You can elevate team morale and foster effective communication through cultural intelligence.
Individuals in culturally diverse teams can often have very diverse communication preferences. These might range from direct and assertive to more indirect and diplomatic approaches. Despite some teammates preferring give feedback on the spot, irrespective of who is present, others prefer to do it in a roundabout way, perhaps over a cup of coffee in the team break area. The former can offend team members who are not accustomed to it and the latter can confuse those who see communication more as black and white without any grey areas.
Cultural Intelligence can help elevate team morale and foster effective communication
Effective communication fosters a collaborative environment and creates harmony by allowing team members to express themselves in their preferred manner rather than in the manner that the majority of the team feel is acceptable.
In culturally diverse teams, sometimes team members lack awareness of teammates’ values, assuming that everyone communicates the same way, that feedback should be given exactly the same and that all emails should be written according to one format.
However, we all have different problem-solving skills and the way we speak and write is highly connected to how we think, see the world, create relationships and problem solve.
If we overlook these diverse communication styles and assume that all team members communicate the same way, we can fall into misalignment and miss our objectives. Let’s look at a brief case study.
Case Study: The Project Deadline Dilemma
Background: In a dynamic marketing agency, a team of creative professionals was tasked with delivering a high-stakes project with a tight deadline. The team comprised individuals with diverse roles, including designers, writers, and project managers.
The Misalignment: The project manager, Alex, was known for their direct and succinct communication style. They believed in concise updates and straightforward instructions to keep the project on track. On the other hand, Sarah, the lead designer, had a more collaborative and big picture approach. She preferred detailed discussions to ensure a thorough understanding of the creative aspects of the project.
As the project progressed, communication challenges started to emerge. Alex assumed that brief updates, including emails made up of bullet points, were sufficient for everyone. Sarah, on the other hand, felt left out of crucial decision-making processes. She struggled to join all the dots without the big picture elements she needed to problem-solve. Moreover, the lack of detailed communication, for her, led to misunderstandings about the creative direction, and deadlines began to slip.
Alex not only did not elevate team morale, they created exclusion, lack of collaboration and undermined team spirit.
Consequences of not using cultural intelligence
1. Missed Milestones: Due to the misalignment in communication styles, the team missed several project milestones, impacting the overall timeline.
2. Frustration and Tension: Team members, especially Sarah, became frustrated due to the perceived lack of involvement in decision-making. This tension started affecting team dynamics.
3. Quality Compromises: The final deliverables did not meet the expected quality standards because of the miscommunication on creative elements.
Resolution: Recognising the misalignment, the team decided to hold a workshop that was not related to work objectives but rather to discuss their cultural values which in turn impacted their communication.
Cultural Intelligence helps us understand the differing values of our teammates, highlighting what communication techniques they prefer. This in turn leads to improved collaboration, on time delivery and elevates team morale.
