A collaborative work environment isn’t just about having collaborative tools, processes, and workflows in place. It’s also about striving for common goals despite differences in work styles, personal goals, or cultural backgrounds. A collaborative work environment should be a safe space where everyone feels supported and able to voice their opinions.
As organizations grow and become increasingly dispersed, more workers are collaborating from across great distances. As a result, cultural intelligence — the ability to embrace different mindsets in challenging situations — is becoming more and more important.
In order to lead a multi-cultural (and increasingly multi-regional) team to success, you must be able to bridge cultural differences with sensitivity and sincerity. Here are some best practices:
· Learn about one another. Find time to talk about things that are not work or project-related. Ask your teammates about their customs, holidays, weather, entertainment, and so on. Just show an interest — and remember what they share with you!
· Embrace different learning and communication styles. Some cultures can be more direct, while others prefer to stay in the background until asked for their opinion. Get to know each team member’s preferences, so you can engage with them as effectively as possible.
· Always recap the main points of the meeting. And always make responsibilities and next steps crystal clear for each team member. In addition to providing clarity to action items, this also ensures team members feel included and invested.
· Get everyone involved. Different people have different communication styles. Just because someone doesn’t speak up doesn’t mean they don’t have good ideas. Find ways to get feedback from everyone, even those who may appear more introverted.
· Incorporate humor (where appropriate). We don’t mean you should joke about everything all the time, but lightening the mood always can help people open up and improve work relationships. Make sure to read your team on this one. Not everyone responds to humor in the same way.