Comments on: The Wisdom of Crowds, The Power of Virtual Teams http://www.annezelenka.com/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams a blog about the connected age Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:35:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Cote' http://www.annezelenka.com/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-440 Cote' Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:14:38 +0000 http://www.annezelenka.com/testbed/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-440 In America, the screwed up health care system is one of the key elements that prevents a more diverse pool of people in the hi-tech innovation pools. Once you get a family or you start thinking of having one, you have to nuzzle up to BigCo to get that sweet, sweet insurance. Getting insurance on your own that's equivilent to "normal" insurance is crazy difficult. The end result is that only people in their 20's or that have no care about families are better positioned to take the risks needed to innovate in hi-tech: the primary risk being stepping out of the "what works" world of BigCo into the "what might work" world of small companies. Yeah, health insurance in the US: frustrates me to no end. In America, the screwed up health care system is one of the key elements that prevents a more diverse pool of people in the hi-tech innovation pools. Once you get a family or you start thinking of having one, you have to nuzzle up to BigCo to get that sweet, sweet insurance. Getting insurance on your own that’s equivilent to “normal” insurance is crazy difficult.

The end result is that only people in their 20’s or that have no care about families are better positioned to take the risks needed to innovate in hi-tech: the primary risk being stepping out of the “what works” world of BigCo into the “what might work” world of small companies.

Yeah, health insurance in the US: frustrates me to no end.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.annezelenka.com/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-435 Jeff Sun, 25 Jun 2006 15:07:39 +0000 http://www.annezelenka.com/testbed/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-435 I'm glad to hear that Anne likes the virtual team work mode. I've had several years of working from home, part of a distributed team. It's the best. It's not perfect, but it sure beats the heck out of a daily commute. The things I find that make distributed teams work best are: 1. Strong process and regular schedule. Commitment to doing the small things right (status reports, project plans, regular meetings), all the time. 2. An excellent, friendly, *human* leader. Someone who can project humanity across the wire. 3. Great meeting etiquette. Showing up *on time* to the calls, for one. 4. Clarity on scope and assignments. Tell people they're really empowered within their scope of work, and the good ones will get it done (the bad ones will bring their issues to the meeting and hope that others decide for them). Anyway, good luck with the distributed team. It can be great. I’m glad to hear that Anne likes the virtual team work mode. I’ve had several years of working from home, part of a distributed team. It’s the best. It’s not perfect, but it sure beats the heck out of a daily commute. The things I find that make distributed teams work best are:

1. Strong process and regular schedule. Commitment to doing the small things right (status reports, project plans, regular meetings), all the time.
2. An excellent, friendly, *human* leader. Someone who can project humanity across the wire.
3. Great meeting etiquette. Showing up *on time* to the calls, for one.
4. Clarity on scope and assignments. Tell people they’re really empowered within their scope of work, and the good ones will get it done (the bad ones will bring their issues to the meeting and hope that others decide for them).

Anyway, good luck with the distributed team. It can be great.

]]> By: Anne http://www.annezelenka.com/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-439 Anne Sat, 24 Jun 2006 13:41:14 +0000 http://www.annezelenka.com/testbed/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-439 The fulltime with benefits model is screwy. It's not necessarily best for employees or employers, but we're largely stuck with it for now. The only reason I can work as a consultant (i.e., independent contractor without benefits) is because my husband has a regular job with health care coverage for our family of five. I am reading <em>Free Agent Nation</em> right now by Daniel Pink. It was written in 2001. I have to wonder--how much is it just a minority alternative, how feasible is it really that a majority of the workforce could work that way? And how many people would want to? Not everyone wants to work so independently. The fulltime with benefits model is screwy. It’s not necessarily best for employees or employers, but we’re largely stuck with it for now. The only reason I can work as a consultant (i.e., independent contractor without benefits) is because my husband has a regular job with health care coverage for our family of five.

I am reading Free Agent Nation right now by Daniel Pink. It was written in 2001. I have to wonder–how much is it just a minority alternative, how feasible is it really that a majority of the workforce could work that way? And how many people would want to? Not everyone wants to work so independently.

