Maximizing Your Collaboration with Uplers Talent: A Guide to Working with Indian Professionals by Cheryl Obal

Working with global talent can be an enriching experience, offering new perspectives & expertise. In her video series, Cheryl Obal , a cross-cultural trainer and consultant, shares practical tips for building effective relationships with Uplers talent from India. This series covers key insights into Indian culture, communication styles, and best practices for working with virtual teams. Let’s dive into the main takeaways from each lesson.

Lesson 1: Amazing India – Embracing Diversity and Talent

India is known for its vast technical expertise, making it a hub for talent in fields like IT, software development, and creative services. Here’s why working with Indian professionals can be a positive experience:

Technical Skills and Adaptability: Indian talent is known for its technical know-how and ability to quickly learn new skills. Their proactive approach to self-learning ensures they can adapt to new technologies or methodologies efficiently. (Reference: Frontend Developers, Backend Developers, Full Stack Developers, Data Analyst).
Calm Under Pressure: One standout quality of Indian professionals is their ability to maintain calm and composure even in high-pressure situations, making them reliable in challenging projects.
Client-Focused Mindset: With a strong orientation towards client satisfaction and outcomes, Indian professionals prioritize delivering results, ensuring a positive work relationship.
Strong Interpersonal Skills: Indian professionals are generally easy to work with, fostering smooth collaboration and effective communication.

Additionally, India’s cultural richness and diversity are reflected in its celebrations and holidays. With a variety of religious and cultural festivals, it’s important to understand that different team members may observe different holidays. Key holidays include Diwali, Eid, Christmas, and Raksha Bandhan. Open communication about holidays is crucial, as it helps set expectations about availability during these periods. Understanding these aspects of Indian culture can pave the way for a more respectful and productive collaboration.

Lesson 2: Understanding Indian Culture – Communication and Values

Cultural understanding is key when working with Indian teams. Cheryl highlights some of the core aspects of Indian communication and cultural values that can help foster stronger working relationships:

Family-Oriented Society: Family plays a central role in Indian life, often taking priority over other aspects. Understanding this can provide context for work dynamics and help accommodate any urgent family commitments that may arise.
High-Context Communication: India is a high-context culture, which means that communication often relies on implicit messages, non-verbal cues, and an emphasis on relationship-building. Direct communication may be perceived as too blunt, so it’s important to approach feedback and instructions with sensitivity.
Adaptability to Time: Indians often view time as more flexible compared to Western cultures. This polychronic approach allows for multitasking and adjusting schedules to suit evolving needs. While this flexibility can be an asset, it’s helpful to establish clear deadlines for time-sensitive tasks.

By understanding these cultural nuances, you can better navigate communication and build a rapport that respects both your needs and those of your Indian team members.

Lesson 3: Best Practices for Working with Remote Talent

To ensure a smooth working relationship with remote talent, Cheryl shares best practices that focus on communication, quality assurance, and managing expectations:

Establish Clear Communication Protocols: Set up a regular meeting schedule and choose tools for ongoing communication, such as Trello or Asana. Face-to-face virtual meetings are especially important in the beginning to build rapport and establish a connection.
Define Expectations Early: Clearly outline your expectations at the start of any project, including specific deliverables and deadlines. Follow up verbal instructions with written notes for clarity and easy reference.
Use Open-Ended Questions: When checking for understanding, avoid yes/no questions like “Do you understand?” Instead, ask open-ended questions such as “What do you understand about this task?” This approach helps ensure that instructions are fully understood and reduces the chances of miscommunication.

Cheryl also emphasizes the importance of empathy and patience when working with virtual teams. Building rapport is essential in a virtual environment, where opportunities for casual interactions are limited. Regular check-ins, even after the initial relationship has been established, can help maintain a strong connection.

Managing Feedback and Quality Control

Providing constructive feedback can be challenging, especially when working with a high-context culture where direct criticism may be less common. Cheryl suggests using the “hamburger method” for feedback, which involves:

Starting with a Positive: Begin by acknowledging what the talent did well.
Providing Constructive Feedback: Share areas that need improvement in a clear but gentle manner.
Ending with Encouragement: Conclude with positive reinforcement to maintain morale.

This approach helps maintain a positive relationship while ensuring that necessary improvements are made.

Additionally, it’s essential to establish quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) processes from the start. Discuss your quality standards with your talent and involve them in creating quality checklists. This involvement fosters a sense of ownership and commitment to meeting those standards.

Final Thoughts: Building Strong Virtual Relationships

Working with remote talent, especially across different cultures, requires an open mind and a willingness to adapt. Cheryl’s key advice is to exercise patience, especially in the early stages of the working relationship. Recognize that both you and your remote talent( are adjusting to each other’s communication styles and expectations.

Mutual respect is at the heart of any successful collaboration. By understanding cultural differences, setting clear expectations, and maintaining open communication, you can build a productive partnership with Uplers talent. Should any issues arise, Uplers is there to support you and ensure a smooth working relationship.

With these best practices in mind, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the complexities of cross-cultural collaboration and make the most of the expertise and skills that Indian talent has to offer. Happy collaborating!

Reference:

Chapter 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UlJS69bv8g

Chapter 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZY2dJptUgE

Chapter 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16QCEJrGsNE

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