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Introduction
The fact that people come from diverse cultural backgrounds plays an important role in human interaction. This happens when they exhibit their diversities during normal interaction. People coming from different cultures normally have unique ways of doing certain things. There are conflicting perceptions about time and its management in different cultural societies.
The conflict in perception about time is a predominant problem in many global organizations and corporations. The problems emerge because people attach different meanings to time management. Therefore, their take on project activity tasks such as when to submit reports and complete certain tasks are different. (Curtis and Dreachslin, 2008).
The notable regions where such challenges have been reported include Russia and Western Europe. The many conflicts between top management and workers in these regions have been associated with issues of time management.
These disagreements have presented difficulties in project management (Dubrin, 2012). These challenges necessitate innovative ways through which project managers can deal with the project team who come from different cultures with then.
This paper seeks to discuss how a project manager can deal with members of the team when their approach to time management conflict the leaders perception. This paper seeks to discuss the relevant issues by borrowing ideas from theoretical insights as well as realistic advice. It uses theories to explain some pressing global work environment challenges.
The paper has significantly featured Greet Hofstedes servant leadership theory and its application in management. It has used it to build a compelling argument about how the project leader can effectively handle program team members who have a different approach to time management based on their cultural origins.
Varying Perceptions about Time and its Management
Differences in the way people approach time in cross-cultural regions can present massive challenges for leaders. Coordinating project members when they are from multicultural backgrounds appears to be the most difficult thing for managers (dekola and Sergi, 2012).
In cases where a project manager is working with team members from other cultures who have a different approach to time management, issues such as project forecasting, decision-making, or timelines normally becomes challenging. These challenges normally emanate from miscommunication and conflicting expectations (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012).
For example, a German project manager leading a multicultural group of Indians might face frustrations because he may think that the Indians like meandering and lack exigency. On the other hand, Indian workforce may consider their German leader as being forceful and insensitive about the need for team harmony.
Application of Servant Leadership Theory and Principles
The project manager whose cultural background differs from that of the project team will definitely experience challenges in attaining program deliverables. Therefore, in order to enhance the realization of project objectives, managers should inculcate servant leadership in their lives. Servant leadership is crucial in enhancing how project managers handle their subjects (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010).
The project manager should implement servant leadership model according the theoretical proposals fronted by Hofstede. The theorist mentioned five cultural elements that give a framework for identifying likeness and distinctions across cultures and their application in management (Tassell, 2006).
Power Distance
First, Hofstede identified power distance as a critical element of cultural difference in management. He argued that power distance represent the degree of inequality among people, which the population of a nation considers usual.
He classified power distance from equal, which means small power distance and tremendously unequal representing large power distance (Tassell, 2006). Hofstede argued that for any leader to be effective, they require momentous participation and interaction with their workforce (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010).
This element of Hofstedes theory is highly applicable in project management for managers working with subjects from multicultural backgrounds. This is because the project manager who practices servant leadership enables the program team to feel free in their work environment.
Therefore, the project team members are able to contribute their feelings, opinions, and suggestions (Tassell, 2006). The theory indicates that while the project team enjoys the freedom, the leader should also respect their contributions and apply them in building a more collaborative workplace (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010).
It is my suggestion that a project manager should apply the power distance element to build a working relationship with the members of the team.
The power distance element also suggests that managers should pay close attention to subjects empowerment in order to enhance their effectiveness at work (Tassell, 2006). In the current scenario entailing conflicting approach to time management, the project manager can handle the team by working towards their empowerment.
The empowerment of the team can focus on building their skills to work and ensure project deliverables are met accordingly (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010). It is notable that empowered workforce share in both preparation and decision making of project activities, which ultimately result into more dispersed working team where everyone recognize they have a role to play towards achieving success (Tassell, 2006).
Dealing with Individualism
Hofstede also identified individualism as the second element of servant leadership theory to management. He defines individualism as the extent to which people have a preference to perform as individuals as opposed to acting at members of a team (Tassell, 2006).
