High Performing Teams in Unfamiliar PlacesCrossing the cultural divide

Dan Field, 29/10/2013

Overview

Introduction

What are we actually talking about?

A framework for understanding the keys to success

9 things that matter

Summary and questions

Not so fast?

Outsouring? (skeptek.com) NO! This is about expanding a business

Just for big corporates? NO! This applies to expanding any business

Only relevant to India? NO! High performance is its own culture

In general…

I am going to assume there is an existing business that is expanding to a ‘foreign’ country

The ‘foreign’ country is likely to be a lower cost alternative

HOWEVER – most of what follows applies much more broadly as well

ABILITY

ARTKNOWLEDGE

SKILL WILL

CONTEXT

K+S+W = ART (K+S+W) = ART C*(K+S+W) = ARTA*C*(K+S+W) = ART

Nine Success Factors

K

S W

CK

W

C

S

A

1) Believe it is possible

Pygmalion effect is real (and so it the Golem effect) Don’t fail before you even

start In a cross cultural setting,

the risk of (unconsciously) making limiting assumptions about ability is real

A

2) A challenging problem to solve

Intrinsic motivation is built upon meaningful work

Work should require judgement, expertise and have scope for out of the box thinking

Work can be repetitive – but hiring strategies need to reflect this

W

3) Attitude before expertise

Good behaviours matter more than good knowledge and skill (these can be taught)

Attitude is much harder to shift than ability

Poor behaviour can quickly undermine culture

W

4) A cultural bridge

Learning to work with different culture requires coaching

Cross culture: use of language, interpreting communication, interpreting behaviour etc.

Existing culture: jargon, policies, history, office politics, personalities etc.

Key to efficiently 'interfacing' a new team with an existing business

C

5) A respected insider

The key to achieving buy-in

This person builds in a degree of trust and respect.

Much more likely to afford second chances to a team represented by someone they know to be capable

Provides a 'cut out' for key stakeholders, allowing any issues to be discussed offline and communicated indirectly

A

6) Put faces to names

Anonymity is the enemy – make it personal

Insist on voice and video, encourage relationship building

Create an incentive for team members to invest in each other

A

C

7) Multidisciplinary depth

Give them what they need to succeed

More autonomy equals greater efficiency

Reliance on shared resources introduces bottlenecks

Innovation, accountability, learning, speed - all increased by greater independence

A

8) Equity like incentives

Be creative, take advantage of economic imbalance

Yes, can be financial, but often not the best option

For example, in developing markets, a transfer to head office in a developed country can quite literally be life changing

If everything else is done right, this is primarily about retention

W

9) Involved & Visible Management

Get the ‘big boss’ involved

Signal to rest of the business – legitimacy, push through roadblocks, advocate

Motivator to team members; success or failure will be highly visible (especially in hierarchal cultures)

Role models a flat management structure by giving team members executive access

W

Overview: Dan’s 9 Things that matter

1. Believe it is possible

2. A challenging problem to solve

3. Attitude before expertise

4. A cultural bridge

5. A respected insider

6. Put faces to names

7. Multidisciplinary depth

8. Equity like incentives

9. Involved and visible management

A few other quick points

Leadership is really important In a perfect world your leader is a generalist, the

cultural bridge, and the respected insider (too bad the world is rarely perfect)

Success is a long term investment – and therefore usually not cheap (but return can be very high)

Some risks to consider

(Very quickly - more relevant to a corporate context)

Unrealistic expectations regarding speed to scale

Resistance for fear of destabilising existing business segments

Corporate policy roadblocks

Attrition and career paths

Powerful vested interests and lack of management urgency

Summary

ABILITY

ART

KNOWLEDGE

SKILL WILL

CONTEXT

A*C*(K+S+W) = ART

1. Believe it is possible

2. A challenging problem to solve

3. Attitude before expertise

4. A cultural bridge

5. A respected insider

6. Put faces to names

7. Multidisciplinary depth

8. Equity like incentives

9. Involved and visible management

Questions?

Dan Field – dfield83@gmail.com