Why do some international Teams function as a smooth machine while others stumble along from one conflict to another. Good leadership is what makes the difference. Members of the team come together with different expectations, perspectives and communication styles. It is up to the manager to guide and mould them into an effective operational unit. Distefano and Maznevskis research, at the European institute for management diversity, Demonstrates that a well managed international team will outperform a national team.
The reasons for this are not just the obvious time advantages, i.e. that global teams are able to function 24/7 due to time difference, but that more importantly, if the manager has a global mindset he is able to work with the groups’ diversity to create a high performing synergy.
A global mindset allows the manager to successfully access the needed criteria for business development and then have the flexibility and sensitivity to apply it in different cultures and contexts. This understanding can be split into four areas:
Global mindset has the prerequisite that leaders value difference and understand that it creates value. That they are open to new ideas and are perceptive and effective communicators. Flexibility in both their judgment and behavior allow them to operate with the various styles of leadership that exist within the cultures that they operate. Still one of the most vital skills of an international manager is the ability to build rapport. Having good relationships with key people allows the manger to delegate, gives him/ her the possibility to receive accurate data on on-going developments and allows him/her to manage conflict and change ( an inevitable part of international management).
The ABC of operating as a leader within an intercultural context is
The main task of the leader working within an intercultural context is the establishment and maintenance of Trust. Trust is both the oil which allows the team to function effectively and the glue which holds it together. Without trust the very functionality of the team is put at risk and productivity is affected and unnecessary checking procedures are introduced to make up for the inevitable breakdown in communication.
An awareness on the side of the manager that different cultures evaluate whether to trust someone by different criteria is essential. Trust as well as being a sensitive area is one that unfortunately is not often focused on within teams but clearly it plays a direct role in the success or failure of the team.
How much trust exists within your team?
Written by Nick Parry International Development Partner of Business Performance Academy