How to Build an Effective Global Business Team

Building a global team requires patience and expertise.

Now more than ever, businesses must capture global opportunities to maximize their returns. With emerging markets dominating the global economic growth, it is important to develop local teams all over the world. Building those team takes patience, a strong network and expertise. However, it can lead to a great global organization.

Instructions

1. Focus your strategy to determine exactly what markets you are seeking to target. This will depend mainly on the type of product you are selling and the existing network that you have. For example, if you are selling farming equipment, Brazil is a large emerging market for those products. If you have family or friends that live in Mexico, that may be a good market to target as well.

2. Determine the skill sets that you require for your market once you have chosen it. Most likely you will need an expert sales person with local connections. You will also need a skilled manager who can help to grow the organization.

3. Use your existing network to ask for recommendations for possible candidates for these positions. 2nd and 3rd social network connections can be considered your network for these purposes. Don't be afraid to cold call or email and individual. Try to use the appropriate language if you have those skills.

4. If you are unable to find a candidate through your network, scour the competing firms for their top executives to poach. You can hire a head hunter for this purpose. Once you have contacted the person and they are interested in learning more set-up a phone conversation to explain the business and position.

5. Visit the country to meet the candidates face to face once you have settled on two or three that could potentially be good fits for the position. Provide a long-term incentive plan that marries the success of the firm in the local market to the candidate's compensation. Provide the resources needed for them to excel.

6. Repeat the above steps for each market that you seek to enter. Remember to find managers that are good fits for their specific markets, the more local experience they better.

References

• Building an Effective Global Business Team; MIT Sloan Management Review; Vijay Govindarajan and Anil K. Gupta, 7/15/2001
• Global Virtual Business Culture; Virtual Teams