Communication is very crucial when you are working jointly as a group. Being a global team leader, it may be problematic for you to mitigate social distancing. Earlier a team leader was striving to meet the time which was convenient for all the members of the team. But nowadays technologies have made it simple.

Below are some suggestions for you to fill in the voids of a geographically scattered team.

  • Try To Coordinate With The Timings: It becomes highly impossible to find the time suitable for everyone to attend the meeting. Timeanddate.com is a website that has a tool for meeting planners and tells you the precise time in any territory of the world with the help of the nifty world clock. Numerous apps are also available on an iPad and an iPhone to determine the exact time. Earlier the team leader used to ask the members of the team to mention their provincial time to make everyone understand the time difference.
  • Be Practical About The Differences In Culture: This is the dangerous and the most delicate issue to deal with. If a team member from Germany speaks American English fluently, don’t think that his cultural values are identical to that of Americans. The corporate world has learnt to consider everyone as equal over the years. It’s your duty as a manager to investigate the cultural setting of your team members. You can do that by watching movies, reading books, talking to people, browsing articles on the website etc. Try to be diplomatic and have a cheerful talk with the team members.
  • Be Sure Of Religious And National Holidays: Each country honours holidays in a very diverse way. A team leader should know about the important holidays of every team member. Figuring out how fasting during a festival might influence the members of the team is also essential. Timeanddate.com helps you in such circumstances by providing a tool for holidays and observances.
  • Compel The Members Of The Team To Check In With Each Other: Communicating through voice conveys surplus information. If you are working at the headquarters of the corporate and your team members are working in a distant area, then ask the members to visit the headquarters weekly. You can even make the members of the team check in or visit each other.
    Try to check in with the members of your team when you visit their home town. You can also meet each other at the business conference held by the industry.
  • Use A Common Application To Communicate: Use project management software that can be collaborated easily by every team member. This gives access to their timeframe so that they can easily trace the growth of the team. Cloud-based software is the best choice if the team members are scattered geographically. Use the same chat tool, message software, and whiteboard to communicate. Using a calendar application helps you to schedule meetings quickly.
  • Don’t Make Assumptions: You shouldn’t generalize about the cultures of the team members. Also, don’t let your cultural predisposition get inside the team. Try to learn more about their culture by seeking advice from a colleague or a friend who is aware of the regional traditions. Whenever you are perplexed, ask them the questions promptly. You will find some helpful and informative insights.
  • Don’t Give Up On The Approach Or Work Style: Make a note of each members’ work style and communication skills at the onset of the project. Sometimes cultural norms impact these differences. Your project is not about winning style, it’s all about the outcomes.

Lastly, the existence of the team is to accomplish a mutual goal. Each member of the team contributes to the project. Build trust among the members of the team and bring them together to achieve the desired objective.