Managing a Global Team:

Greg James at Sun

Microsystems, Inc. (A) & (B)

Managing a Global TeamContext

Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (A)• Greg James, a global manager at Sun Microsystems

• To resolve a serious customer system outage as required by a

service agreement

• Sets out to meet with his entire member in customer

implementation team spread across India, France, UAE, and US

• Rather than finding a immediate solution to the rapidly escalating

customer situation that motivated his trip, he finds himself facing

distributed work.

• Interpersonal Conflict and management issues in global

collaboration are threatening to unravel his team.

Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc. (B)• This case updates the steps Greg James took to solve the

problems that instigated the crisis.

• Greg James solves the problems involved in his team's breakdown

and creates team cohesion to help them function together

effectively.

Questions to AddressA. What instances of leadership do you see (or want

to see) in Greg’s behavior?

B. Are there instances of managerial behavior in Greg?

C. How are the two different?

D. Are there any commonalities?

E. What are your Learning?Managers and Leaders: Are They Different?

by Abraham Zaleznik

What Makes a Leader?

by Daniel Goleman

The Work of Leadership

by Ronald A. Heifetz and Donald L.

Laurie

Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?

by Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones

Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups

by V U Druskat and S B Wolff

Our References

Assessing Effectiveness Fit4RC - Four Resonance Check on Leaders / Managers

Leader / Manager

Organization

Employee Belief/

Attitudes/ Values

Alignment with External

Source

Perception to wards

Customer

Sun Microsystems

TIC, Technology Integration Company

HS Holdings’

Banking System45 Member Global Team

7-France, 16-India

11-UAE & 11-US

Every Organization needs

Leaders / Managers for

Driving their strategic

Objective.

It is imperative to Check the

4 Resonance of a leader /

manager with the

Other elements of

Interactions for their

Fit with the Organizational

Objective/Strategy.

We shall try to see

In the next slide we made

an attempt to at least

assess

The resonance fit Between

Sun’s Emerging Strategy

And Greg’s ability and

Capability.

Resonance Fit between

Organization & Leader/ManagerOrganization

[Strategy & Industry]

Greg James

1. Sun Controlled all of the

elements (Technology,

Product, Services etc). Global

Talent:- Choses employees

based on talent or leadership

rather than location.

2. Industry characterized by high

product turnover, Heavy

Investment in R&D, Price war,

Cost Cut i.e., Business need

Adaption, Aggregation &

Arbitrage.

1. Specialized in technology, a

star engineer in technical elite.

Rose through development

projects to managing teams.

2. Sun’s pursuit for a global

presence, James identified for

high profile team management

at implementing enterprise wide

solutions. Adaptive to Open

Work: Applied for him & his

team.

Top Possible Prevailing

Leadership/Managerial Traits in

Greg (From Case-A)-1/2

- Recruitment: Efforts (Page

8, Para 2,3)

- Opportunity identified by

Lawry (Page-5, Last 2 Para)

- Recruitment: Global Team

& Open Work (Page 8, Para

2,3,4)

01)

Ma

nag

ers

an

d L

ead

ers

: A

re T

hey

Dif

fere

nt?

by A

bra

ham

Za

leznik

A. What instances of leadership do you see (or want to see) in Greg’s behavior?

B. Are there instances of managerial behavior in Greg?

C. How are the two different?

D. Are there any commonalities?

Commonality of a Leader & Manager in the Attribute

Uniqueness of a Leader or Manager in the Attribute

EVIDENCEMANAGERS LEADERSATTRIBUTE

- Time Zone and Work:

Directing (Page 8, Para

5,6,7,8)

& Exhibit – 4.

- Adjective Rich Feedbacks

from India, US, UAE &

France Directing (Page 9-10)

- Greg James: Desire to

work with SUN (Page 5, Last

4 Para)

01)

Ma

nag

ers

an

d L

ead

ers

: A

re T

hey

Dif

fere

nt?

by A

bra

ham

Za

leznik

Top Possible Prevailing

Leadership/Managerial Traits in

Greg (From Case-A)-2/2A. What instances of leadership do you see (or want to see) in Greg’s behavior?

B. Are there instances of managerial behavior in Greg? How are the two different?

C. Are there any commonalities?

Commonality of a Leader & Manager in the Attribute

Uniqueness of a Leader or Manager in the Attribute

Debatable Commonality of a Leader & Manager in the Attribute

EVIDENCEMANAGERS LEADERSATTRIBUTE

What

Greg MissedRefer (Case-A)

Exh

ibit

-4:

Su

rveys o

f S

ati

sfa

cti

on

wit

h O

pen

Wo

rk f

or

Gre

g J

am

es's

Team

50

50

Fallacy with

Survey:-Integrating Europe &

Middle East

Of Concern:-

Distance Collaboration

HR Practices

Employee Satisfaction

Management Support

WorkSpace Effectiveness

45 Member Global Team

11-US

16-India

7-France

11-UAE

US Viewed as

Favorites.

