Daniel Alvarez

BDSC392
Assignment 11.1

Team Environment and Vendor Management Analysis

With our project being managed by a relatively small staff, every team member takes on the
leader role whenever the task of their specialty is being taken care of, with that being said, the
project (How to Get and A in BDSC392) is self managed by a cross-cultural and cross functional
team.

A Cross Functional Team is a team, consist of people from different departments (example:
Finance, Human Resource, Marketing, Production etc.) of an organization with diverse
knowledge and expertise to generate new ideas, solve complex problems and coordinate
complex projects.

In order to lead a successful cross-functional team you have given each member of your team
attention, praise, and time, and you’ll be able to become better acquainted with the different
strengths and skills at your disposal. Set clear expectations for each person. Weed out any
disinterested or counterproductive parties. Obtain a better view of each aspect of the project
and encourage and reward hard work, innovation, and team-oriented thinking.

For a leader who is in front of our cross-cultural team, it is really important to maintain the
team rhythm and synchronization to avoid any bias, any chaos, encourage the right harmony
and enthusiasm and happiness to grow the organization. Success for the team in a cross
functional and cross-cultural environment requires a mutual understanding and respect for
each respective contribution. Each function and culture can bring rich expertise and a unique
perspective which together is a powerful formula for success. Provide ample opportunities for
the team members to get to know each other better, increase their trust in one another, and
form strong ties that will contribute to the effectiveness of the team and project.
In project management teams, trust is challenging to create and sustain, but in the case of a
cross-cultural team it can be especially difficult for a variety of different reasons. The leader of a
cross-cultural team or project needs to understand the different cultures, language differences,
and “fault lines” within the team, as well as the potential for misconception and
miscommunication. They also must understand individual personalities. Cross-cultural team
members are inevitably going to bring a wide variety of different work styles and personal
preferences to the table. The project leader must establish team norms that everyone sticks to
no matter what their personal default might be. Rather than simply imposing your own
preferred style, start by considering what will work best for the team as a whole, and consider
incorporating practices from other cultures that could be useful.