Cultural barriers and how to overcome them in your global company as a global leader
Did you know that culturally diverse teams produce more creative and innovative results than
culturally homogenous groups?
This is a result of the fact that people from different cultural groups approach challenges and
problems in different ways. Different cultures think and react differently to the same situations.
They get the job done in different ways.
By combining those different approaches and mindsets, a culturally diverse team not only
expands their skills and knowledge pool, but has the power to think in more abstract terms and
find solutions on various levels.
Of course, this only works if the team works well together — and that tends to be the tricky part.
Cultural differences can lead to barriers between team members, when their different styles of
approach are misunderstood, misinterpreted or not accepted.
Global leaders face not only the challenge of making a multi-cultural team work well together
despite their differences, but often also of doing this while the team members are based in
different international locations.
In today’s globalized world, global leaders have to learn to understand a wider, richer array of
work styles. They must be able to determine what aspects of an interaction are a result of
personality and which are a result of differences in cultural perspective.
Five causes of cultural barriers
Let’s get on the same page here first: what exactly is culture?
Culture is all socially transmitted and shared behaviors, manners, customs, rituals, beliefs, ideas,
arts, knowledge, values, morals and ideals that are learned in a group of the same nationality,
religion or ethnicity. It is handed down from generation to generation, slowly evolving, and
creating many subcultures in the process.
Cultural diversity can make communication difficult, especially in the workplace, where
a misunderstanding can cause costly problems. When people from different cultures work
together, several factors can become barriers. We’ll be taking a look at these factors first, and
then dive into how to overcome them in a global team.
1. Language
Not speaking the same language (well) can cause a myriad of misunderstandings and is
considered the most crucial barrier in cross-cultural communication.
Verbal communication is important in every context, but the meaning of words can literally get
lost in translation. If one person isn’t aware of the exact meaning of a word, it may be
misunderstood or misinterpreted by the other person and lead to a conflict of ideas.
2. Stereotypes and prejudices
Stereotypes are mostly negative images or preconceived notions about a specific community,
group or culture. The basis of stereotyping can be many things, though the most common are
nationality, gender, race, religion or age.
Popular stereotypes, for example, are that all Germans are punctual and very direct, or that all
Asians are good at math.
This creates prejudice among people of different cultures and causes judgmental attitudes
towards one another. People look at other cultures with certain stereotypes as “bad” or “difficult
to work with”, or “incomprehensible” and treat them with contempt and disrespect. If things get
this far on a team or in a company, working together effectively can become extremely difficult
between people who resent and disrespect each other.
3. Signs and symbols
Non-verbal communication like signs and symbols differ from culture to culture and can
therefore not be relied upon in communication. For example, the “thumbs up”, known in the
Western world as a sign of approval, is seen as an insult in Bangladesh.
While not quite as easily misconstrued in a team environment as the other factors, it can still lead
to cultural faux-pas that may take time to smooth over and could be avoided in the first place.
4. Behaviors and belief
Cultural differences cause behavioral and personality differences like body language, gestures,
mindsets, communication, manners, and norms, which may lead to miscommunication. Eye
contact, for example, is very important in some cultures, but rude and disrespectful in others.
People’s varied religious or spiritual beliefs can also lead to conflict and cross-cultural barriers.
Different cultures also have different understandings of time. Some countries like Germany,
Netherlands, Scandinavia, Switzerland or the United States tend to view time as linear. Time is
money, and punctuality is a great value. Things tend to be done one at a time, to be able to focus
on it and finish the task within a fixed time frame.
Other countries, for example many Southern European countries like Spain or Italy, see time as
multi-active; this means that the more things they do at the same time, the happier and more
fulfilled they feel. Present reality and especially personal relationships are more important and
valued than schedules or punctuality.
5. “Us” versus “them” (ethnocentrism)
From an evolutionary standpoint, belonging to a group made you stronger and more likely to
survive in a hostile world. Strangers or other groups were “the enemy”, competing for food,
safety and territory.
This us- versus them-thinking is ingrained in our subconscious and can lead to a sense of
alienation if someone behaves in a way we don’t understand or aren’t expecting — if they don’t
fit in.
