What Are You Really Saying? Leveling Up Your Professional Presence

Quick question: how are you holding yourself right now?

Are your shoulders back? Is your chin tilted upright? Or is your back hunched? Are your legs crossed in your lap?

The few questions above are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to parsing out our body language, particularly as it relates to professional vs unprofessional body language. Now, when we think of professional body language, our minds may immediately drift to managing eye contact or not crossing one’s arms—both of which are important to projecting a professional appearance! Body language extends far beyond these two qualities, however, and today we’re going to examine three key categories all of us can focus on to improve our professional body language.

Before we begin, I want to offer a reminder that any of us can be susceptible to embodying unprofessional behaviors and appearances—and I do mean any of us! Body language tends to be unconscious, meaning we are often not aware of the exact messages our body is communicating at any given point. To increase our air of professionalism, we must therefore be intentional in increasing attention to our behavior and making adjustments to improve our professional presentation.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

1. Confidence

When it comes to projecting confidence, I like to suggest the following question as a starting point in drawing our attention to how we hold ourselves: “When [we]’re frustrated or overwhelmed, where do [we] place [our] hands?”

Many of us are likely already aware of how good posture, e.g. keeping our back straight and chin up, is associated with confidence and attention, as who hasn’t been told not to slouch by a parent or guardian or teacher throughout our lives? (I’m getting flashbacks to my childhood…) But projecting confidence goes beyond straightening our spine, and one of the most important areas to focus on is avoiding fidgeting.

Whether it’s moving a chair back and forth, tapping a pen, or rapidly shaking a leg, fidgeting behaviors often come across as unprofessional because they suggest nerves—or rather, a lack of confidence. During an interview I once conducted, the interviewee in question simply would not stop fidgeting. Shifting from side to side, picking at the hem of their sleeves—I knew this person was almost certainly just stressed and nervous, but this behavior did not come across as a positive sign that they would confidently fill the role they were interviewing for!

Correcting our tendency to fidget may be easier said than done, but a good first step is simply making an effort to be more intentional about how we present our hands. During meetings or discussions, for example, we can use controlled hand gestures to emphasize our points, imbuing our actions with meaning to help ensure we’re less likely to succumb to unintentional movements. Additionally, we can keep our hands visible and relaxed, such as resting them on the table during a conversation. Seeing someone’s hands actually helps communicate that we can trust said person, and thus making our own hands visible can demonstrate our own honesty and trustworthiness! Ever gotten a negative feeling about someone who constantly keeps their hands in their pockets or hidden under a table? That’s because our brain unconsciously concludes that this person is hiding something. In other words, to project confidence and openness, keep those hands visible!

When it comes to presenting confident body language, of course, we should be cautious about swinging too far to the other end of the spectrum. Picture this: in the middle of a conversation, the person we’re talking to puts their hands on their hips, all of a sudden taking up twice the amount of the space in the narrow hallway the two of us currently occupy. How does this shift in body language make us feel?

While putting one’s hands on one’s hands can communicate a sense of confidence and control, it can also be read as aggressive, unwittingly causing discomfort in the person on the receiving end of this posture. In other words, putting our hands on our hips may come across as overcompensating in the realm of confidence!

If we’re looking for an intentional act of body language to demonstrate confidence that is less likely to be read as aggressive, I recommend steepling: putting our hands together so the tips of our fingers touch, but the palms remain separate. This gesture is common among world leaders, politicians, and executives, as steepling suggests confidence, conviction, and sincerity. Just be advised not to overuse steepling! Because it’s a very precise gesture, I recommend employing this language in high-importance settings as opposed to incorporating it into our everyday professionalism.

Projecting confidence extends beyond controlling our hands, of course! On the most minute level, chewing or biting our lips can suggest insecurity. Taking a step back, our clothes can exude professionalism, too—are they ironed? Clean? It’s not about the expense of our outfits, but rather how put-together we appear!

To circle back to the start of this section, straight posture is important, and a necessary follow-up is noting how we sit. In other words, when we sit down, we will appear more confident and professional when we sit all the way back in our chair. Sitting on the edge of our seats, in contrast, can suggest anxiety that in turn may make those around us feel more uncomfortable, and there’s little more unprofessional than causing discomfort in those around us!

