experiences with us.
Seco Tools made the decision to bring its local markets more in line with its global strategy, but since restructuring would also result in a headcount reduction, the European management team did not want to take decisions lightly. “I did not want to look only at numbers, but instead decided we needed to understand each market more deeply, both in terms of how they work as well as their future vision and change-readiness,” explains Europe Sales Director and project leader Eurion Kemish. “I also wanted to involve the markets actively and draw on their knowledge rather than taking any top-down decisions.” To this end, the local market managers were each asked to fill out templates with data and vision questions (with support from members of the Europe Management Team) and to subsequently present these in a review meeting.
To support this process, Eurion contracted Ghislaine Caulat from Black Gazelle. Ghislaine had previously coached the Seco Tools Europe Management Team around virtual leadership and collaboration and was happy to take on a new project with this forward-thinking company. To better understand the team’s needs, she observed the initial market review, formulated feedback, and created a tailored workshop about engaging people in the virtual space. This process was repeated a second time alongside hands-on coaching, with the second workshop homing in on leading change processes virtually. A final review to consolidate the results of the training and coaching sessions resulted in a learning package that can be applied to similar processes in the future.
Enabling Difficult Conversations in the Virtual Space
Understandably, there was some nervousness among the Europe Management Team about the task at hand. “I was concerned that emotions might run high during meetings, which is difficult in any case but even more so virtually,” attests Gülsüm Üsümez, Regional Manager Global Development Accounts. Business Development Manager Manufacturing Ben Alexander agrees: “Given the nature of the meetings, which involved questioning people on how they run the business, I was honestly sceptical that this process could work virtually.”
Fortunately, Black Gazelle has the tools to make conversations like these work, even in the virtual space. “Having someone insist on being disciplined about meeting etiquette – having proper audio quality, focusing only on the meeting, etc. – really helped get the most out of them,” explains Steven Bell, Cluster Manager for South Europe. “My local market managers were very positive about the two-minute focus exercise at the start of the meeting, which helped them be present and dispel tension.” Ghislaine’s insistence on having cameras off during meetings occasionally raises eyebrows, but it proved effective in this context for Seco Tools. “When you are working virtually, trust is essential. Having cameras off is helpful for this: it shows that you trust participants to be present and focused,” said Karsten Schmoldt, Distribution Development Manager for Europe.
All participants were also positive about the meticulous preparation before each market review, which enabled them to direct the conversation more effectively. “With in-person [physical] meetings, it’s easier to lose track of time,” explains Gülsüm. “It would be harder to interrupt when you see something is important to someone. The super-detailed preparation of the meetings helped us be more professional: more prepared, more aware of our own communication, and more attuned to the signs the market managers were sending out.”
Leading People Through Change Processes
One of the challenges in this project was gauging how change-ready the various markets were, as this was an important factor in the eventual decisions about the future of each market. To help gain insight into the dynamics behind change-readiness, Ghislaine introduced the team to a few carefully selected models on change. These psychological models depict the various states that a person can be in when it comes to accepting change, as well as potential pitfalls. All managers agreed that being taught how to guide people through the change process by paying particular attention to the human side of it was a huge help in the market reviews process.
“Having a specific intervention model, but also learning how to apply it virtually, was essential,” explains Karsten. “Asking authentic questions in the right way to help people open up allowed us to get the most out of our short meetings.” Eurion concurs: “Having tools to help us understand psychological dynamics about change was a big step forward, but despite all our training, gauging change readiness is still very difficult when you don’t know someone well. I would like to dedicate more time to this aspect in the future, but within the timeframe we had, this was incredibly valuable.”
In the end, participants largely agreed that this project would have been harder to complete had it not been virtual. “I doubt it would have been better face to face,” says Martin Bovens, Regional HR Business Partner. “Apart from the timeframe making it impossible to meet in person this often, having to condense the information and really focus our efforts was actually helpful. Spending time on preparation is key: we were much better prepared now than we probably would have been live [face-to-face].”