]]> By: rick gregory http://www.annezelenka.com/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-438 rick gregory Sat, 24 Jun 2006 03:20:24 +0000 http://www.annezelenka.com/testbed/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-438 The odd thing about the fulltime with benefits model is that I can earn a very nice living if I can bill about 75% of my hours... Nice enough that I can easily cover the $300/month health coverage, and I'm likely less expensive than a fulltime employee. Yet finding that type of gig is not straightforward. More than anything it's this discontinuity between what people talk about and how they act that makes me doubt Stowe Boyd and others who trumpet the individual as the new group and social technologies as our near-term future. For an edge few, perhaps. But not for most people, not in the next decade. I guess I just need to jump into multi-project consulting with both feet. Of course, I'd LOVE to be wrong about all of this... The odd thing about the fulltime with benefits model is that I can earn a very nice living if I can bill about 75% of my hours… Nice enough that I can easily cover the $300/month health coverage, and I’m likely less expensive than a fulltime employee. Yet finding that type of gig is not straightforward. More than anything it’s this discontinuity between what people talk about and how they act that makes me doubt Stowe Boyd and others who trumpet the individual as the new group and social technologies as our near-term future. For an edge few, perhaps. But not for most people, not in the next decade. I guess I just need to jump into multi-project consulting with both feet.

Of course, I’d LOVE to be wrong about all of this…

]]> By: Anne http://www.annezelenka.com/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-436 Anne Sat, 24 Jun 2006 02:15:05 +0000 http://www.annezelenka.com/testbed/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-436 Rick, I have also seen that most tech companies are resistant to the idea of virtual teams--witness HP's recent move to cut back on telecommuting for IT staff. Some will agree to it for valued workers who want to move and continue to work for the company. Oracle routinely supported that; I had my first experience of working remotely when I worked for them and moved from California to Virginia. But there wasn't a thoroughgoing commitment to virtual teams, which seems like part of the key to making it work. Doing one-offs with individual contributors doesn't achieve the same effect as having everyone work relatively autonomously and independently. The corporate world is so stuck in old ways of doing things. It's next to impossible to find part-time work, too, because everything's oriented around the full-time-with-benefits model. Will it change in the next ten years? I don't feel all that optimistic either. I hope you find something like it... of course I'm only two weeks into it, kind of still the honeymoon period, but it's exhilarating. Rick, I have also seen that most tech companies are resistant to the idea of virtual teams–witness HP’s recent move to cut back on telecommuting for IT staff. Some will agree to it for valued workers who want to move and continue to work for the company. Oracle routinely supported that; I had my first experience of working remotely when I worked for them and moved from California to Virginia. But there wasn’t a thoroughgoing commitment to virtual teams, which seems like part of the key to making it work. Doing one-offs with individual contributors doesn’t achieve the same effect as having everyone work relatively autonomously and independently.

The corporate world is so stuck in old ways of doing things. It’s next to impossible to find part-time work, too, because everything’s oriented around the full-time-with-benefits model. Will it change in the next ten years? I don’t feel all that optimistic either.

I hope you find something like it… of course I’m only two weeks into it, kind of still the honeymoon period, but it’s exhilarating.

]]> By: rick gregory http://www.annezelenka.com/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-437 rick gregory Sat, 24 Jun 2006 01:46:21 +0000 http://www.annezelenka.com/testbed/2006/06/the-wisdom-of-crowds-the-power-of-virtual-teams#comment-437 This is a subject that's been on my mind for the last several weeks. Partly because I'm looking for a new contract, partly because I may leave Seattle. In spite of everything you cited above (all of which makes sense to me and I fully believe), I see very few technology companies who actually are implementing virtual teams. Tech companies should be among the most accepting of this way of working, yet from startups to large companies, jobs are almost always listed as "in ". Now, sure, opening it up makes hiring harder and managing more challenging - and if I was a finalist and pushed the issue, some might allow this - but if the tech sector by and large doesn't do this, why do we expect other sectors will? And if they don't or won't, what's the purpose of all of this collaboration and social technology? If I were a startup, I'd LOVE to work this way - reduced overhead and the ability to recruit anyone, from anywhere? With no relocation expenses? Are you kidding? I'd like to think we're merely in a transition and a decade from now this will look different. But that feels like whistling in the dark to me right now. This is a subject that’s been on my mind for the last several weeks. Partly because I’m looking for a new contract, partly because I may leave Seattle. In spite of everything you cited above (all of which makes sense to me and I fully believe), I see very few technology companies who actually are implementing virtual teams. Tech companies should be among the most accepting of this way of working, yet from startups to large companies, jobs are almost always listed as “in “. Now, sure, opening it up makes hiring harder and managing more challenging - and if I was a finalist and pushed the issue, some might allow this - but if the tech sector by and large doesn’t do this, why do we expect other sectors will? And if they don’t or won’t, what’s the purpose of all of this collaboration and social technology? If I were a startup, I’d LOVE to work this way - reduced overhead and the ability to recruit anyone, from anywhere? With no relocation expenses? Are you kidding?

I’d like to think we’re merely in a transition and a decade from now this will look different. But that feels like whistling in the dark to me right now.

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