70% of an employee's level of commitment depends on the way they interact with their manager, whatever the country's culture*, so the manager has a crucial role to play in managing his or her team, even more so if the team is multicultural.
Managing an efficient and effective multicultural team is no mean feat. Juggling cultural differences while ensuring that everyone feels included and valued. A major challenge for managers! We've decided to give you all the best practices for successful intercultural management!
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SUMMARY
1. Definition of intercultural management
2. The benefits of intercultural management
3. When should intercultural management be used?
4. The advantages and disadvantages of intercultural management
5. The role of the manager in a multicultural team
6. 9 qualities for managing a multicultural team
7. 10 practical tips from our experts for successfully managing a multicultural team
Intercultural management is the art of managing and coordinating teams where each member brings the richness of his or her own culture. It's not just a question of recognising these differences, but of integrating them to turn them into a strength. By adapting your management practices, you create an inclusive environment, where everyone, whatever their origins, finds their place and actively contributes to the common objectives.
This type of management goes far beyond simple management. It requires genuine expertise in intercultural communication, finesse in negotiation and the ability to resolve conflicts constructively. It also enables you to navigate with agility between different styles of leadership, adapted to the various cultural contexts with which you are confronted.
In short, intercultural management is a powerful lever for making cultural diversity a major asset to your team's success.
In a world where borders are disappearing, intercultural management is becoming a real strategic asset. Here's why it's essential for your company:
Today, your teams, customers and partners can be spread across the four corners of the globe. Well-managed intercultural management facilitates exchanges and strengthens collaboration between these international players, creating a real bridge between cultures.
Cultural diversity is a goldmine for innovation. Each member of your team brings unique ideas and perspectives to the table, enriching the creative process. By focusing on intercultural management, you can turn this diversity into a powerful engine for developing innovative solutions.
Cultural differences can be a source of misunderstanding and even tension. Effective intercultural management anticipates these situations and puts in place appropriate practices, so that conflicts can be defused before they arise.
By becoming an organisation where diversity is not only accepted but valued, you stand out as an employer of choice for international talent. This strengthens not only your image, but also your ability to attract diverse and skilled profiles.
Good intercultural management creates better team cohesion, boosts productivity and improves overall performance. By maximising individual strengths and reducing cultural friction, you get the best out of every member of your team.
Remember: intercultural management is not only a necessity in today's world, it is also an opportunity to help your company grow in a globalised environment.
Intercultural management is not only useful, it becomes essential in certain contexts where cultural diversity has a direct influence on your company's success. Here are a few scenarios where it is particularly strategic:
Managing a team made up of members from different cultures requires more than just adapting. Intercultural management allows you to skilfully juggle different expectations, communication styles and working methods, creating a synergy within the team that pushes productivity to the max.
When you merge with a foreign company or acquire one in another country, cultural differences can quickly become an obstacle. By applying the principles of intercultural management, you can integrate new teams smoothly, harmonise practices and turn these differences into an asset rather than a hindrance.
Entering new foreign markets requires a detailed understanding of local cultural particularities. Well-executed intercultural management enables you to adapt your managerial and commercial strategies, ensuring a successful foothold and sustainable growth in these markets.
Whether with partners or suppliers based abroad, cultural differences can complicate collaboration. With an intercultural approach, you can strengthen relationships, avoid misunderstandings and build solid, lasting partnerships.
Even without leaving your borders, cultural diversity is increasingly present within your company. By adopting intercultural management, you can promote inclusion, boost your employees' motivation and commitment, and create an environment where every talent is valued.
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Intercultural management is a tremendous opportunity for your organisation, but it is not without its challenges. To maximise its benefits, it is essential to understand its strengths and limitations.
• A wealth of perspectives : The cultural diversity within your team offers a multitude of viewpoints. This enriches your decision-making processes and enables you to develop innovative solutions from these different perspectives.
• Enhanced adaptability : Multicultural teams are naturally more agile. They adapt more easily to fluctuations in the global market and to the specific challenges of each international context.
• Improved communication skills : Working in an intercultural environment encourages each member of the team to refine their communication skills. They become clearer, more attentive and learn to overcome language barriers, which boosts overall effectiveness.
• Strengthened team cohesion : Facing the challenges of cultural diversity together creates a unique sense of solidarity. Diversity becomes a cement for the team, where everyone learns to appreciate the distinct contributions of their colleagues.
• In-depth understanding of international markets : A multicultural team brings invaluable knowledge of foreign cultures and markets, which is a major asset for any company looking to expand internationally.
• Language barriers : Language can sometimes be a barrier, especially if not all team members share the same language. This can lead to misunderstandings, and even mistakes, in day-to-day exchanges.
• Different approaches to work : Working styles vary considerably from one culture to another. These differences, whether in terms of time management, hierarchy or decision-making, can sometimes create tensions.
• Cultural misunderstandings : What is normal in one culture may be interpreted quite differently in another. These misunderstandings can complicate interactions and affect harmony within the team.
• Increased managerial complexity : Managing an intercultural team requires great flexibility and an in-depth understanding of cultural differences. It also requires an ongoing commitment to learning and adaptation.
• Resistance to change : Some team members may be reluctant to work in a multicultural environment, especially if they are not used to it. This resistance can hinder the implementation of effective intercultural management.
Managing a multicultural team means much more than coordinating tasks and achieving objectives. The manager has to juggle cultures with finesse to get the best out of everyone and make diversity a real driver of performance. Here are the key roles of a manager in this context:
In a multicultural environment, clear communication is essential. The manager must ensure that everyone understands each other, despite linguistic differences. This means setting up appropriate channels, listening actively and resolving misunderstandings quickly. Raising the team's awareness of cultural particularities becomes an asset in avoiding misunderstandings.
The manager must create an environment where each member of the team feels respected and valued. He or she transforms cultural differences into assets, by recognising and integrating everyone's customs, celebrations and specific needs. This inclusion is essential if every voice is to be heard and everyone is to find their place in the team.
Tensions can sometimes arise from cultural differences. As a mediator, the manager must defuse these conflicts by finding solutions that respect everyone's sensitivities. A deep understanding of the cultures involved is essential to maintain harmony within the team.
Managing a multicultural team requires a flexible leadership style. Some prefer more structured leadership, others a collaborative approach. The manager needs to know how to adjust his or her approach to meet the various cultural expectations and thus maintain everyone's motivation and commitment.
Recognising and developing the unique talents of each member is another crucial responsibility of the manager. He or she must identify the specific strengths that each culture brings, encourage a diversity of contributions, and ensure that each talent is fully exploited to achieve the common goals.
Cultural diversity is an inexhaustible source of innovation. Managers must encourage the expression of ideas, value the diversity of perspectives, and create an environment where experimentation is not only accepted, but encouraged. In this way, the creativity that comes from differences can be transformed into a competitive advantage.
To strengthen team cohesion, the manager also plays an educational role. Organising workshops or discussions on cultural sensitivity helps the team to understand each other better and to work together more effectively.
9 qualities for managing a multicultural team
Managing a multicultural team requires much more than traditional managerial skills. You need specific qualities to turn cultural diversity into a real asset. Here are the qualities you need to succeed in this environment:
Being open-minded is essential. A good manager must know how to welcome and value different perspectives, seeing cultural differences as an asset rather than a constraint. This approach avoids hasty judgements and encourages harmonious collaboration.
Empathy is the key to understanding the unique motivations and challenges of each team member. It helps create an environment where everyone feels understood and supported, which strengthens cohesion and productivity.
Nothing stands still in a multicultural environment. An effective manager knows how to adapt quickly to new situations, whether in terms of communication, working methods or cultural traditions. This flexibility is essential if you are to navigate successfully in such a diverse context.
Clear communication is crucial, especially with teams who speak different languages and have different cultural backgrounds. Managers must be able to convey their ideas in an accessible way, while remaining attentive to others. Fluid intercultural communication is an undeniable asset.
Cultural differences can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or delays. A patient manager will take the time needed to explain, clarify and resolve problems without rushing, thus maintaining cohesion and avoiding frustration.
Managers need to be aware of differences in communication styles, working methods and decision-making processes, and adapt their approach accordingly to maximise the team's effectiveness.
The manager must know how to include every member of the team, valuing the unique contributions of each person, whatever their origin. This creates an environment where everyone feels valued and encouraged to participate actively.
Cultural differences can sometimes generate tensions. An effective manager needs to know how to handle these situations diplomatically, finding solutions that respect everyone and strengthen the unity of the team.
Finally, a strategic vision is essential. The manager must have a clear overview of the team's objectives and know how to exploit cultural diversity to achieve these objectives. Drawing on the strengths of each individual can transform this diversity into a competitive advantage.
To remember: Managing a multicultural team requires a combination of open-mindedness, empathy, adaptability and many other qualities. These skills make it possible to create a working environment where diversity is not only respected, but becomes a genuine driver of performance.
Last September, we were lucky enough to host a webinar with 2 experts in international project governance. These 2 community consultants have extensive experience of managing multicultural teams and shared their best practices with us.
Erlin JENSEN - Project Management & Business Transformation - After 16 years in consulting, Erling is now an independent project manager specialising in business transformation projects in an international context: optimising business processes within HR, the supply chain or finance, rolling out new ERP or HRIS systems worldwide, or mergers and acquisitions.
Sophie WARANS - Project Management & Business Transformation - Sophie has worked in international companies in the chemicals, FMCG and beauty sectors, particularly in the supply chain. Involved in numerous projects within this function, she developed a passion for project management, which led her to work on transformations such as head office transfers, divestments and organisational transformations with outsourced service providers, all of which require strong intercultural management skills.
Successful governance of international projects depends not only on classic management theories and tools, but also on the human aspect: building the team, relations with stakeholders, creating a dynamic environment and motivating individuals to ensure collective success.
I can clearly see my ‘contribution area’ and how I'm contributing to the overall objective.
I appreciate that my expertise is recognised and I find it stimulating to work with other people whom I consider to be my peers. It's an opportunity for the project to bring together and link these experts and get them working together.
I appreciate the clarity with which the objective is communicated and mentioned.
The most important thing is honesty, even if your project is about reducing staff numbers or costs, you should argue that we have to do it because it allows us to invest, be competitive... etc.
I frequently check on the support and enthusiasm for the current stage and the project as a whole of every stakeholder in the project, wherever they live.
- use the camera during meetings/use meeting room facilities for small group discussions
- Ensure frequent communication
- Pay attention to the ‘human touch’ by making time for the team ... encourage conversations that you would normally have at the coffee machine.
In projects involving teams from the four corners of the world, it is essential that project documents are available and accessible to everyone working on the project. This will save you time, energy and demotivation. Sharepoint, for example, is a simple solution often used for this type of project.
Don't wait until the end of the project, but turn every achievement into a victory and know how to celebrate them. Thanking employees for their efforts encourages a positive dynamic and team commitment.
If you want to go further, you can find the full replay of the webinar
on managing projects in a multicultural context right here.
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