{"id":92541,"date":"2023-02-09T15:47:36","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T13:47:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/?p=92541"},"modified":"2025-06-30T17:23:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T15:23:48","slug":"challenges-of-leading-global-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"Challenges of Leading Global Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from the potential challenges of leading global teams, expanding your business to operate globally can seem like a foolproof strategy for success. The promise of new markets, a wider talent pool to seek the best functional experience from around the world, and a multinational corporation (MNC) that fosters innovation and productivity from its team are tempting for every business leader.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are countless other benefits, too. <\/span><b>New ways of working with international colleagues stimulate flexibility and increase availability. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a logistical standpoint, you can divide the work among people into different time zones, and your team can finish projects making the most of more hours available to them in a day. Effective <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/tools-remote-workers\/\">virtual teams<\/a> also cut costs, significantly reducing the need to travel. <\/span><b>Bringing together diverse cultures can also motivate and enrich <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as it bridges cultural gaps. It leverages countless opportunities to share knowledge, best practices and expertise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, the challenges of leading global teams can create more problems than they solve.<b>\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, in today&#8217;s modern workplace, it&#8217;s not just global teams that are feeling the impact of geographically diverse workforces. With new ways of working, managing virtual teams poses challenges &#8211; within and across countries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-92553\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132420\/pexels-fauxels-3184360_11zon-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"challenges-of-leading-global-teams\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132420\/pexels-fauxels-3184360_11zon-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132420\/pexels-fauxels-3184360_11zon-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132420\/pexels-fauxels-3184360_11zon-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132420\/pexels-fauxels-3184360_11zon-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132420\/pexels-fauxels-3184360_11zon-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it goes right, global teams can drive huge value, but the journey to the end goal can be much harder to execute than it appears.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we&#8217;ll explore some of the common challenges of virtual teams and leading a team within an MNC, and some ways of working that will help mitigate them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"js-toc toc\">\n<p class=\"js-toc-title toc__title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<nav id=\"fac_toc_nav\" class=\"js-toc-nav toc__nav\" aria-label=\"Table of Contents\"><ol class=\"toc__list toc__list--level-1\"><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/#how-does-physical-closeness-benefit-teams\" title=\"How Does Physical Closeness Benefit Teams?\" data-target-id=\"how-does-physical-closeness-benefit-teams\">How Does Physical Closeness Benefit Teams?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/#what-is-psychological-distance\" title=\"What is Psychological Distance?\" data-target-id=\"what-is-psychological-distance\">What is Psychological Distance?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/#what-are-the-challenges-of-leading-global-teams\" title=\"What are the Challenges of Leading Global Teams?\" data-target-id=\"what-are-the-challenges-of-leading-global-teams\">What are the Challenges of Leading Global Teams?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/#tips-for-success-when-managing-an-mnc\" title=\"Tips For Success When Managing an MNC\" data-target-id=\"tips-for-success-when-managing-an-mnc\">Tips For Success When Managing an MNC<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><a id=\"how\"><\/a><b>How Does Physical Closeness Benefit Teams?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating successful teams is hard enough when everyone is in the same place. Groups come from different cultural backgrounds and age demographics, and can have clashing values as a result. <\/span><b>But, when people work in the same office, it\u2019s easier to know each other on a personal level. This way, employees can build trust and see past superficial differences. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They can also create a shared understanding of appropriate behaviour and interactions, which helps teams bond and work more effectively as a team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These things make it <\/span><b>easier to build the basic foundations of team culture: values, attitudes and objectives.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b><a id=\"what\"><\/a>What is Psychological Distance?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychological distance refers to the lack of connection between teams and measures the degree of emotional connection between them. It is sometimes referred to as a social distance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social differences can make it difficult for people to coordinate work, connect, and align. At its highest levels, social distance can make it difficult to develop any kind of successful interaction among teams.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaders are responsible for mitigating the impact of social distance between international teams.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/templates\/employee-satisfaction-survey\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-92558\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09133053\/ENG_Blog_banner_Employee-Satisfaction-2_11zon.jpg\" alt=\"employee-satisfaction\" width=\"758\" height=\"260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09133053\/ENG_Blog_banner_Employee-Satisfaction-2_11zon.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09133053\/ENG_Blog_banner_Employee-Satisfaction-2_11zon-300x103.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09133053\/ENG_Blog_banner_Employee-Satisfaction-2_11zon-768x263.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 758px) 100vw, 758px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b><a id=\"whatare\"><\/a>What are the Challenges of Leading Global Teams?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing a global team within a multinational corporation (MNC) isn&#8217;t easy. Effective communication is more complex as teams can\u2019t rely on non-verbal cues. This increases the likelihood of miscommunication and potential conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team spirit, understanding, friendships and connections are harder to develop, increasing the chance of individuals feeling disconnected and disengaged. <\/span><b>According to a 2018 report by<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/workplace\/236213\/why-need-best-friends-work.aspx\"><b> Gallup<\/b><\/a><b>, having a &#8216;best friend&#8217; at work can make people seven times more engaged in their jobs.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s essential to recognise that the challenges of virtual teams don\u2019t always stem from an international team being spread out geographically. Time, language, diversity, culture, size, and technology can all contribute. There are also other subtler causes, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/employee-engagement-survey\/\">differing levels of participation and commitment<\/a> from members of the same team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many global leaders also manage teams whose members do not report directly to them. <\/span><b>These leaders must contend with the added challenge of learning to exercise &#8216;influence without authority&#8217;.