The secret to successfully managing global teams

With a finance team spread over 10 countries across Asia — each with distinct markets, cultures and business conditions — Edwin Ang FCPA says managing a global team effectively comes down to good communication techniques.

“It is important to judge which communication channels are most effective based on personality and cultural background. Some team members engage better through video calls, while others prefer messaging or detailed emails,” Ang explains.

As an executive coach, career mentor and founder of Expert Career Mentors, Ang says rotating “country spotlights” in regional meetings allows each team to showcase their unique approaches and challenges.

Additionally, recognising that there are many different personality types helps create a shared understanding of communication preferences beyond cultural contexts. Ang recommends implementing a DiSC behavioural assessment tool across all regions.

“The [assessment tool] helps our teams recognise different personalities,” he says. “This awareness bridges cultural and functional divides, particularly when connecting sales and marketing teams with finance colleagues, where personality differences often create as much friction as cultural variations.”

Languages, cultures and time zones

Hailiang Zhang FCPA is deputy president of CPA Australia’s East and Central China Committee and business head and executive VP, North Asia, Vistra. He says the key to inclusive conversations in a shared language is fostering an environment where all team members feel valued and empowered to contribute.

“In my team, I encourage pauses for any unclear terms, embrace strategic repetition for alignment and celebrate ‘imperfect’ English. By treating language as a bridge rather than a hierarchy, I’ve seen a big increase in cross-border idea sharing,” he says.

Effective ways to manage cross-country borders include using a bilingual framework, sharing key points in both English and the local language, and sharing agendas at least 48 hours in advance, which allows non-native speakers more time to prepare. Anchoring the team through a shared, purpose-driven goal is also a great idea.

“Teams thrive when united by a common goal,” Zhang says. “For example, at Vistra we spark progress through the shared values that make us a vibrant business. We’re all-in for the team because we believe in ‘us, not me’ — working together as one to do what’s best, not what’s easiest.”

It is best not to assume that everyone works the same way, says Catherine Friday, global government and infrastructure industry leader at EY. Recognise that there are as many different styles within cultures as there are between them.

“What works for effective team dynamics generally also applies to cross-cultural leadership,” she says. “The key difference is that as a leader, you need to acknowledge your own potential cultural blind spots.” 

Being flexible about time zones can also make a world of difference to getting the work done, Friday believes.

“Being on the east coast of Australia means I’m often in a time zone that’s inconvenient for most others,” she says. “So, if I truly want the team to be engaged, involved and to feel that I value their contributions, I need to be the one who stays flexible on scheduling.”

Make new employees feel valued

Michael Malakonas FCPA, executive general manager for corporate services at Good Shepherd Australia and New Zealand, places high value on global teams. He notes better access to a bigger talent pool, the advantage of 24-hour work cycles due to different time zones, as well as cost efficiencies and increased productivity.

When he onboards a new team member, regardless of where they are based, Malakonas prioritises an in-person meeting with them. Having finance and IT teams spread across South-East Asia and India, he saysbeing able to visit people in their own country, and experience their culture and hospitality, is crucial to creating a trusting and respectful relationship.

“Having people from a variety of cultures improves innovation and brings perspectives you’d never otherwise have access to,” he says.

“Being able to sit and have a coffee and look someone in the eye is invaluable. It lets them know they are part of a broader team, and they are valued,” says Malakonas.

“The most important thing you can do is to make people feel welcomed, valued and heard.”