Cultural complexity has a significant influence on the success of teams. There is variation in every society, and members of a specific culture appear to display certain behavior patterns, representing where and how they were brought up. Cultural differences influence one's beliefs, which shape actions and activities as a result. For example, people raised in the east are less likely to maintain eye contact on the speaker compared to people in the western regions. Another example is those cultures characterized by hard work, i.e., the Korean culture would show a high work ethic, reflecting a positive attitude towards work (Black et al., 2021). Although people from the same regions may exhibit similar behavioral patterns, it is not entirely factual. Other factors are to be considered, as the level of education and level of exposure. Culture affects the workplace as it impacts what one does and one behavior.
To curb conflicts and frustrations that can come up from the difference in the team members' cultures, strategies need to be put to manage the cross-culture. The team leader should get to know each team member to understand their skill set and leverage to help the group. The expectations of each member should be stated, and everyone should be shown that their contribution matters. Open communications should be promoted by giving each team member a chance to vocalize their opinions. Team building activities should be carried out to help employees bond despite their differences. The arousal of conflict between members should be addressed immediately, keeping in mind the different cultural perspectives. Most importantly, the team leader should build great rapport and trust within the members (“All Things Talent”, 2019) .
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Verbiage is the words we use for communication and sometimes may be technical. While communicating, one has to be as straightforward as possible for the best output. One should make sure that they convey a message in a meaningful way and pass across the message to be delivered coherently. If it is done effectively, the group will cooperate and consequently respond to the content. Proper communication reduces misunderstandings, creates a healthy workplace culture, promotes team spirit, solves conflicts quickly, and promotes business success (Vandaveer, 2012). Choosing the best type of verbiage in a team is crucial for successful task completion.
The use of humor helps build team camaraderie. It makes people more approachable, making the team view one in a positive light. Laughter is a potent stress reliever, resulting in higher productivity. Humor in the form of sarcasm is known to boost creativity as it triggers more abstract thinking. Humor brings a positive atmosphere to the office, improving morale; thus, work is completed with passion, enthusiasm, and a higher work ethic. Humor is also beneficial in building trust levels, and it is a good icebreaker and cuts through tension-filled areas.
Personality characteristics, social influences, and styles of leadership may impact the skill and commitment of a team member. For instance, the personality of Misha was used to bonding with her team members, like in a family setup. The family ties of bonding together promoted effective team building in her view. The leadership style of applying the use of effective strategies promotes the competence and loyalty of a member. For example, Steve directed that he allow Misha to partake in responsibilities that matched her skill set.
When an employee finds it hard to work with a department leader, they may consider a different career path. In this particular case study, Misha proposed a change in her responsibilities because she could not keep up with Steve's demands. As she has an excellent understanding of business strengths and weaknesses, Steve agreed to look for a suitable position. He also recommended that Misha should take up the role of being the organization's team member. Therefore, when having difficulty dealing with the cohort or chief of a department, an employee should seek a new career choice that suits firmly with their business role.
References
All Things Talent. (2019). Managing a Cross-Cultural Team? Here Are 10 Strategies to Do It Effectively! https://allthingstalent.org/2019/10/30/managing-cross-cultural-team/ .
Black, S., Gardner, D., Pierce, J., & Steers, R. (2021). Cultural Differences . Opentextbc.ca . https://opentextbc.ca/organizationalbehavioropenstax/chapter/cultural-differences/ .
Vandaveer, V. V. (2012). Dyadic team development across cultures: A case study. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 64(4), 279–294. http://libraryresources.waldorf.edu/login? url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pdh&AN=2013-02636-004&site=ehost- live&scope=site
