Helping transnational team members to sense trust: A counterintuitive approach to leadership

Abstract

Transnational teams (TNTs) - teams whose members are geographically spread across at least two co-ntries - are often plag-ed with s-bstantial member differences. These incl-de the different time zones members work in, their different c-lt-ral c-stoms and norms, and the different native lang-ages they speak. The res-lting interpersonal and task -ncertainty increase the need for member sense-making. Beca-se tr-st is the l-bricant for obtaining collaborative team performance, in this chapter we develop a concept-al model of tr-st-related sense-making in TNTs. That is, we identify factors that may infl-ence the extent to which TNT members sense that they can tr-st each other, and as a res-lt, wish to give the TNT their f-ll collaborative potential (despite the local demands also competing for their time). Importantly, we identify distinctive characteristics of TNTs that seem likely to complicate, even aggravate, the tr-st-related sense-making process described in o-r literat-re review on dyadic-relationships or domestic teams. Drawing from the tr-st and social dilemma literat-res, as well as o-r own research on TNTs, we offer interventions that may be -sed by the leader of the TNT to co-nteract the tr-st-red-cing properties of a TNT. We advocate the -se of “-niversal partic-larism” in TNTs. In so doing, we highlight the importance of eliminating the tendency to ass-me that “one size fits all” when managing people from a variety of c-lt-res. We ill-strate that the c-lt-ral val-es of “-niversalism” and “partic--larism” can co-exist. We concl-de the chapter by noting how the concept-al framework b-ilds -pon and extends prior models of tr-st and teamwork.

Citation

Spreitzer, G.M., Shapiro, D.L. and Von Glinow, M.A. (2002), "Helping transnational team members to sense trust: A counterintuitive approach to leadership", Sondak, H. (Ed.) Toward Phenomenology of Groups and Group Membership (Research on Managing Groups and Teams, Vol. 4), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 203-233. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1534-0856(02)04009-4