Not too difficult so far, right? Onto the next category!

2. Distractions

What’s more frustrating than trying to have a conversation with someone whose mind seems to be pulled in 20 directions at once? When it comes to presenting professional body language, minimizing distractions in our environment is key to coming across as respectful and attentive.

As a general tip, we should avoid frequently checking our phones/watches/etc., as this behavior suggests boredom, impatience, and a general lack of professionalism. In my experience, I tend to notice this behavior from individuals in more powerful positions, such as a manager who constantly checks their email while a team member attempts to hold a conversation with them. Remember: there’s a time and place to stay connected with technology, and more often than not, the middle of a conversation is not that moment! In other words, embodying professional body language in these circumstances means removing distractions—we can put our phone on silent, close our email, and in general make an effort to keep a lid on any tasks that will try to pull us away from a professional conversation. No screen deserves more attention than a person we’re speaking to!

Another example of unprofessional body language to avoid is overly adjusting our clothes. Reminiscent of fidgeting, continually adjusting our attire can suggest anxiety, as this behavior communicates we are literally uncomfortable in our own clothes. As a very literal solution, then, we can take time every day to evaluate how relaxed we feel in our professional clothing before we leave the house! Taking this small action helps ensure we aren’t distracted by our attire at any point during the day.

Ready for the final category?

3. Engagement

As a nice segue, it goes without saying that reducing distractions to improve professional body language also helps ensure we are projecting ourselves as engaged and invested during professional situations! We’ve all been told to avoid crossing our arms, of course, as doing so can risk suggesting we’re bored, but physically demonstrating our engagement in a professional setting extends beyond this advice.

Consider the following scenario: two people are watching the same presentation. One person, we’ll call them Ashley, is facing directly toward the presenter. Their feet are flat on the ground, and their shoulders are back—though relaxed—giving the impression that their body is open.

The other person, we’ll call them Creon, is sitting at an angle toward the presenter. Their shoulders are hunched over, giving the impression that their body is closed, and they have their legs out in a reclining fashion. At some points, Creon even drums their fingers on the table in front of them.

Based on their respective body language, who do you think is demonstrating more engagement with the presenter?

I can hear it now: a sea of voices have all said “Ashley!” in enthusiastic unison.

In all seriousness, physically facing the person we’re interacting with goes a long way in demonstrating engagement, because to literally turn away from someone implies we are figuratively “turned away” from the topic at hand. Similarly, keeping our feet flat on the ground projects stability and investment, while lounging in a seat tends to give the impression that we’re bored or otherwise not engaged, and drumming one’s fingers on the table can project impatience.

If we’re on the other side of this scenario as the presenter, a surefire way to demonstrate engagement through our body language is by moving purposefully during our presentation. “Purpose” is absolutely key here; we should avoid pacing, which can come across as shedding nervous energy, just as we should generally avoid remaining in one place for an entire presentation, which can risk implying a lack of effort or interest.

Maintaining engaged body language to communicate professionalism is equally important in more casual professional settings, too, such as chatting with a colleague on break. One crucial strategy is to avoid touching others without their consent, including when it comes to more relaxed body language, such as clapping a person on the shoulder. When in doubt about a person’s preferences, simply ask! We should avoid assuming that all individuals are okay with a hug or pat on the back or a hand on their shoulder.

Another strategy is to avoid excessive laughter. Now, I don’t mean that we shouldn’t laugh or smile in the workplace! Any setting without laughter and joy is one I wouldn’t want to go near. But excessive laughter, in contrast, can suggest that a person is not confident or is unfocused on the work at hand. Again, I encourage smiles and laughter in the workplace, but when someone only ever seems to be smiling and laughing and is otherwise not attuned to their tasks, that can be a sign of unprofessionalism!

We’ve covered numerous examples of professional and unprofessional body language in this blog, which I hope serves as an informative starting point as we all seek to increase awareness of how we present ourselves in professional situations. As leaders, though, we must be sure to take in all of these strategies with one key caveat as we observe the body language of our employees: give people the benefit of the doubt.

