Remote sales management - another question managers should ask themselves

In my article about managing a remote sales team, I suggested the LSP ask itself several questions to understand whether they were ready to hire and manage remote sales people.  Another question has occurred to me in the meantime that should be added to this list:

6. Do you understand management practices of the target country in which you are

hiring?

Although I will focus on European companies entering the US market in this context, this issue certainly applies to all locales in which the LSP is hiring remote employees.

I have had several European-based sales managers express their frustration managing and retaining good remote sales people in the United States, mainly because they don’t understand the source of the trouble.  There could be a number of issues operating such as poor hiring decisions in the first place, but I do believe there is more going on.  I say this because I have also heard US-based sales people who work for European-based LSP’s express frustrations with the way in which they are managed. 

I find it somewhat ironic that LSP managers, who work in very multi-cultural environments and are generally sensitive to other cultures, have trouble managing their US–based remote employees.  Given the ubiquity of US popular culture and US business practice in Europe a great deal of knowledge already exists. Despite this, there seems to be a gap between understanding US culture in general and being able to truly understand what motivates remote US employees and knowing what they expect from management.  I suspect that since the LSP is managing from their home market, they have the tendency to manage their remote teams similarly to how they manage their in-country staff.  It is the most natural thing to do since that is where the LSP is based and is the on-going modus operandi.  I would argue that more thought needs to go into the on-going management of the US-based remote employee to ensure the success of all.

There are many aspects to this issue that are worth exploring.  For the purposes of this posting, I will focus on one primary American expectation that can cause problems for non-American managers—egalitarianism—and how this works in the manager/subordinate relationship. 

The notion of egalitarianism—that we’re all basically the same, that you are what you’ve done, that no one is better or worse because of rank or status, that “all men are created equal” (American Constitution)—runs very deep in the American psyche and has a very strong impact on their expectations of their managers.  Entire books have been written on this subject, so I’ll only focus on a couple of aspects of egalitarianism that I have experienced or witnessed in the LSP environment--ranging from the simple (even simplistic) to the more complex—in a list with a brief explanation about why it’s important.

1)      Thank your employee for a job well done, even if it is part of their normal duties and is what they are supposed to do.  To many Europeans this may feel patronizing and even a bit silly, however to Americans this is viewed as a courtesy that is extended to all, not because they must, but because they appreciate the service being rendered.  More importantly it also conveys that no one is inherently deserving of special treatment and all are deserving of respect.  This small acknowledgement, particularly in a remote environment, will go a long way in helping the sales person feel a part of the team and help them understand that their work is appreciated.  Americans will not necessarily assume that no news is good news to the extent that their European counterparts will.  Frequent communication and praise is expected and desired.

2)      Wear your power and authority lightly.  As a manager, everyone knows you have power and authority, including Americans, but they do not expect you to show it.  American subordinates expect their managers to treat them as equals, because power and authority do not necessarily make you better than them.  Acting as if you are superior, deserving of elaborate deference or above certain tasks will make you come across as pompous or arrogant to your American subordinates and invite disrespect or even derision.  Using your rank to gain an advantage “pulling rank” or demanding respect is particularly offensive to Americans and will also invite disrespect.  Respect is not a given; it is earned.  And having people working for you who do not respect you will likely become de-motivated and ultimately seek employment elsewhere.

3)      Delegate your authority.  The egalitarian ethos and desire to not overtly exercise authority that characterizes the American management practices strongly influences how much authority managers are willing to give up and assign to subordinates.  American managers delegate a lot.  They encourage their subordinates to step outside the confines of their job description and take on additional responsibility.  As a result, subordinates are also expected to form their own opinions, act on the authority they are given and speak out about issues affecting tasks for which they have been made responsible.

In my experience this is a major cultural difference between many European management styles and the American style.  To the European this may feel like giving up power rather than sharing it and also cause great discomfort, where risk and failure are less acceptable, if the subordinate makes a bad decision.

By not delegating however, the European manager is effectively putting a straight jacket on their American employee.  The American employee may interpret non-delegation as a lack of trust in his abilities, putting constraints on his ability to achieve and thereby putting constraints on his career as a whole.

It’s worth considering that the American is working on their turf for you.  Managing them as closely as possible to his/her cultural expectations will help ensure your success.  I suggest listening carefully to what your US-based employee is saying when issues arise and where points of contention exist, query them further about what their expectations may be, but try not to take direct criticism personally.  Hear them out and then explore ways to find common ground for future communications.  A collaborative approach to communication is also egalitarian and will be welcomed by your remote US sales person and will pave the way to a better working relationship.

This is just the tip of the iceberg and there have been entire books written on this subject.  There is a wealth of information available on cross-cultural management in addition to how to deal with your American colleagues and subordinates.  A great resource is Intercultural Press, which specializes in books on cross-cultural relations and management.