Flexible Systems for the Future
Eurion decided to convene the management team in person to make the final decisions about the future of each market, in order to have a more relaxed environment for these high-stakes conversations. “I set aside two days for the final discussions, but in the end we were done in less than half a day. Thanks to the rigorous preparations in advance, we were already aligned and had all the information we needed to make the best decisions we could.”
The team was in agreement that Black Gazelle’s interventions helped them immensely on this project. “I like the simplicity of Ghislaine’s approach,” attests Ben. “A lot of the systems she puts in place are things that you might already know, but her approach helps you be acutely aware of them so that you can actually apply these principles, even during a high-stakes meeting. It’s helped me see virtual working not as a road we’ve been forced down, but as something that brings along lots of opportunities.”
“Black Gazelle’s interventions are different from those of other consulting services,” concludes Eurion. “Ghislaine really listens and adjusts her approach based on feedback, resulting in an intervention that truly works for us. She doesn’t force her own models upon her clients, but flexibly adjusts them to their needs, leaving us with a system we can keep using over and over in the future.”
Deutsche Telekom - Pioneers of the Virtual Frontier
Like the brave pioneers who came before us, Virtual Leaders at Deutsche Telekom are forging a new frontier of 21st century communication. Employing a global workforce of nearly 230,000 professionals, virtual interfacing has become an essential tool of the German telecommunications conglomerate. With every remotely conducted encounter, leading edge practices and protocols are being redefined that impact the productivity and profit of the worldwide corporation.
Realizing early on the importance of cultivating an exceptional team of Virtual Leaders, Deutsche Telekom appointed Black Gazelle Consulting to educate and train a select group of top-level project managers to become more effective, high-performance innovators with the skills to galvanize their teams across the virtual landscape. After the three-day course was completed, participants gained practical experience based on direct feedback from their peers as well as from Ghislaine Caulat, the Virtual Leadership Program Facilitator and Founding Director of Black Gazelle Consulting.
The Biggest Voice Takes the Lead
The participants agreed that the unique and engaging program created an acute awareness of how their communication style directly influenced the success of their virtual interactions. More specifically, they discovered the power of their own voice.
“There were exercises where the other participants observed my speech during a simulated virtual meeting,” shared one participant. “In face-to-face meetings, people can read your body language, so they create an idea of what you might be thinking even when you say nothing. But virtually, no one can see you. Silence leaves room for misinterpretation.”
“I learned that your voice is extremely important,” he continued. “When you agree or even disagree with something, it's good to explicitly say what you are thinking. This way your team knows you are paying attention, you listen and understand, and most importantly, that you have an opinion. Since the training program, I’ve gained noticeable respect as a leader from my virtual team.”
Bridging Cultural Gaps
One participant discovered the value of personal exchange to bridge cultural gaps. His core team in Germany interfaces regularly with a group located in Hungary. Prior to the course with Black Gazelle Consulting, both teams struggled to effectively prioritize and complete collaborative tasks.
“One would think that because we are all Europeans, we would get along from the beginning. Instead, we seemed to have some cultural or interpersonal misunderstandings that kept us from moving forward to reach our goals. The program clarified the importance of personal interaction that goes beyond simply completing project tasks. Now my virtual team spends the first few minutes of each meeting reconnecting on a more personal level in something called the virtual coffee break. It really helps the people on our team get to know one another, and more importantly, it enables us to start the meeting on time. This small exchange has greatly increased our ability to collaborate and come up with viable solutions. Overall, we’re a much more accepting, more efficient group.”
Better Structured for Efficiency
Another project manager who took part in the Virtual Leadership Program from his Budapest office found the course helped him become more structured for increased efficiency. Sending out meeting reminders the day before and implementing techniques for more effective communication has led to greater success.
“Our whole set up is a virtual organization, so while I'm working from Hungary for the German Headquarters, most of my team is in Bonn, Germany. There is one colleague in Madrid, another in Paris, and our customers are all across the globe. We are all very busy handling a variety of responsibilities that sometimes cause members to join the meeting late or forget about the meeting altogether, which can be very disruptive for our productivity. It seems quite obvious, but I learned how important it is to remind the team about the details of upcoming meetings including our agenda and objectives. Now, everyone arrives on time and participants are better prepared to contribute their feedback.”
