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The "Micromanagement" Debate
Almost daily we work with global businessmen and businesswomen who are challenged by their cross-cultural work with teams based in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and New Delhi. They are frequently frustrated by the difficulty of maintaining schedules and meeting deadlines, and they can’t understand why their management style, which promotes autonomy and individual initiative, isn’t working. Only when we elaborate on the many cultural differences in daily expectations do their troubles make more sense to them.
However, when we use the phrase “micromanage” to describe an alternative approach, we often experience resistance by very successful managers who find the notion, and the term, inefficient and excessive. Call it what you will, managing teams in India requires intensive management and frequent follow-up to confirm understanding and project timeliness. What’s more, micromanagement conforms with the expectations of your Indian colleagues. They expect close supervision and oversight. Without it, projects will be off-track; with it, you can bridge inevitable distance-related miscommunication. Based on our years of experience teaching new skills to multicultural business teams, we’re offering a series of tips for business success called Pocket Guides. The first one is on India. If you’d like to receive the India Pocket Guide, please click here. For another interesting angle on the growth of Indian business, read the following post on the Indian outsourcing industry.
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Indian Outsourcing Vendors Expand
In an effort to recapture the revenue growth the Indian offshore industry experienced before the world economic crisis, many are expanding their service offerings, according to the Wall Street Journal. As the playing field is graudally leveled, will Indian organizations successfully compete with other global players? Click here to read more.
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Cultural challenges have oftentimes been the hallmark of Wal-Mart’s experience around the world, as a recent Business Week article points out. Find out why international markets haven't always accepted the discount retailer's approach to business. Click here to read more.
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According to the New York Times, President Obama’s easy-to-understand voice, accent and vocabulary in his speeches and addresses have made him a natural model for English-learners in Japan, where he is already very famous. Find out the catchy titles of the instructional books by clicking here.
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Watch this humorous, but true-to-life publicity for HSBC that depicts a Chinese post-business dinner.
Public Radio International (PRI) used Starbucks as an example of American abundance and excess. The show attributed its success to its positioning as a communal hub.
“Are You Hard-Wired for a Global Career? (If so, you are in demand.)” is the title of a blog post on Paula Caligiuri’s professional career counseling website.
Check out this online tool to quickly and easily coordinate the timing for a global virtual meeting.
More from RW 3:
Read an article by RW3’s Sean Dubberke in this month’s MOBILITY Magazine about the extraordinary international educational experiences that are attainable today.
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Issue #19
October 29, 2009
I. The "Micromanagement" Debate
II. Indian Outsourcing Vendors Expand
III. More lessons for Wal-mart
IV. President Obama Teaches English to Japanese
Culture Links
Culture Tips
The three primary ethnic groups of this country have created a strong cultural mosaic of Malay, Chinese and Indian traditions.
Canada
Canadians pride themselves on not needing to be homogeneous to have a strong, peaceful nation.
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