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My French colleagues called me to inform us that they were being sent home from Bangalore after offices were damaged in Bangalore. This was because Rajkumar, the Indian film legend, had died. There was also violence on the streets.
Another time, I was forced to travel with other commuters to Paris to work after strikes over pensions caused more than 90% of high speed trains to be cancelled.
Management of international project teams requires cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity.
This article will provide 7 tips to help you work with international teams on global projects.
This article:
It is common to work with global teams
1. Accept and research cultural issues of international teamsBuild trust within virtual teams
National holidays
2. You must deal with the practicalities surrounding time zones
3. Protect your home-based team
4. Split locations: Understand the challenges
5. Communication is the key
6. Use the right tools for collaboration
Online calls
7. Manage your finances
Recommendations for International Project Management
It is common to work with global teams
Many of us manage international teams. The global business environment is shrinking. We work in an environment that allows for real-time audio visual communication and online translation.
Even small businesses can operate internationally through outsourcing agreements and partners abroad. This means that project managers of all sizes face the challenges of managing international clients.
Anyone can work remotely today, even if they used to share a desk. There are specific challenges when managing international project teams. These are different from virtual working with people in a similar time zone.
That’s more than just calculating that it’s 9 o’clock in Paris, Texas, it’s 4 o’clock in Paris, France.
Two main challenges come with international projects: people you work with may not be the same as you and people you work for might not want the same things.
These are some tips to help you navigate multicultural and diverse teams so that your international project is a success.
1. Accept and study the cultural challenges faced by international teams
To navigate unexpected difficulties or changes, a project manager for an international team must have an international view of the legal and political environment.
We can’t change the fact that national culture influences how we act. However, we can learn how to make it work better for all parties. It is important to be open-minded about the challenges involved in managing an international project. It allows you to approach them in a practical way that benefits everyone.
Senior managers may find it difficult to accept this. They have worked hard and performed well to get to where they are today. They expect certain behaviors from others, and if that doesn’t happen, it’s easy to blame the person who didn’t react as expected.
Trust in virtual teams
It is important to build trust among virtual teams. It starts with the first conversation. When building a team that works together, trust is the most important thing.
Cross-border projects can only be successful if you are able to appreciate the local reactions and work with international teams.
It is a great way to get to know your team members and their work culture. However, it is a good idea to do some research before you travel (or if you have budget constraints).
This will reveal a lot about how team members will react to the project environment.