Overcoming the challenge of managing a multicultural team: Is it possible?

Overcoming the challenge of managing a multicultural team: Is it possible?

In today's globalised world, it's not uncommon to find ourselves working with people from different cultural backgrounds. Whether it's within our own country or abroad, we are all part of a multicultural workforce. While this brings with it a range of benefits such as diversity of thought, creativity and innovation, it can also pose a number of challenges. Managing a multicultural team can be complex, but is it really an insurmountable challenge?

For anyone who has ever worked in a multicultural company, words like cultural issues and culture gap regularly pop up during conflicts within the team, department or even between individuals. It's easy to point to differences in race, religion, gender, age, or certain ways of thinking as a reason for conflict. In my 16 years of experience working in an international organisation, I've found that people tend to use these differences as an excuse every time there is a breakdown or conflict. Not solving the issues becomes the norm, and cultural incompatibility becomes a readily accepted explanation. But is this really the case? Are we that incompatible? Do we need teams with cultural uniformity in order to function effectively?

I've had the opportunity to work in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, UK and US and have dealt with various cultural issues. The question of cultural incompatibility constantly plagued me. Does the cultural gap really exist? To find an answer, I spent a good amount of time with my staff and colleagues, as well as their families, and asked the underlying question, "what is your goal and what motivates you to come to the office every day?" To my surprise, everyone, regardless of their background, had the same answer. Their goals were:

Pursuit of happiness

We are all in pursuit of happiness. The main reason they came to the office every day was to pursue financial stability in a good working environment. The feeling of safety, in terms of finance and the ability to express one's point of view, was enough to create a high level of job satisfaction for everyone.

Being valued and respected

As social creatures, we like to be part of a team. We like our efforts to be recognised and valued, and rewarded accordingly. Fairness can be perceived differently by different people, but in principle, most people understand the connection between effort and reward to feel appreciated by the organisation.

Regardless of background, we are all essentially the same. Trust and stability in a workplace can be achieved by two simple things; the ability to express opinions in a secure environment, and the feeling that they are part of the team. The most common cause of friction is a different style of communication. Some cultures are direct, some subtle, and most fall somewhere in between. Feelings are often hurt by this difference in communication, but as long as we understand each other's goals and feel respected, this issue can be quite easily resolved.

So, is it easy to manage a multicultural team? Based on my experience, the answer is no. However, with the right tools and approach, the risk of conflict can be avoided, and trust and stability achieved. A team leader who fosters a safe environment will see a team that functions well, where everyone works towards a clear common goal and feels valued. After all, we are all the same. We are all in pursuit of happiness.

One approach to managing a multicultural team is to understand and embrace cultural differences. This can be done by providing cultural awareness training to the team members, encouraging open communication, and creating an inclusive workplace culture. Understanding cultural nuances can help prevent misunderstandings and conflicts from arising in the first place. Moreover, creating an inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels valued and respected can foster a sense of unity and belonging among team members, which can ultimately lead to higher job satisfaction and productivity.

Cultural incompatibility becomes a readily accepted explanation every time there are conflict within our team. Is this really the case? I am sharing my experience.