Reading body language is not a science, and we must thus be careful to notice if we are assuming something about a person’s beliefs exclusively based on their body language. If someone is crossing their arms in front of us, are they actually bored, or is this position simply comfortable? If someone is fidgeting with a pen, are they actually inattentive, or do they have ADHD or another disability? This latter point is especially crucial as we all seek to make our workplaces more inclusive toward people with disabilities, as some disabilities (such as Tourette’s) can produce particular body language or result in repetitive movements that we should not hold against our employees.

Even if a person does not have a disability, we should always keep an open mind and consider the other factors that may be shaping their body language. One of my employees is on the shorter side height-wise, and as a result she does not often sit at the back of her seat. Does this body language mean she is always anxious, or does she sit forward to ensure her feet are not dangling off the floor (which is extremely uncomfortable when sitting for long periods of time)? Again: we want to increase our awareness about body language, not continuously judge people, and that means giving our employees—and even ourselves!—the benefit of the doubt.

Let’s conclude with the same question with which we began: how are you holding yourself right now? Perhaps your head is tilted to the side, suggesting you’re in deep thought about all you have just learned in this blog.

Well, what are you still sitting around for? Back straight, feet flat, hands open—the world of professional body language awaits!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization. Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Thumbs Up or Oops? How Body Language Connects—and Confuses—Cultures

When former president George W. Bush was inaugurated in 2005, he lifted his fist with his pinky and index finger extended—a symbol that, in the United States, represents the Texas Longhorn football team. A seemingly innocuous gesture in the U.S., for many other countries in the Mediterranean and Latin America—from Italy and Spain to Brazil and Argentina—this gesture is used to mean that someone’s spouse is cheating on them!

As one might imagine, this incident led to quite a (comical) kerfuffle amongst global reporting, and it goes to show that not even world leaders are immune to the potential confusion that comes with the multitudinous nature of body language. Fortunately, the many meanings associated with similar gestures around the world open doors for us to learn about other cultures as well as demonstrate greater inclusivity by making an effort to respect different cultural norms.

To appreciate these opportunities for knowledge, let’s walk through five examples of body language that vary in meaning around the world! Ready to dive in?

1. Thumbs Up & “OK”

Answer honestly now: did you react with a thumbs up or classic “OK” symbol (forming a circle with your thumb and index finger while extending the other three fingers) to the previous question? Watch out—these two gestures can have wildly different meanings depending on where we are in the world!

While both a thumbs up and the “OK” symbol tend to indicate approval or a job well done, these meanings are not universal. A thumbs up in France may simply indicate “one,” as in France many people count on their fingers by beginning with their thumb. In Malaysia, it’s common to point with one’s thumb instead of the index finger. But watch out—in Greece, a thumbs up can be seen as a rude insult meaning “Up yours!” The “OK” symbol carries a similar risk, as in Spain, Greece, and Brazil, this sign can come across as calling the other person an a-hole (pardon my censoring), a meaning I know I want to avoid. As such, when using a thumbs up or the “OK” symbol around the world, we must keep in mind that the message we’re intending may not be the message that’s received. Otherwise, we might get in trouble!

2. Handshake

Speaking of hands, an action as simple as a handshake comes with many different expectations and styles around the world! In the U.S. and much of Western Europe, a firm handshake is common, as it’s a sign of respect and authority. However, expect some frequency in the number of times we might actually shake the other person’s hand! In the U.S., as many as five to seven shakes is common, as compared to the U.K., where three to five tends to be the average range. In France and Germany, handshakes tend to consist of no more than one or two pumps—anything greater might come across as overeager and domineering!

In other regions, of course, handshakes are less common, such as in East Asia—e.g. Japan—where bowing to another person is the preferred signal of respect and greeting. On the opposite end of the spectrum are much of Central and South America, as well as parts of Southern Europe, where intimate handshakes are common; in these regions, “a handshake is longer and warmer, with the left hand usually touching the clasped hands or elbow.” Some parts of Africa even prefer a limp handshake as standard.

In other words—we need to study our handshake! We must practice flexibility when greeting people from around the world!

3. Eye Contact

Speaking of greeting others, this blog would be remiss without mentioning eye contact. In the U.S., maintaining eye contact during a conversation is a sign of respect, and to avoid eye contact is often considered rude. Spain and Greece, too, tend to prefer strong eye contact during a conversation. But this interpretation is not universal!

