2 Graduates (M.A Student), Human Resources Management, University of Tehran, Iran 3 M.A in Human Resources Management, University of Tehran, Iran 4 M.A in Public Administration, Azad University of Rafsanjan, Iran Abstract. The Hofstede's cultural framework is one of the most famous studies performed in the field of. Build cross cultural leadership skills in your organization Learn the foundation of cross cultural leadership. Our video based course will provide you with an understanding of intercultural awareness and communication. Through brief, highly focused lessons, you can develop team management skills at your own pace.
Cross Cultural Team Building: Because Relationships are key to success What IS Cross Cultural Team Building?Team building is a process which, first and foremost, helps to develop trust amongst team members. It is a critical foundation for the team to be truly effective. This is challenging enough with any team, but there are particular challenges with a culturally diverse or international team.
To a certain extent, our beliefs and values are formed from our interactions with our family and community. Living in different parts of the world, and having extremely different histories, can give rise to some very different perceptions. Cross Cultural Team Building focuses on developing trust between people that may have very different values and believes.
Why is Cross Cultural Team Building so important?Our world is becoming more interconnected. Businesses are rapidly expanding into global markets. People travel for pleasure, business and education. And there are increasing opportunities for people to move, either temporarily or permanently, to other countries.
So the workplace is becoming more diverse. You may find yourself working remotely with people from other countries (virtual teams). Or you may find that more people from other countries and cultures are being placed in the local workplace. This is not a short term trend! So we need to find ways of empowering culturally diverse teams to work together effectively.
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Are Cross Cultural Teams different than other teams?I asked this questions several years ago while in an international MBA Program. And it lead to several different research projects. You can read more about each of these:But the very short answer is – yes there are some differences! And these can have both positive and negative impacts. The bottom line is that by developing team building skills and managers can direct more positive outcomes. Team Building Tips for ManagersLike any form of team building, it takes time, commitment and support.
You can’t just send people away on a weekend retreat and expect magic. So here are my 4 top tips for cross cultural team building: Set clear expectationsWhile those in your own culture may implicitly know what is considered appropriate behaviour in the workplace, there may be some very different practices in other parts of the world.For example – here, punctuality is very important.
It demonstrates respect for your team mates time, and the success of our workplace. If you have an emergency which will cause you to be late, you should phone your team leader as soon as possible. If anyone is consistently late without reason or notice, they will be fired.You can have this discussion with your entire team at the onset, and invite questions so that everyone understands what is expected of them. Provide aThere are many benefits of cross cultural training for both you and your team. It is important for all team members to gain a deep understanding that:. We all have different beliefs and values.
Each of us tend to think that we are right and others are wrong (ethnocentrism). All of us need to be aware of our ethnocentrism and consciously open our minds to other perceptions. Conflict is normal, but needs to be managed respectfullyThat is why I have developed an can help the team develop new awareness and skills.
Encourage the use of different modes of communication.People from other cultures may have varied levels of competence with English language. And even for those that are proficient, accents can often make speech difficult to understand. Encourage the team to compliment verbal communication with written and visual (diagrams, photos, etc.) to get key concepts across. Use lots of examples and tell stories about your own experiences. Face to face meetings could include whiteboards, blackboards, large sheets of paper and markers, etc. And there are many good tools for online meetings that allow for both audio (discussion) written (text message) and other visual (slides, videos, etc.) Be creative!
Allow sufficient time in a low stress environment.Too often, we throw people into a team and expect them to start working on a complex project immediately. This stress can greatly inhibit trust building. In fact it can lead to conflict, which if not managed, can result in long lasting resentment and mistrust. So start your team off with non-critical work which will allow them to develop their team process and communication skills. Make sure they have a solid foundation, and gradually build up the complexity of their assignments.
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Allow them to experience success early and often. Build cross cultural leadership skills in your organizationLearn the foundation of cross cultural leadershipOur video based course will provide you with an understanding of intercultural awareness and communication. Through brief, highly focused lessons, you can develop team management skills at your own pace.