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s explore five challenges of leading international teams in more detail and discuss how evolving ways of working can prevent potential roadblocks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><b>Understanding Team Structure<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Structure is an important consideration when managing virtual teams. <\/span><b>This refers to both the hierarchy within the group and the physical configuration.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The important questions to ask are: Who is where? Where are the leaders based?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Power structure is fundamental here. When more team members are in a particular area, the perception can be that the bigger group holds power. The imbalance can create a negative dynamic whereby groups can resent each other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>This phenomenon can be exacerbated when the team leader is based with the larger group and gives less attention to the smaller groups&#8217; contributions and needs.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When meetings are held consistently in the larger team&#8217;s zone, this has been nicknamed&#8217; time-zone resentment. &#8216;\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can create animosity for those having to dial in during the early morning or late evening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key to addressing this issue is solidifying a team\u2019s identity and purpose. Define who you are and refine your common goals and objectives. You need to confirm that<\/span><b> the team is a single entity despite its differences. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hone the team&#8217;s focus and direction by highlighting how individuals and teams contribute towards company goals. This can be achieved with a weekly meeting designed to review performance against business objectives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Lastly, to effectively manage a global team, leaders need to support everyone in it<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. When team members are distanced from the leader, they need more frequent contact and reassurance. Ensure good work is always congratulated and make regular check-ins part of the agenda. Leaders must also encourage cultural sensitivity and open discussion around cultural identity to do this. This allows everyone to feel heard within the team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><b>Recreating Water Cooler Moments<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8216;Water cooler moments&#8217; have come to describe the informal chats that happen spontaneously in the workplace. They have been shown to teach people more about their organisation than employee handbooks or onboarding. But these moments are non-existent when teams are dispersed worldwide or working in remote settings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These important social interactions play a massive role in helping employees de-stress, get to know each other, be themselves at work and collaborate more effectively. In short, they are an essential part of building a team dynamic. <\/span><b>Without them, <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/working-from-home\/\">leaders of international teams need to play a more active role<\/a> in helping their teams achieve these results without these physical moments.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When managing virtual teams, leaders should arrange team building activities to strengthen relationships. This can create deliberate moments to bond and build empathy within the group like check-ins to review the current collaboration dynamic and question what works and doesn&#8217;t. By <\/span><b>actively seeking the reflective knowledge that allows the team to improve their work together, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it will become easier to improve and evolve.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaders can also formally encourage disagreement about tasks and the approach to projects. These interactions should be framed as brainstorming, allowing the whole team to evaluate projects and contribute to discussion constructively. With careful moderation, sessions will remain positive and ensure any heat stays out of the debate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other tactics include building unstructured time into meetings to &#8216;virtually&#8217; recreate the minutes before a face-to-face meeting. It\u2019s during this time people talk about their weekends, the kids, their dog\u2026 you get the jist. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Small talk can, in fact, promote trust and build relationships.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><b>Establishing Identity and Culture\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teams work best when everyone understands each other&#8217;s viewpoints. As individuals, people build an identity on a wide range of factors, like their age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, occupation and political ties, amongst many others. <\/span><b>We all need to be able to translate these things to understand different behaviours \u2013 which can often mean different things.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, looking at someone squarely in the eye in the United States may project confidence and honesty, but direct eye contact might be perceived as rude or threatening in other parts of the world. These differences can be a significant source of social distance and distrust.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaders should always promote respect, diversity and community within their teams. Talking is a fantastic antidote to any potential cultural clashes. <\/span><b>By allowing people to share their views and opinions, you can foster an environment of mutual teaching and learning.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also helps teams feel confident and empowered to ask questions without repercussions and to feel that they can be open about their cultural differences.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-92556\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132730\/pexels-fauxels-3182796_11zon-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"challenges-of-leading-global-teams\" width=\"815\" height=\"543\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132730\/pexels-fauxels-3182796_11zon-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132730\/pexels-fauxels-3182796_11zon-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132730\/pexels-fauxels-3182796_11zon-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132730\/pexels-fauxels-3182796_11zon-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09132730\/pexels-fauxels-3182796_11zon-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>4)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><b>Effectively Managing Team Interactions<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the biggest challenges of leading global teams is language. The obvious challenge is when not everyone speaks the same language, but it can be just as problematic if people do speak the same language but at different levels of fluency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Strong communication drives knowledge-sharing, decision-making, coordination and performance.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When this breaks down, it can create barriers to productivity within the team and social distance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problem is that those who are more fluent tend to dominate, and those with less fluency tend to withdraw &#8211; however unintentionally.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts recommend leaders create guidelines for interactions between their teams. Fluent speakers are actively encouraged to slow down and dial down their dominance, while less fluent speakers are encouraged to increase their engagement and refrain from withdrawing. <\/span><b>Calling out unintentional behaviours can go a long way in preventing them.