HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeLeadershipback to Research & KnowledgeLeading in turbulent times webinar series: 7 deadly sins of virtual communicationback to Leadership

Video

Leading in turbulent times webinar series: 7 deadly sins of virtual communication

Tips for teams

By Ina Toegel and Michael Yaziji

March 2020

This webinar with Ina Toegel, IMD Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change, and Michael Yaziji, Professor of Strategy and Leadership at IMD, appeared live on Monday 30^th March, at 11am CET.

The world’s virtual communication skills have never been put to the test more than now, as working from home becomes the new norm for the vast majority of people, under new coronavirus conditions.

Turning on the camera and logging into Zoom might seem simple but there is far more to the art of useful virtual communication. Do we really understand this format? What are the major barriers we are experiencing to the best possible experience of this new normal way to work?

This is the overarching theme of this webinar, which offers many useful tips for employees whether their main concern is technological issues, lack of emotional connection, sub-optimal engagement or an ebbing sense of routine.

They also offered advice on issues that would be hard to pick up on. For example, it’s best for everyone to use video in order to boost engagement and tap into facial expressions. In the event where more than one person could potentially dial in from the same computer, it’s best that they don’t as it creates negative “us” versus “them” vibes.

Team leaders should encourage humour and fun (the likes of formal Fridays, with suits and ties for the camera); must also acknowledge people’s likely fatigue; and should beware an entirely task-focussed stream of calls. Learn insights like these and more on how to keep up your team’s spirit, as well as boost performance.

To view all webinars, please visit our Leading in Turbulent Times page here.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Case Study

The five types of negotiators: Understanding diverse negotiator styles

Negotiation Coaching Communication General Management Leadership Value Creation

By Michael D. Watkins

Case Study

Sheng Siong Supermarket in Singapore: A unique values-based advantage?

Family Business Customer Centricity Leadership

By Marleen Dieleman, Yunfei Feng and Yu Jing Gan

Case Study

SURFing the TSUNAMI: A framework for assessing and adapting in turbulent times

Future Readiness Agility Business Transformation Leadership

By Michael D. Watkins

Article

The ‘responsibility paradox’ in era of sharecropper capitalism

Many new businesses have emerged in recent years with few employees, no roots in the community, and heavily reliant on Big Tech for survival.

Disruption Leadership Technology Management

By Jerry Davis

in I by IMD

Article

The ‘responsibility paradox’ in era of sharecropper capitalism

Many new businesses have emerged in recent years with few employees, no roots in the community, and heavily reliant on Big Tech for survival.

Disruption Leadership Technology Management

By Jerry Davis

in I by IMD

Case Study

GreenGro (A): Cultivating a future

Future Readiness Agility Business Transformation Leadership

By Michael D. Watkins

Case Study

GreenGro (B): SURFing the TSUNAMI

Future Readiness Agility Business Transformation Leadership

By Michael D. Watkins

Article

Feeling Stuck - Career Move - Expert Tips

Thinking about a career change? Keen to move industry or transition into a new role? IMD professors share the best advice they have received or gleaned over their careers.

Leadership

By Julia Katharina Binder, Robert Hooijberg, Alyson Meister, Michael D. Watkins, John R. Weeks, Stefan Michel and Howard H. Yu

in I by IMD

Report

Lead the change: Pushing past roadblocks to drive sustainable business transformation in Europe

In today’s rapidly changing world, the urgency to maintain focus on sustainability has never been greater. While the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution demands immediate action, new challenges such as geopo...

Sustainability Business Transformation Innovation Leadership

By Julia Katharina Binder, Mahwesh Khan, Esther Salvi, Divya Bhatia, Florent Andrillon, Juliette De Maupeou and Liza Garay de Vaubernier

10 January 2025

AllSaints: Balancing the heart and head for sustainable results

By Susan Goldsworthy and Nancy Lane
Case reference: IMD-7-2463 ©2024

Summary

While retail company AllSaints had delivered a great performance in 2022 – with revenues of £470 million – it faced multiple challenges. First, keeping stores open was a fundamental strategy for the company to connect to customers and deliver a better employer proposition, but foot traffic had not returned to pre-pandemic levels and stores were not profitable. Second, the customer service department had experienced increased calls due to the digital channel and had requested more staff. However, it experienced a high turnover. Finally, the management team had agreed in mid-2021 to transition the customer service role away from the central team and toward stores but nothing had happened yet, resulting in a heavy customer workload on Black Friday. The case explores how AllSaints CEO Pete Wood examined and worked to resolve these issues.

