What is a recommended practice for building trust within a global team?

Building trust within a global team is crucial for fostering collaboration and ensuring effective communication across diverse cultural backgrounds. Scheduling get-to-know-each-other sessions is a recommended practice because it allows team members to share personal experiences, cultural insights, and professional backgrounds. These sessions help humanize team members and create a sense of familiarity, which can bridge cultural gaps and break down barriers.

When team members engage in informal conversations and activities, they gain a better understanding of each other’s strengths, working styles, and perspectives. This process builds rapport and encourages openness, which is essential in establishing a trusting environment where members feel safe to communicate and collaborate effectively.

Other practices, such as conducting formal performance reviews, may help assess individual contributions but can often feel impersonal and may not be conducive to building trust. Encouraging competition among team members may lead to distrust and conflict instead of collaboration. Assigning projects based on geography may overlook individual skills and abilities, potentially leading to dissatisfaction and disconnect within the team. In contrast, get-to-know-each-other sessions focus on relationship-building, which lays the foundation for a positive, trusting team culture.