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TMA World Mindline Technology and Relationships: Four Principles

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TMA World
TMA World

This document outlines 4 principles for building productive relationships when communicating and collaborating through technology at work: 1. HUMANITY - Seek human connection in technological spaces by using technologies that convey personal connection and considering others' needs for belonging and value. 2. DOUBT - Constructively doubt assumptions about others due to gaps in virtual communication and be aware that technologies can influence perceptions. 3. FLEXIBILITY - Be flexible and aware that virtual work crosses cultural boundaries, and technologies appropriate for some may threaten others. 4. COMMONALITY - Seek common ground while respecting differences, and explicitly establish "rules" or agreements for collaborating virtually.

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Technology & Relationships 4 Principles MindLines Terence Brake TMA World │ Head of Learning and Innovation
Technology & Relationships 4 principles Increasingly we are communicating and collaborating at work through technology. What principles should we adopt to make sure that we are building productive relationships with colleagues and not creating interpersonal dead-space?
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY 2 DOUBT 3 FLEXIBILITY 4 COMMONALITY
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space The rapid advances in technology that have connected people across the planet are an outstanding human achievement. The problem is that the virtual spaces created can be impersonal and dehumanizing, particularly in the digital workplace where relationships are often fleeting and transactional.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space Our colleagues may only appear ‘real’ to us as strings of words in an email or a disembodied voice in a teleconference. Virtual colleagues are not just nodes in a network, they have personal needs for trust, belonging, achievement, expression and feeling valued, as do we.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space In a virtual workplace, relationship competence is bound closely to technological competence, i.e. using appropriate technologies to convey the ‘human touch’. Some technologies are better than others at communicating rich information about people – a video conference is richer than a telephone call which, turn is richer than an e-mail.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space This isn’t to say we should always be using videoconference for our communications. An email can be more precise and sometimes easier to use for people who might be working in a second language. An email allows more time for formulating the right message. Whatever tool we use, we should seek to make a human connection through our language, tone and consideration of others.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined Doubt is rarely elevated to a positive principle, but constructive doubt has an important place when we work together through technology. With reduced and less rich communication opportunities in virtual work, there are wider and deeper gaps in our knowledge of others. Our brains don’t like these gaps and so our tendency is to fill them with assumptions, stereotypes and stories that might have little connection to reality.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined The result of these shallow understandings is often ‘misplaced similarity’ – the feeling that others are more like us than they actually are. One consequence is that some people will feel they are being treated dismissively, that their differences are not being acknowledged and treated in an inclusive way.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined Another reason for constructive doubt is ‘technology effect’. Technologies are not neutral, they influence our perceptions and behaviours. For example, in team communications, video and audio-conferencing tend to increase trust for those who are in the same room and decrease it for those in remote locations.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined Computer mediated communications, like email, tend to increase depersonalization of others and the polarization of views and reduce participation and consensus. When it comes to relationships and perceived behaviours in our digital workplace, we need to be patient and take extra care when making assumptions and reaching conclusions.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 3 FLEXIBILITY Technologies are creating what we call a borderless workplace – a digital work environment that crosses multiple boundaries whether we are working virtually with colleagues across a city, a country or even continents. The potentially wide distribution of a virtual workplace means that we are often interacting with a greater range of differences, including cultural.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 3 FLEXIBILITY Assume members of Culture A are comfortable giving input and feedback publically and directly. Their cultural orientations tend toward individualism, explicit communication, risk-taking and egalitarianism. Video-conferencing and audio-conferencing are appropriate for Culture A.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 3 FLEXIBILITY Members of Culture B, whose cultural orientations tend more towards group identity, indirect communication and risk-avoidance will most likely find the openness of these technologies threatening. They increase the probability of public embarrassment and loss of face.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences Differences are of great value in face-to-face and virtual environments. They introduce new perspectives and approaches to boost creativity and innovation. The value of differences for change and growth, however, must be balanced with the value of stability for cohesion and functionality.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences Individuals and teams working virtually must make an intentional effort to identify common ground and this requires identifying and exploring differences, looking at them in relation to objectives and negotiating best ways forward. The challenge is to create commonalities in areas of greatest importance to the task/project, e.g. meetings, communication, decision-making.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences These commonalities – or operating agreements – can be thought of as simple ‘rules’ for collaborating, e.g. “We will not interrupt or talk over one another in our telephone calls/virtual meetings.”
Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences Every new virtual working relationship should begin with the question: “ How will we work together? People who are working face-to-face have more ” opportunities for common ground to emerge naturally in daily work. Virtual working relationships need to be more intentional and explicit.
Technology & Relationships 4 principles To learn more about how we can help your organization, please contact us at enquiries@tmaworld.com or visit http://www.tmaworld.com/training-solutions/

