Cultural Challenges Project Managers Must Overcome

Cultural Challenges Project Managers Must Overcome

Once upon a time, project managers didn’t really have to worry about cultural hurdles. However, things have changed today.

Whether you’re working on a project for a worldwide company or a smaller project for a national firm, chances are excellent that you’re going to encounter myriad challenges when it comes to culture. Project managers will find that they face hurdles in terms of culture both within their teams and within organizations, whether those are client companies or the company the PM is working within.

Different Is Different, Not Bad

Everyone has some inhibitions when it comes to other cultures. It’s natural. They’re different. However, project managers need to understand that different is just that… different. Different doesn’t equate to “bad”. Every project manager must make a conscious decision to overcome any personal inhibitions when it comes to cultural differences and understand, honor and even celebrate those differences. By doing so, the PM can help to weld what would otherwise be a fragmented situation into a seamless whole.

Cultural Differences Exist on All Levels

Another important consideration for PMs is that cultural differences will exist on all levels. That means you’ll be facing challenges both on the project team and with project stakeholders. With this realization, PMs can begin to take active steps to circumvent problems that stem from cultural divisions and misunderstandings. However, it’s still important that project managers practice some specific actions when it comes to both team members and stakeholders from different cultures than their own (or the overall culture within the team or organization).