A person’s standard is his or her own culture; the more another person’s culture, behavior,
language, and beliefs deviate from it, the more “other” they are labeled. This affects the
understanding of message and creates hostility.
How to overcome cross-cultural barriers
Successful and effective cross-cultural management can be a daunting task — and even more so
for teams with members scattered across the globe. People who are constantly interacting with
each other face-to-face for eight hours every day will bond and find common ground faster than
people who only interact with each other online at certain times.
As a global leader you not only have to be aware of the cultural barriers within your team, but
actively strive to overcome them.
Embrace diversity and accommodate cultural differences
As a global leader, you must make your team members and employees understand that culturally
diverse teams produce more innovative and and creative results as opposed to homogenous
groups. Therefore, cultural differences should be appreciated, openly discussed and utilized to
support each other, rather than creating barriers. You want a team to work well because of their
differences, not in spite of them.
Create opportunities for your employees to learn about their colleagues’ perspectives and ways
of life to build open-mindedness and appreciation. Focus on the strengths that each culture brings
to the mix and discuss how these strengths can be integrated in the way your team works
together, handles challenges and tackles projects.
Promote open communication
Open communication is the only way that culturally diverse teams can work through and
overcome their differences to make them work well together. As global leader, it’s up to you to
promote that culture of open communication within your company or team.
Don’t let resentment, problems, or misunderstandings between team members fester; address
them as soon as they arise and give all parties the opportunity to present and discuss their
grievances in a safe and open environment.
If your team members’ or employees’ problems are with you, listen closely to what they have to
say. Thank them for their honesty, and try to find a good solution or compromise that everyone
agrees with.
A company culture of open communication is grown from the top down. As global leader, you
must lead by example and value everyone’s opinion equally to ensure openness and honesty
between your team members.
Lead open discussions about team norms and shared company culture
When your team members differ on a cultural level, you can unite them by creating a new
common culture: your company or team culture.
Unlike leading by example to promote open communication, this won’t happen in a top-down
approach, though. A company or team culture must be cultivated together and include all
members. As the team leader, it’s important to allot specific times for the team to discuss
differences and air grievances, find common ground and decide together how to proceed.
This becomes more important, but also more challenging, with a team that isn’t just culturally
diverse, but situated in various locations. Where people don’t interact personally, it becomes
more difficult to look beyond the cultural stereotypes and get to know the person behind them.
But this is crucial to foster understanding of each other and building a company- or team culture
together.
Rally the team around a shared vision or common cause
Bringing people together around a shared vision or common cause can be a powerful thing to
unite the team and have all members pulling together in the same direction.
Maybe the product or technology you’re developing and producing together will save lives or
help people in need? Or you might run regular fundraisers to support local charities in your team
members’ locations. Or maybe you’re all working together towards that 20% more revenue to
ensure a raise for all team members this year.
Leading cultural diversity as a global leader
As a global leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that your team members or employees work
together through their cultural differences. Be aware of the stereotypes and prejudices you may
yourself have and try to consciously overwrite them. Understand the differences your team
members deal with among each other and foster a company culture of open communication.
But the ability to lead your team or company through cultural barriers is only one of the
challenges a global leader faces every day. Find out more about global leadership on this Global
Leadership Magazine, or make it even easier by signing up for our weekly news on all things
Global Leadership:
Culture is a fundamental aspect of a person’s identity, therefore incorporating a culturally agile
mindset is critical to being an inclusive leader.
In a society where unchecked bias and stereotyping is prevalent, managers need to be
consciously aware of the challenges that they may face. Here are a few possible challenges to
consider:
• Styles of communication (this could lead to misunderstanding tone and for example
labelling it aggression, etc.)
• Language barriers
• Cultural differences
• The decision-making process
• Challenge of motivating a culturally diverse team (due to lack of understanding)
• Differences in professional etiquette
• Navigating visa requirements & employment laws
• Colleagues from some cultures may be less likely to let their voices be heard
Challenges that could be encountered do not just depend on the managers. It is important that
your organisation is actively working on being inclusive collectively. If you are not actively
attracting and recruiting a variety of talent in the first place, your efforts to become an inclusive
leader will be futile.
For example, your organisation’s HR management systems should ensure that they are bias free,
in areas such as recruitment, training, promotion, and performance.
