How Does International Cultural Diversity Impact Team Building ?
ould you say that the team is comprised of men and women with cultural practices and values originating from over 92 countries worldwide ; diverse technical , cognitive , and soft skills ? Would you say that they have processes in place to enhance creativity , cohesion , effective communications , conflict resolution , and sharing of information ? International cultural diversity adds the secret ingredient to enable teams to compete in international markets by drawing from the wisdom of other parts of the world .
In practice , high-performance teams can exist in all industries and walks of life including : families , school teams , sports , healthcare , food , agriculture , fitness and beauty , fashion , financial , energy and petroleum industries , and more . However , teamwork is a skill that draws on many soft skills that are developed through training and life experiences . They are not typically automatic behaviors .
According to www . houstontx . gov / abouthouston / houstonfacts , “ 92 countries have consular offices in Houston , the third highest in the nation and 500 cultural , visual and performing arts organizations , 90 of which are devoted to multicultural and minority arts and is one of five U . S . cities that offer year-round resident companies in all major performing arts .”
High-performance teamwork , such as that demonstrated by Superbowl teams , requires teambuilding training and activities to proactively manage cultural awareness , emotional intelligence , acceptance of differences , strategically drawing on individual strengths , and building a unified team culture , values , mission , and guiding principles . Teambuilding requires the team members to address how they will build and nurture trust , open communications , resolve conflict openly and effectively , support each other , embrace accountability , and focus on results as a unified team instead of as individual players .
Benefits of International Cultural Diversity
Companies can realize rich benefits from well-managed internationally diverse teams in the workplace . Some benefits include :
• Companies gain the support of their target markets when their employees represent the basic makeup of the community .
• Team members can become advocates for their company in the community potentially leading to increased market share .
• Team members can provide innovative suggestions for additional markets for their solutions . For example , they can supply ideas for how their products and services can serve unmet needs in their international community .
• Teams with international cultural diversity often have more and better ideas because of broader backgrounds and experiences .
• Teams that incorporate their variety of backgrounds , ideas , and personalities , can often find answers to novel and complicated business issues .
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