Virtual Collaboration (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series) by Harvard Business Review

Author:Harvard Business Review
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
Published: 2016-05-26T00:00:00+00:00

As you get a feel for what works best with your particular colleagues, remember that you can always switch between channels. Just because a conversation starts on e-mail doesn’t mean it has to stay there. If you feel as if the discussion is becoming unproductive, consider whether a change in venue could help: “It’s hard to answer that question over text—can I call you?”

SURMOUNT LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL BARRIERS

If you’re working with people in different countries or cultures, you can close the gaps in several ways:

• Ask them how they prefer to communicate. You’d do this with any colleague, but put extra thought into it when you and your coworkers aren’t fluent in the same languages. Are they more comfortable with written or oral communications? Does the topic make a difference in how they like to communicate—for example, a highly technical point versus a general status update? Consider how cultural norms might interact with the technologies you choose, too, especially when you need to work through a disagreement or discuss a sensitive issue.

• Build on common ground. However different your and your colleague’s past experiences, you do share something right now: this work. Are you both sticklers about punctuality? Do you geek out about the same things? Are both of you having trouble getting a certain tool to function properly?

• Do your own research. If you’re working with more than one person who lives in a different country or if you will be collaborating with someone for a long time, read up about the area. Learn about their cultures and traditions. Occasionally check in with the main source of news for that area, or find related and reliable sources to follow on Twitter. Express your interest in learning more, and ask your colleagues directly for their recommendations.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.