Discussion Overview
The paper by Neeley, titled “Global Teams That Work,” highlights the challenges of managing geographically dispersed teams due to social distance and proposes the SPLIT framework to address them. The framework focuses on five key areas: Structure, Process, Language, Identity, and Technology, each influencing social distance within global teams. Effective management of these areas can make global teams more effective.
Questions & Instructions
- In your experience working in or managing (globally) dispersed teams, which of the 5 key areas of the SPLIT framework–meaning Structure, Process, Language, Identity, and Technology–do you find most important or challenging? How do you (or plan to) address these challenges after this week’s readings? *
* Note: If you have no experience with geographically dispersed teams, you may think of teams that are dispersed because team members work fully remotely or in a hybrid mode in your organization.
Readings:
Chapter 6 in “Build your cultural agility” book (Relationship-building)
Neeley, T. 2015. Global teams that work. Harvard Business Review,
93(10): 7481.
Ibarra, H., & Hunter, M. 2007. How leaders create and use networks.
Harvard Business Review, 85(1): 4047.
examples:
(example 1) Technology has made the world significantly smaller. The ability to video conference at a high level has significantly improved how personable meetings feel. Seeing facial expressions, tone, and reactions reduces social distance in a way that email simply cannot. I think it builds trust faster and allows for more natural interaction. In manufacturing, the ability to send high-quality photos and videos has also transformed troubleshooting. Instead of trying to describe a machine issue over email, we can share detailed visuals in real time, which makes problem-solving across vast distances much more manageable and efficient. In many ways, technology has enabled operational alignment that would have been difficult even several years ago.
At the same time, I think Language is the most challenging aspect. Even when everyone uses English, differences in fluency and communication style can affect participation and influence. More fluent speakers may unintentionally dominate discussions, while others may hesitate to contribute. This can create subtle power imbalances and sometimes causes overall frustration. After this weeks reading, I plan to be more intentional about slowing conversations down, summarizing key points, practicing patience, and directly inviting input from quieter team members to ensure inclusion.
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