#5 (EN): International IT Teams – Part 1

# #5 (EN): International IT Teams – Part 1


In this episode of *Me, Myself & IT Leadership*, Daniel and
Nova explore why international IT teams often misunderstand each
other — even when everyone is speaking English and working toward
the same goal.


Using Erin Meyer’s *The Culture Map* as a framework, this first
part focuses on four cultural mechanics that directly shape IT
leadership and collaboration:


- communicating: low-context vs. high-context communication


- disagreeing: how cultures handle conflict and direct feedback


- deciding: consensus, hierarchy, alignment and decision
ownership


- persuading: principles-first vs. applications-first, plus the
hidden advantage of language and selling culture


Daniel shares practical observations from almost twenty years of
international work: the “yes” that is not a commitment, why
German directness can be misunderstood, how decisions get
reopened, and why cultural friction is often wrongly interpreted
as a performance problem.


The core message: international collaboration is not about
stereotypes. It is about understanding mechanisms — and making
them visible enough that teams can work with them instead of
against them.


This is part one of a two-part conversation on cultural
differences in international IT teams.