Collective Wisdom from the Experts 107
• When do the holidays occur in the country where Alice lives? You’ll want
to plan any important group meetings with everyone’s convenience in
mind. You wouldn’t ask an American employee to come in on Christmas
morning.
• What are the accounting practices in Alice’s homeland? Do your reporting
cycles coincide with payroll cycles in other places?
• Is there any unexpected data export control? Some places in Europe exert
tight control over data transmissions. You may be able to send informa-
tion to Alice, but can she send you data in return?
• Customer service practices may vary from country to country. If Alice
is customer-facing, be sure she knows your team’s service standards and
quality expectations.
• If you are frustrated by a lack of voice mail, consider that several developing
countries feel that it is an automated machine that takes a person’s much-
needed job. Be respectful when you find cultural differences regarding
technology.
• Do you always expect Alice to come in during the middle of the night
to accommodate your 9 a.m. meeting every Tuesday? Respect all team
members by looking for the least distasteful meeting times, or rotate the
unpleasant times among all locations.We are fortunate to have the brilliant minds and insightful viewpoints of a
virtual team. Be sure to use this bounty respectfully.