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When Teams Collide
Book

When Teams Collide

Managing the International Team Successfully

Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2012 plus...


Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • Overview

Recommendation

Communications consultant Richard D. Lewis builds on his international experience to address a big stumbling block for global companies: the inability of people on multinational teams to cooperate. Members’ conscious or unconscious cultural assumptions lead to the danger of unintentionally offending (or being offended by) other members. Lewis warns of the hazards of stereotyping various nationalities, and then he takes that risk often, though he bases his descriptions of cultural inclinations on extended research into cooperation on multinational teams. He says understanding leaders can overcome team members’ widely differing organizational, linguistic and ethical perspectives. Your reaction will depend on whether you see his descriptions as illuminating or stereotyping. Lewis does provide practical steps for resolving cultural conflicts in 11 pivotal areas. Each chapter ends with case studies and includes well-intended but hard-to-interpret graphics. Fortunately, getAbstract finds the written text stands on its own.

Take-Aways

  • The rise of the global economy puts an emphasis on multiculturalism and collaboration.
  • Global businesses have launched two to three million teams since 2001, but their international members may be struggling to work together.
  • Their leaders must reconcile varying worldviews, behaviors, languages and attitudes.

About the Author

Richard D. Lewis is the chairman of Richard Lewis Communications, which provides international cross-cultural and language training. He worked for five years in Japan as a tutor for the imperial family.