Delivering internationally: The art of decision making across cultures
Picture this: Your eyes anxiously scan the calendar, with a store opening mere months away, and your highly competent team is yet to start procurement - you're worried you're going to miss the big day.
Or perhaps, you're pulling your hair out as the local team races ahead, seemingly disregarding your meticulously detailed plans. How can they be engaging a GC when the layout is barely fixed.
Every seasoned client, architect or project manager can share a horror story of a project delivered in across boarders where things havent gone to plan.
Of course, the specifics of the project massively impact how it progresses - but culture might have more of a hand in the fate of your opening date and the quality of your luxury project than you may think...
Unravelling the Mystery: The Decision Making Spectrum
Could it be that these perplexing situations are the product of differing decision-making styles across European markets? Is there a way to tap into these variations and streamline your project planning and delivery? The answer is a resounding yes, and the path to that lies through a deeper understanding of cultural dynamics and their impact on how teams work to make decisions.
Peering into this cultural kaleidoscope, we stumble upon an intriguing concept: the decision-making spectrum.
There are two ends of the spectrum. Note - a countries position on this spectrum does not mean everyone is the same! Its a rule of thumb that holds surprisingly true in many but not all cases"!
But what do the two ends of this chart actually mean?
TOP DOWN = Decisions are made quickly, often from the top down. But... the team can change direction multiple times before actually executing. There is more flexibility and adaptability to new information.
CONSENSUS BUILDING = Decisions take time and need the input of the whole team to be made. But... once they're made they're fixed and that's it. Deliver. Deliver. Deliver. A plan is executed like a well choreographed ballet.
You may find yourself at either end of the decision-making spectrum, either preferring quick decisions and subsequent adaptability, or adopting a meticulous "measure twice, cut once" approach.
Guess what? These contrasting styles aren't just individual quirks; they can often be traced back to a nation's cultural backdrop and historical context.
Why are we like this? - Vikings vs Priests
There are many reasons why this is the case, one of the leading theories is to do with the development of power in the last 1,000 years.
Priests
Take another look at the spectrum, countries on the right are typically former or current catholic nations, a religion where society historically was organised in a top down pyramid, where those at the top made decisions without much consensus and were free to change their mind without reproach. There is also a correlation with the Roman empire here, where societies were set up to report upwards to the emperor, but far flung stretches of the empire needed to be agile in making decisions.
Vikings
On the left, you have countries conquered by the Vikings. A race known for extreme egalitarianism and a completely flat society. They conquered much of Europe and built societies where everyone had a say!
Again, these theories are not a hard and fast rule but go some way to explaining the way nations act today.
Which is better and how can I apply this to my project?
The answer depends on where you are and what you are trying to achieve! The decision-making timeline, when applied aptly, can reap rewards in programming and team management.
Rapid, top-down decision-making societies = Project teams can make decisions quickly and move on, meaning you get to see the proof in the pudding quicker and then maximise quality by making changes thereafter.
Detail driving, consensus building cultures = Careful planning takes longer but the final execution is more often than not exactly what was intended and flawless, meaning less time modifying production or site works to achieve exceptional standards.
Effective international project management demands the ability to bridge the gap between the client's programming approach and the delivery style suited to the host country. Moreover, this cultural awareness and adaptability extend into the domain of team formation and management.
Strategies for working in a top down society, quick decision making society:
In countries leaning towards swift, top-down decision-making there are 3 important strategies for project success:
Focus on assembling a competent and motivated team that work well together and are all intrinsically motivated to make the task succeed. In these working environments personal motivation and ability to collaborate continuously is key.
Leave ego at the door and adopt an adaptable approach that continues to listen to new information. Taking an approach that can adjust to shifting scopes and strategies is the key as your first direction of travel will inevitably not be where you finally end up.
Build a programme that gets to site or production faster. Then reassess as you go. In a schedule, this might mean heading to a mock-up sooner, it could be starting on site without 100% of information, it might mean going to tender quicker to build a more informed team earlier on. Knowing that you have the ability to adapt can pay dividends in programme acceleration early on.
A real world example:
Our experience with a complex project for a luxury brand in Spain illustrates this point.
The metalwork and detailing package, one of the most complex and last to be installed, was key to the overall finishing of the space - bridging many complex materiality junctions between machined and hand applied finishes. In Spain, rather than focus on a clear and detailed scope the focus was on securing the right commitment from the subcontractor. With the help of an excellent local GC we found a supplier with excellent skills and agreed general principles of pricing rather than a fixed, detailed, itemised cost.
The result was that we were able to adapt late on site and they produced outstanding results. If we had taken an "ideal" cost management approach and itemised out 100% of the scope the contractor wouldn’t have had the flexibility to suit their working style and we'd have spent longer talking about variations than delivering quality.
Strategies for working in a consensus building society, detailed planning team:
Where the team and the culture err towards taking time and collecting almost toooo much information, building a consensus and then "cutting once" there are some adaptations you can take to maximise results:
Make sure the scope is detailed, tight and correct. Teams will rely on scoping documents and a detailed project plan to determine how to proceed through the consensus building stage. Each partner should know their role and complete the project-team-puzzle. This is a good example of why contract docs in the UK or Denmark are typically more in-depth than other parts of Europe!
Do not rush the early stages. This is probably self explanatory based on the concept, but where teams need more time to achieve perfection in planning the client or PM must allow them this or else set up for failure later on.
Don't be scared to reduce time on site or in production. If you have a long planning period make sure the benefits of this are achieved later on and dont be scared to be more ambitious with the sharp end of the programme!
A real world example:
A great example here is a recent project Mett. executed on a flagship. Unfortunately the details are confidential (watch out in the worlds luxury press in a year or so for something spectacular!). It involved a highly technical installation spanning multiple floors which involved not only an incredible level of artistry but some never-been-done-before engineering.
The team selected to build the feature were Austrian - following a typically consensual style of decision making. We had 2 options, design in 5 months and head straight to visual only mock-up, or spend a year in design before having a functional material accurate mock-up. Because of the nature of the project and the working style of the team assembled we spent longer in design that we would on most full stores. The results though, are fantastic.
Adaptability and Awareness - Tools every project leader needs to have
These strategies, though vastly different, can yield success when implemented correctly. The one thing you must avoid is flip-flopping between these approaches midway or imposing one style on a team culturally inclined towards the other.
Ultimately, as an international project manager, your adaptability and awareness are your most potent weapons. By understanding various decision-making styles and their implications, you can navigate the treacherous waters of international project management with grace and effectiveness.