Engaging global teams – what can we do better?

How can we improve collaboration in international teams? 

How can all of us be more engaging and effective with different people?

As a coach, trainer, and consultant for international companies, I see that employees are often challenged to communicate effectively with people who are different from us: employees, clients, collaborators, and project members. There is too much wasteful friction and conflict based on what is voiced as personal or cultural differences.

Something is clearly not working.

I have also been challenged myself by this. Despite being internationally trained, I have had my share of struggles to be acknowledged for who I am professionally rather than judged because of my looks, personality, nationality, beliefs, and approaches. As a provider of leadership and team engagement programs, I would like to share my experience and ideas for changes.

We need to revamp the corporate approach to training globally operating teams – to ease work relationship stress, increase creativity, and improve productivity.

So far, the most common forms of training global teams are 1/2-day to 1-day workshops that mostly explain the differences between the participant's culture and the culture of others on that team. They include the do’s and don’ts lists that are supposed to protect one from making costly cultural mistakes.

These programs are definitely needed, but they often do not foster enough understanding of what is important in intercultural communication. Some organizations provide questionnaires for expats that compare their behavioral patterns with those of people from their destination country. This is undoubtedly useful, but, in my opinion, still not enough.

What is commonly lacking in these programs is training in how to connect with others beyond differences and manage premature judgments. The key question for a person operating in the international arena should be: how do I connect effectively with the person in front of me? What are the skills required to speak on the human-to-human level? This should also be the key question for people who design these programs.

To facilitate human-to-human connection, the emphasis should be on interpersonal skills – social intelligence. Why? Let me provide a metaphor.

Every two people on Earth are from 2 different planets. The cultural aspect is only one difference between them is often not the most influential in terms of their potential connection with each other. The differences in their personal stories, character, personalities, gender, age, status, values, and perspectives on life might have more impact than their cultures. 

So, each of us should be responsible for seeing the real person in front of us, which requires acute social awareness. This is also the most significant challenge in any relationship or collaboration. If we see the human in front of us rather than, let’s say, an engineer, we can connect beyond roles and labels. 

One example illustrates this. 2 professional women from 2 countries meet on a project. They struggle with each other until one shares about her son's illness. The other one shares a challenge she is facing with her daughter, and they immediately understand each other on a different level. What connects them is a basic human story - shared emotions. The skills of vulnerability, presence, and listening make the difference here. 

Behind the social skills that I mention above is attitude. Unfortunately, we rarely get this education in schools, so it is vital to provide it in organizations. We must start with the humility that nobody is better than anybody. The critical social skills are curiosity about other people and empathy for those in need.

What works best for me and my participants is training through social service for others—the underprivileged, seniors, children, and the sick. I try to include social service in my training programs; however, companies are often resistant.

One company with a vision and readiness for leadership training through social service was G4S, EMEA region. They were preparing their key leaders to start security businesses in new regions and wanted them to be very effective from the start. I designed a 9-day program that included an activity in which the leaders had to prepare an educational evening for people from a local village.

I will never forget the impact and the learning from this evening filled with music, games, food, and deep conversations between managers from Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe and the local villagers, some of whom had never traveled to any city in their lifetime. As the participants expressed, the power of such experiential learning is immense and lasts for a long time. They said it was the most useful activity to prepare them for work abroad.

I am glad to learn that my professional experience is similar to major research findings. In the book Intercultural Readiness, Ursula Brinkmann, based on a large research project, confirms that “intercultural sensitivity and communication is all about connecting with others.” She also finds that this is not enough - to perform well in another culture - you also need emotional and social skills, especially the ability to enjoy the unknown and build commitment.

So, how would I improve training for global teams? Here is a short list of what you need if you are designing one or looking for an effective program for your people. To serve best, the programs should include the following:

1. Looking at similarities between people besides differences.

2. Learning the skills of connecting to others.

3. Learning mindsets that avoid judging others.

4. Humanizing attitudes by treating others as subjects, not objects.

5. Learning the benefits of being present, open, flexible, and vulnerable.

6. Teaching practical skills through experiential activities.

7. Practicing the skills in real situations, such as during a social project.

8. Helping participants create structures and processes for inclusivity.

In today’s world, intercultural education is of vital importance. Marshall Goldsmith lists global savvy as one of the top 5 executive competencies. I encourage everyone who is serious about succeeding in the modern world to re-evaluate their approach and learn as much as you can about this. Instead of fearing collaboration with some “strange people,” we can fully enjoy our differences as strengths that can be explored and used for mutual benefit. However, first, we must learn how to connect to them on a level that inspires trust and openness.

Most of us require training to master these competencies. Therefore, I want to express my support for everyone exploring this subject, conducting research, or trying to improve the training programs. Considering the corporate and political problems that we are experiencing, it is time for us to make a quantum leap in global education.  Please feel free to discuss any of my recommendations or add your thoughts below.

 Jacek Skyski Skrzypczynski, international executive & team coach

#leadership, #managing teams; #intercultural education; #engagement

www.JackSkyski.com