How Cisco Took Me Where No One Has Gone Before

When I first facilitated a meeting using video conferencing, I thought I was high tech. I thought the same when I made my first call to Europe using video Skype. When I saw the movie Avatar, I thought nothing could get more 3-D. until I experienced Cisco TelePresence®.

Cisco began and continues to be one of the most innovative companies in the world, not only for it’s technology but for it’s workplace culture. I recently got to experience the miraculous technology of Cisco TelePesence® first-hand, when I met with Marilyn Nagel, Chief Diversity Officer at Cisco and Ken Lotich from the public relations team, at Cisco headquarters in San Jose, California. Randall Lane, Senior Manager of Global Inclusion & Diversity sat at our table, but he was actually over 800 miles away in Seattle, Washington.

This was a true example of “reach out and touch,” without touch. For those of you who have not seen Cisco TelePresence®, imagine being one of the flying objects in the movie Avatar. You’re not exactly in the movie, but you might as well be, and instead of a flying object and an Avatar, you’re sitting across the table, or next to someone who’s across the world.

Cisco has developed this technology that lets you connect with customers, colleagues and suppliers anywhere in the world. The way that it integrates audio, ultra-high-definition video, and other advanced technology makes people 6,000 miles away from each other, feel as if they are in the same room. 

To me, as a global consultant, this elevates global business and relationships to a “whole ‘nother level.” (As Keenan Michael-Key on Mad TV would say) 

I knew I needed to learn more about the type of Cisco culture that could birth this breakthrough technology, and at the same time consistently be named one of the best places to work by Working Mother, Diversity Best Practices, Computerworld, and Fortune Magazine.

Marilyn Nagel, Chief Diversity Officer at Cisco, explained that Cisco TelePresence®, was in alignment with the Cisco culture of high touch, high tech and inclusion.

“We are an international organization, and believe that we are more creative when we share ideas and interact, than when we are not working in silos. The use of Telepresence® allows us to hold “in person meetings,” without travel. Employees build trust more quickly with visual cues, which reduces cycle time, and prevents miscommunication. They can spend more time sharing resources and information, which results in more creativity and innovation.”

When I speak at national conferences or facilitate workshops with employees who interact with each other over the phone but never see each other, there is a common theme that they are always so glad to finally see what the other person looks like. Often, it is too easy to make assumptions about other people when you don’t see them, which can impact working relationships.

Based on the hundreds of organizations, and thousands of people I’ve worked with, I’ve found that most people want to feel part of a community while they are at work. Employees that work in organizations that have community cultures tend to be more engaged, feel less isolated and less stressed which means they can be more successful.

With its organizational culture and values. and development and use of TelePresence, Cisco exemplifies the kind of leadership that a dynamic organization needs to keep growing, learning and transforming.

While TelePresence®, is definitely breakthrough, I know that at some point, more organizations will develop similar technologies, and Cisco TelePresence®, will not be the only game in town, but with it’s breakthrough leadership and talent, I can only wonder what’s next.

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