In Northern Europe, such as Finland, eye contact tends to only happen at the very beginning of a conversation; too much eye contact may come across as embarrassing as overly intense. Japan, too, has different norms of eye contact, as lengthy eye contact tends to be read as disrespectful.

As Hamlet famously said: to make eye contact or not to make eye contact—that is the question, and the answer will vary depending on where we’re at in the world!

4. Arms During Conversations

Not only do expectations for where our eyes go during a conversation vary among countries, but so too do expectations for how we use our arms. In the U.S. and especially Italy, it is exceedingly common for individuals to use their arms (if not their entire body) when speaking with another person—after all, there’s a reason we use the phrase “talking with your hands.” As someone born and raised in the Middle East, I can confirm that we also love to be expressive with our bodies when holding conversations, too!

But once again, such expressive movements are not standard across the globe. In much of Northern Europe, using one’s arms and hands when speaking is not preferred, as these exaggerated movements tend to be associated with over-dramatization and even insincerity. In Japan, using one’s arms for emphasis in conversation is often read as impolite. When traveling the globe, then, we need to check our arms—let’s only use as much movement as the other person seems to be comfortable with!

5. Personal Space

Last but certainly not least, norms related to personal space—particularly during casual conversations—greatly vary around the world, so much so that regions can be broadly classified as “high-contact,” “medium-contact,” and “low-contact” cultures.

Northern Europe and parts of Asia tend to be classified as low-contact cultures, meaning there is limited physical contact between people who don’t know each other well or are just meeting for the first time (be it a shared bow or a brief handshake). This norm doesn’t mean people need to stand several feet apart, but more that if we’re used to more casual contact, we should limit that instinct in these regions.

Much of North America, including the U.S., and parts of Western Europe are considered medium-contact cultures. Handshakes, for example, are common and are signs of respect, but we wouldn’t necessarily be hugging complete strangers or standing very close in casual conversation.

Latin America, in turn, as well as Southern Europe and the Middle East are broadly classified as high-contact cultures, meaning people tend to be very physically friendly with one another! In the Middle East, for example, it’s not uncommon for men to hold hands and kiss each other as a greeting (though these familiar greetings would not be seen between men and women). And who can forget the famous “la bise” of France—if you travel to France, you may not depart unkissed!

At the end of the day, the same body language can have a plethora of meanings around the world, meaning we should take caution to learn what a gesture means before we travel to a new country. While this task may seem daunting, I encourage us to view it as exciting—and often funny! What’s more interesting than getting to learn about how everyone in the world may read the same hand symbol as possessing a totally different meaning?

If you feel comfortable with the gesture, take my hand—we’ve got a whole world of body language to explore!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization. Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

7 Virtual Team-Building Activities

For many of us, socializing with coworkers isn’t easy. Being part of a virtual team can make developing connections between team members even more difficult, as physical separation can lead to increased emotional separation, too. Fortunately, there are numerous team-building activities out there for virtual teams! Allow me to offer 7 of the best:

1. League of Kitchens

League of Kitchens is a woman-owned and woman-run organization that hosts a variety of cooking classes taught by instructors from different cultures, from Argentina to Japan to Bangladesh and more. They are currently hosting virtual classes via Zoom, offering an Immersive or a “Taste Of” experience. Keep in mind that they only host 13 participants at a time when deciding whether or not this activity is right for one’s team.

2. Tea vs Coffee

The “food and drink” theme continues! Tea vs Coffee is a virtual tea- and coffee-tasting event, where a week in advance all participants receive “four unique drink packs [unusual teas, coffees, and infusions] from eco-friendly farms, plus a fun snack.” During the call, there are icebreakers, guided meditation, and—of course—the official tea vs coffee ceremony. This activity can accommodate any number of participants, so it’s perfect for large and small teams alike!

