You're leading a global ERP project. How do you effectively communicate with international stakeholders?

Understanding your international stakeholders' cultures and communication styles is key. Research their norms to build trust and ensure your message is understood as intended.

Cultivating empathy, a key attribute for effectively communicating with international stakeholders during a global ERP project. Understanding cultural norms and business practices, and preferences of communication are key to understand. With this understanding you can ensure you respect the team's culture and build trust. When stakeholders feel heard they are more likely to engage in a positive way. This improves communication and increases project success.

Understanding Change Management process and how to utilize it during an ERP implementation is crucial. Change is hard for people in general, especially for the end-users who are not involved in the planning of the project.

We practice project governance with more project reports and frequent status reports and meetings with international stakeholders. Good project management system provides 360 degree status and analysis of project. Automated notifications and emails help engaging stakeholders periodically.

In a global ERP project, use technology to bridge communication gaps. Opt for user-friendly tools and video conferencing to connect with stakeholders, ensuring accessibility for all.

Utilize time zone tactics to enhance communication while leading global ERP projects. What tools and techniques do you utilise? When working across time zones coordinating schedules can be an added burden to the project. I like to use a combination of time zone clocks on the project site and leveraging outlook calendar features. In addition to aligning normal working hours rotating schedules for meetings or adjusting project team hours for key phases of the project can increase productivity.

Coordinating time zones is tough. Use a global calendar, rotate meeting times and communicate clearly to respect stakeholders' time and boost engagement.

Leading a global ERP project requires clear, consistent, and culturally sensitive comms to ensure alignment across diverse international stakeholders. 1. Be aware of cultural norms, holidays, and working hours in different regions. Adjust communication styles to accommodate these differences, ensuring respectful and effective interactions. 2. Use clear and simple language, avoiding jargon or idiomatic expressions that may not translate well. Consider providing translated materials to ensure understanding. 3. Appoint local leaders in the region to act as the bridge between the global team and local stakeholders. These person can help facilitate comms, address region-specific concerns, and ensure local perspectives are considered.

For multilingual stakeholders, use clear, simple language and avoid idioms. Employ translators if needed to ensure everyone understands the project and avoids misunderstandings.

Offer regular feedback opportunities through surveys or check-ins. Encourage honesty and respond to feedback to improve the project and boost stakeholder involvement.

This also ties in to Change Management skills and processes. Make users and end-users feel like part of the project with the core team, instead of feeling like changes are being pushed on them. Listening to people is important, even if your final decision will be different from what they want/suggested.

No matter what people's backgrounds or cultures are, everyone likes feeling like they are part of the project and being heard. Having IT and business users be involved together in a project and work together is crucial.