MANAGING MULTICULTURAL TEAM

Summary

The article "Managing Multicultural Teams" by Jeanne Brett, Kristin Behfar, and Mary C.
Kern in Harvard Business Review discusses the challenges of managing multicultural teams,
including cultural differences that can create obstacles to effective teamwork. The authors
suggest that managers need to recognize underlying cultural causes of conflict and intervene
in ways that empower team members to deal with future challenges themselves. The wrong
kind of managerial intervention can sideline valuable team members or create resistance,
resulting in poor team performance. To manage multicultural teams effectively, managers
must choose the right strategy and avoid imposing single-culture-based approaches. The
article provides insights and suggestions for managing multicultural teams successfully.

Barriers
 Direct vs. indirect communication: Different cultures have different communication
norms, some prefer to communicate directly, while others use indirect
communication. This can lead to misunderstandings and damaged relationships.
 In direct communication, the speaker expresses their opinion or feedback directly and
explicitly, without any ambiguity or beating around the bush.
 In indirect communication, the speaker may use euphemisms, polite language or
indirect language to convey their message in a less direct way.

 The trouble with accents and fluency: When team members are not fluent in the
team's dominant language or have accents that are difficult to understand, it can create
communication barriers.

 Differing attitudes towards hierarchy: Some cultures have strict hierarchies and expect
to be treated differently based on their status in the organization, while others have
more egalitarian attitudes. This can lead to humiliation and loss of credibility if
expectations are not met.

 Conflicting decision-making norms: Members of a team may vary in how quickly

they make decisions and how much analysis they require beforehand. This can create
frustration and tension if some members prefer to make decisions quickly while others
require more time.
Other problems in multicultural teams :
Managing multicultural teams presents several challenges, including:

 Cultural differences: Cultural differences can create misunderstandings,

communication barriers, and different expectations about how work should be done.

 Language barriers: Language barriers can make communication difficult and lead to
misunderstandings.

 Different work styles: People from different cultures may have different approaches
to work, which can lead to conflict and misunderstandings.

 Different attitudes towards authority: Different cultures may have different attitudes
towards authority, which can lead to conflict if not managed properly.

 Stereotypes and biases: Stereotypes and biases can lead to misunderstandings and
discrimination.

 Time zone differences: Working across time zones can make communication and
coordination difficult.

Different legal and regulatory environments: Different countries may have different legal and
regulatory environments, which can make it difficult to navigate business operations.

Overall, managing multicultural teams requires sensitivity, communication skills, and an

understanding of cultural differences to overcome these challenges effectively

4 interventions:

 Adaptation: This intervention involves acknowledging cultural differences and

figuring out how to work with or around them. An example of this is an American
engineer working on a team with Israelis who have an in-your-face, argumentative
communication style. Once the engineer realized that this was not a personal attack
 and that the Israelis were confronting each other as well, he accepted their style and
the team continued to work well together.

 Structural Intervention: This intervention involves reorganizing the team to reduce

friction when there are obvious subgroups or negative stereotypes. An example of this
is an international research team where the leader realized that members would shut
down in meetings due to feeling intimidated by his executive status. He hired a
consultant to run future meetings, which helped members to participate more.

 Managerial Intervention: This intervention involves making final decisions without

team involvement, typically when establishing productive norms. An example of this
is a software development team where some members had pronounced accents but
were chosen for their task expertise, not fluency in English. The manager explained
this to customers and directed team members to tell customers to ask questions if they
don't understand something.

 Exit: This intervention involves voluntary or involuntary removal of a team member

when emotions are running high and too much face has been lost on both sides to
salvage the situation. An example of this is when two members of a multicultural
consulting team couldn't resolve their disagreement over how to approach problems,
and one member left the firm.

Additional definition of 4 interventions:

Adaptation:
it involves recognizing and respecting cultural differences and finding ways to work
with or around them to build effective collaboration and communication. This can
involve developing cultural awareness and sensitivity, learning new communication
styles, or modifying work processes to accommodate different cultural norms.