A team is the synergy of distinct mindsets and skillsets that collaborate to work for a common
purpose. It is anyway difficult to manage a team with disparate personalities. What makes it even
more challenging is managing a cross-cultural team that transcends different cultures and
geographies.
Ever since globalisation has taken over the storm, organisations have begun to interact with
clients, suppliers and colleagues around the world. Globalisation at the workplace means dealing
with people across several work ethics, languages, traditions and cultures in a way that doesn’t
create friction or tension amidst a team.
What are the Cross-Cultural Teams?
Cross-cultural teams are global teams that include people who come from different cultures and
unique experiences. Companies fail to consider these fundamental differences within a team,
leading to conflicts and frustration that can be easily thwarted once you gain a quick
understanding of the individuals in a team.
These differences can stem from communication styles and individual frame of references.
For example, members in some countries are willing to work more than the stipulated hours of
work, even working remotely from home. On the other hand, workers in different countries may
not consider working beyond the said hours except in emergency situations, and their mobile
devices are switched off when they leave the office.
Another major difference of style in a cross-cultural team is the communicating pattern of each
team member. While some team members vociferously voice their unfiltered opinions and ideas,
those from hierarchical cultures tend to think a lot before raising their voice. So, how can you
make sure that in such a team all the ideas of the members are heard equally and manage the
team effectively?
The Challenges of Managing a Cross-Cultural Team
Though teams are now an accepted norm in planning, strategising and operating throughout
several organisations, team management is still in an evolving phase. On top of it, when you
unleash an additional element of diversity, it results in various challenges.
Here are the top barriers in managing a cross-cultural team:
1. Communication and Expression
The nuances of communicating in a way such that everybody is on the same page is a key
concern in cross-cultural teams. Everybody might be speaking the same language and be well-
versed in English, but certain forms of slang or colloquialism can often be misinterpreted.
Teamwork is a collective onus and all members have to understand the direction of the
discussions clearly. Communication problems are often found in virtual teams where there is no
face to face interaction.
For instance, it could be an international virtual team or virtual teams within the same
country or city that have to collaborate and finish a task. In either case, both teams have to
make their email and telephonic conversations as clear as possible to mitigate any
misunderstanding.
They also have to develop a working style of responding promptly to queries, for if this is
not happening, it can get really confusing. Care has to be taken with a cross-cultural mix of
people with regards to the words used. Even mildly sarcastic comments or jokes can be taken
seriously by a team member and result in a conflict.
For instance, your German counterparts may not appreciate your attempts at small talk, as they
usually prefer to get down to business immediately. Also, making a Hitler joke might land you in
serious trouble!
2. Information Gaps
Everybody should be on the same wavelength to stay on top of data and process flows. There
should be no manual effort to reconcile information from different sources. Each and every
team member needs to have access to the right resources at the needed time to collaborate
and complete their tasks.
This especially becomes a challenge with virtual cross-cultural teams. Having a common
software with access to a shared database and enabling the sharing of files, online chats,
scheduling and jointly tracking projects becomes very important. Effective means to share
resources and access resources in a timely manner is a challenge.
3. Work Style
Every team member has a unique work style that is predominantly dictated by their culture.
Some work cultures value individual contribution and foster individual opinions. Some cultures
are more paternalistic, with the leaders deciding on a course of action and employees
following it to the T.
All fingers are not the same. This also applies to employees who are individuals with distinct
personalities. With unique styles, individualistic team members tend to come out as aggressive
while the not-so individualistic ones merge into the team and may seem to contribute less.
Despite the differences in the work style, it is vital to filter and get the best out of every team
member’s work style.
4. Influences
There can be chances that a section or group of the team has similar cultural identity or
homogeneity. They may attempt to dominate the process and try to influence the entire
team to swing their way. As a result, it can create unnecessary tensions and a frustrating
environment for other team members.
Team and group dynamics can be a major concern in a cross-cultural team. This can lead to
unnecessary group politics and conflicts within a team.
5. Motivation Factors
Normally, companies have a single-threaded motivation and rewards system that is largely
determined by the norms and values of the company. It does not account for the distinct
motivational factors of a cross-cultural team.
