Uniting teams during change
The Challenge
It’s been quite a journey
When I began my tenure as Global Design & Strategy Lead for Amdocs Studios, my team had been though a lot: growth, acquisitions, restructuring, layoffs, more restructuring, and more layoffs. They felt discouraged, disheartened, and disconnected.
And there was still division among global UX groups years after an aquisition made us “one team.” Because we were still operating as separate units, there were pockets of mistrust & resentment among our team of 65.
Among my strategic goals from senior management: Unify the team & engage them by building a strong culture.
My Approach
Mapping initiatives to goals
Make personal connections
Mistrust and resentment grow when people don’t feel heard or valued. My first priority: Schedule 1:1s with each member, starting with groups who felt most isolated & discouraged.
We discussed their career journeys, concerns & celebrations, as well as their “superpowers.” This helped me find opportunities to better foster belonging. And knowing my team’s talents & vocations improved project resourcing.
Elevate & involve people at all levels
People feel more committed at work when they have a personal stake. I ensured that my global leadership team included members from all legacy units & entrusted them each to help lead important initiatives (e.g., role definition & career progression, learning & development, etc.) according to their experience & passions.
I also created committees comprised of my direct leadership reports, SMEs, & trailblazers within the team to help drive initiatives, such as the Tools Committee, who helped test, vet, & define an ideal AI-enabled toolset. I also created channels so all team members could propose ideas & initiatives.
Create shared team rituals
I adjusted our regular All-Hands meetings to include work shareouts, project showcases, & more opportunities to celebrate the team’s personal triumphs (e.g., publishing articles, marriages, gaining certifications). I also instituted a cross-departmental collaborative peer learning series, Collab Lab, to create a network of expert resources within our team.
Establish trust through transparency
Change is destablizing & fear grows in a void. So I proactively communicated company news so the team never had to guess what was going on, especially during major changes. Even when I didn’t have the whole story, I told them what I knew, kept them updated when I learned more, IDed where they’d need extra support, & found creative solutions for supplying it. I believe you can always find a positive in any situation. I made sure my team could benefit from that.
Results
I created a united & energized team
We’re always going to be separated by time zone & project. And change is a given. But engaged & fulfilled teams mean better results. The team has organically started interest groups that involve members from all legacy orgs. They also report feeling excited again to exchange information & inspiration.