ITB DIGITAL Sep 2025 v3spreads - Flipbook - Page 64
WORK SMART
MANAGE
REMOTE
TEAMS
Multiple time zones, language barriers, cultural differences and varying
work practices can make managing a team spread across the globe
challenging. Adopting these simple practices can help make the experience
smoother and make collaboration more effective — regardless of location.
WORDS MEGAN BREEN
W
ith a finance team spread over
10 countries across Asia — each
with distinct markets, cultures and
business conditions — Edwin Ang FCPA
says managing a global team effectively comes down
to good communication techniques.
“It is important to judge which communication
channels are most effective based on personality
and cultural background. Some team members
engage better through video calls, while others
prefer messaging or detailed emails,” Ang explains.
As an executive coach, career mentor and founder
of Expert Career Mentors, Ang says rotating “country
spotlights” in regional meetings allows each team to
showcase their unique approaches and challenges.
Additionally, recognising that there are many
different personality types helps create a shared
understanding of communication preferences beyond
cultural contexts. Ang recommends implementing
a DiSC behavioural assessment tool across
all regions.
“The [assessment tool] helps our teams recognise
different personalities,” he says. “This awareness
bridges cultural and functional divides, particularly
when connecting sales and marketing teams with
64 INTHEBLACK Sep/Oct 2025 SPECIAL EDITION
finance colleagues, where personality differences
often create as much friction as cultural variations.”
LANGUAGES, CULTURES AND TIME ZONES
Hailiang Zhang FCPA is deputy president of
CPA Australia’s East and Central China Committee
and business head and executive VP, North Asia, Vistra.
He says the key to inclusive conversations in a shared
language is fostering an environment where all team
members feel valued and empowered to contribute.
“In my team, I encourage pauses for any unclear
terms, embrace strategic repetition for alignment
and celebrate ‘imperfect’ English. By treating language
as a bridge rather than a hierarchy, I’ve seen a big
increase in cross-border idea sharing,” he says.
Effective ways to manage cross-country borders
include using a bilingual framework, sharing key
points in both English and the local language, and
sharing agendas at least 48 hours in advance, which
allows non-native speakers more time to prepare.
Anchoring the team through a shared, purpose-driven
goal is also a great idea.
“Teams thrive when united by a common goal,”
Zhang says. “For example, at Vistra we spark progress
through the shared values that make us a vibrant
