The Sun Never Sets on Our Software Development Project Standup
At 7:45 AM EST, a software development team gathers for their daily standup call, connecting from across the globe. Maya, based in Mombasa, leads the meeting, welcoming the team as they check in from different time zones—Anya in New York, David in Nairobi, Priya in Kigali, Kenji in Bangkok, Maria in Washington, D.C., and Rajesh in Paris. Maya’s goal is to gather project updates from each member while also understanding any location-specific challenges that could potentially impact the project’s progress.
Team Lead, Maya (Mombasa): Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone! It's 7:45 AM EST, so let's get started. Quick reminder: what you did yesterday, what you're doing today, and any blockers. Crucially, please share your "outside view" – anything impacting your work from your location. Let's start with Anya in New York.
Anya (New York): Good morning. Yesterday I continued refining the system architecture diagrams based on the latest feature specs. Today I'm reviewing the API design proposals from David in Nairobi. Outside view: Things are good here in New York. Weather's cooperating, no travel issues. Just a reminder that I have a conference call with the CTO at 10 AM EST, so I might be a little less responsive for a couple of hours.
David (Nairobi): Good afternoon. I worked on the API integration with the new user authentication service. Today I'm addressing some feedback from Anya on the API design. Outside view: Nairobi is experiencing some unusually heavy traffic this week due to road closures. My commute has been significantly longer. I was a bit late logging on today as a result. I'm hoping it clears up soon.
Priya (Kigali): Good afternoon. Yesterday I focused on optimizing the database queries for the reporting server. Today I'm testing the performance improvements. Outside view: We've had some intermittent internet connectivity issues in Kigali the past few days. The local provider is working on it, but it's been unreliable. I have a backup connection, but it's slower. I'll let you know if I experience any significant disruptions. Also, there's a major international conference happening in Kigali this week, which is causing some disruptions around the city, including increased traffic.
Kenji (Bangkok): Good evening everyone. I worked on the UI design for the new customer portal. Today I'm starting the front-end development. Outside view: It's a public holiday here in Thailand on Friday, so I'll be offline that day. Other than that, everything is fine here.
Maria (Washington, D.C.): Good morning. I spent yesterday reviewing the project budget and resource allocation. Today I'm meeting with the development team to discuss the timeline for the next sprint. Outside view: We're getting hit with a pretty significant snow storm here in D.C. Roads are getting slick, and public transport is experiencing delays. I'm working from home today, but power outages are a possibility. I'll keep you all posted if anything changes. I'm also expecting some delays from team members in the area.
Rajesh (Paris): Good afternoon everyone. I was focused on coordinating the requirements gathering sessions with the clients. Today I'm finalizing the project plan for the next phase. Outside view: Paris is a bit… lively this week. The Métro (subway) strike is in full swing, making getting around a real adventure. Thankfully, I'm working remotely, but rescheduling meetings is a distinct possibility if people are stranded. On a brighter note, the boulangerie down the street has amazing pain au chocolat this morning, which is definitely helping with morale. However, the overflowing garbage bins due to the collection strike are slightly less inspiring. Internet connectivity is good here, thankfully.
Team Lead, Maya (Mombasa): Thanks, everyone. David, thanks for the heads-up about the traffic. Priya, thanks for the update on the internet and the conference in Kigali. We'll keep both in mind. Kenji, enjoy your holiday! Maria, stay safe in the snow! Rajesh, thanks for the heads up about the Métro (subway) strikes ; we'll keep that in mind as we schedule meetings. We'll keep the D.C. weather situation in mind and be flexible with deadlines if needed. Let's continue to keep each other updated on Slack. Have a productive day/evening!
Important intercultural lessons:
Awareness of Diverse Realities: The meeting demonstrates that team members' work and availability can be significantly impacted by events specific to their location. These range from weather (snowstorm in D.C., rainy season in Mombasa), to infrastructure (internet outages in Kigali, traffic in Nairobi), to cultural events (public holiday in Thailand, conference in Kigali), and even social issues (train strikes in Paris). It emphasizes the importance of recognizing that everyone's context is different.
Importance of Proactive Communication: Team members are encouraged to proactively share these "outside view" items. This allows the team to anticipate potential issues and adjust plans accordingly. It shows that effective intercultural communication requires team members to be aware of their own context and how it might impact others.Flexibility and Adaptability: The meeting leader and team demonstrate a willingness to be flexible and adapt to different circumstances. They acknowledge the challenges faced by various team members and express a willingness to adjust deadlines or meeting schedules as needed. This adaptability is crucial in intercultural teams, where unexpected events are more likely to occur due to geographical distance and diverse circumstances.
Empathy and Understanding: By acknowledging and showing concern for the challenges faced by their colleagues, the team members demonstrate empathy and understanding. This fosters a supportive and inclusive environment, which is essential for effective intercultural collaboration. For example, expressing concern about the snowstorm in D.C. or the traffic in Nairobi shows that the team cares about each other's well-being.
Respect for Cultural Differences: The meeting implicitly acknowledges and respects the cultural differences between team members. It doesn't assume that everyone's experience is the same and recognizes that different cultures may have different norms and expectations. For example, understanding that a public holiday in Thailand means a team member will be unavailable demonstrates respect for their cultural practices.
Importance of Clear and Concise Communication: The standup format itself promotes clear and concise communication. This is particularly important in intercultural teams, where language barriers or different communication styles might exist. Keeping updates brief and to the point helps to ensure that everyone understands the key information.
Building Trust and Rapport: By sharing personal challenges and acknowledging each other's circumstances, the team members build trust and rapport. This is essential for effective collaboration, especially in virtual teams where face-to-face interaction is limited. Sharing a bit about their "world" helps to humanize the interaction and create stronger connections.
In summary, this fictional standup highlights how intercultural competence involves not just understanding different cultures, but also adapting to diverse realities, communicating effectively, and building relationships based on empathy and respect. It shows that successful global teams prioritize open communication and flexibility to navigate the complexities of working across different time zones, cultures, and circumstances.
Having trouble managing a global team, navigating time zones and remote collaboration? Let’s talk! Email us info@transmitio.io