The culture and the global team

The homogeneous team is a thing of the past in most international organizations and companies. More and more teams are made up of people of different nationalities and therefore different cultures, languages, ideas, behaviors and ways of doing things. Some would argue that the ‘international language of business’ negates any communication problems within such a cross-cultural team; however, those with practical experience of such equipment would disagree.

When people from different cultural backgrounds come together in any setting, there will always be problems in terms of interaction. This is because they bring their own cultural baggage with them in terms of how they do things and expect things to be done. Cross-cultural issues will not always be an obstacle, in fact, many times they can be a force for positive creativity, but when culture clash occurs, it has a negative impact, especially within a team.

In order to introduce the idea of ​​intercultural communication within a global team, we focus on four examples of problems that occur when team members are of different nationalities.

> Language

Although English may always be the language of the office, it does not mean that everyone is totally confident in its use. Also keep in mind that they may not appreciate the language to the same extent as a native speaker. Problems resulting from this include:

* Non-native English speakers may be more reluctant to express themselves freely. This could interfere with the ability of team members to offer their maximum contribution.

* Non-native speakers may not always be able to express themselves the way they intended. Words may be misused, given the wrong emphasis, or statements may appear rude.

* Some cultures rely heavily on the use of body language and gestures. When non-verbal signals are given, others will not pick up on them. Additionally, your communication style may be inhibited when meetings are held virtually.

Some things that team leaders or team members can do to improve this are:

* Provide additional opportunities for all team members to contribute more easily. For example, give people a chance to write things down before a meeting or as part of a follow-up.

* Keep language simple: avoid idioms, slang, irony, etc.

* Non-verbal communication is important. Team members should be aware of the ways in which members may express negative responses or concepts. For example, silence may be a method that could be misconstrued as agreement in other cultures.

> Conflict Resolution

Different cultures approach conflict sometimes in very contrasting ways. Some cultures accept that conflict occurs in the natural order of things and that when it does happen, it must be dealt with directly and directly. However, other cultures are uncomfortable with open disagreement and will go to great lengths to avoid it in order to save face and not put people in awkward positions. They can withdraw or withhold their opinion if someone strongly disagrees rather than confront someone else.

It is important for a team to define how it wants to handle conflict and disagreement. However, even after you have defined a process for conflict management, it is important to keep in mind that cultural values ​​are difficult to change. People from cultures where harmony is more important will not yet be totally comfortable dealing with conflict and confrontation. What is key is that all parties are aware of such differences and are sensitive to ways of approaching the conflict.

> gender

Each culture or society has its own understanding of gender relations and acts accordingly. What is acceptable in one culture may offend in another. This can play a role in a team to a degree, especially when both ends of the spectrum are represented on a team.

The way men and women interact on a team, the way authority is assigned, assumed or perceived, and the way roles and responsibilities are distributed can all be affected by different views of gender. . As issues arise, it’s best to address the issue head-on and agree that specific protocols exist within the company or team when it comes to gender interaction.

> Decision making

Different cultures have different ways of making and expecting decisions to be made. Some hope that consensus is the only way to go, meaning that all team members should be approached for their views and use rational discussion to reach agreement. Others believe that the majority rules and debate is a waste of time. Then, there are others who believe that the decisions are made by the leader or the most important person and not by the team.

A global team will have to agree on how decisions will be made. When you consider the decision-making process, it’s not just the bottom line that you need to discuss. It is the process you go through when you make the decision. For example:

* Is it okay for the juniors on a team to disagree with the more senior people?

* Are the discussions limited or open?

* Is it typical for decisions to emerge through a step-by-step process or is it more organic in nature?

* Is consensus necessary or will majority rule suffice?

* To what extent are people expected to support the decisions despite their original objections?

In conclusion, for cross-cultural teams to be successful, managers and team members must be attuned to cultural differences. Companies need to be supportive, proactive and innovative if they want to take advantage of the potential benefits that these global teams can offer. This goes beyond funding and creating technology ties to bringing people closer on a superficial level and going back to basics by fostering better interpersonal communication.