“I’ve also learned different negotiation techniques that allow me to direct and moderate the conversation through specific, intentionally formulated questions and answers,” he continued. “I would say there are specific cases where these are extremely good tools. I can now solve problems with less confrontation, and I feel more effective as a leader.”
The Industry’s Newest Movers and Shakers
With the help of Black Gazelle Consulting, project managers at Deutsche Telekom have become the industry’s newest movers and shakers. They are taking full ownership over the positive results of their virtually managed projects prepared with the tools and expertise to lead, collaborate, and influence their team across virtual space and time.
“For sure it makes sense to do this program not just once but several times,” stated one enthusiastic program participant. “Then I can realize the improvements I’ve implemented since the first time I completed the program as well as identify one or two new things I can focus on in the future. Ghislaine and her team did a great job. It was a really good training.”
IFBC - A Global Virtual Learning Process
The International Federation of the Blue Cross (IFBC) is an independent, non-governmental health development organization dedicated to preventing and reducing the harmful use of alcohol and illicit drugs especially among children, youth and families. Furthermore, it advocates evidence-based alcohol policy formulation and implementation on national and international levels. Through the activities and projects of its Secretariat and 42 member organizations (MOs), IFBC aspires to ensure that all people have the opportunity to knowingly choose and live a life free of addiction to alcohol and drugs. In addition, IFBC activities seek to provide people harmed by alcohol and drugs with access to the benefits of high quality and holistic treatment. Internationally, the Blue Cross is organized as a federation of local and national organisations of differing sizes, strengths and capabilities.
This case study describes an ambitious Multinational Training Program (MNT) that was designed and run by the International Federation of the Blue Cross (IFBC), working in partnership with Black Gazelle Consulting, for its member organizations (MOs). It was ambitious because it aimed to train and educate, especially in specialist areas (prevention and treatment of substance abuse, fund raising, policy formulation, etc. as well as Management and Leadership) while simultaneously provoking organization change, from a typical 'hub and spoke' group of organizations with a strong centre - the primary communicator - to one where different MOs formed active networks, exchanging local experiences, successes and problems with others with similar situations and challenges, and to do most of this through virtual working.
The whole design was co-created by senior members of the IFBC Secretariat, together with internal and external expert practitioners, representatives from Light Media, a company specialising in the development of internet-based and e-learning solutions, and representatives from Black Gazelle Consulting, specialists in international Virtual Learning and Development. This team became a powerful network in its own right, practicing virtual reviews, seeking and offering feedback, virtually, in an open way - thus leading by example.
The program involved delivery of a complex portfolio of learning activities, including:
a web-based inquiry phase
two five day workshops, with many specialist expert inputs, including open space learning
specialist interest Virtual Action Learning (AAL) groups
a specially designed learning portal
a web conference to foster sharing of best practice
The last was based on facilitated specialist groups where individuals were supported in sharing both their experience and their issues. The Virtual Action Learning groups also provided excellent bases for sharing best practice as well as facilitating the formation of on-going professional relationships and networks.
The success criteria agreed were (in summary):
to make best use of the knowledge and expertise available within the organization
to be open to external expertise related to the 'hard core' topics whenever and wherever needed
to strike the right balance between expert input and facilitative intervention and to actively promote a learning space where every participant could, in turn be expert and/or learner to promote simultaneous sharing of best practice and networking
to be a journey of discovery: intense learning, sharing and reflection with practical and sustainable outcomes - not an 'one off' event based on traditional face-to-face training methods
to be highly tailored and based on a thorough understanding of participants' needs and expectations in order to ensure highest levels of commitment and ownership
be at least bilingual in every activity offered, i.e. delivery in English and French
Many areas of impact are already evident - new knowledge is being applied quickly, joint projects across MOs are being planned, altered use of the internet, with more disciplined responses, is valued. Additionally, there is a much greater understanding across IFBC of the challenges and difficulties faced in some MOs. MOs are now more proactive in seeking both assistance and joint working.
