Working with Globally Dispersed Teams
- Moriah Coleman
- Jun 7, 2023
- 3 min read
Have you been at a company where you worked with teams or individuals in other countries? Have you ever run into issues in this situation due to time zone, cultural, or understanding differences? Then keep reading... In this article I hope to shed some light on how to work with teams or individuals across the world.
Humanize Humans
It is very easy in a remote world to assume the people we work with know what we know and uphold the same values that we have. So when these people act out of what we believe is their character, we see them as criminal or malicious. Yet, this is a losing battle, as we are only removing our ability for closeness with people when we do this. We need to get better at humanizing the humans in our lives. Seeing the world from their vantage point isn't easy though. The easiest way I have found to humanize people is to gain insight into what drives people. Their moral compass, so-to-say. There are a few ways that I know how to do this, I am listing them from most difficult to easiest:
Discuss fears and desires - This can be done in 1:1 conversations, game play, or even in group discussions as a team building activity. However, some people may not feel safe to share this information.
Discuss behavior as it happens - This is when you see a behavior that seems "off" and you have a 1:1 conversation with the individual to gain insight into what they were feeling when they acted the way they did. This is difficult as well due to the safety someone needs to feel when talking to you.
Enneagram Test - The Enneagram is a number that tells you about someone's core fears and desires. The test takes about 7 minutes to take and all the information you need is available online. I have asked teams to take these in the past as a quick way for me to understand what drives them so I can help build them up in the way they like best. I am not an Enneagram expert but I definitely see the benefits.
Communicate to Understand
So often we talk without understanding because our focus is on proving our point or getting to the next topic. Rather, when you communicate with people it is important to ask questions and really listen to their response. If you don't understand, ask more questions. From my experience, people like to feel seen and the easiest way to see someone is to really understand them. Understanding doesn't mean you agree or that you have similar experience or views... rather, it means you are able to see their perspective and you respect it for what it is.
Boundaries Are Your Friend
This, is the most critical out of all the points in this article. So pay attention... When you work with people from around the world you need to work together and discuss what that will look like. You can check out my article on Working Agreement for more details but this could include things like:
Cross time zone "team time" - This is a time you have all agreed on that will work for you to get on calls and collaborate as a group. Do not just assume people want to meet at a specific time because that is what you have experienced in the past.
Chosen tool for collaboration - This is the tool the team decides is easiest to communicate with each other for video calls, sharing content, and keeping each other in the loop.
Without these boundaries in place it is easy to cross and become upset. Take the time to understand what your boundaries are. Then discuss with your team to understand theirs and how you can come to a common way of working based on your preferences.
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