Global network week: a model for multicultural teams

Abstract

“Team in Bangalore (80), team in China (5-8), team in Mexico (12-15) working on ….The hub Global Delivery Center (GDC) is in Bangalore, the satellite centers are in China and Mexico. Satellite Centers are not feeling ‘included’ with the hub GDC. They are operating as isolated entities. How can we improve upon ‘inclusion’? How can we improve upon motivation as this is resulting in low morale and motivation amongst satellite GDCs? Due to cost cutting, travel opportunities are nil…in such a scenario how can we improve upon our virtual team building?”

—A Project Manager in the High-Tech Industry.

Hire me as a consultant! Well, I save that advice for another day. The cultural psychologist gets the better of me. Takes note of the emotion-laden words: Included (emphasis in original). Low morale. Motivation. I give the earnest (and free!) advice to the Manager: If you want ROI on multicultural teams, go organize a cultural immersion week to bring the team members together. Cost cutting doesn’t mean cost saving. Leave it to the Finance people to figure out what that last line means. ‘ROI’ already hit the note.

Managers dealing with multicultural teams—in the virtual or real world— face the double-edged sword. On the one hand, they are supposed to benefit from the costs, talent, and time advantage of globally distributed teams, and on the other, they spend so much time either firefighting or being a helpless spectator to interpersonal frictions and misunderstandings, that they often wonder is it worth it? Dear Manager, shouldn’t the whole be greater than the sum of its parts when members from across the world are working together towards common tasks and purposes? It’s a team after all. Read more at: https://www.forbesindia.com/article/iim-bangalore/global-network-week-a-model-for-multicultural-teams/47127/1