Adaptation is important in today's globalized workforce, where diverse teams are

becoming increasingly common. By embracing and adapting to cultural differences,
individuals and teams can build stronger relationships and work more effectively to
achieve shared goals.

structural intervention
in an organization involves reorganizing the way work is done, the team structure, or
the communication channels to reduce conflicts and improve collaboration. This
intervention aims to address the root cause of conflicts by changing the team’s
environment.
 For example, if a multicultural team has obvious subgroups, a structural intervention
could involve reorganizing the team so that members from different cultural
backgrounds are more evenly distributed across subgroups. Alternatively, if there are
negative stereotypes among team members, a structural intervention could involve
creating opportunities for team members to interact and get to know each other better,
such as team-building activities or cross-cultural training sessions.

1 ) Direct vs. indirect communication

 Direct communication

Examples
In some cultures like the United States, it is considered appropriate to give feedback
directly and honestly. For example, if a manager thinks that an employee's
performance needs improvement, they may say "Your performance needs
improvement, and here are some specific areas where you can improve." However, in
some other cultures like Japan, it is considered rude to give direct feedback. Instead,
they may use euphemisms or indirect language to convey the same message. For
example, they may say "There is an opportunity to make some improvements in this
area" without directly stating that the employee's performance is not up to par.

 Indirect communication:

In some cultures like China, people tend to use indirect communication to

avoid causing offense or losing face. For example, if a person is invited to a
party they don't want to attend, they may say "I have a lot of work to do that
day" instead of saying "I don't want to come to your party." Similarly, they
may use indirect language to convey criticism, such as saying "It might be
better to approach this issue from a different angle" instead of saying "You're
doing it wrong.

2) The trouble with accents and fluency:

Examples :
 A team member who is not fluent in the team's dominant language may
struggle to communicate effectively. For example, if a team member's first
language is not English and they are working in an English-speaking team,
they may have difficulty expressing their ideas or understanding instructions.

 A team member with a strong regional accent may be difficult for other team
members to understand, especially if they are not familiar with that accent.
This can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
3) Differing attitudes towards hierarchy

Examples: strict hierarchy

Similarly, in some cultures like India, there is a strong emphasis on showing respect
to elders and people in positions of authority. For example, a younger employee
may not speak up in meetings or may hesitate to offer suggestions to their seniors. If
a younger employee is perceived as not showing enough respect or deference, it can
lead to a loss of credibility and damage their professional reputation.

4) Conflicting decision-making norms

Examples :
Quick decision-making:

 Some team members may prefer to make decisions quickly and efficiently,
without spending too much time analyzing the situation. For example, a
sales manager may want to make a quick decision to offer a discount to a
customer in order to close a sale.

 However, other team members may require more time to gather information
and consider all options before making a decision. For example, a finance
manager may want to analyze the impact of offering a discount on the
company's profitability before making a decision

1) Adaptation :

Examples :

a) An American software engineer named John was working on a project

with a team of engineers from India. John noticed that his Indian
colleagues often had a more indirect communication style and were
hesitant to speak up in meetings. As a result, John found it difficult to
gauge their opinions and progress on the project.

To address this, John decided to adapt his communication style to better suit
his Indian colleagues. He made a point to ask more open-ended questions
and encouraged his colleagues to share their thoughts and opinions. He also
took the time to build personal relationships with his colleagues, asking
about their families and hobbies to build trust and rapport.

2) Structural Intervention
 Examples
 In a research team where members are from different countries and
cultures, a structural intervention could be hiring a facilitator or
consultant to help navigate cultural differences and promote effective
communication and collaboration.

 In a workplace where there is a gender pay gap, a structural

intervention could be implementing a standardized salary system for
all employees, regardless of gender or other factors.