3. tiny campfire 🔥

There’s never a bad time for a campfire! Especially a virtual campfire, hosted indoors where no bugs or bears can get to us. Prior to the event, participants are sent a kit of “a campfire-candle, wood matches, and s’more ingredients.” The virtual campfire itself is run by a “Camp Counselor,” who leads the group in icebreakers, trivia, historic ghost stories, and an authentic s’more-making experience. As with Tea vs Coffee, tiny campfire 🔥 can accommodate groups of all sizes!

4. War of the Wizards

“But what if we want a more exciting team-building activity?” you may be wondering. Well, fear not, because War of the Wizards is here! The backstory of the event is that a group of wizards have been at war for so long, none of them can remember why the war began. Thus, participants are enlisted “as the wizards’ minions to help solve the conundrum and bring the war to a peaceful end.” Managed by a provided host, the event involves storytelling, puzzles, and more! And best of all? No previous RPG experience is required.

While the above activities fall solidly into the “entertainment” aspect of virtual team-building, it would be remiss not to include a few “practical” (but still enjoyable!) activities, too:

5. My User Manual

To put it simply, creating a user manual is creating a PowerPoint about oneself. Information in this PPT might include a person’s interests/hobbies, their culture, facts about their family, what environment(s) they work best in, etc. These PPTs can then be presented in a virtual meeting, where each employee has the opportunity to share essentially a summary of themself. And remember: this user manual should be fun! Encourage team members to incorporate pictures, memes, music—whatever they feel is relevant.

6. Strength Assessment

While CliftonStrengths is the assessment linked above, feel free to investigate any other strength assessments that feel appropriate! The value comes not from the brand but the time invested. Once all team members have completed their assessment, invite everyone to share results with the group (perhaps their top strength, their lowest strength, and a strength they didn’t expect). Discussing these results not only allows for team members to get to know each other better, but it also informs them how to better work together, a quality that is invaluable with virtual teams.

Now, some of us out there may be concerned about budgeting or the time commitment required for the above activities. Fear not, for there is one final team-building activity to be discussed:

7. Collaborative Playlists

Using an online platform such as Spotify, encourage team members to together make themed playlists, such as a “productivity playlist” for when they’re working or a “winding down playlist” for when they get off. Another possibility is a “cultural connection playlist,” where team members from around the world can share music they enjoy from their home country with their fellow coworkers. To misquote Shakespeare: “If music be the food of team-building, play on!”

All of us now possess a plentiful arsenal of team-building activities, which means there’s no reason to delay: it’s time to bond!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Resources For Elevating Our Cultural Intelligence

When I conduct surveys involving global teams, there is always one common thread strung throughout: people want to learn more about the different cultures of their team members. While having direct dialogue is important, it is also crucial we seek information on our own so as not to overwhelm our team members. As such, I have compiled a few online resources to help us all become better familiarized with the cultures and practices of different countries around the world:

1. Culture Crossing Guide

The Cultural Crossing Guide is self-described as “an evolving database of cross-cultural information about every country in the world. This user-built guide allows people from all walks of life to share essential tips with each other about how to navigate our increasingly borderless world with savvy and sensitivity.” It currently contains information on over 200 countries, organizing facts into three categories: 1) “The Basics” (greetings, taboos, etc.); 2) “For Business” (dress, titles, etc.); and “For Students” (class rules, socializing, etc.). Because the guide is user-built, it is always evolving and being updated with new information. There is even the option to Ask an Expert a question!

(If anyone is concerned about accuracy, don’t fret: information on individual countries is submitted by natives, residents, or former residents, and all “information… is vetted by a Culture Crossing staff member and checked for credibility by cross referencing with at least two other sources.”)

2. Commisceo Global’s Cultural Awareness Resources

Commisceo Global has resources for every area of learning! There are Country Guides, allowing one to “learn about the culture, language, people, beliefs, etiquette, business practices and more” for over 80 countries. There are also Quizzes where a person can test themself on the information they’ve learned, with categories of Cultural Awareness, Business Culture, and Country Specific. And for people craving in-depth discussion, the organization also offers a plethora of Country Insight Reports. But now that we have all this information from Commisceo Global, what can we do with it?

Well, how about we use their Self-Study Guide to Cultural Awareness to help ensure we are using our new knowledge respectfully and in appropriate ways? (Sounds like a plan to me!)

