Leadership Job Requirements in Multicultural Virtual Teams

Abstract

Multicultural virtual teams have become increasingly relevant. Organisations and leaders face different challenges in managing these teams. This review analyses and identifies the challenges in multicultural virtual teams and the job requirements for leaders to face these challenges. It answers the question of which behaviour and skills leaders need to manage multicultural virtual teams successfully. A literature review was conducted in which thirty-five publications and their key findings have been considered, analysed, and systemised to derive a concrete requirement profile for leaders of multicultural virtual teams. The results present the challenges that can occur in multicultural virtual teams and the behaviours leaders can demonstrate when facing these challenges. The challenges arise from multicultural differences as well as from the virtual environment. The most important behaviours to face most of the challenges include raising awareness of language barriers and cultural differences, enquiring about team members' needs and expectations, clarifying expectations about the collaboration, establishing binding norms, ensuring compliance, adapting flexibly to individuals and situations, using ‘rich-media’, and synchronising work schedules. The findings also identify leaders' traits, attitudes and skills to execute the recommended behaviour. Leaders of multicultural virtual teams require sensitivity, flexibility, assertiveness, personal initiative, mastering different leadership styles, negotiation competence, and active listening. The outcome of this paper is a practicable overview of possible challenges and required behaviours as well as traits, attitudes, and skills of leaders when managing multicultural virtual teams. Leaders can benefit from this helpful guide for appropriate behaviour in specific challenges. Recruiters can use the findings as a helpful tool for selecting appropriate leaders for multicultural virtual teams.