What are some of the approaches you would plan on using for this important meeting?
The project team that I have been appointed to lead is global, with representatives from differing cultural. Since I am planning the kick-off meeting, I must be able to communicate effectively and in a manner expected at each culture. For the success of this project, I must stick to three best practices because they will help me maintain a harmonious working relationship with all members from different cultures. The first approach is to always be clear about my expectations. Leadership practices differ widely across cultures so I should not assume anything. The second tactic is to stick to a neutral language. One of the most vital culturally determinant factors in global projects is proper use of language, therefore, criticism, sarcasm and humor must differ according to each cultural group. Lastly, I must make an effort to understand. Project members from different cultures will appreciate if they see that I am making an effort to understand them. Failure to do this will make them feel like they the minority which in turn leads to feelings of isolation. Establishing a rapport during the kick-off meeting would help.
Consider the best ways of working together using what you know about your team's cultural differences.
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The hallmarks of working together are accepting cultural diversity and an inclusive work environment. Recognize the elephant in the room and tackle the presence of different cultures within the team. The best thing to do is to discuss the necessity to navigate these differences so as to optimize team performance. These differences can be manifested as behavioural, culture and language differences because of values and norms and different meanings attached to actions, ideas and words. Therefore, the most important thing is to learn these differences because these cultural backgrounds would inform how I interact with each team member.
Think of how you might begin and end this meeting.
Working on a new project is exciting. The kick-off meeting will start with a word of prayer. Then, team members will introduce themselves. Next will be a brief discussion on the project goals and some logistics matters. Since this is the first time for the team to get together, the project sponsor will speak to the members in order to generate enthusiasm. The meeting will end by reserving some minutes for the members to evaluate what transpired. This time should be spent to share ideas and feelings about how effective and efficient the kick-off meeting was and how member can improve it next time.
What kind of documentation could you put in place to ensure the success of your team going forward?
Taking minutes during the meeting is the key to ensuring the success of the team. This documentation must be as brief as possible. It is unnecessary to include all details of the discussions. The documentation must record decisions made during the meeting, an action plan, and people responsible for implementing the action plan and how the success of each activity should be measured. The meeting documentation should be circulated to all the members immediately.