Now, the above two resources are incredibly comprehensive and, consequently, a little overwhelming, so let’s dial it down for a moment:

3. World’s Worst Cultural Mistakes

This short slideshow goes over common gestures around the world, explaining how actions that are commonplace in one region might be offensive in another. For example, eye contact may be the norm in Germany, but in some parts of East Asia, extended eye contact is at best uncomfortable and at worst rude. Take note of the slideshow’s “What You Should Do Instead” advice at the bottom of each page!

While all of the previous resources are fantastic in their own right, one could argue that there’s a level of impersonality to them. Perhaps they lack the “human element.” Fortunately, there is still one item left on this list:

4. ViewChange (on LinkTV)

ViewChange is a series of videos from all around the world depicting the stories of real people, typically with a focus on lifestyles or global development. The episodes range in length, from some as short as five minutes to others longer than an hour. These videos offer an opportunity to engage with individual experiences beyond general information about their cultures; as such, they are an invaluable resource and the perfect one to close off this list.

And there we have it: a variety of online cultural resources are but a click away. Keep in mind, however, that culture is not static. As such, we shouldn’t consider these resources the be-all, end-all of information. Our knowledge of other cultures can and will evolve with time, so long as we allow it!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

12 Tips For Communicating Effectively Across Cultures

When it comes to effective global teams, “communication” is often lauded as the key to success, and for good reason! Teams that communicate well are teams that understand each other and thus work well together. So, what can be done to increase effective communication among global teams?

1. Implement Global English in verbal interactions.

English may be the lingua franca of international business, but it is still a challenging language to learn and one that has innumerable regional variations and colloquialisms. Global English is a version of English that focuses on clarity above all else. Speaking Global English involves avoiding idioms that may not translate between different languages/cultures, avoiding slang and regional humor, explaining acronyms/abbreviations before using them, and speaking with literal and specific terms (such as using “write” rather than the business-speak of “draw up”). Using Global English can help decrease the risk of miscommunication and misunderstandings.

2. Make accommodations for non-native English speakers.

While Global English is excellent for verbal interactions when translators are unavailable, linguistic accommodations should be made for other forms of communication, such as emails or other written notifications. Employees should receive company-wide communications in their native language. Ideally, translators should be hired to ensure the nuance and specifics of the message are not lost in translation, but there are other options for organizations that may not have larger budgets. For example, there are intranet providers such as Powell that offer immediate translations for users in 60 different languages.

On the subject of written communications:

3. Be clear with wording and intent in written communications.

The fact of the matter is that every individual will likely interpret a written communication differently in some way, shape, or form. As a result, it is critical to emphasize and highlight the main ideas—literally. Highlight, underline, bold, italicize, etc.! Call attention to what needs attention in order to lessen the possibility of miscommunication.

Also, keep in mind the negatives of written communication: a) people often feel more comfortable being critical in writing and b) written communications are more likely to be perceived with a negative filter, i.e. turning a positive email into a neutral one. To address the former, we must always check ourselves for unneeded or overly harsh criticism. To address the latter, it means we shouldn’t be afraid to emphasize positivity in written communications! Use emojis, exclamation marks, whatever makes us smile.

But on that note:

4. Minimize organization-wide communications.

As important as it is to make linguistic accommodations and to be clear in written communications, it is equally important for leaders not to overwhelm employees with messages. Too many unimportant messages drowns out the critical ones, leading to greater risk of crucial messages being glanced over or ignored entirely, a scenario that will certainly breed misunderstandings.

5. Keep time zones in mind for written communications.

A global team means a variety of time zones, which can be difficult for people to juggle. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this issue: create a database or list that compiles the location (and time zone) of every member on the global team. With such a resource, team members can determine when their work hours overlap and refrain from unnecessarily contacting each other outside of that period. If additional communication is required, employees can consider concluding their email with a phrase such as Our work hours may not be aligned, so don’t feel obligated to respond to this outside your normal work times.

6. Keep time zones in mind for meetings.

Time zones are also critical to consider when scheduling meetings. After all, a 2 PM meeting in New York City is 3 AM in Tokyo. To address conflicting time zones, teams can host multiple meetings in one day to ensure employees can attend the one that best suits their schedule. Alternatively, especially with smaller teams/organizations, meetings can be rotated. In other words, no time zone is prioritized. This strategy means a majority of meetings will occur at a decent time for most team members, and about once a month every member takes the short straw of attending a meeting at a more inconvenient time.

