3 things you need to know as an International Manager July 3, 2019

3 things you need to know as an International Manager

In the international marketplace, it is critical that managers can communicate effectively across cultures and borders. Diversity, devolved power and dispersed people – are all challenges to international managers that can be turned into advantages.

Here are 3 things that you need to know if you are an international manager, required to get the best out of your geographically dispersed teams.

1. Develop flexibility in your management style to address cultural differences.

Identify the link between a management style and a national culture. This is essential to succeed.

International managers must understand the impact of culture on management styles and practices.

Each culture is extremely diverse and has different sources of respect, power and values that need to be catered to in the workplace in order to be able understand and effectively connect with your team. By understanding what the individuals in your team value and respect you can then start to understand what motivates individuals in your team to perform at their best and what will gain their trust, respect and cooperation.

You can adapt your management style accordingly to get the best out of your team once you understand them and their culture on a deeper level.

2. Improve the effectiveness of your international communications.

When working across cultures that are geographically dispersed, there are varying perceptions of time, structures and planning for projects.

Make objectives clear and appropriate across the board so misunderstandings, resistance and delays are avoided. Make sure everyone in the team understands the time differences and how these time differences relate to their colleagues’ schedules.

To aid this, keep channels of communication open and try to remain accessible when not around. Develop open communication with your team, through the best use of technology and modern modes of communication. There are so many ways to instantly connect with modern technology. Whether it be with video, document sharing platforms, conference calls, emails or texts the options to stay connected are endless!

3. Cross cultural negotiations and coping with conflict.

When dealing with conflict always try to find a resolution that takes into consideration culturally diverse priorities and adapt negotiations accordingly.

Every culture has a unique and different way of showing respect and dealing with conflict. This must be considered so that working relationships can be built based on a strong foundation that respects the needs of the individual. These types of relationships will foster a climate of trust, understanding, teamwork, open communication and collaboration.

In addition to this, you need to understand how different cultures tackle conflict so that you do not unintentionally offend anyone due to be culturally insensitive. If someone is offended, they are less likely to be open to negotiate, communicate or even cooperate.

If you are an international manager that travels extensively and manages geographically dispersed teams and you want to work more effectively with international colleagues check out London TFE’s course for the International Manager. It will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a successful international manager. To find out more about the course please follow the link below or contact sales@londontfe.com