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CHAPTER 10: LEADING TEAMS 313
is scattered around the world. In addition, as discussed earlier, diversity can be
a powerful stimulus for creativity and the development of better alternatives for
problem solving. All of the guidelines for leading traditional and virtual teams
apply to global teams as well. For example, a strong sense of shared purpose can
help bridge language and culture gaps. In addition, global team leaders can im-
prove success by incorporating the following ideas: 76
• Manage language and culture. Organizations using global teams can’t skimp
on training. Language and cross-cultural education can help overcome
linguistic and cultural hurdles. Language training encourages more direct
and spontaneous communication by limiting the need for translators.
Understanding one another’s cultures can also enrich communications and
interpersonal relationships. For the team to succeed, all team members
have to gain an appreciation of cultural values and attitudes that are
different from their own.
• Stretch minds and behavior. As team members learn to expand their thinking
and embrace cultural differences they also learn to develop a shared team
culture. In global teams, all members have to be willing to deviate somewhat
from their own values and norms and establish new norms for the team.
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Leaders can work with team members to set norms and guidelines for
acceptable behavior. These guidelines can serve as a powerful self-regulating
mechanism, enhance communications, enrich team interactions, and help
the team function as an integrated whole.

Handling Team Conflict

As one would expect, there is an increased potential for confl ict among members
of global and virtual teams because of the greater chances for miscommunication
and misunderstandings. Studies of virtual teams indicate that how they handle
internal confl icts is critical to their success, yet confl ict within virtual teams tends
to occur more frequently and take longer to resolve. Moreover, people in virtual
teams tend to engage in more inconsiderate behaviors such as name-calling or
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insults than do people who work face-to-face. People in virtual teams may also
show a greater propensity for shirking their duties or giving less than their full
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effort, which can lead to team confl icts. Cultural value differences, little face-
to-face interaction, and lack of on-site monitoring make it harder to build team
identity and commitment.
Whenever people work together in teams, some confl ict is inevitable. Whether
leading a virtual team or a team whose members work side-by-side, bringing con-

flicts out into the open and effectively resolving them is one of the team leader’s
most challenging jobs.
Confl ict refers to hostile or antagonistic interaction in which one party at- Confl ict
Confl ict
antagonistic interaction in which
tempts to thwart the intentions or goals of another. Confl ict is natural and oc- antagonistic interaction in which
one party attempts to thwart the
one party attempts to thwart the
curs in all teams and organizations. It can arise between members of a team or intentions or goals of another
intentions or goals of another
between teams. Too much confl ict can be destructive, tear relationships apart,
and interfere with the healthy exchange of ideas and information needed for
team development and cohesiveness. High-performing teams typically have
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lower levels of confl ict, and the confl ict is more often associated with tasks
than with interpersonal relationships. In addition, teams that refl ect healthy
patterns of confl ict are usually characterized by high levels of trust and mutual
respect. 81