7. Match appropriate technology to the task at hand.

Global teams beget virtual communication, from emails to video calls. As aforementioned, it is important to facilitate clarity in verbal communications with Global English and to minimize the risk of misunderstandings in written communication through making linguistic accommodations, highlighting important details, and not sending an overwhelming amount of messages to the entire organization. However, another important aspect of effective communication among global teams is knowing what method of virtual communication is most appropriate for specific information being shared. A good rule of thumb is that written communication (e.g. emails and texts) is better for one-way information or information that is not immediate, while verbal communication (e.g. voice and video calls) is better for time-sensitive or personal information.

8. Increase cross-cultural awareness.

One of the most unique qualities of global teams is their inherent diversity. However, this diversity can only be appreciated if team members take the time to educate themselves on the cultures of their fellow employees. Cultural awareness ranges from learning what holidays coworkers celebrate (and perhaps wishing them the appropriate celebratory phrase when the time comes!) to recognizing how gestures common in one country may be rude in another.

9. Avoid stereotyping team members.

Cross-cultural awareness, however, is to some extent a double-edged sword. While team members should be encouraged to educate themselves on the cultures and traditions of other employees, they should never make assumptions based on what they’ve learned. If they are confused or curious about a subject, they should approach the appropriate team member to see if that person would be willing to have a conversation with them.

10. Be responsive, supportive, and open-minded.

“The paradox in dispersed teamwork is that trust is more critical for effective functioning—but also more difficult to build—than in more traditional teams.” Cross-cultural awareness and conscious efforts to avoid stereotyping help contribute to trust among global team members in the personal aspect, but the business aspect must be considered, too. Effective communication is impossible if it’s not a two-way street. In other words, team members must stay on top of responding to others—in accordance with their respective time zones—and should thoroughly process suggestions and ideas from their fellow employees before doing so.

11. Bring team members together.

In an ideal, post-pandemic world, this tip would involve in-person meetings on a regular basis (e.g. annually or semiannually). However, thanks to technology, bringing team members together can also be as simple as a Zoom call! Effective communications among global teams requires that team members be familiar with each other. While cross-cultural awareness is an excellent first step here, it’s also good for team members to know a little bit about one another’s interests, families, etc.! Events such as virtual luncheons, team-building activities, and more are great ways to establish social relationships between employees and heighten effective communication.

12. Last but not least, create a team charter.

A team charter is, simply put, an outline of the basic communication strategies a team will have (and ideally, it should be provided in multiple languages). This charter may include information about how and what technology will be used in the team, standard format for emails, time range for expected responses, and anything else that will make the communication experience easier for everyone involved.

Communication is only as complicated as we let it be. I hope these tips will help all of us thrive and better understand one another as we navigate an increasingly-global world!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization. Reach Dima at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Engage Global Teams With Empathy

The physical distance that separates global teams presents a challenge enough, and yet too often we compound this literal distance with emotional distance. For every hundred miles a team is apart, an emotional disconnect accompanies their separation. The fact of the matter is that combating this emotional distance is a crucial component of maintaining an effective, productive global team. In other words, establishing empathy between members of a global team is critical.

Empathy can sometimes be an overwhelming word, just as the idea of developing a positive relationship with a person on the opposite side of the globe can feel overwhelming, too. Fortunately, empathy can be broken down into three connected components:

• Cognitive empathy is typically summarized as “putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes”; it is when we imagine ourselves in the situation of another person. 

• Emotional empathy is the most common understanding of empathy. We can consider it the “next step” after cognitive empathy, as emotional empathy is feeling or connecting with the emotions of another person, particularly to better understand what they are going through at a given point in time.

• Behavioral empathy is, as the name suggests, a component of our behavior. It is where we demonstrate our established cognitive and emotional empathy by treating others with kindness, respect, and care. Behavioral empathy is how we show we understand another’s position.