The servant leadership theory demands that the project director and the team work jointly much more strongly as a group. The project manager and the team jointly discuss issues in their work environment and as a group agrees on the outcome, which is of significance to everyone working in the same project (Steers, Sanchez-Runde & Nardon, 2012).
The project leader working with a multicultural team who has a different approach to time management identifies the most appropriate ways the team can deliver in their project areas (Tassell, 2006). The project leader must do this jointly with the members of the group. This is because the project manager must comprehend that success is not tenable as an individual but as a group.
Therefore, when the project manager is looking forward to succeed in managing the program towards achieving success, then the team must be involved at every stage.
The conflicts about time management between the project manager and the team can no doubt present challenges to the leader (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010). This is because failure to address such conflicts early enough can lead to factions and in fighting within the project team thus leading to withdrawal of support required to attain project goals.
The project leader must recognize that the attainment of project goals is not a one-man show, but a process that requires cooperation and involvement of all relevant persons (Tassell, 2006). Therefore, the manager can handle the team by developing and applying strategies aimed at reducing individualism in project activities implementation.
The project manager can also handle the team by empowering them to take responsibility and act like project leaders in their own portfolios Steers, Sanchez-Runde & Nardon, 2012). This is because the project team is only capable of offering their best at work when they feel a sense of responsibility and dependability to the achievement of the project objectives (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010).
The element also constitutes the peer comment system of a 360-degree feedback mechanism, which project managers can adopt. The 360-degree peer feedback is designed in such a way that there is all round exchange of information within a team.
This is critical for project managers because, once the sense of responsibility is inculcated among the team members then they should be able to find ways of providing feedback to each other (Tassell, 2006).
This strategy is crucial because when the team has a sense of responsibility then there will be an internal motivation from the members to perform the tasks appropriately to deliver on the project goals. The project leader can better handle the team when the team itself already applying self-management strategies, which must be put in place and be strengthened by the manager (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010).
The project manager can handle the team effectively by allowing them to devise their own strategy for managing time in such a way that the realization of project outcomes remains a priority Steers, Sanchez-Runde & Nardon, 2012).
The project manager should be there to develop the team into project leaders. The project team will undoubtedly perform to their best when they have a feeling that their project leader is working towards developing them and improving their personal growth.
In order to a work well with a highly multicultural team, the project manager should adopt a low to reasonably individualistic culture within the project team (Tassell, 2006).
Applying the Feminist Attributes to Management of Team Members
Hofstede also identified masculinity as the third element in the servant leadership that is crucial to management (Tassell, 2006). He distinguishes between attributes, which are considered culturally masculine against those considered feminine.
He points out that a servant leader should espouse attributes considered feminine at the workplace. The feminine like attributes include quality of life, maintaining affectionate individual relations, service, and solidarity (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010).
The servant leader functions while working with a multicultural team is to espouse the culturally female attributes. The project leader should develop a personal connection with the team in order to be effective.
The leader must handle the team through developing awareness on their needs and desires Steers, Sanchez-Runde & Nardon, 2012). This is of significance because if provides the manager with insights on how to individualize the team members jobs demands and relevant training to enhance their skills.
The manager should also build trust and loyalty with the team in order to create an enabling environment for enhancing their performance.
Hofstede also identified uncertainty avoidance as a critical aspect of managing a team.
Enhance Effectiveness through Uncertainty Avoidance Practices
He defines uncertainty avoidance as the extent to which individuals desire structured situations as opposed to unstructured circumstances (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010). The uncertainty avoidance element is critical because the team leader should push the traditional responsibilities of management such as setting rules, assignment of roles, and evaluation of performance back to the team members (Tassell, 2006).
The project leader should be able to handle the team effectively through this, as there will no imposition of rules, tasks, and expectations on the members. However, every aspect of the team performance and expectation will be discussed to ensure that they are agreed (Tassell, 2006). The project leader will therefore embark on new management roles such as team excellence growth and development.
