Arriving in a new country or culture is something every traveler and expat experiences differently. For some, the expat experience is full of excitement at the new experiences and opportunities afforded by the change, for others, even the prospect of the expat experience it is largely one of fear, fear of... read more →
Sep
22
Sep
15
There are a number of different communication technologies available to the modern project manager to interface with and coordinate their virtual project teams. The technologies range from standard email communications, whether one to one or used to broadcast messages to the entire team, use of the telephone, again either for a one on... read more →
Sep
08
In many of my conversations, the topic of self awareness among project personnel comes up. It comes up both in general and most specifically as a major contributor to the development of successful and effective interpersonal and cross cultural communicators. During these discussions, you quickly realise just how effective and, indeed, essential it... read more →
Sep
01
Communication failures in organisations expose the business to many risks including; rework, high rejection rates of output, schedule blowouts, cost over runs and higher than normal involuntary turnover of personnel. All of these issues result in a drain on the bottom line and unnecessary distractions for senior management in addressing the... read more →
Aug
25
For anyone working in a team based project environment, be it co-located or virtual, single or multi cultural, developing a comprehensive communication toolkit, one comprising different communication styles and skills, is an absolute necessity. Many of us have a single communication style, one that we have had since our early... read more →
Aug
18
Leading a team is hard. Leading a virtual team is even harder. Leading a virtual team, where members are spread across multiple geographic locations, adds additional management complexity including; managing across time zone differences, communicating using different media and dealing with conflicting cultures and social pressures. Leading a virtual team and managing... read more →
Aug
11
Erin Meyer’s recent book, 'The Culture Map', takes a very approachable and hands on approach to helping individuals and organisations develop an understanding of working in cross cultural environments. In it, she uses a combination of data, stories and cases to support its propositions. The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible... read more →
Aug
04
Love them or hate them, teleconferences are a part of the modern business landscape. Barely a week, or for some barely a day passes without them joining a teleconference. Often, upwards of a dozen participants are gather together from around the world, at various times of the day and night in... read more →
Jul
28
We are all products of our personal and cultural past. Everything we have seen, read, heard and experienced changes the way we see our own present and future, ultimately affecting how we perceive and judge others around us. Assimilate Whether our view of the world is as an inclusive and... read more →
Jul
21
Establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy work life balance is a challenge for many in the modern workplace. Getting this work life balance right when working across multiple time zones can be especially difficult. In this article we consider some ways to make sure you get the rest you... read more →