Thanks to advances in technology, project team members scattered around multiple time zones work together as a matter of routine. However, without a keen understanding of important cultural differences that are most likely to affect collaboration, many virtual project teams struggle to achieve their goals, or sometimes simply fall apart.
In this article, co-authored once again with my colleague Rich Johnston, an IT Architect for Carrier Corporation in Syracuse, NY, we explore practical tips and techniques for remote leaders of cross-cultural project teams who want to take best advantage of the diverse talent and perspectives of all team members.
While some of these tips may be true for all virtual project teams or all cross-cultural teams, they are especially important for global project teams that rely on virtual communication as their primary means to collaborate. We wrote these tips with North American-based companies in mind, focusing on same-time meetings. However, these tips can be applied to globally dispersed organizations and virtual project teams based anywhere.
Start with an unambiguous, realistic agenda
State what you plan to achieve in clear, simple language. Especially if new members are joining, indicate that the meeting will be held in English. Build in sufficient time to allow non-native English speakers to translate into their local language and back into English, which can take up to 50% more time than a native English speaker may need. Make it clear what you expect from each participant in the form of prework and participation during the meeting. Let team members know if substitutions or additions are acceptable, which is often the case if a strong command of English is required.
Establish and enforce meeting norms
At the start of the meeting, summarize which countries, languages and time zones are represented. Ask people to clear their desktops of any additional work during the call to allow for full and active participation by all. Remind people to speak clearly and avoid making interruptions. If you’re using a web meeting tool, review the functions you plan to use, such as raising hands or sharing desktops. Make sure all know how to mute the phone, and remind people to say names before speaking. Indicate under what conditions team members may use instant messaging (or tweets). Remind people of the need to stay focused on the objectives, and indicate how you plan to capture and address “parking lot” issues that you won’t have time to discuss during this meeting. Another norm that helps all feel equally valued regardless of location: Rotate meeting times to give everyone a chance to waken up at 5 AM or stay up until midnight.
Keep the language simple
Use the fewest number of words to get your point across, which may require extraordinary preparation. Enunciate each word clearly, taking pains to pronounce them in a neutral accent. (This can be especially difficult for those with strong regional accents, but so critical for non-native English speakers who may become quickly lost when hearing a dropped “r” or a flat “a.”) Avoid idioms and metaphors, which can confound or worse, offend others. Americans in particular tend to use sports metaphors that have little or no meaning elsewhere. Examples: Full-court press, out of left field, slam-dunk.
