"These episodes are case studies and conversations with the world's top business and management experts, hand-selected to help you unlock the best in those around you. I'm HBR senior editor and producer Amanda Kersey. Leading people across countries and time zones means dealing with communication gaps and friction that can easily throw a team off course. In the 2014 IdeaCast episode you're about to hear, Tsedal Neeley, a professor at Harvard Business School,"
"And some of these boundaries that they have to manage extremely well in order to be effective include time zone differences. How do you make sure that you're able to engage one another in a way that doesn't inconvenience one member or one group more than the other? And how you make sure that you're constantly on the same line, even though the time zone differences could be so vast."
Globally distributed work adds layers of complexity beyond simple dispersion, including time zone differences that complicate synchronous engagement. Communication gaps and cultural differences create friction that can impede collaboration and reduce contribution. Managers must attend to boundaries like scheduling fairness, shared understanding, and contextual information so team members are not disadvantaged. Deliberate design of coordination practices, norms, overlapping hours, and relationship-building increases trust and enables fuller participation. Clear protocols, visible artifacts, and explicit expectations help mitigate misunderstandings and provide newcomers with enough context to contribute effectively across distances.
Read at Harvard Business Review
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