MGMT-6064

PROJECT LEADERSHIP
AND MANAGEMENT

Module 10:
Special Topics - Diversity, Virtual Teams
 TOPICS FOR THIS MODULE

• Diversity:
• Cross-cultural challenges
• Gender and leadership
• Virtual teams
 CROSS-CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Diversity: all of the ways in which people differ (e.g., race, gender, family
status, socio-economic status, etc.)

Benefits of Diversity: people feel valued for their contributions, greater

organizational learning and flexibility, diversity of thought, improved decision-
making and problem-solving

“Homogeneous teams, on average, perform better than diverse teams

… BUT…
the best diverse teams outperform the best homogenous teams”
 “Homogeneous
CROSS-CULTURAL DIVERSITY teams, on average,
perform better than
diverse teams
… BUT…
the best diverse
teams outperform the
best homogenous
teams”
 CHALLENGES FACED BY MINORITIES
• Tendency for people to align/associate with people who are like them
(homophily)
• Tendency for people to have an ethnocentric ‘us versus them’ mentality
• People have assumptions about other cultures and roles (stereotypes)
• Minority groups experience “opportunity gaps”
• Results in:
• Overt and passive discrimination
• “Glass ceiling”

(link)
 As a leader and role model, how are you
going to address diversity issues with your
project team and your project stakeholders?

Identify your sensitivity and openness to other cultures,

attitudes, values, and ways of doing things (Personal
Diversity Awareness Model)

and

Develop Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

PERSONAL DIVERSITY

AWARENESS MODEL
(BENNETT’S DEVELOPMENTAL
MODEL OF INTERCULTURAL
SENSITIVITY - DMIS)
 CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE (CQ)
• Culturally different social/business practices can
lead to misunderstandings
• Cultural Intelligence: ability to interpret and adapt to culturally
unfamiliar situations
• Cognitive: observational and learning skills, ability to notice and
interpret cross-cultural clues to understanding
• Emotional: self-confidence and willingness to learn about different
cultures, willingness to self-reflect and change your behaviour
• Physical: ability to shift speech, expressions, body language to align
with different cultures
HOFSTEDE’S
CULTURAL Six cultural dimensions :
DIMENSIONS • Power Distance
• Individualism
• Masculinity
• Uncertainty Avoidance
• Long Term Orientation
• Indulgence
 TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE (KERZNER)
Cultural Technological Considerations
Factor
Power High power distance cultures: May prefer asynchronous technologies that
Distance allow anonymous input, may use technology to increase or maintain status
differences between members
Uncertainty High uncertainty avoidance cultures: May be slow adopters of technology,
Avoidance may prefer technologies that create ‘audit trails’
Individualism- High collectivistic cultures: May prefer face-to-face interactions
Collectivism
Masculinity- Highly feminine cultures: May prefer to use technology in a nurturing and
Femininity collaborative way, especially at start-up
Context High context cultures: May prefer information-rich or social emphasis
technologies
Low context cultures: May prefer asynchronous communication
GENDER AND LEADERSHIP
 GENDER AND
LEADERSHIP
(U.S. RESEARCH)

• Men and women are not

perceived to be different
when it comes to leadership
effectiveness
• Men and women are perceived
to be different when it comes
to leadership styles and ‘soft
skills’ (interpersonal skills,
communication, adaptability, etc.)

(Note: You don’t have to memorize the left half of this slide for the exam, but you may be asked about information on the right side of this slide)
 # Respondents % of Respondents Median Salary
Salary
Country Male Female Male Female Male Female Gap
GENDER Australia
Brazil
670
702
210
147
76
83
24
17
150000 134000
180000 150000
11%
17%
COMPARISON Canada
China
2624
362
1457
139
64
72
36
28
107000 97500
200000 180000
9%
10%
– PROJECT France
Germany
332
649
112
149
75
81
25
19
63250
90000
60000
80000
5%
11%
MANAGERS India 1532 196 89 11 2000000 1700000 15%
Ireland 222 112 66 34 80000 78753 2%
(PMI 12TH ANNUAL Italy 1008 235 81 19 53000 48000 9%
SALARY SURVEY) Japan 684 65 91 9 8000000 7400000 8%
Malaysia 331 111 75 25 150000 130000 13%
Mexico 543 157 78 22 840000 645000 23%
New Zealand 194 71 80 29 125000 126000 -1%
Singapore 695 163 81 19 103090 90000 13%
South Africa 353 155 69 31 1000000 862534 14%
Spain 776 218 78 22 51000 45500 11%
Sweden 168 71 70 30 669000 684000 -2%
Switzerland 277 92 75 25 135000 120000 11%
UAE 715 76 90 10 250000 240000 4%
United Kingdom 575 201 74 26 72000 60000 17%
United States 3966 3486 53 47 120000 106000 12%
(Note: You are not required to memorize this slide for the exam)
VIRTUAL TEAMS
 VIRTUAL TEAMS
• Virtual teams: groups of geographically dispersed workers
brought together by information technologies to accomplish one
or more organization tasks
• Enable utilization of the best people anywhere for the given
project, without relocation
• Benefits:
• Reduced costs
• Accelerated project time-lines
• Lowered environmental impact
• Access to diverse perspectives
 GENERAL
CHALLENGES
OF VIRTUAL
TEAMS
(2018 SURVEY)

(Note: You are not required to memorize numbers in this slide for the exam, but you may be asked a general question about top challenges of virtual teams.)
 CHALLENGES DUE
TO LACK OF
FACE-TO-FACE
CONTACT ON
VIRTUAL TEAMS
(2016 SURVEY)

(Note: You are not required to memorize numbers in this slide for the exam, but you may be asked a general question about top challenges of virtual teams.)
 CHALLENGES
DUE TO LACK
OF FACE-TO-
FACE
CONTACT ON
VIRTUAL
TEAMS
(2020 SURVEY)

(Note: You are not required to memorize numbers in this slide for the exam, but you may be asked a general question about top challenges of virtual teams.)
 KEY
FINDINGS
(2020 SURVEY)

(% of respondents in
agreement with
(Note: You are not required to memorize numbers in this slide for the exam, but you may be asked a general question about these findings.) statement)
RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR
GLOBAL VIRTUAL TEAMS
• Team charter
• Agenda
• Summary notes
• Time-zone rotation
• Build and maintain trust
• Make time to develop relationships
• Ensure participation
• Clarify if language difficulties
• Offline discussions