Below are verbatim quotes taken from the follow-up phone calls with a wide variety of participants:
“The choice of the topic directly related to my reality in my country in [African country], the practice sharing with our colleagues in Brazil and South Africa, the quality of expert input means that I now feel confident that I can apply this learning in my country.”
“I was able to acquire a lot of practical knowledge which I will apply in my daily work.”
“The purpose of the AAL [Virtual Action Learning] on Leadership was to continuously develop our competence as leaders of a Blue Cross organization by focusing on subjects relevant to our daily work. I found the approach very efficient... For me AAL has not only been an opportunity to share experiences. It has been a way to get a deeper understanding of my own practice as a manager and to discover useful solutions to my challenges.”
“I have learnt a lot through the sharing with others related to local beliefs and consumption patterns of alcohol and ways to actively address these. I now feel very confident to apply these approaches in my country.”
“I think that the web conference was wonderful. The addiction services in [Northern European country] could give their questions to me and I took them into the conference. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from others.”
“We have decided to carry on with the AAL in our group [even after program completion] as it has had most impact on me as an individual. We will facilitate ourselves. We have learnt from each other.”
“We decided to invite more employees and volunteers into the decision making process in our organization. We are still learning. Two or three years ago decisions would have been made by the Board. Now employees like me are given more responsibilities because my boss sees that I have developed knowledge and capacities.”
Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft - Village Teams Project – Solving Complex Virtual Dynamics Across Time Zones
Working on cross-disciplinary projects can be challenging at the best of times. But when those projects also span various continents and time zones, have no predefined structure, and involve almost exclusively virtual teamwork, things can really get complicated. This was also the experience for collaborators on the Village Teams Project, before they called in the assistance of Black Gazelle. Four of the eleven team members kindly shared their experiences with us.
The Village Team’s Project is a research collaboration between the Medical University of Innsbruck and the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft that investigates the effects of mental illness in children who have a parent with a mental illness. This unusual project was conceived in workshop-style by the various stakeholders and researchers involved. While this way of working allows for a healthy dose of out-of-the-box thinking, it also brought along its own challenges, as project lead Dr Jean Paul explained.
“Because of the nature of the project, there wasn’t a clearly-defined roadmap from the start. There were some high-level deadlines, but a lot of the project content was developed as we went along. This meant that a lot of flexibility was required from everyone. On top of that, we were working across time zones, with collaborators as far away as Australia, the UK, Austria and Pakistan. Everyone came with their own cultural background, expectations and work styles.”
Jean had foreseen some of the challenges that came with this setup, but as it was her first time leading a project of this level of complexity, she also ran into some unexpected issues.
“Being a dominant leader is not my style, so I tried to take a more gentle, supportive approach at first. However, due to the decentralised nature of the project and the different personalities involved, this created an at times tricky power dynamic.”
Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft offered to invest in outside support to help improve the team dynamics and allow Jean to develop her leadership role. While some team members were hesitant about the need for outside intervention, most were willing to give it a try with an open mind. In the end, Black Gazelle brought support through an initial one-on-one conversation with Jean and several other team members, followed by two workshops as well as an observation some months later.
Finding common ground
The workshops were designed to help virtual teams define the issues they are facing in order to find solutions together. While these solutions are practical in nature, they address deeper interpersonal dynamics that play within a team and that can be exacerbated by the fact that all communication is virtual. “I underestimated beforehand how big of a role interpersonal dynamics play in the virtual space”, explained project coordinator Philipp Schöch. “Especially when everyone has different characters and work styles, it can be difficult to interpret each other’s expectations.”
The workshops helped the team to see that they are working towards a common goal. “Before, it was a bit difficult for me to feel like a real part of the team, because my role was not well defined”, research assistant Selcan Basli attested. “I felt a bit alone and left out. During the workshop I realised that actually, everyone had more or less the same worries and issues – we just had different ways of expressing them and of getting to the solution.” Co-investigator Dr Ingrid Zechmeister-Koss agreed: “The workshops were so helpful to learn together and to find some common ground.”
