„We need
your help. Our Spanish team colleagues are not delivering what we agreed…“ -
This was about the first thing we heard when a German client called us. He was
desperate because the project was very important, time lines were tight, and
workload high. Of course, we thought something like “Well, then let’s start
improving the project plan…” would help. But, as always reality was a little
different and this team needed something else than a perfect project plan.
So we went
back to basics and interviewed the key players.
Our Spanish Senior Coach talked to the Spanish team in Madrid and our
German Senior Coach did the same with the German team in Munich. Interviews
went very well because the teams could speak in their mother tongue. This made
it much easier for them talking about sensitive topics.
 |
Teresa Ramos, BWC Coach,
talking about intercultural diffenrences |
It became
clear very quickly that we were facing some intercultural differences
influencing collaboration, trust level, and communication in the team. One of the big pain points was about reliable
delivery. Wouldn’t you think that agreeing on tasks and deadlines would be
sufficient enough for delivery? - The Germans did and were disappointed when commitments
weren’t kept.
Here we
could really help with highlighting an important difference between German and
Spanish cultures. In German culture reliability is a core value. If you agree
on a deadline you keep the deadline. If you agree to deliver a certain result
the result will be 100% the standard you want. If you agree, you make a promise
to fulfill your commitments! Germans believe this and rely on your word.
In Spanish
culture you can see a more flexible way of fulfilling tasks - which is great
when you need to react to spontaneous changes. Deadlines are not always final. Delivering
60% quality is fine if meeting the deadline is the priority, because low
quality can be always improved along the way.
“We’re reliable because we deliver in time” is the Spanish perception, “even
if the results are not perfect.” In Spain you can negotiate any time - even
after agreeing - and you will always find a solution.
So back to
our multinational client team: for the Spanish team understanding that agreements
are a promise and quality is not negotiable for Germans was one of the biggest eye-openers.
Now they knew they had to clarify tasks before delivering, ensure 100% quality
is possible with given resources, and negotiate stronger if time was the
constraint. Otherwise, their reliability would suffer.
The German
team became aware how strong their values had influenced their assumptions and
how important it was accepting different perceptions. “Don’t expect Spaniards
to act like Germans even if they work in a German setting” was one of their key
learning. If they wanted 100% quality and reliable delivery they now ensured
that the Spanish team had sufficient information and time.
Some tips
for working in or leading German-Spanish teams:
- Clarify
mutual expectations right from the start - Don’t only follow your assumptions.
- Talk
about your values when it comes to quality and deadlines - Stay open for
compromises.
- Explain
what agreements mean and imply for you - Don’t rely “agree” means the same to
all.
- Open
up for different perspectives - Your reality is not the only valid one!
- Build
trust by listening to your team - Respect different cultures.
 |
| Brigitta Wurnig, BWC CEO, talking about team dynamics. |
It’s fun working in international teams and you
can benefit from different cultures if you integrate them. For us this is
crucial for today’s leaders of multinational teams, especially in virtual
settings. It still is a journey for some
leaders and we love supporting them and their teams with our intercultural
coaching bringing our German, Spanish, and British expertise to the table. Read more about our team coaching approach on
our website here