More Related Content

TMA World Mindline Technology and Relationships: Four Principles

  • 1. Technology & Relationships 4 Principles MindLines Terence Brake TMA World │ Head of Learning and Innovation
  • 2. Technology & Relationships 4 principles Increasingly we are communicating and collaborating at work through technology. What principles should we adopt to make sure that we are building productive relationships with colleagues and not creating interpersonal dead-space?
  • 3. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY 2 DOUBT 3 FLEXIBILITY 4 COMMONALITY
  • 4. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space The rapid advances in technology that have connected people across the planet are an outstanding human achievement. The problem is that the virtual spaces created can be impersonal and dehumanizing, particularly in the digital workplace where relationships are often fleeting and transactional.
  • 5. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space Our colleagues may only appear ‘real’ to us as strings of words in an email or a disembodied voice in a teleconference. Virtual colleagues are not just nodes in a network, they have personal needs for trust, belonging, achievement, expression and feeling valued, as do we.
  • 6. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space In a virtual workplace, relationship competence is bound closely to technological competence, i.e. using appropriate technologies to convey the ‘human touch’. Some technologies are better than others at communicating rich information about people – a video conference is richer than a telephone call which, turn is richer than an e-mail.
  • 7. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 1 HUMANITY We seek human connection in a technological space This isn’t to say we should always be using videoconference for our communications. An email can be more precise and sometimes easier to use for people who might be working in a second language. An email allows more time for formulating the right message. Whatever tool we use, we should seek to make a human connection through our language, tone and consideration of others.
  • 8. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined Doubt is rarely elevated to a positive principle, but constructive doubt has an important place when we work together through technology. With reduced and less rich communication opportunities in virtual work, there are wider and deeper gaps in our knowledge of others. Our brains don’t like these gaps and so our tendency is to fill them with assumptions, stereotypes and stories that might have little connection to reality.
  • 9. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined The result of these shallow understandings is often ‘misplaced similarity’ – the feeling that others are more like us than they actually are. One consequence is that some people will feel they are being treated dismissively, that their differences are not being acknowledged and treated in an inclusive way.
  • 10. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined Another reason for constructive doubt is ‘technology effect’. Technologies are not neutral, they influence our perceptions and behaviours. For example, in team communications, video and audio-conferencing tend to increase trust for those who are in the same room and decrease it for those in remote locations.
  • 11. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 2 DOUBT We separate the real from the imagined Computer mediated communications, like email, tend to increase depersonalization of others and the polarization of views and reduce participation and consensus. When it comes to relationships and perceived behaviours in our digital workplace, we need to be patient and take extra care when making assumptions and reaching conclusions.
  • 12. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 3 FLEXIBILITY Technologies are creating what we call a borderless workplace – a digital work environment that crosses multiple boundaries whether we are working virtually with colleagues across a city, a country or even continents. The potentially wide distribution of a virtual workplace means that we are often interacting with a greater range of differences, including cultural.
  • 13. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 3 FLEXIBILITY Assume members of Culture A are comfortable giving input and feedback publically and directly. Their cultural orientations tend toward individualism, explicit communication, risk-taking and egalitarianism. Video-conferencing and audio-conferencing are appropriate for Culture A.
  • 14. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 3 FLEXIBILITY Members of Culture B, whose cultural orientations tend more towards group identity, indirect communication and risk-avoidance will most likely find the openness of these technologies threatening. They increase the probability of public embarrassment and loss of face.
  • 15. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences Differences are of great value in face-to-face and virtual environments. They introduce new perspectives and approaches to boost creativity and innovation. The value of differences for change and growth, however, must be balanced with the value of stability for cohesion and functionality.
  • 16. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences Individuals and teams working virtually must make an intentional effort to identify common ground and this requires identifying and exploring differences, looking at them in relation to objectives and negotiating best ways forward. The challenge is to create commonalities in areas of greatest importance to the task/project, e.g. meetings, communication, decision-making.
  • 17. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences These commonalities – or operating agreements – can be thought of as simple ‘rules’ for collaborating, e.g. “We will not interrupt or talk over one another in our telephone calls/virtual meetings.”
  • 18. Technology & Relationships 4 principles 4 COMMONALITY We seek and create similarities as well as respect differences Every new virtual working relationship should begin with the question: “ How will we work together? People who are working face-to-face have more ” opportunities for common ground to emerge naturally in daily work. Virtual working relationships need to be more intentional and explicit.
  • 19. Technology & Relationships 4 principles To learn more about how we can help your organization, please contact us at enquiries@tmaworld.com or visit http://www.tmaworld.com/training-solutions/