Finding solutions together
Once the team had shared their experiences and pinpointed their issues, they agreed on solutions that were condensed into a team charter, which served as the basis for all communication going forward. “This charter was very helpful, because now we have something that actually underpins the way we work”, Jean explained. “It has also been very useful when onboarding new team members.”
Some of the solutions suggested by Black Gazelle came as a surprise to the participants, like the idea to turn off video cameras during meetings. “It’s almost shocking to work with audio alone when you’re so used to having video on, but once you learn how to really listen, it actually becomes easier to focus”, explained Selcan. Ingrid agreed: “It’s very unusual, but when you all agree, it really works. This shows that coming up with agreements together is more effective than having them imposed from outside.”
Another solution the team implemented was to have predefined roles in meetings that are rotated each time, like a meeting leader, a facilitator, and someone who takes minutes. As expected, not everyone has the same preferences: Ingrid and Selcan both like taking notes, while Philipp finds it very challenging. Ingrid and Selcan, in turn, struggle with the facilitator role. However, they all agree that rotating position helps to level the playing field. It decentralizes the power and allows for equity within the team.
Some of the other tools suggested by Black Gazelle are also still in use within the team. Philipp felt that the focus exercise before meetings really helps him to be more present in the conversation, while Selcan found the distinction between thinking, feeling and sensing very useful. “I didn’t expect to learn so much about listening to myself as well as others.”
Lasting effects
The team all agree that the workshops had a deep impact on the way they work together. “Having Ghislaine come back to observe us in action a few months later was really helpful”, said Ingrid. “That way we had time to make these new habits our own, but we also had some accountability to keep using our charter.” Sticking to this charter is not always easy. “You have to be willing to be very open about everything you are doing, which can be tricky”, explained Selcan. “But it really helps to achieve trust and transparency when you can put it into practice.”
Team leader Jean was also very pleased with the results. “The Black Gazelle workshops offered a balance of practical solutions and deep dynamic work around power, interpersonal relationships and different personalities”, she concluded. “These differences can be more challenging in the virtual space, but the workshops taught us how to present ourselves within a virtual context to communicate with more clarity, and to listen out for what is not being said. Today we are always still learning, and our teamwork has improved dramatically with this intervention.”
Deutsche Telekom - The Future of Virtual Leadership
Represented in almost 50 countries worldwide with nearly 143 million mobile customers and over half of its 60.1 billion Euro revenue generated outside of its home country, Deutsche Telekom is a global telecommunications powerhouse that is paving the way towards the future of Virtual Leadership.
Together with Virtual Leadership Expert Ghislaine Caulat and her vanguard team at Black Gazelle Consulting, Deutsche Telekom invited an exclusive brain trust of Vice Presidents, Department Heads, and Division Managers to participate in a three-day intensive Virtual Leadership Program conducted remotely across the European continent. The objective was to help these already established leaders to become more focused, effective and impactful influencers when working virtually amongst their teams and throughout their industry.
Advanced Practical Experience
“It was good to meet virtually in order to start thinking and doing things differently,” explained one program participant. “The information was extremely valuable as it allowed me to reflect on my behavior and understand what works and what doesn’t work in the virtual sphere. To this day, our group continues to meet over WebEx Conferencing to discuss best practices and share our experiences. Even one year after the program, I continue to learn from the techniques and scenarios we discuss.”
Based on one-on-one interviews conducted before the workshop took place, a customized curriculum was designed for the Leadership group to fulfill their specific needs. Themes that emerged during the interviews that were then further examined throughout the virtual workshop included:
Leading Effective Virtual Meetings
How to develop a shared understanding of discussion outcomes and plans
How to avoid misunderstandings
Guidelines to become more effective virtual leaders during teleconferences and web meetings
How to motivate people so they work according to budget and schedule
Technological best practices (email, teleconferencing, WebEx, etc.)
Reaching Your Potential as a Virtual Leader
Working constructively with varying levels of English language proficiency and across different time zones and cultures
How to build long-term relationships in the virtual space
Developing and maintaining trust – in particular when you have not met face-to-face
Setting expectations in an effective way
How to best give recognition
The Power of New Tools
Some Virtual Leaders discovered new techniques they weren’t initially expecting to encounter during the program. One participant located at the Deutsche Telekom headquarters in Bonn, Germany realized that the art of silence could be a surprisingly powerful tool to invigorate conversation and discussion during a virtual meeting.
“I have quite a lot of conference calls, and especially in my team, there is a mix of experts and team leaders. We don't normally come together face-to-face, and so usually I deliver information from a top down approach. But my real intention is to have a discussion about the information because I am looking for feedback.”
“Very often there is this silence that causes me to react out of nervousness,” he continued. “I’ll step in and move on to another point or just keep talking to fill the silence, but then no one contributes or says anything. I learned from the Virtual Leadership Program to handle these silences in a more constructive way and not to get nervous after just five seconds. I have been more effective with silence since the program, and my team is contributing much more than in the past. Now I wait longer than five seconds, and I don't feel bad.”
The Opportunity to be the Best
Particularly for those leaders who are managing teams from a virtual point of view, this program received a five-star rating from participants at Deutsche Telekom. Provided with a wealth of valuable information, the leaders continue to refine their application of the myriad techniques and tools that are designed to optimize their Virtual Leadership strategy.
“Even if you think you know how to do everything, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to improve your skills,” asserted one program participant. “In regards to all of the programs which I have done already, the Virtual Leadership Program was one of the best. Good atmosphere. Very focused. Exceptionally customer-oriented. I know firsthand for myself as well as from the other program participants that Black Gazelle Consulting has really helped us become the best virtual leaders we can possibly be.”
ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Virtual Leadership
ZF is a global leader in driveline and chassis technology with 121 production companies in 26 countries, in four continents. ZF is one of the ten largest automotive suppliers worldwide.
Over the last 10 years, ZF has grown from a predominantly German company, through being European, to the present day when it is truly Global. This change led to the recognition that new skills were needed to lead remote and global teams without the necessity to spend time traveling across the globe.
The design of the Virtual Leadership Program, undertaken by Black Gazelle Consulting, was simple. Firstly, all the very senior participants were interviewed one-to-one to establish their individual needs. This was followed by a short briefing session on the Program, to ensure agreement and commitment. The workshop then followed – over three consecutive days.
Prior views were held that face-to-face meetings would always be best. Strong skepticism about virtual meetings ever being as good was admitted! Participants describe how applying ‘The rules for successful Virtual Meetings’ work so well that virtual leading is now seen as at least as good as face-to-face. “I make sure I hear from everyone,” was said by most of those interviewed – with some adding: "This makes virtual meetings better than face-to-face ones!”
Excellent planning has become second nature to ensure that work is completed in the allotted time. It is recognized that this planning is very different from that done for face-to-face meetings. As well as deciding on the best use of infrastructure, it is recognized that much more clarity is needed on purpose, expectations, pre-work etc. This in turn pays off through shorter meetings and clearer outcomes.
New listening skills are reported
Listening to the voice – not just the content – is described and valued. Taking time to listen – rather than doing things quickly – really pays off, and helps to avoid misunderstandings and to identify potential conflicts. Many appreciated very much the fact that trust can also be developed with people one has not met face-to-face before and learnt the dos and don’ts to build trust virtually.
One downside of the popularity concerned the availability of equipment and the logistics. For example booking meeting rooms to ensure a quiet environment (some work in large open-plan areas) can at times become challenging.
Several participants expressed the view that many more people needed to be trained in Virtual Leadership (“training is a must”). This would help to overcome some reluctance to accept that ‘mixed meetings’ (where some attendees sit in the same physical room, while others are linked in virtually) really are not the most effective way of leading virtual meetings. It can be difficult to unlearn bad habits and this is best achieved through experiencing how different and how much better meetings can be if run according to best practice.
An example of the high acceptance and value of Virtual Leadership has been demonstrated through making sophisticated use of the tools and the best practice processes. Several separate teams worked on a specific project virtually for part of a day, then all came together as one much larger group for other parts of the day. The whole process was run virtually with great success. “We even used the white board like flip-charts!”
Note: In the meantime approximately 130 ZF senior managers have been trained in Virtual Leadership with more programs planned for the future.
Virtual Leadership at Helaba
Helaba, a commercial bank and organization which operates across multiple and increasingly interlinked locations, recognized the fact that effective Virtual Leadership is a significant success factor. With this in mind the following two fundamental questions are particularly significant: With which specific methods and techniques do managers need to be equipped to work effectively in the virtual world? Which specific communication skills do they need in order to build trust-based relationships with employees?Mindful of the objective to support the managers, not only on a technical but also on organizational and cultural level, Black Gazelle Consulting implemented the ‘Virtual Leadership’ training project at Helaba in 2015. Karsten Bich, Head of Human Resources, explains: “We would like to increase the managers’ awareness of what it means for employees when they feel isolated and to equip them with methods and techniques to foster successful virtual teamwork and collaboration.”
In this training project, Helaba managers acquired the basic rules of engagement involved in virtual collaboration: How to participate actively in virtual meetings, how to ensure active participation by others, how to deal with time, technology or with online protocol, how to prepare for virtual meetings and how to schedule these meetings.
The relationship-related aspects played a critical role: how to build relationships over the telephone, how to convey appreciation and esteem and how to foster attentive listening. One team leader remarked “The work we did pertaining to the tone and the effect of the voice was particularly insightful. It was quite remarkable to realize that if you are aware of how to use your voice to maximum effect, you do not need much by way of media. Praise, joy, criticism and sincerity can most certainly be conveyed with the same effect as in a personal face-to-face meeting.”
The training was based on a combination of knowledge transfer and practical application. The participants found this to be very innovative and critical for successful outcomes. The concept to conduct Virtual Leadership workshops in the form of a virtual seminar, whilst simultaneously using the applicable technology media, was also praised highly. From the outset every participant sat at their own workplace with their own headset and participated in the workshop in a common virtual space, in which they could then immediately put the theory into practice. This allowed each participant to experience first-hand how and why a virtual meeting is effective, especially with regard to the interpersonal dynamics which play out in such discussions. A manager in Düsseldorf explained: “Previously we often experienced that it would become very quiet in the meeting room of a particular location or that participants in another meeting room are whispering amongst themselves. This can now be avoided altogether in that everyone participates from their own desk. Thus all find themselves in the same position and are treated equally.”
Over 140 managers were trained over a nine month-period by the Black Gazelle team and by Ghislaine Caulat personally. This triggered a number of process changes. Subsequent to the training, participants were much more appreciative of the technical instruments and technology “which was available in the bank all along, of which we were unaware or did not utilise”. The managers who underwent training were highly complementary about the systematic use of virtual simultaneous minutes, and as one Head of Department stated: “This allows all participants to see and work on all documents from their desk, which in turn enables them to actively participate in the meetings whilst also providing them with the opportunity to have their input reflected correctly.”
The training participants also valued the significant progress made with regard to the efficiency and effectiveness of teleconferences. In this regard one of the participants related the following: “I believe it is very important that teleconferences take place on a regular basis - even with a designated representative in the event that I am not available. As a result these do not take that long. Previously teleconferences often did not take place, thereafter we then had to cover a much longer period of time. Now we optimize the work time.”
The management training has created the awareness that relationships in the virtual space are just as profound and powerful as face-to-face relationships. An example is the so-called virtual 'popcorn-time', which provides employees with the opportunity to informally meet in the virtual space to talk informally and to discuss matters of a personal nature - just as they would at a coffee vending machine or at the office canteen. This provides several advantages, such as increased team integration and an improved trust relationship between employees and management. Simultaneously a smooth and effective line of communication is facilitated, which is highly effective in supporting the employees and to increase the quality of work processes.