Water Cooler Conversation (Non US Team).

Unfair Work Load ( France & US).

Fra

nce Compensation

Mismatch -30% less than US.

Job Security Because of LAW.

Country Based Benefit –Vacation.

Ind

ia Want more responsibility on customer technology customization & Innovation than maintenance.

Interpersonal Issue Rahul & Ahmed.

UA

E Culture Influence (Developing relationship requires more time).

Feel disconnected.

Require more Face-to-Face.

Perceived as Sub-group on India.

Conflict (Interpersonal) and

management issues in global

collaboration

What Trait of Leadership in Greg posses

(From Case-A) that showed the results in

Case-B

02)

Wh

at

Ma

kes a

Lead

er?

by D

anie

l G

ole

man

Self awareness Less evident in case substance (Debatable)

Self regulation Less evident in case substance (Debatable)

Motivation Being driven

to achieve for

the sake of

achievement

• A passion for the work itself

and for new challenges

• Optimism in the face

of failure

Empathy Considering

others’ feelings,

especially when

making decisions

• Expert in attracting

and retaining talent

• Sensitivity to cross cultural

differences

Social Skill Managing

relationships to

move people in

desired

directions

• Effectiveness in leading

change

• Efforts in building

and leading teams

Uniqueness to be a Leader

Debatable Uniqueness to be a Leader

Our Thoughts on Case-A03)

Th

e W

ork

of

Lead

ers

hip

by R

onald

A.

Heifetz

and D

onald

L. Laurie

Get on the balcony.

Don’t get swept up in the field of play.

Instead, move back and forth between the “action” and the “balcony.”

You’ll spot emerging patterns, such as power struggles or work

avoidance.

This high-level perspective helps you mobilize people to do adaptive

work.

Protect leadership voices from below.

Listen to whistle-blowers, creative deviants, and others exposing

contradictions within your company.

Their perspectives can provoke fresh thinking. Ask, “What is this guy

really talking about? Have we missed something?”

Maintain disciplined attention.

Encourage managers to grapple with divisive (tending to cause

disagreement or hostility between people) issues, rather than indulging in

scapegoating or denial.

Deepen the debate to unlock polarized, superficial conflict.

Demonstrate collaboration to solve problems.

What probably Greg need to do?

Leadership Trait required by Greg James

04)

Wh

y S

ho

uld

An

yo

ne B

e L

ed

by Y

ou

?

by R

obert

Goffee

and G

are

th J

ones

Evidence: Case B

The way he

Responded

on the issues

Evidence: Case A

The way Greg assessed &

Reflected on the issues

Except over Exhibit-4

Our LearningWhat did Greg probably do as a

leader?

04)

Bu

ild

ing

th

e E

mo

tio

nal In

tellig

en

ce o

f

Gro

up

s b

y V

U D

ruskat

and S

B W

olff

Evidence:

Case-BPage-1, Para 3

Page-2, Para

1,2,3

Case-B

Does not show

Evidence of

integrating

HS Holding or TIC

Our Learning : Case-BHow did Greg Understood Emotions of others?

04)

Bu

ild

ing

th

e E

mo

tio

nal In

tellig

en

ce o

f

Gro

up

s b

y V

U D

ruskat

and S

B W

olff

Evidence: Case-BPage-1, Para 2,3

Page-2, Para 1,2,3

Our Learning : Case-BHow did Greg create Awareness of

Emotions?

Possible steps Greg James took as a Leader

04)

Bu

ild

ing

th

e E

mo

tio

nal In

tellig

en

ce o

f

Gro

up

s b

y V

U D

ruskat

and S

B W

olff

Evidence: Case-BPage-1, Para 2,3

Page-2, Para 1,2,3

Our Learning : Case-BHow did Greg help Regulate of

Emotions?

Possible steps Greg

James took as a Leader

SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLES

CONSULTING

STYLE (Ideal)

LOW MOTIVATIONHIGH COMPETENCE

DIRECTIVE

STYLE (Ideal)

LOW COMPETENCEHIGH MOTIVATION

DELEGATING

STYLE (Ideal)

HIGH MOTIVATIONHIGH COMPETENCE

SUPPORTIVE

STYLE (Ideal)

LOW COMPETENCELOW MOTIVATION

India

France

*

US

UAE

(Debatabl

e)

Our LearningQuestioning Leadership style adapted by Greg?

Thank

You