Project Team Challenges

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Today’s globally distributed organizations (and projects) consist of people who have differing “worldviews.” Worldview is a looking glass through which people see the world as Bob Shebib describes: “[It is] a belief system about the nature of the universe, its perceived effect on human behavior, and one’s place in the universe. Worldview is a fundamental core set of assumptions explaining cultural forces, the nature of humankind, the nature of good and evil, luck, fate, spirits, the power of significant others, the role of time, and the nature of our physical and natural resources” (Shebib, 2003, p. 296).

If, for example, a Canadian manager is sent to India to manage an R&D team or a joint venture, they are likely to have to “[cope] with eco-shock or the physiological, psychological, and social reaction to a new assignment ecology.” Hanging a shingle in a fluid and culturally diverse organization, project team, and work culture, a project manager may find new working relationships and hidden challenges have significant implications for performance and knowledge exchange – for the manager and colleagues at home and in the host country.

In most situations, there is simply no substitute for having a well-placed person from the host culture to guide the new person through the cultural nuances of getting things done. In fact, if this “intervention” isn’t present, it is likely to affect the person’s motivation or desire to continue trying to break through the cultural (and other) barriers. Indeed, optimal effectiveness in such situations requires learning of cultures in developing countries or international micro-cultures and sharing perceptions among the culturally diverse task participants on how to get things done. Project leaders require sensitivity and awareness of multicultural preferences. The following broad areas should be considered:

There are many interpersonal dynamics and intra-project challenges faced by a globally distributed team. Individual members and the team itself requires important social supports to mitigate uncertainty, conflict, motivational challenges, culture shock, and the more-encompassing eco-shock that comes from facing head-on the unfamiliar and diverse situations consistent with a different cultural and geographically distributed context.

Diverse and globally distributed project teams (i.e., different ethnic cultures, genders, ages, and functional capabilities), often working on complex projects spanning multiple time zones, geography, and history, and operating with tight deadlines in cost-conscious organizations, need to make time and resources available to physically meet each other, and connect (at the very least) at a formal “kick-off” meeting. Especially when working with team members from high-context cultures, it is essential to meet face-to-face, discover member’s individual identities and cultural preferences, share professional knowledge and personal stories, and observe critical verbal and non-verbal cues (that may not easily be observed online, or on the telephone). This is key to establishing a safer climate and building trust for stronger relation ships among both team members and management.