7 days ago

EP39: Culture Gaps with Global Virtual Teams

Global teams can look united on the surface yet still struggle with distance, culture, and trust. Leaders often assume that what works in the office will work online, only to discover that virtual dynamics play by a very different set of rules.

Karin Reed sits down with global virtual team expert and author Theresa Hollema to unpack the realities of leading across borders. Theresa explains why team configuration matters, why cliques form when a handful of colleagues share the same space, and why some teams actually found fully remote work easier during the pandemic.

Their conversation points out the subtle choices that shape global collaboration: how meetings are structured, what messages are sent by turning a camera on or off, and how a follow-up call can feel like micromanagement in one culture but genuine care in another.

Theresa also introduces a framework from her book “Virtual Teams Across Cultures” that reveals how culture influences teams within the group, between locations, and through outside local factors. Her insights offer a path forward for leaders who want to build trust, encourage inclusivity, and unlock the innovation that diverse virtual teams can deliver.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction to Global Virtual Teams

01:18 Why Virtual Leadership Differs From Office Work

06:45 Hybrid Pitfalls: Proximity Bias and Cliques

08:22 Psychological Distance Across Locations

10:04 Turning Cultural Diversity Into Innovation

12:14 Practical Ways to Build Cultural Competence

17:32 Leader Readiness for Cross-Cultural Dilemmas

19:04 One-on-Ones That Build Trust

21:40 Camera Use and Signals of Trust

23:21 Post-Meeting Follow-Up: Care vs Micromanagement

Connect with Theresa Hollema: