Most professionals take decision-making skills for granted, but the demands of co-located, global teams working in virtual settings, require a new examination of decisions and the cultural values that shape them.

Equally important, American culture often adds challenges due to strong values for individual decision-making, not team decisions.

6 cultural value categories can influence a global team

• Expectations for use of powerand having an "appropriate" mindset about distance
• Holding important value for individualor collective action
• Being more masculine (competitive) or more feminine (collaborative)
• Avoiding risk or uncertainty... or advocating for taking the risk to innovate
• Keeping in mind short-term goals as a priority, or holding a longer-term view
• Moving more towards indulgence and entertainment interests or emphasizing discipline.

Each cultural category contains highly regarded values that are unique to individual team members. The culture that develops in the team, during its early stages, especially "norming" becomes key to working well with different cultural values.

For more understanding and additional research, see the attached document. It provides important details about global teams and their likely cultural values. Keep in mind that the US, although diverse in its ethnic groups, has very important expectations for how values operate. These American values also need to be uncovered along with other, different cultural values.

In your post:

1. Identify 1of the 6 cultural categories that appeal to you.
2. Write a working definition that describes the range of values associated with that category.
3. Using YouTube, search for an interview with Geert Hofstede that emphasizes your category. Describe 3 points he makes in the interview about expectations often held for that category of culture.
4. In American culture, what are the likely values for this category, often held by mainstream, mostly management professionals?
5. If you, as a manager of a global team, perceive that some cultural values are likely, what steps will you take? Describe.