A significant part of my career in Financial Services is working with global teams. I have managed an offshore implementation, and one particular unforgettable experience was in India. I learned alot from this experience and worked with wonderful, hard-working, and extremely talented people. To this day, I still think of them and the work we have accomplished, and even though we are across the miles from each other, we are still connected.
Time difference is critical and advantageous.
This is where we see the ROI of an offshore team. For a global organization, as we endeavor to meet deadlines for our clients, we work with the team to continue to deliver and so we can pick up the work the next day. It is critical to understand and agree on work hours as well as have an insight and understanding of the country’s local holidays. The value that time difference makes is significant as we strive for operational excellence. It is important to know your resources’ availability and plan workstreams accordingly.
Offshore team has two major goals.
The team in another country strives to do an excellent job but to also deliver on time and within scope — in particular, of quality and quantity. The team enhances the work and gets the onshore team moving in the direction where they intend to be — towards profit. Therefore, it is important to clarify goals and set specific tasks where they can quantify and qualify their contributions.
Remote teams need to be trusted, empowered, and valued.
Managing projects can be stressful, as we identify risks and mitigate them. This is even magnified when there is lack of communication or trust with team members. It is important as it is necessary for the project manager to be clear with his, or her expectations and directions while leaning on team members to use their judgement and expertise. Teams, though they are in another country or from a different background, are still part of the goal you are working towards. The work is entrusted to them so they need to be responsible and accountable with the deliverables. By relating to them, listening, and clarifying expectations, teams are willing to extend themselves and ensure the best outcomes for a real win.
There are so many talents in the world, and lots of learning made through engagement and partnerships with teams offshore. The opportunity of connecting with others is immense when working with remote teams, and all in all, the importance of cultural competency is key to the many things I have learned managing an offshore team.
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