{"id":11141,"date":"2012-11-25T20:33:18","date_gmt":"2012-11-26T03:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=11141"},"modified":"2012-11-26T17:39:58","modified_gmt":"2012-11-27T00:39:58","slug":"lost-in-translation-working-with-global-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/?p=11141","title":{"rendered":"Lost In Translation – Working With Global Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Global Teams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As business leaders strive to leverage technology and communication platforms to conduct business globally, working in global teams is becoming increasingly prevalent. \u00a0Clearly, we can acknowledge the upside of working in global teams \u2013 as our local U.S. team sleeps at night, there could be a global team working diligently elsewhere in their normal business hours, maximizing productivity literally round the clock. \u00a0However, managing and working with global teams present geographic, logistical, linguistic and cultural considerations.\u00a0 Being unaware of communication and cultural nuances could challenge team relationships and project execution. \u00a0It is essential to have in place a strategy that builds cultural and other diversity awareness, builds understanding and collaboration through team building, and builds communication and active listening methods to avoid confusion and conflict.<\/p>\n

Consider the following best practices:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Make global teams on both sides aware of the overall objectives, the scope of the project and deliverables.\u00a0 Make all sides aware of the process and the desired results.\u00a0 Further, why is working globally essential to the project\u2019s success, and is this purpose clear to your local and global teams? How will your global team positively impact the organization\u2019s success and how will you communicate this benefit to all teams?<\/li>\n
  2. Understand labor and employment laws in your global team\u2019s country. \u00a0Your company\u2019s Human Resources and Legal departments may be able to assist in building this awareness.\u00a0 By educating yourself on any labor and employment factors, you can identify potential legal risks.<\/li>\n
  3. Wherever possible, bring the teams physically together. \u00a0If this is not feasible, at least ensure that your local U.S. project leader visits your global team.\u00a0 Learning about the offshore work environment can help transition global team interaction as well as identify any potential project limitations. \u00a0Conversely, if members of your global team are able to visit, be sensitive to any logistical, cultural and dietary concerns.<\/li>\n
  4. Be flexible to working with your global team\u2019s time zone.\u00a0 Your willingness to meet the other team half-way on logistical grounds helps establish your good faith.\u00a0 However, be aware that a subordinate contractual relationship between global teams can sometimes establish who accommodates whose time zone.<\/li>\n
  5. Begin the project by building cultural awareness.\u00a0 \u00a0Educate each side about respective cultures, traditions and holidays. \u00a0Kickoff with a global team building activity using video conferencing or a Skype call. \u00a0Find ways to discover and exchange fun facts about each person through virtual games.\u00a0 Talk about hobbies, holidays and other personal interests to find common ground. \u00a0Team members with shared common interests can follow up to further strengthen their relationships.<\/li>\n
  6. Get to know your teams\u2019 behavioral styles.\u00a0 Using personality tests such as Myers Briggs can identify any possible conflicting behavioral styles.\u00a0 Consider having a communication workshop to help your teams be better equipped at handling any differences.<\/li>\n
  7. Use meeting facilitation best practices. \u00a0Email detailed meeting agendas and important points prior to a meeting as this provides an opportunity for your global team members to digest the discussion topics in written form. \u00a0Most non-native English speakers are stronger in written rather than oral communication so a written preface presents an advance opportunity to prepare for a meeting. \u00a0After a meeting, send out detailed meeting notes to summarize the discussion and indicate action items, deliverables and persons responsible for deliverables. \u00a0Additionally, consider providing follow up opportunities such as using online discussion boards to make communication and interaction easier for your teams.<\/li>\n
  8. Foster good multicultural communication best practices.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    (a)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Educate yourself and local U.S. team members in basic greetings in the global team\u2019s native language. \u00a0Most can easily learn common phrases such as \u201cPlease\u201d, \u201cThank You\u201d, \u201cYou\u2019re welcome\u201d, and \u201cGoodbye\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0Cultural differences may be diffused simply by showing people from other cultures that you are willing to understand them and communicate in their language. \u00a0In fact, your willingness to stumble over foreign phrases may help lift any language or cultural barriers from non-native English speakers as they communicate in English as a foreign language.<\/p>\n

    (b)\u00a0\u00a0 Speak English slowly as non-native English speakers may have difficulty following fast English speech.\u00a0 Use standard, grammatically correct English \u2013 avoid idiomatic or colloquial phrases that have origins in local U.S. popular culture. \u00a0This is of utmost importance as people from other countries may be unaware of idiomatic expressions that have no cultural reference elsewhere. \u00a0Avoid using phrases such as: \u00a0\u201cmeeting minutes\u201d, \u201cwild goose chase\u201d, \u201cstay tuned\u201d, \u201chold on\u201d, \u201cfoot in the mouth\u201d, \u201cknee jerk reaction\u201d and the like.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Global teams, when managed effectively, can prove to be a significant competitive advantage.\u00a0 Following global communication and other remote project management best practices ensures your success in working with global teams, and enables these interactions to become profitable business opportunities for your company.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    As business leaders strive to leverage technology and communication platforms to conduct business globally, working in global teams is becoming […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1537,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[852,19,6,853,854,855,849,851,850],"tags":[1079,1152,1153,222],"class_list":["post-11141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pmbok-process","category-global","category-communications","category-pmbok-process-initiating","category-pmbok-process-planning","category-pmbok-process-executing","category-team-leadership","category-global-leadership-leadership","category-organizational-leadership","tag-business-success","tag-global-communication","tag-global-project-management","tag-global-teams"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1537"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11141"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11145,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11141\/revisions\/11145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/svapm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}