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also great to promote active listening from everyone in the group and have regular check-ins to ensure everyone understands. This creates a culture where asking questions is praised and supported. Discouraging slang and idioms also helps keep the conversation more inclusive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The team leader&#8217;s responsibility is to monitor the conversation and maintain the balance of speaking and listening while also being prepared to help explain complex topics again if needed. By leading by example, leaders influence and inspire others to action. By being flexible, adaptable, and engaged with all team members<\/span><b>, team leaders can bring out the best in others by building rapport and trust.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/templates\/remote-work-policy-checklist\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-92573\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145534\/ENG_Blog_banner_Remote-Work-Policy_11zon.jpg\" alt=\"remote-work-policy\" width=\"743\" height=\"255\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145534\/ENG_Blog_banner_Remote-Work-Policy_11zon.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145534\/ENG_Blog_banner_Remote-Work-Policy_11zon-300x103.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145534\/ENG_Blog_banner_Remote-Work-Policy_11zon-768x263.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 743px) 100vw, 743px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>5)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><b>Understanding The Value \u2013 And Limitations &#8211; Of Tech<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technology has changed how we work. It has enabled global teams to work together effectively and mitigated many of the challenges of hybrid working.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How people interact with platforms can shape relationships. <\/span><b>The most important thing to remember here is not to assume that communication platforms are neutral or benign.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They can both reduce and increase social distance and must be understood and used appropriately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaders must consider how each tool can impact team communication. For example, videoconferencing conveys emotion and context as team members can see and interact with each other. In contrast, email and instant messaging platforms benefit from quickly and efficiently sharing information, but it is more difficult to convey context. This leaves communications more open to misunderstanding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another crucial aspect to consider is whether the whole team has the same access to the technology available. It&#8217;s integral to find a way for everyone to stay current on projects and receive information promptly. <\/span><b>Inconsistent resources can be a huge blocker to productivity.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key is to create consistent communication within a team. This can be done by creating a shared space within a communication platform, allowing everyone access to the same information, no matter where they&#8217;re located. <\/span><b>It can also help to keep everyone on the same page and create a better sense of interconnectivity when updates and information sharing come from everyone on the team, not just from the top down.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, it is beneficial for teams to have guidance for interacting with each other through communication tools. Highlight time differences so people know when it\u2019s appropriate to call, when they can expect an email back and what types of communication are suitable over which channels. For example, many businesses ask their teams not to set tasks over chat or messenger because keeping track of them is much more difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><a id=\"tips\"><\/a>Tips For Success When Managing an MNC<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To overcome the challenges of leading global teams, leaders should:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a vision and goal that everyone can get behind<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use your corporate culture to help build your team culture<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build trust\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clarify team processes\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be empathetic<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be brave and challenge the status quo when necessary\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Factorial, our software allows you to centralise and streamline company processes to manage employees worldwide from one platform. Using our Internal Communication platform, we can help to unify your global team and keep employees across all timezones in the loop with company updates, objectives and tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2705 Give it a try for<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/get-started\"> <b>free for 14 days<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and see how we can centralise and digitise your team management.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/get-started\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-92575\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145644\/Get-started_11zon-3.jpg\" alt=\"free-trial\" width=\"900\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145644\/Get-started_11zon-3.jpg 900w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145644\/Get-started_11zon-3-300x103.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/09145644\/Get-started_11zon-3-768x263.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aside from the potential challenges of leading global teams, expanding your business to operate globally can seem like a foolproof strategy for success. The promise of new markets, a wider talent pool to seek the best functional experience from around the world, and a multinational corporation (MNC) that fosters innovation and productivity from its team<a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/\" class=\"read-more\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":161,"featured_media":98297,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[342,344],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-engagement","category-remote-work-en-gb"],"acf":{"topics":"talent"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.5 (Yoast SEO v21.9.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Challenges of Leading Global Teams | Factorial<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read 5 challenges of leading global teams and learn how to overcome them with simple steps to help international teams work together more effectively.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Challenges of Leading Global Teams\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Read 5 challenges of leading global teams and learn how to overcome them with simple steps to help international teams work together more effectively.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Factorial\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Factorial\/100064908455810\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-02-09T13:47:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-30T15:23:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/05151605\/Frame-34647-17_11zon.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"733\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jessie Curnock\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@factorialapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@factorialapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jessie Curnock\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jessie Curnock\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/753d988757b32943260fe25e7073499a\"},\"headline\":\"Challenges of Leading Global Teams\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-02-09T13:47:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-30T15:23:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/challenges-of-leading-global-teams\/\"},\"wordCount\":2034,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/factorialhr.co.uk\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Culture &amp; 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