In the past twenty years, there has been an almost unheard-of change in the way businesses function in almost every aspect. The new technology has, among other things, increased the viability and possibility for businesses to hire teams that are significantly more diverse than they could have in the past. To put it briefly, managing a multicultural team has become standard practice, and managers must acquire the necessary skills. You shouldn’t use this against them. It’s just a new reality with fresh obstacles and strategies to go past them.
The Challenge of Assertiveness
The biggest problem in managing multicultural teams and possibly the most significant cultural difference in the business world is understanding how different cultures view assertiveness and manager displays of assertiveness.
For instance, being forceful is required of managers in the US and most other “Western” nations, and for non-Western cultures, the language employed in these circumstances can come across as nearly hostile. These are primarily Asian cultures, where demands are made in a more subtly worded manner and where being overly direct is frequently viewed as inappropriate.
Be cautious while using assertiveness if you oversee a multicultural staff and be aware of these varying perspectives on assertiveness.
The Challenge of Tone
Whether you realize it or not, you frequently find yourself speaking in different tones depending on the individual you are speaking to and the circumstances when managing homogenous teams. Irony, sarcasm, and other “complex” tones become standard even in team communications. Inside jokes, whining, and related ideas are likewise prevalent and not problematic.
This is something that may easily become problematic in a multicultural team. Before you can say “a massive lawsuit,” humor and subtle nuances are lost in translation, which can result in a variety of unpleasant circumstances and disagreements.
As a result, while leading a multicultural team, adopt the most neutral tone possible and utilize terminology that is not susceptible to multiple interpretations.
The Problem of Making Decisions
Regardless of latitude or longitude, one would believe that managers make decisions in at least a similar manner and that decision-making is relatively universal. This is just not the situation in reality.
For example, managers may be required in some cultures to make judgments fast and frequently without thoroughly considering all the details before choosing a course of action. For example, this is considered the pinnacle of effective leadership in the United States. In some cultures, managers are required to gather much more information and build a consensus by talking to team members before making a decision.
It should be noted that in certain cultures, people are more than willing to jump in and point out that a poor judgment was made, whilst in others, decisions made by superiors are never questioned, even when they are blatantly incorrect.
As the manager of a multicultural team, it is your responsibility to ensure that everyone is aware of your decision-making process. You may also wish to have one-on-one conversations with team members to learn about their opinions and gauge their comfort level.
The Language Barrier
A multilingual team will communicate using the language intended to be the primary one. While some team members might not be native speakers, others will. Even if they speak the official language with exemplary fluency, it may be their second or third language, which could cause issues because it is not their mother tongue.
For instance, these team members may feel less inclined to share their thoughts or offer insights if they observe that other team members are making disparaging remarks about their language abilities or exhibiting prejudice of any type as a result of the language barrier. They could experience discouragement or even discrimination.
It is imperative that managers take all reasonable steps to prevent this from occurring. Regardless of their proficiency in the chosen “primary” language, everyone should be treated equally. Naturally, individuals shouldn’t have to interpret what is being said, but tolerance and understanding are also necessary. The positive aspect is that individuals consistently manage to convey the intended message.
The “Technical” Difficulty
The manager of a multicultural team must handle more commonplace, technical problems in addition to the more culturally specific and even philosophical ones. Team members might be accustomed to distinct software and work environments, for example.
For example, a team member from China might not be familiar with Google’s search engine, something that a team member from the West might take for granted.
Additionally, there is the issue of email etiquette, which varies depending on where you live. It’s also important to remember that people work different schedules and that time zones exist.
This can quickly develop into a plethora of managerial obstacles that must be addressed by a manager in order for things to function properly. This is the kind of situation where a solid project management tool may be quite helpful, therefore you should compare project management tools before choosing one.
Without a doubt, managing a multicultural team may be difficult. However, you will quickly find that leading such a team can also be an amazing experience if you take a little caution, use common sense, and prepare yourself well.
