The People Part of Enterprise Collaboration and Virtual Teams

• Virtual teams need trust to function. Academic research shows that trust can be enhanced or destroyed as virtual teams work together.

The Technology Trends of Enterprise Collaboration and Virtual Teams

• HP and Cisco are working together in New Zealand to convince customers about the utility of Web 2.0 tools for creating a collaborative unified communications network.
• Connectbeam released a virtual appliance for social bookmarking and tagging in the enterprise. “With Connectbeam virtual appliance organizations of all sizes can immediately begin to improve information worker productivity and business innovation. Customers can simply download the virtual appliance software and run it securely from behind their organization’s firewall.“
• Infonics offers tools for replication of SharePoint data, for both geographical distribution of SharePoint servers, and server-to-laptop synchronization for offline access. “Geo-Replicator’s Server to Laptop solution further enhances the user experience by providing the ability to take SharePoint offline. By creating a replica of portal content on their laptop, Geo-Replicator provides offlline users with uninterrupted access to crucial information.“

Insights on Being Productive and Effective as an Individual

• Cut down on the number of meetings you set up and attend, and get more done. Scott has some ideas.
• You have just completed something on your list. Well done. Have a little celebration. So, what’s next?
• If you are struggling with maintaining focus, write it down. “A simple way to reduce distraction and maintain focus on the project before you or person you are serving is the simple act of writing the thought down on paper. I have done this in the past when I can’t sleep. I keep a pad of paper by the bed. When a thought enters my mind and gets me worrying or stressed, I write it down. I frees me up to sleep better.“
• Are you bored? Good. “We are most human when we feel dull. Lolling around in a state of restlessness is one of life’s greatest luxuries — one not available to creatures that spend all their time pursuing mere survival. To be bored is to stop reacting to the external world, and to explore the internal one.” Embrace it.

Other Noteworthy Insights

• Four ways to be a more productive writer: (1) use an outline, (2) do zero drafts, (3) use mind maps, and (4) ask and answer questions.
• Context is everything, and you will need to be intentional about going places where the context is right for what you need to do. Eg, in the concert hall, space has been carved out for appreciation.
• RIM needs to get better at explaining outages.
• On IT strategy: when IT has relevant conversations with the business units about how IT can contribute to their success.
• Jeffrey Phillips has a new book out, Make Us More Innovation: Critical Factors for Innovation Success.