In today's global business environment, your key working relationships, encompassing projects, team members, clients, and stakeholders, may span multiple continents. Effective and clear communication is more critical than ever in this complex and constantly changing world, as it helps transcend geographical boundaries.

Navigating the global business landscape from a managerial perspective of a relationship-oriented (collectivistic) culture, where group interests prevail over individual, group harmony and tacit agreement are valued, you might find it challenging and frustrating to lead team members from task-oriented (individualistic) cultures that prioritise the importance of  individual perspectives and outspokenness:

Team meetings may often feel like a storm of differing opinions and loud voices. 

As a leader, you may think that open disagreements and asserting individual ideas are self-promotion, disrespectful or defiant. 

You might feel your team members lack respect and are co...

In a world intensely transformed by globalisation, leaders face a major hidden challenge. How do we navigate the intricate dynamics of cultural differences?

Managers from more individualistic cultures, such as the US, UK, Australia, Scandinavia, or France, for example, will find that the leadership playbook changes drastically when their team comprises members from collectivist cultures, like most Asian, African and South American countries, and some countries in Eastern and Southern Europe. 

Why does this matter? Because culture is a powerful force that shapes interpersonal interactions, decision-making styles, and work ethics. Understanding these nuances isn't just beneficial—it's essential to prevent miscommunication, foster productivity, and maintain workplace harmony.

Understanding the Cultural Dimensions At Play: Individualism vs Collectivism

Upon delving into the cultural dimensions formulated by Geert Hofstede, a prominent name in cultural studies, we encounter a fundame...

When conversations about the need for better analytical and creative thinking in your team evolve, the predominant thought that emerges for you as a manager can be, "Who could best bring these skills to the table?'" 

Instead of looking outward for fresh faces with better thinking skills, turning inward to nurture the critical thinking and problem-solving abilities of your existing team can yield significant rewards. Like any professional skill, cognitive skills can be nurtured and developed. Prioritising creating an environment that fosters the development of each member's analytical and creative capacities is essential.

A recent survey by the World Economic Forum highlights the paramount importance of cognitive skills. In the Future of Jobs Report 2023, analytical thinking and creative thinking topped the list of skills judged to be of the most significant importance to workers right now. They are also at the top of the list of skills needed in the future between now and the year 20...

“Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships”.

 -Steven Covey

All businesses and teams need trust to work effectively and, especially when expected to deliver outstanding results and creative problem-solving. As a global team leader, you know how important trust is, but do you know where your team stands and what steps to take to improve things?

According to PwC’s Trust Survey 2023, 79% of executives say their employees highly trust their company, but only 65% of the employees agreed.

Leaders were also asked about the top challenges in building trust. This year, "current company culture" took the first place on that list. Hybrid and remote work seem to play a part in this but there are plenty of tools that will help you overcome these challenges. 

So,what is that process like when you want to build trust within your global team (or company)? 

Building interperso...

As a global team manager, have you noticed how your team members can see basic things like reporting differently from you? This can easily lead to serious problems if you end up misjudging their competence, motivation or intentions. 

We often believe we understand the "right way" to do things at work. But what does that indeed imply? Typically, it means you are familiar with the standard practices of your profession and the usual methods within your team that usually work in your cultural surroundings. It's understandable for you to expect your team to adhere to these norms. 

However, it's crucial to communicate your expectations to them, especially when your team members have different cultural backgrounds. It's easy to overlook that the "right way" can vary significantly based on cultural context.

If you desire your team to operate in a specific manner, it's essential to reflect on the following:

Have you effectively communicated and clarified your expectations to your team membe...

 

"Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team of people."

– Steve Jobs

Collaboration is a unique process for each group of people, and as a team manager, you can take steps to foster it so it becomes more effective. 

These steps can look markedly different for groups, teams, high-performing teams, and global high-performing teams. For high performance, your team’s collaboration needs to evolve. It involves a) understanding the differences and recognising where your team is right now and b) moving through each stage. 

This blog post will explore the distinctions between the four stages: what exactly is a group, team, high-performing team, or global high-performing team? Once you understand them, you can better appreciate their value and importance in the evolution of collaboration as you develop practices for your team.

Groups:

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships."

– Michael Jordan

A group is ...

There is no sugar coating it. You can have talented individuals from diverse backgrounds who try their best to collaborate and fulfill their individual and collective goals. But during problem solving they stumble over biases, cultural misunderstandings, lack of critical thinking and ineffective approaches. As the challenges take longer to overcome and misunderstandings occur, you start noticing frustration. Is this the type of inefficiency that your international team currently runs into?

As a manager, you know that the implications and cost of not addressing these challenges can be profound. You have seen the missed project deadlines due to unresolved internal disputes, a dip in team morale because certain voices feel unheard, or even the loss of team members who feel their unique perspectives are not valued. 

So, it isn't merely about the team’s problem-solving ability when applied to some specific case. It’s about your team’s overall productivity and the lost potential of global ...

Leading a global team comes with its unique set of challenges. As a global team manager, you aren't just navigating time zones and language differences; you're juggling a complex blend of cultures, backgrounds, and expectations. These challenges often prevent your team from hitting its targets. 

But here's the silver lining: When led with the right blend of cultural competency and a commitment to psychological safety, your international team can overcome these barriers and often surpass your monocultural peers in performance.

None of this will happen on its own though. Unlocking that true potential of a diverse international team starts with the team manager. 

In this article, we will explore why you should add cross-cultural competency to your leadership toolbox and commit to creating psychological safety. The answer lies in the results this approach will generate.

Why are some cross-cultural teams outperforming?

Research led by Dr. Carol Kovach sheds light on what drives the ...

Many managers believe that recruiting the most brilliant talent is the key to success but what really drives organisational and team success is a strong, cohesive culture. 

Making a whole team gel and own the outcomes of their work requires thoughtful support that takes into account the potential of everyone you have in your team. You don’t need to have a team full of stars, or a single high performer, if you make sure you are making the most of the potential of the people you are working with. 

So, as a global team leader, are you harnessing the full potential of your team's cognitive diversity? 

Team Culture and Dynamics Sculpt Success, Not Individual Brilliance

Your global team operates in a volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous and hyper-connected (VUCAH) environment where they need to think globally and act locally. Their operational areas constantly grapple with changing environmental, social, political, economic, and business demands. They must navigate through this div...

There was a time when we thought that a high IQ, our ability to solve problems and use logic, was the main characteristic of all successful leaders and managers. 

Then, through working with a number of leaders with high IQs, we learned about the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) - our ability to understand and manage our own emotions, as well as respond appropriately to the emotions of others. 

Emotional intelligence is crucial: many studies have uncovered that, more than average, the most successful leaders have a high IQ and EQ. The combination of excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to establish and maintain relationships with your team, clients, colleagues, and stakeholders, goes hand in hand with success. 

But here’s the issue: emotional intelligence is highly dependent on understanding the social rules of the game and reacting to others’ cues. It needs to be upgraded as the acceptable rules, cues and behaviour change worldwide. That’s why working with peopl...