As a result of the globalization of trade, culture and talent over the last decade, employers now find themselves leading and managing international teams consisting of staff of multiple nationalities and coming from diverse cultures. This change in the make up of teams cannot be ignored and companies with international teams needs to internationalize their management processes if they are to remain effective.
So, what does it take to manage international teams effectively?
One of the main ways that the management process can be internationalized is to hire, promote and encourage (through reward) the quality known as inter-cultural adaptability. Evidence from an international research report by Booz Allen Hamilton suggests that businesses are starting to value inter-cultural adaptability as much as experience and qualifications.
So, what is inter-cultural adaptability? Its consists of several qualities, including: being able to understand different cultural contexts and views, showing respect for others, being able to adapt to different cultural settings, accepting cultural differences, speaking foreign languages, and being open to new ideas and ways of thinking. The study shows that employers with international teams who had inter-cultural adaptability had more effective international teams.
This means that employers who manage international teams need to build teams with inter-cultural adaptability which means screening for these skills in the hiring process and making sure that internal promotion candidates are screened for inter-cultural adaptability. Employers should also encourage inter-cultural adaptability by rewarding such behaviour with bonuses/pay rises and they should support training in areas such as language learning, cultural awareness and being open to new ways of doing things.
Copywrite Together Abroad