In nowadays-globalized business world, more and more people work together with colleagues from different cultures. In companies and organizations all over the world they become part of culturally diverse teams.
The positive effect of this development is that these culturally diverse teams carry great potential. Studies have shown that they are more able to produce creative and innovative problem-solving solutions. Thanks to their various cultural perspectives they can analyze any issue from different angles and therefore minimize blind spots. This creates a better opportunity to meet customers´ needs or even to exceed them. Working in culturally diverse teams can surely be thriving!
Indeed, this sounds promising. In reality, however, many mixed cultural teams struggle to use their potential and to achieve an outstanding performance like this. There are quite a few beliefs and phenomena that literally can kill the spirit of a culturally diverse team. Here are 5 of them that I have come across again and again in my cross-cultural teamwork.
“Cross-cultural teamwork is about exchanging perspectives, about learning from each other, about stepping out of the comfort zone and opening each member´s mind.”
1. Bunching up in cultural groups
There is a tendency of people in diverse groups to bunch up with those of similar cultural background or same native language. Actually, there is nothing bad about it. As long – and here comes the limitation – as these tendencies don´t create cultural groups that have an exclusive attitude. Cross-cultural teamwork is about exchanging perspectives, about learning from each other, about stepping out of the comfort zone and opening each member´s mind. If people bunch together in their cultural bubble, they do not only miss the chance for personal development. They also kill the spirit of their team.
2. Stereotypes
A stereotype by definition is “a thought that can be adopted about specific types of individuals and … that may or may not accurately reflect reality.” (Source) Stereotypes have by stereotype a bad image. But they have one advantage: They give orientation.
Imagine, you meet a new colleague from Thailand and all that you know about Thai people is that they don´t shake hands, smile a lot and are very easy going. This stereotype indeed helps you to create a comfortable first contact. BUT it turns into a team spirit killer if this stereotype freezes in your mind. The point is that these limited information have to be put to field test and to be enriched with real life experiences. No matter from which culture your team mate comes from, you need to find out about his values, beliefs and behavior with as less prejudices as possible. This is the only way to explore his individual and related to that your team potential. That leads me to the next point…
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3. Unconscious bias
If you stick to the belief that your colleague is an easy-going kind of guy, there is a chance that you unconsciously focus on situations that confirm this prejudice. This phenomenon has a name: Confirmation bias. These unconscious biases influence your thinking and behavior a lot without realizing it. Just like stereotypes, biases treat others unfairly. A diverse team can only unfold its potential if its members apply techniques to make aware their unconscious bias and to overcome them eventually – step by step. If you do so, you may realize that your teammate is a disciplined worker that takes deadlines very seriously and is not easy going at all…
4. When in Rome…
…do as the Romans do. This is a popular saying that many people use for orientation in cross-cultural contexts. Indeed, it helps you to figure out which behavior might be appropriate in a foreign culture. But applying “When in Rome…” to diverse teams can kill its spirit. Because no matter where your office is located, if you want to use the knowledge and the viewpoints of all team members, you can´t stick on the rules of one culture. The benefit of diverse teams lies in the ability to find creative solutions BY thinking out of boxes. This also applies to the cultural box of the hosting country and the one of the company´s culture of origin…
5. Communication incompetence
Apropos communication: Culturally diverse teamwork is all about cross-cultural communication. Constantly do team members introduce, explain, discuss, adjust and negotiate their viewpoints. This requires a lot of communication competence from all! To be exact: Cross-cultural communication competence. This means that people are able to understand the spoken and unspoken messages that others send based on their cultural communication style. If your team members lack of this ability, they may be not able to communicate their position in a way that others get it right. They may also not realize and understand the little signals people of some cultures use to enrich spoken messages. Even little misunderstandings can develop into serious conflicts. Needless to say that then team spirit suffers enormously.
After having discusses 5 killers of team spirit, the question arises:
What keeps the spirit of culturally diverse teams alive?
The answer for this is short: Intercultural intelligence. As short as it sounds, as complex it is.
Cultural intelligent people
- Make aware of their individual cultural setting
- Practice patience to observe situations and opinions without judging them quickly
- Are able to see things through the lenses of others
- Venture the step out of their comfort zone
- Learn from others – although their approach doesn´t make sense from the first sight
- Have capabilities in communicating and negotiating viewpoints
These are capabilities that need to be developed over a long period of time. But the good news is: Everybody can do this and so can your team members (if they haven´t already). Diversity trainings, team developments or a qualified individual coaching can assist you and your team members to build up these competences. So, what are you waiting for?
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