You are colleagues in a multinational team. Improve your collaboration by addressing three key questions:
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Q1 – Differences
Where do we differ in how think, therefore in how we work?
Specific to the topic you have selected, for example Persuasion, read and reflect on UC’s analysis. Be sure to look at the Patterns. They contain examples that illustrate how the two cultures think and work.
Q2 – Influence
What influence do those differences have on our collaboration?
First Conversation
Specific to the selected topic, identify those differences which are exerting the most influence on cross-border collaboration. This is a conversation with yourself. Focus on what is not working. Share those differences with your colleagues from the same-country. They will do the same with you. Your colleagues from the other-countries will do the same on their side.
Second Conversation
Reflect on the differences submitted by your same-country colleagues. Then meet as same-country group. Discuss those differences and their influence on your collaboration. Decide which of them should be addressed with your colleagues from the other-countries. Then share those cultural differences with them. They will do the same with you.
Third Conversation
Reflect on the differences submitted by your colleagues from the other-countries. Then meet as an all-countries group. The entire team. Discuss the influence of cultural differences on your collaboration. You are deepening your understanding of each other. About how you think. About how you work.
Q3 – Integration
How can we best integrate our approaches so that we succeed?
First Conversation
Specific to the selected topic, reflect on the current state of collaboration. This is a conversation with yourself. Recommend how the countries involved can better collaborate. Share those recommendations with your colleagues from the same-country. They will do the same with you. And your colleagues from the other-countries will do the same on their side.
Second Conversation
Reflect on the recommendations submitted by your same-country colleagues. Then meet as same-country group. Discuss the submitted recommendations. Decide which of them should be discussed with your colleagues from the other-countries. Then share those recommendations with them. They will do the same with you.
Third Conversation
Reflect on the recommendations submitted by your colleagues from the other-countries. Then meet as all-countries group. Again, the entire team. Discuss the recommendations submitted. Decide which of them should be implemented. Now implement, monitor, and improve.