Reference IMD-7-2463

Organization AllSaints

Industry Consumer Services, Retail

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Browse all topics

The five types of negotiators: Understanding diverse negotiator styles

By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2596 ©2024

Summary

This note, designed for use in sessions and programs on negotiation, explores five distinct negotiator types: competitor, collaborator, strategist, innovator and problem solver. Each type has unique characteristics, strengths and weaknesses that come into play in negotiation scenarios. The competitor is assertive and results-focused, excelling in crises but potentially struggling with long-term relationships. The collaborator seeks win-win outcomes and thrives in complex negotiations. The strategist is analytical and methodical, focusing on long-term outcomes. The innovator is adaptable and creative, finding unique solutions in dynamic environments. The problem solver is practical and efficient, focusing on workable solutions. The note provides detailed profiles of each type, including their approach, assumptions, strengths and weaknesses, and it also makes recommendations for improvement. It offers guidance on identifying these types and suggests strategies for effectively negotiating with each one. A comparative analysis explores how the types differ in primary focus, approach to conflict, and risk tolerance. The framework builds upon previous negotiation models while offering a more comprehensive and actionable categorization. It also discusses cultural considerations in negotiation styles and includes a self-assessment tool to help readers identify their own negotiation style.

Reference IMD-7-2596

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Negotiation

Coaching

Communication

General Management

Leadership

Value Creation

Browse all topics

Sheng Siong Supermarket in Singapore: A unique values-based advantage?

By Marleen Dieleman Yunfei Feng and Yu Jing Gan
Case reference: IMD-7-2589 ©2025

Summary

Founded by Lim Hock Chee in 1985, Sheng Siong has evolved from a humble grocery store into a leading supermarket chain in Singapore, renowned for its cost-effective pricing and commitment to customer satisfaction. Mr Lim’s unique philosophy, which emphasizes self-cultivation, perseverance and positivity, has been instrumental in shaping Sheng Siong’s culture and driving its success. Under his guidance, Sheng Siong has grown to over 74 stores, expanded into China and embraced digital innovation while staying true to its heartland roots. However, with evolving consumer behavior and increasing competition from online platforms, Sheng Siong faces new challenges. Can Mr Lim’s philosophy continue to inspire innovation and guide Sheng Siong toward sustained growth and success in the future?

Reference IMD-7-2589

Organization Sheng Siong Group

Industry Consumer Services, Retail

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Family Business

Customer Centricity

Leadership

Browse all topics

SURFing the TSUNAMI: A framework for assessing and adapting in turbulent times

By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2629 ©2024

Summary

This technical note introduces two powerful frameworks for navigating complex, rapidly changing business environments: TSUNAMI and SURF. The TSUNAMI framework provides a comprehensive tool for assessing external challenges across seven dimensions: technological disruption, socio-economic shifts, upheaval potential, network vulnerability, accelerating climate impacts, market transformation, and impact intensity. The SURF framework complements this by focusing on developing adaptive organizational capabilities: strategic thinking, unified ecosystem leadership, resilient organization and flexible tenacity. The note offers detailed explanations of each framework, practical assessment tools and guidance on their application. It serves as a standalone resource for leaders and organizations seeking to enhance their ability to thrive in turbulent times. Additionally, it provides the theoretical foundation for the GreenGro case series (A) and (B) (IMD-7-2627 and IMD-7-2628), which illustrates the practical application of these frameworks in a real-world scenario. Whether used independently or in conjunction with the GreenGro cases, this technical note equips readers with valuable tools for systematic analysis of complex business environments and development of adaptive organizational capabilities. It is designed to be relevant across various industries and applicable to different levels of management education, from advanced undergraduates to executive education participants.

Reference IMD-7-2629

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Future Readiness

Agility

Business Transformation

Leadership

Browse all topics

Related topics

Disruption

Leadership

Technology Management

Browse all topics

The ‘responsibility paradox’ in era of sharecropper capitalism

By Jerry Davis
in I by IMD

Summary

Many new businesses have emerged in recent years with few employees, no roots in the community, and heavily reliant on Big Tech for survival.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Disruption

Leadership

Technology Management

Browse all topics

GreenGro (A): Cultivating a future

By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2627 ©2024

Summary

The GreenGro (A) case explores the challenges faced by GreenGro, a mid-sized agricultural technology company, as it navigates a rapidly changing industry landscape. CEO Sarah Chen and her leadership team are confronting issues ranging from technological disruption and shifting customer demographics to climate change impacts and supply chain vulnerabilities. The case provides a rich context for applying the TSUNAMI framework to diagnose multifaceted challenges and the SURF framework to develop critical organizational capabilities. These two frameworks are summarized in a technical note: “Surfing the TSUNAMI: A framework for assessing and adapting in turbulent times” (IMD-7-2629). The case presents students with the opportunity to analyze complex business situations, develop strategic responses and understand the interconnected nature of external challenges and internal adaptive capabilities. A follow-up case, “GreenGro (B): SURFing the TSUNAMI” (IMD-7-2628), is available to showcase how the company applied these frameworks to navigate its challenges. It provides students with insights into the practical application of the TSUNAMI and SURF frameworks in a real-world scenario.

Reference IMD-7-2627

Organization GreenGro (Fictionalized)

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Future Readiness

Agility

Business Transformation

Leadership

Browse all topics