Setting the Groundwork
Getting to know your team shouldn’t just be part of onboarding; it should be a regular communication pattern. In addition to getting to know workers better, keeping in regular contact with your team can help you understand their various communication styles and interpersonal dynamics.
People from LatAm tend to interrupt more than their US colleagues, and people from the US tend to avoid small talk to get straight to business. Neither behavior is necessarily meant to be insulting but could easily be perceived as such by unfamiliar parties.
Having non-meeting conversations with everyone can help reduce team friction and improve overall dialogue. If possible, ensure that a meeting is not the first time attendees interact with one another. Even a brief and casual conversation can offer team members a glimpse of each other’s communication methods before jumping straight into business.
Speaking vs. Interrupting
In LatAm, interrupting people is highly common and not considered rude, but it may take some time for Americans to get used to it. Don't take it personally when you speak in a meeting and someone interrupts. Keep moving forward with your ideas as you explain the answers to whatever questions pop up. Let everybody know ahead of time what method you prefer for your communication style — whether to ask the question out loud or physically/virtually raise a hand.
The modern technological world allows us to have real-time conversations with people worldwide, so it only makes sense that we should be able to interrupt them in real time, too! Let people know how it’s OK to interrupt you, not if it’s OK to interrupt you.
Keeping it Casual
In business culture, people in LatAm are less likely to provide unsolicited advice to their superiors, but the US has a more even-handed approach. Let everyone attending the meeting know that good ideas can come from anyone, regardless of hierarchical status.
Because everyone probably doesn’t have a soundproof meeting room in their virtual office, there will be outside life events that happen during meetings and disturb the natural flow of things. Dogs bark, doorbells ring, WiFi networks get spotty, and babies cry. Differing holiday schedules between the US and LatAm can also mean interruptions in childcare coverage.
By now, everyone should be used to these sorts of things regularly occurring, so don’t lose momentum when something outside the meeting sidetracks the collective attention for a moment — just roll with the punches and maintain a conversational mindset.
Being Punctual Virtually
LatAm and the US have varying punctuality standards for in-office meetings — the former casually starting and ending meetings half an hour late and the latter rigidly emphasizing punctuality — but virtual meetings tend to favor US standards. As such, you’ll want to communicate the expectations around an on-time start upfront.
Unifying through Communication
Learning about and addressing the differences between LatAm and US business cultures can help bridge the divides. Make sure team members are primed to each other’s communication styles and understand their agency when interacting with team members or asking questions in meetings.
Remember, more communication is always better!