In a global environment, the physical distance between team members presents a large barrier to establishing empathy. This physical distance also generates three specific subcategories of difference that, if not handled appropriately, will compound the empathic struggle: temporal differences, cultural differences, and social differences.

Temporality is best summarized as the way an individual interprets, values, and manages time. Because temporality tends to vary in regions across the world, global teams are often composed of numerous members who do not share temporality, which can lead to disagreements both big and small. For example, in western countries like the US and the UK, the clock interpretation of time dominates, where time is viewed “as a scarce commodity.”  Specifically, this leads to time being treated as a resource that can be measured and broken down; there is emphasis on a person being productive within a short period. In India, on the other hand, a harmonic interpretation of time is more common, where time is viewed as “an aspect of dynamic, living systems that needs to be explored qualitatively”; every second is seen as having natural value. Immediately we notice a difference from the US and UK’s quantitative and India’s qualitative interpretation of time. As a result, without temporal empathy, conflicts may arise between team members from different regions if they do not discuss personal temporality from the get-go.

A common trait of most global teams is, of course, that they are composed of people from different cultures. Because of this inherent diversity, it is crucial that team members make an effort to educate themselves on the different cultures represented in their team. This process is the establishment of cultural empathy, and it will ultimately increase awareness surrounding what potential “conflicts” may arise throughout a working relationship and how these conflicts can be mediated. Not only that, but cultural empathy often leads to cultural appreciation, where a person sees the inherent value and beauty in cultures different than their own. There are simple ways to build cultural empathy: for example, a team leader might host an “international day,” where employees can present information about their culture if they feel comfortable doing so. Another simple technique is to incorporate multiple holiday greetings throughout the year (i.e. more than just “Merry Christmas”), such as wishing a Jewish coworker “Shana tovah!” on Rosh Hashanah.

The aforementioned “social differences” might also be called “lifestyle differences,” and in some ways the establishment of social empathy falls in the intersection of temporal and cultural empathy. Different communities, different cities, different countries all have different expectations in regard to the work vs home division. For some societies, it is expected that family commitments be sacrificed for work. In others, it is more likely that work commitments will be sacrificed for family. Social empathy thus involves understanding how emphasis is placed differently on work vs home depending on region and not penalizing global team members for how they prioritize. It is also important to understand social empathy on the individual level. For example, a man caring for his sick, eldery mother will likely have to put home commitments first; other members of his team should be aware of his situation—as much information as he feels comfortable sharing—and be respectful of it.

I have discussed the primary components of empathy as well as the three areas of empathy most important for global teams to concentrate on. But how can global teams increase their empathy? Are there certain actions they should take or attitudes they can pursue? Fortunately, the answer to that question is an enthusiastic, “Yes!”

1. We must view cultural differences as opportunities.

In some ways, this tip can be interpreted as a mental shift. Sometimes we focus too intensely on conflicts that arise out of cultural differences instead of perceiving these differences in a more accurate and more optimistic way: they are an opportunity to broaden our horizons! People from different cultures bring new perspectives to the table, which allows for increased flow of new ideas and potentially even improvement of the status quo.

2. We must avoid assumptions and stereotypes.

At first glance, this tip seems obvious. “Of course we shouldn’t stereotype people! Of course we shouldn’t make assumptions about their personality or culture!” And indeed, we shouldn’t do any of those things. But the process of avoiding assumptions, particularly amongst global teams where cultural diversity is heightened, runs even deeper. Not only must we avoid assumptions at face value, but we must avoid assumptions—for example—during a meeting. If a particular team member doesn’t speak often, rather than assuming they don’t have much to contribute, we might instead consider that they wait for specific points in conversation to offer input. Always give others the benefit of the doubt!

3. We must develop more and stronger opportunities for employee connection.

It is one thing to preach about the importance of empathy; it is another for there to be opportunities presented to help employees establish this empathy! The most common method for this tip tends to be virtual meetings, be it an official meeting where everyone together discusses company goals or a more casual event where team members simply chat about their interests and backgrounds. There are plenty of fun icebreakers out there that provide an effective and entertaining way for global employees to connect with one another.

I hope this breakdown has helped us all better understand what empathy is, what elements of empathy are most crucial to global teams, and what we can do to improve our empathy. Now go forth and build empathy!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.