Putting Project Team to Work in Groups
The project manager working with a multicultural group can also develop strategies to enable the members work in groups whenever there are tasks to be completed urgently (Puck, Rygl and Kittler, 2007). It is notable that time management challenges among workforce from diverse cultures can lead to delays in meeting certain deadlines (Gassmann, 2001).
The project leader cannot allow people to work independently because they may fail to prioritize urgent activities. Therefore, the leader should assign urgent responsibilities to the team and ensure they work on it jointly (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2012).
The notable advantages for this approach may include improved completion of tasks and delivery of results within the timelines. The project team can also develop a sense of ownership when they feel that their joint approach to completion of tasks lead to quality outcomes (Silverthorne, 2005).
Furthermore, working as a group can make the team to learn about the roles and responsibilities of their colleagues. This is critical in project management because other workers can easily step in and assist others with a lot of ease.
Conducting Effective Meetings with Project Team
Project leader should also conduct effective meetings with project team to improve understanding of tasks and achievements. In global work environments where time management is a challenge, project managers can schedule daily meetings with the team. The team to brief the leader on their tasks for the next few days as well as achievements over the previous days can use the meeting (Falkheimer and Heide, 2006).
The meetings will also enable the team to talk about how they plan to meet project activity deadlines. Furthermore, the meetings will allow the project team members with massive workload that cannot be achieved over a given period to request assistance from colleagues (Terry, 2011).
The daily meeting may also be crucial for joint planning of project activities. For example, mounting a chart on the meeting table where different program members can indicate the timelines for their activities (Dowling, Festing & Engle, 2008).
The chart can act as a reminder to the members whenever they see them so that they can embark on completing the tasks as scheduled in the charts. The meetings also allow the project team to develop a common plan and strategy for integrated approach to implementing project activities.
Cross Cultural Training
A project manager should undergo a cultural training in order to develop competence on how to deal with the group under their leadership. The training equips managers with skills on systematic cross cultural understanding and appreciation.
Cultural training is crucial for program delivery team because it enhances awareness and understanding of limitations of different cultural perceptions such as time management (Bhattacharyya 2010, pg. 106). Organization of the training can take the form of role-plays, field trips, simulations, films, and sensitivity learning to enhance effectiveness.
Project leaders should also undertake cross cultural training at diverse phases such as in country socialization, departure induction, and debriefing (Bhattacharyya, 2010). Multi cultural training enhance leaders cultural literacy and ability to handle others by accommodating their traditional norms, proactiveness in cultural manners, and assimilation of varying norms into alternative manners (Bhattacharyya, 2010).
Strengthening Positive Workplace Relations
Project leaders should also purposefully strengthen positive workplace relationships and strive to develop inclusive work environments (Flannery, Stevens, Plaut and Sanchez Burks, 2008).
This will ensure that the issues of time management conflicts do not emerge because the project leader will always interact with program team in order to understand the progress they are making in the implementation of project activities (Federman, 2009). This initiative can help project leaders a great deal, because workforce will rarely come up with such strategies.
The project leader will be able to realize increased performance of the team. Through, this strategy the project leader can also manage to create work schedule in partnership with the team (Latting & Ramsey, 2009). The leader can discuss with the team on how they can improve their performance in the workplace through proper planning, scheduling activities, and report writing according to the deadline for implementing such activities.
The leader can also strive to create team leadership and ensure that members develop cultural awareness of the others in terms of their time management (Sias, 2009). This strategy will help realize improvement in team performance across cultures.
Enhancing Open Communication
The project leader can also enhance open and inclusive communication strategies, which enable team members to share their reservations about time management issues. This strategy is highly effective in scenarios where the team members see their project leader as a superior person they cannot approach easily (Puck, Rygl and Kittler, 2007).
