This includes making everyone feel included in the process, helping staff members to stay in sync through collaboration, promoting employee wellbeing, recognising high achievers, and more. Managers can effectively communicate with their remotely dispersed workforce by using different mobile applications. To help employees adapt to a hybrid model, you should encourage them to think of your culture as remote-first. Of course, this sudden mindset shift will require perseverance and support from 5 Tips for Adapting to Global Teamwork the management. Nevertheless, the outcome of this exercise will be a more connected and less confused hybrid work culture across the organisation.
Global Teams That Work
We’ll also discuss these and other best practices for managing teams globally in the next section. These structured processes reduce ambiguity and create shared understanding that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. Flexibility is key when working with a team, as it allows you to adapt to changing circumstances and varying team dynamics.
Conclusion on Managing a Global Team
Some individuals thrive when their leader outlines clear processes and deadlines, and they struggle to be productive in environments that lack directive leadership. The degree to which individuals want to make decisions on their own, offer recommendations, and chart their own development paths varies widely depending on whether they have an individualist or collectivist orientation. Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede found that employees from individualist cultures expected to be consulted in decision-making while those from collectivist cultures preferred leaders to make decisions on behalf of the group. INSEAD’s Erin Meyer adds nuance to Hofstede’s finding, noting that most collectivist leaders don’t explicitly solicit their team members’ input, but they do consider their perspectives when making decisions. Their expertise and training usually have their roots in Western, individualistic contexts, steeping them in ideals such as autonomy, empowerment, egalitarianism, and authenticity. Yet according to the GLOBE Leadership Studies, 70% of the world’s workforce is collectivist and hierarchical.
Leadership and communication in global cross-cultural teams
During a virtual meeting, the U.S. team expects to receive direct feedback on a proposal, while their Japanese colleagues, out of respect and hierarchy, prefer to express their concerns indirectly or in private conversations. This can lead to confusion and delays in decision-making if there is no mutual understanding of communication styles. With team members spread across time zones, finding the right mix of real-time and delayed communication becomes crucial.
Building and keeping relationships — whether it’s with a coworker, a manager, or a client — is much easier when your team knows how to manage their emotions. However, adaptability can be learned and many people — especially in the workplace — learn how to become more adaptable. At Ferrazzi Greenlight, we also refer to these as “Yoda in the room” moments. Any team member can call one and if necessary, we break into smaller groups (using breakout rooms if the meeting is virtual) to further encourage frank and honest full-stack developer discussion.
Leverage global recruitment channels
Small talk might seem trivial for some, but it’s a powerful tool for building trust. In others, conversations stick to formal subjects like work or current events. One example of adaptability and flexibility in teamwork is switching roles when needed. This means being willing to take on different tasks, responsibilities, or perspectives depending Full stack developer skills on the situation and the team’s goals.
Provide Opportunities For Personal And Professional Development
- Building and keeping relationships — whether it’s with a coworker, a manager, or a client — is much easier when your team knows how to manage their emotions.
- When team members feel they have a stake in the outcome, they are more likely to stay committed to the common goal.
- For some folks, it might be taking another route in the face of a traffic pileup.
- Through getting to know each other on a deeper level than the scope of your daily tasks, you and your team can form a sense of mutual understanding and surmount some of the obstacles that come with being geographically separated.
- Leaders who care about their employees’ needs or challenges tend to provide the required space to remedy their concerns.
- On a typical day at work, leaders must collaborate across boundaries throughout their organizations.
- They allow you to adjust to changing circumstances, collaborate with diverse people, and overcome obstacles.
From gaining diverse perspectives to round-the-clock productivity, a global team offers unique advantages. By implementing effective coordination strategies and utilizing the right tools, you can overcome the obstacles and ensure seamless collaboration. According to Harvard Business School’s Amy Edmondson, teams need environments where members feel accepted and comfortable enough to take risks and share concerns without fear of embarrassment or retribution. However, the teams included in Google’s study often lacked significant diversity—members were mostly white or South Asian men steeped in Silicon Valley’s culture.