It is often the case that SAP projects are implemented simultaneously in several corporate branches located in different countries. Even if a rollout takes place in only one country, a common language has to be worked out by representatives of at least two countries: the local branch and the head office.

The same applies to SAP projects implemented with the involvement of specialists from Poland. For a number of years now, employees of the Polish subsidiaries of multinational corporations and Polish SAP consultants have taken part in SAP rollouts.

Recently, the opposite situation has arisen more and more often. The Polish branches of multinational corporations gain importance, and Polish businesses courageously expand into foreign markets. In both cases, individual staff members or even whole teams end up working on SAP projects abroad.

This means that the number of SAP projects carried out in the international environment is growing. As a result, the ability to operate in a multicultural environment has become crucial from the point of view of effective communication.

Working with geographically dispersed teams presents a number of new challenges: the language barrier, social, economic, political and religious differences, and also other factors, such as different time zones or eating habits.

Challenging Communication

Every experienced implementation team member can tell anecdotes about everybody agreeing on a certain method to do a task, and then each team proceeding in a completely different way.

As an example, an apparently clear message that “data migration” will be finished by 1st January can be interpreted by the client’s project manager as a “complete data history will be transferred from the current IT system”. To the financial consultants, it may mean that “master data and open items will be migrated”, and the logistics consultants may expect “only the master data to be migrated”.

If the project managers (both representing the client and the implementation partner) are not alert to traps of this kind, the project may be full of surprises – and not necessarily pleasant ones…

Listen and Be Heard

Cross-cultural communication involves verbal and non-verbal interactions, and the exchange of information and knowledge takes place between individuals with fundamentally different cultural backgrounds.

Since communication is a form of interaction, our relationships with other people are of crucial importance to its effectiveness. Do they hear and understand what we are trying to say? Do they listen? Do we listen to them? Do their answers prove that they understand the words we use and the meaning we are trying to convey? Is their approach positive and open? Do we trust each other?

The Same Words, Different Meanings

Inability to communicate beyond the cultural divide is often a major source of cross-cultural problems in multinational projects. Different reasons may stand behind this inability or absence of communication, such as:

  • Differences in body language
  • Differences in the meaning of the same word
  • Different approach to the same situations

These are just examples of cultural diversity. Such striking discrepancies in communication are usually identified quickly, however, more subtle and complex differences are only perceived after a considerable time, at which stage corrective measures already require significant efforts and expenditures. Sometimes, the differences are spotted too late and, as a result, deadlines for completing tasks are not met.

Overcoming the Barriers

It’s better to know when somebody nodding their head means “no”. It is worthwhile to see the difference between someone who does not look you straight in the eyes to show respect and someone who is trying to hide something or deceive you.

The handful of examples quoted here illustrates how many barriers can emerge in cross-cultural communication. Such barriers should be skillfully identified and overcome as soon as possible to ensure the successful completion of a project.

The only way to communicate effectively in multicultural projects is to show interest in the unknown culture, devote time to learn it and understand the differences.

Project managers should prepare an information package for project participants from other countries that includes the basic rules of communication and conduct in the target country. Such preparatory work should help to avoid a number of traps and misunderstandings in the future.