The project manager can initiate an interactive working relationship with the team members in order to obtain opportunities to know their feelings with certain tasks assigned to them.
Furthermore, the project leader can extend the open communication with the team members to periods when they are having breaks (Puck, Rygl and Kittler, 2007). For example, a project can take advantage of tea break discussion with the team members to remind them about pending activity deadlines.
Conclusion
In summary, project implementation in global organizations with teams from multicultural backgrounds present massive challenges to managers. This is because members of the team from different cultural regions have varying attitude and approach to time and its management. The difference normally causes conflicts between project managers and their assonants.
The project manager can employ diverse strategies to handle a team with a multicultural diversity. Firstly, the project manager can make the group to work as team in order to minimize delays associated with individual engagement. Secondly, the manager can schedule daily meetings for the team to enable members give feedback on their achievements over the last days as well as highlight their plans for the day.
Thirdly, the manager can strengthen workplace relations in order to promote free consultation between them and the team. Finally, the project manager can undertake cross cultural training in order to develop competence on handling a culturally diverse workforce.
It is notable that multi cultural training normally boost peoples cultural awareness and ability to handle others. This is possible because the training provides skills for accommodating other peoples traditional norms, and adjustment to varying norms appropriately.
List of References
Adekola, A and Sergi, B 2012, Global Business Management: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, Hampshire.
Bhattacharyya, D 2010, Cross-cultural management texts and cases, New Delhi: PHI Learning Ldt.
Curtis, J and Dreachslin, J 2008, Integrative Literature Review: Diversity Management Interventions and Organizational Performance: A Synthesis of Current Literature, Human Resource Development Review, Vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 107-134, via SAGE Journals Database.
Dierendonck, D & Patterson, K 2010, Servant leadership: developments in theory and research, Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire.
Dowling, P, Festing, M & Engle, A 2008, International human resource management: managing people in a multinational context, London: Thomson Learning.
Dubrin, A 2012, Essentials of management, South-Western/Thomson Learning, Mason, Ohio.
Falkheimer, J and Heide, M 2006, Multicultural Crisis Communication: Towards a Social Constructionist Perspective , Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, Vol.14, pp. 180189, via Willey Online Library.
Federman, B 2009, Employee Engagement A Roadmap for Creating Profits, Optimizing Performance, and Increasing Loyalty, John Wiley & Sons Inc, New York, NY.
Flannery, G., Stevens, F., Plaut, V and Sanchez Burks, J 2008, Unlocking the Benefits of Diversity All-Inclusive Multiculturalism and Positive Organizational Change , Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 116-133, via SAGE Journals Database.
Gassmann, O 2001, Multicultural Teams: Increasing Creativity and Innovation by Diversity , Creativity and Innovation Management, Vol. 10, pp. 8895, via Willey Online Library.
Jackson, S, Schuler, R & Werner, S 2012, Managing human resources, South Western cengage learning, Mason, Ohio.
Latting, J & Ramsey, V 2009, Reframing change: how to deal with workplace dynamics, influence others, and bring people together to initiate positive change, Praeger, California, CA.
Puck, J., Rygl, D and Kittler, M 2007, Cultural antecedents and performance consequences of open communication and knowledge transfer in multicultural process-innovation teams , Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 223-241, via EBSCO Host.
Sias, P 2009, Organizing relationships: traditional and emerging perspectives on workplace relationships, SAGE, California, CA.
Silverthorne, C 2005, Organizational Psychology in Cross-cultural Perspective, NYU Press, New York, NY.
Steers, R, Sanchez-Runde, C & Nardon, L 2012, Management across cultures: developing global competencies. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Tassell, M 2006, Called to Serve: Servant-leadership Perceptions at a Franciscan-sponsored University Correlated with Job Satisfaction. ProQuest, Michigan, MI..
Terry, J 2011, Managing a Multicultural Workforce, Human Resource Development, Massachusetts, MA.
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