Global teams how the best teams achieve high performance

310 Pages·3.648 MB·English

by  Owen, Jo

‘This should be the fi rst item for global managers to put in their hand luggage.’
NIGEL NICHOLSON, PROFESSOR, LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL,
AND AUTHOR, THE ‘I’ OF LEADERSHIP
GLOBAL
TEAMS
HOW THE BEST TEAMS ACHIEVE
HIGH PERFORMANCE
J O OW E N
Praise for Global Teams
‘In this book, Jo Owen provides not only a thorough understanding of what
makes a “global” organisation effective, but also ideas and reflections on how
to go about it, in a way that is neither simplistic nor dogmatic. Great read.’
Bertrand Lavayssiere, Ayres and Co. Strategy Consultancy
‘A perk of my job is that I get paid to read and review books. Nothing thrills
me more than to know that one of my favourite management authors, Mr Jo
Owen, has another book published.
I enjoyed reading his perspectives on the various aspects of management as
he provides insights that can be easily digested by anybody, yet has the nec-
essary depth to help you with the skills needed in management.
His latest offering showcases research that he has extensively carried out
and provides astute insights that will benefit any executive from any level of
management, be it middle or senior.
Quickly bookmark this for your “to-read list” as it is a useful, insightful read.’
Sadie Jane Nunis, Publications Manager, Singapore Institute of Management
‘Jo Owen has done it again – spotted a big gap in the literature and filled it
elegantly and effectively with this splendidly readable, comprehensive,
practical and evidence-based treatment of a topic that is really challenging
to our globalising business world. Packed with great examples and quotes,
Owen leads the reader through the toughest and most interesting chal-
lenges in cross-cultural management: leadership, team dynamics, business
context and systems, cultural intelligence and conflict resolution. This
should be the first item for global managers to put in their hand luggage.’
Nigel Nicholson, Professor, London Business School. author, The ‘I‘ of
Leadership: Strategies for Seeing Being and Doing
‘Original and practical book on a vital topic which no one has looked at in
depth before; simple and clear to read, with lots of real world case exam-
ples, it escapes the normal orthodoxy where globalisation means spreading
western practice.’
Alberto Forchielli, Managing Partner, Mandarin Capital Partners
Global Teams

Global
Teams
How the best teams achieve high performance
Jo oWeN
PearsoN educaTioN limiTed
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow CM20 2JE
United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
Web: www.pearson.com/uk
First edition published 2017 (print and electronic)
© Jo Owen 2017 (print and electronic)
The right of Jo Owen to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The print publication is protected by copyright. Prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval
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Barnard’s Inn, 86 Fetter Lane, London EC4A1EN.
The ePublication is protected by copyright and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed,
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All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of any trademark in this
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Pearson Education is not responsible for the content of third-party internet sites.
ISBN: 978-1-292-17191-3 (print)
978-1-292-17192-0 (PDF)
978-1-292-17193-7 (ePub)
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for the print edition is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for the print edition is available from the Library of Congress
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
20 19 18 17 16
Cover design by Two Associates
Cover image © iStock
Print edition typeset in 9.5 pt and ITC Giovanni Std by iEnergizer Aptara® Ltd
Printed by Ashford Colour Press Ltd, Gosport
NOTE THAT ANY PAGE CROSS REFERENCES REFER TO THE PRINT EDITION
contents
About the author ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 Introduction 1
2 What is special about global teams 11
PART ONE Leading the team 23
3 The global leadership challenge: new skills,
new mindset 25
PART TWO Teams without borders 53
4 Trust: the glue that binds the team 55
5 Communications: less noise, more
understanding 85
PART THREE Creating the firm-wide context for success 117
6 Goals: clear goals or shared goals? 121
7 Systems and processes: the building blocks
of success 143
8 People and skills: global talent, global
mindset 175
9 Culture: building cultural intelligence 193
10 Structure: co-ordination and conflict 231
vii
contents
PART FOUR Rising to the global challenge: lead, trust
and support 251
11 Conclusions 253
Glossary 264
Notes 266
Index 289
viii
about the author
Jo Owen worked with and researched over a hundred of the best, and one or
two of the worst, organisations on our planet for Global Teams over thirty years.
He has built a business in Japan, and has led businesses in Europe and
North America; he is a co-founder of eight not-for-profit organisations with
a collective turnover of nearly $200 million a year. He is co-founder of
Teach First, the largest graduate recruiter in the UK. He also started a bank.
He began his career in brand management at P&G.
An award-winning author, Jo has written 15 books which have been pub-
lished in nearly 100 editions globally. His titles include How to Lead, How to
Manage and Tribal Business School.
He is in demand as a speaker on leadership, tribes and global teams and can
be reached at [email protected]
ix