3) Managerial Intervention

Examples :

 In a team where there is a lack of clarity about roles and

responsibilities, a managerial intervention could be assigning
specific tasks to each team member and clearly
communicating expectations for their performance.

 In a team where there is a lack of productivity or motivation,

a managerial intervention could be setting clear deadlines and
holding team members accountable for meeting them

 , while also providing incentives and rewards for successful

completion of tasks.

4) Exit
Examples:

 In a team where there is a personality clash or strong disagreement

between two members that cannot be resolved through mediation or
other means, an exit intervention could involve one member
voluntarily leaving the team or the organization.

 An example of this is when two members of a multicultural

consulting team couldn't resolve their disagreement over how to
approach problems, and one member left the firm
 The tough work of turning around a team

confrontation
1 The author, a coach, believes that creating pressure and confrontation is necessary to get the
best out of people. He argues that confronting people provides an opportunity to get to the
source of their behavior and motivation and that avoiding confrontation will not lead to
changing people's thinking and behavior. However, confrontation should not involve putting
someone down and should be done in a positive context with the goal of helping them
perform better.

For example, let's say a sales manager notices that one of his team members is consistently
underperforming. The manager could avoid confrontation and hope the problem resolves
itself, or they could confront the team member and provide specific feedback on areas for
improvement. The manager could say something like, "I know you have the potential to be a
top-performing salesperson, but I've noticed that your numbers have been consistently lower
than the rest of the team. Let's work together to identify any obstacles and come up with a
plan to help you reach your full potential." By confronting the team member in a positive
context and providing specific feedback, the manager is more likely to help the team member
improve their performance.

2. Summary: Success Breeds Success

Coach Parcells believes that building a culture of success is crucial to turning around a losing
team. He emphasizes the importance of setting small, achievable goals and celebrating even
small successes to build confidence in the team's ability to win. By accentuating the positive
and focusing on incremental progress, the team can break the habit of losing and develop the
habit of winning.

Clear Examples:

In training camp, Coach Parcells sets small goals such as being a smart team, a well-
conditioned team, and a team that plays hard. By achieving these goals, the team begins to
believe in themselves and their ability to win.
When the team has good practice, Coach Parcells praises them and emphasizes the next goal
that needs to be accomplished. For example, he may say "We executed really well today. But
here's what I want to do tomorrow: I want to see flawless special teams work. If you
accomplish that, then we'll be ready for the game on Sunday."
By setting and achieving small goals, the team breaks the habit of losing and develops the
habit of winning. This shift in mindset is extremely satisfying for Coach Parcells to see.

3. Picking the Right People

The challenge of building a winning team in today's business world is that there is a lot of
turnovers and not much loyalty. This means that there is no longer the time to develop talent
in the old way, and turnover adds a tough new wrinkle to turning a team around and keeping
it on the winning track. In particular, you have to be extremely careful about the new people
you bring on. Unfortunately, there's no science to picking the right people, and a lot of trial
and error is involved. However, after a while, you start to develop a sense of who's likely to
work out.

For example, Coach Bill Belichick talks about a player, Bryan Cox, who had a terrible
reputation in the NFL. He had been fined a lot of money by the league—maybe more than
anyone in its history. But watching him play, Coach Belichick recognized that Cox played so
hard and tried so hard, and he had something that he wanted to have on his team. So when
Cox was a free agent, Coach Belichick called him on the phone and they had a straight, tough
talk. He told Cox exactly what he wanted from him, and Cox told him what he wanted from
him, which boiled down to this: "Don't BS me." Coach Belichick told him he'd always know
what he was thinking. Bryan signed on with the Jets, and he's done a great job for the
franchise.

Coach Belichick emphasizes that he doesn't care about what kind of personality someone has
or whether it corresponds with his own. He just wants his players to want to win as much as
he wants to win. He's convinced that if you get people onto your team who share the same
goals and the same passion, and if you push them to achieve at the highest level, you're going
to come out on top