Build the Relationship or Get Down to Business?

Welcome back to my LinkedIn newsletter where I share tips, ideas, and strategies to help you become more effective in business and life.

If we haven't been acquainted yet, I’m a professor of organizational and cross-cultural psychology, the author of Global Dexterity and Reach, and an HBR contributor and consultant. I also work closely with coaches, trainers, consultants and teachers to certify them in my Global Dexterity Method.

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In today’s newsletter, I’m sharing some thoughts about balancing two key dynamics in global work: getting down to business and socializing.

Global leaders can often struggle when trying to strike the right balance between building relationships and getting down to business. In Mexico, for example, it’s critical to develop a great deal of time and effort toward getting to know each other and building relationships before focusing on work, whereas in Germany, it’s perfectly acceptable to cut to the chase and get down to business.

But what happens when working across cultures, especially when you are managing a team of people from mixed cultural backgrounds? How do you strike a balance between building the relationship or getting down to business?

The first tip is to recognize and read your context. Are you working in a relationship-oriented culture? A task-oriented one? Or a combination of both? People often assume that national culture is the only dimension of culture to consider. But it's equally important to recognize the culture of the region you’re operating in, as well as the industry and the company itself.

It's also critical to assess the backgrounds of the individual people you're working with, especially if you have a mix of employees from various countries with a varied set of backgrounds. And, of course, the culture of your company can also matter a great deal. There may be an unspoken, but clear answer about how to blend norming and performing.

Finally, as a leader, you do have the power to create a culture within your team, so do so thoughtfully and purposefully. Think to yourself: What is the right blend between task and relationship building that works for your team right now? And how might this change over time as your team progresses through various stages of its work?