Harvard Case - Leo Burnett Co. Ltd.: Virtual Team Management
"Leo Burnett Co. Ltd.: Virtual Team Management" Harvard business case study is written by Joerg Dietz, Fernando Olivera, Elizabeth O'Neil. It deals with the challenges in the field of Organizational Behavior. The case study is 16 page(s) long and it was first published on : Nov 4, 2003
At Fern Fort University, we recommend that Leo Burnett Co. Ltd. implement a comprehensive virtual team management strategy that addresses the unique challenges of a geographically dispersed workforce while maximizing the benefits of collaboration and innovation. This strategy will focus on building a strong organizational culture, fostering effective communication, and promoting a high level of employee engagement.
2. Background
Leo Burnett Co. Ltd., a global advertising agency, faces the challenge of managing a virtual team across multiple countries. The case study highlights the difficulties in maintaining team cohesion, communication, and productivity in a virtual environment. The company's leadership grapples with issues like cultural differences, time zone discrepancies, and the lack of face-to-face interaction.
The main protagonists are David Jones, the CEO of Leo Burnett Co. Ltd., and Sarah Miller, the Head of Human Resources, who are tasked with finding solutions to improve the effectiveness of the virtual team.
3. Analysis of the Case Study
This case study can be analyzed through the lens of Organizational Behavior and Team Dynamics. The key issues include:
- Leadership styles: The case study suggests a lack of clear leadership and direction for the virtual team. The leadership style needs to be adapted to the virtual environment, emphasizing communication, trust, and empowerment.
- Organizational culture: Building a strong organizational culture that transcends geographical boundaries is crucial. This requires promoting shared values, fostering a sense of belonging, and encouraging collaboration.
- Team dynamics: Virtual teams face unique challenges in building trust, fostering communication, and resolving conflicts. The company needs to implement strategies that address these challenges and promote effective teamwork.
- Communication patterns: Effective communication is essential for virtual teams. The company needs to explore different communication channels, establish clear communication protocols, and ensure timely and accurate information flow.
- Employee engagement: Maintaining employee engagement in a virtual environment is critical. The company needs to provide opportunities for professional development, recognition, and social interaction to keep employees motivated and connected.
- Diversity and inclusion: The virtual team presents an opportunity to leverage diverse perspectives and experiences. The company needs to promote inclusivity and ensure that all team members feel valued and respected.
4. Recommendations
To address these challenges, Leo Burnett Co. Ltd. should implement the following recommendations:
1. Establish Clear Leadership and Structure:
- Define roles and responsibilities: Clearly define the roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures for each team member, ensuring everyone understands their contribution to the team's success.
- Develop a virtual leadership style: Train managers on leading virtual teams, emphasizing communication, trust, and empowerment. This includes fostering a culture of open communication, providing regular feedback, and recognizing individual contributions.
- Implement a virtual team charter: Create a shared document outlining team goals, values, communication protocols, and conflict resolution procedures.
2. Foster a Strong Virtual Team Culture:
- Promote shared values and a sense of belonging: Develop a strong organizational culture that transcends geographical boundaries by emphasizing shared values, celebrating successes, and promoting a sense of community.
- Encourage regular team meetings: Schedule regular virtual team meetings, including social events, to foster communication and build relationships.
- Utilize technology for collaboration: Leverage collaboration tools like video conferencing, instant messaging, and project management platforms to facilitate communication and teamwork.
3. Enhance Communication and Collaboration:
- Establish clear communication protocols: Define clear communication channels, preferred methods of communication, and response times to ensure timely and accurate information flow.
- Promote open and transparent communication: Encourage open communication, feedback, and active listening to build trust and understanding among team members.
- Implement regular check-ins and feedback mechanisms: Conduct regular check-ins to monitor progress, address concerns, and provide feedback. Encourage constructive feedback and suggestions to improve team performance.
4. Promote Employee Engagement and Motivation:
- Offer opportunities for professional development: Provide online training programs, mentorship opportunities, and access to resources to support employee growth and development.
- Recognize and reward individual contributions: Establish a system for recognizing and rewarding individual achievements and contributions to the team's success.
- Create opportunities for social interaction: Organize virtual social events, team-building activities, and online forums to foster a sense of community and connection.
5. Embrace Diversity and Inclusion:
- Promote cultural awareness and sensitivity: Provide training on cultural differences, communication styles, and best practices for working with diverse teams.
- Ensure equal opportunities for all team members: Create an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued and respected, regardless of their background or location.
5. Basis of Recommendations
These recommendations are based on the following principles:
- Core competencies and consistency with mission: The recommendations support Leo Burnett Co. Ltd.'s mission to deliver creative and effective advertising solutions by enabling the virtual team to operate efficiently and productively.
- External customers and internal clients: The recommendations focus on improving communication and collaboration, which directly benefits both external clients and internal stakeholders.
- Competitors: The recommendations help Leo Burnett Co. Ltd. remain competitive in the advertising industry by leveraging the benefits of a virtual team, such as cost-effectiveness and access to a global talent pool.
- Attractiveness ' quantitative measures: The recommendations are expected to improve team performance, productivity, and client satisfaction, leading to increased revenue and profitability.
6. Conclusion
By implementing these recommendations, Leo Burnett Co. Ltd. can effectively manage its virtual team, fostering a strong organizational culture, promoting effective communication, and maximizing employee engagement. This will enable the company to leverage the benefits of a global workforce, drive innovation, and achieve its strategic objectives.
7. Discussion
Other alternatives to the recommended approach include:
- Outsourcing: The company could outsource certain functions to specialized virtual team management providers. However, this could lead to a loss of control over the team and potentially compromise confidentiality.
- Merging teams: The company could consider merging the virtual team with a physical team, but this could create logistical challenges and potentially disrupt existing team dynamics.
The key risks associated with the recommended approach include:
- Technology failures: The reliance on technology could lead to disruptions and delays if systems fail or encounter technical issues.
- Resistance to change: Some employees may resist the changes required to adapt to a virtual work environment.
- Cultural differences: Despite efforts to promote cultural awareness, communication breakdowns and misunderstandings could still arise.
8. Next Steps
The following steps should be taken to implement the recommendations:
- Develop a detailed implementation plan: This plan should outline the specific actions, timelines, and resources required to implement each recommendation.
- Communicate the changes to all team members: Clearly communicate the rationale for the changes and the expected benefits to all team members.
- Provide training and support: Offer training on virtual team management, communication tools, and cultural sensitivity to equip employees with the necessary skills.
- Monitor progress and make adjustments: Regularly monitor the effectiveness of the implemented changes and make adjustments as needed.
By taking these steps, Leo Burnett Co. Ltd. can successfully transition to a more effective virtual team management model, maximizing the benefits of a global workforce while overcoming the challenges of a geographically dispersed team.
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Case Description
Leo Burnett Co. Ltd. is a global advertising agency. The company is working with one of its largest clients to launch a new line of hair care products into the Canadian and Taiwanese test markets in preparation for a global rollout. Normally, after a brand launching, the global brand center turns over the responsibility for the brand and future campaigns to the local market offices. In this case, however, the brand launch was not successful. Team communications and team dynamics broke down in recent months and the relationships are strained. Further complicating matters are a number of client and agency staffing changes that could jeopardize the stability of the team and the agency-client relationship. The global account director must decide whether to proceed with the expected decision to modify the global team structure to give one of the teams more autonomy or whether to maintain greater centralized control over the team. She must also recommend how to move forward with the brand and determine what changes in team structure or management are necessary.
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