The use of virtual meetings through tele- and webconferences has thus become much more familiar and trusted. One Head of Department in Düsseldorf commented that: “Everything is much easier and more transparent; all comments are being taken into account and it is enjoyable”. Helaba’s management have learnt how to create a sense of proximity and closeness in their remote and dispersed teams, which resulted in mutual understanding and increased collaboration. The net effect is that: “The spirit of belonging and the feeling of togetherness have increased whilst the distance has decreased.“
T-Systems - Virtual Leadership
T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, ‘shapes the networked future of business and society and creates value for customers, employees and investors thanks to innovative ICT solutions’.
In 2012 and 2013 T-Systems commissioned Black Gazelle Consulting to design and run several Virtual Leadership Programs as one stand-alone module and as a modular part of a broader Leadership Program.
Participants described a culture, prior to the Virtual Leadership Program, where there was the clear need to demonstrate a strong task focus, where time spent on reflecting was difficult to find and where relationship building was incidental rather than intentional.
These specific aspects of the Virtual Leadership Program were described, and the outcomes praised:
The importance of building relationships
Connecting with everyone at the outset
Building relationships beyond simply getting the task done
Ensuring that everyone is heard throughout a meeting
Managers commented that the style of their meetings had become much more interactive
Need to avoid time pressures in virtual meetings
Jokes and having fun were now seen as a useful element of successful virtual interacts
“A really difficult situation was defused by starting with a personal exchange”
As one person said “relationships are all we have”
Slowing down, using silence and listening differently
Managers talked about ‘creative silence’, where space was given for personal reflection before a group discussion, with amazingly positive results.
Listening to the silence was described as a new and essential skill – “don’t just fill it!”
Breaks were seen as very important in concentrated virtual meetings, and were now definitely no longer seen as a ‘waste of time’.
Learning to listen to both content and behaviour was a revelation for some.
Strengthening one’s leadership in the virtual space
“WOW” to using feedback as a tool for greater understanding of how others perceive you, often differently when you lead virtually.
“It stimulated me to develop a bigger range of styles to use virtually, and more broadly.”
“I was able to have greater ‘presence’ on the phone. I feel more secure now.”
Virtual Action Learning follow-up
“Brilliant! Want more, so much added value.”
It does not seem too bold to suggest that the Virtual Leadership module has not only placed successful Virtual Leadership at the core of T-Systems, but has also started a process of culture change, where the practice of relationship building and reflecting are now valued in a way that was previously seen as difficult within the time pressures of the task driven culture. Now they coexist to the benefit of both tasks and relationships and contribute to better work outcomes in the virtual space.
Umicore - High Performance in the Virtual Space
Umicore is a global materials technology group offering materials and solutions that are at the cutting edge of new technological developments essential to everyday life.
One senior international team approached Black Gazelle Consulting with the aim of improving the effectiveness of their virtual team meetings. While the team concerned were somewhat unhappy with their current meetings, they were not convinced that training in working virtually was a good use of their valuable time. The senior level of the sponsorship and the very time efficient offering from Black Gazelle Consulting, convinced the client that it made sense to go ahead.
The design was very simple.
Black Gazelle Consulting carried out one-to-one interviews with each team member. Following this, the themes were fed back, and at the same time some very careful contracting was carried out to ensure that there was a shared understanding about what was needed, and what would be included in the half day training workshop. The workshop was followed by a single team coaching session, lasting three hours and including observation of the team meeting virtually.
Twelve months on from the training, the client said: “The virtual training was beneficial – surprisingly so! The team has been surprised by how effective virtual work can be. They are ‘old school people’, and didn’t see it as a good use of their time, initially. It is a fast paced organization, which made acceptance of the training more difficult. The hardest part initially was the guidance that if one person was absent (i.e. needed to join virtually), then all worked virtually, even though they were in the same building. That just didn’t make sense to them initially.”
The client went on to say: “In my opinion virtual meetings are more productive. In face-to-face meetings there are a lot more extra comments, whispering etc. not focused on the main topics. Others also feel that virtual meetings are more productive. They are faster, with more topics covered. Face-to-face meetings are at least 30 minutes longer. We originally planned for 3-hour virtual meetings; now they last 1½ to 2 hours. Interruptions are now much less of a problem.”