Maintaining a timely schedule of meetings and progress benchmarks and keeping track of minutes and official correspondence, in case there is a dispute, is also valuable for logistical and legal reasons.
Creating a general managerial philosophy to deal with work teams may entail orienting employees how to improve their communication skills and deal with team conflicts. Because Tyco is an international organization, when work teams involve individuals from several countries or cultures, having a briefing on possible communication differences between low and high-context cultures may be helpful. Self-awareness is often one of the most important elements of communication. For example, the DISC personality inventory, which classifies individuals as either dominant, intuitive, steady, or conscientious types in their workplace demeanor can be administered to employees embarking upon a project together, so they gain a sense of their strengths, weaknesses, and biases, in relation to their colleagues.
Communication style awareness that is ongoing throughout the employee's tenure at Tyco, sensitivity training at orientation and through regular workshops and required courses, and instilling employees with knowledge about the different cultural and communication styles at the company is a constant educational process. This multi-tiered strategy would address the unique needs of the Tyco organization, specifically its diversity and its need for a cohesive mission. Improving communication...
A good communicator at work, who is able to be fluent in a variety of cultures and is sensitive to interpersonal differences, is also likely to be more effective and attentive to customers.
Cultural sensitivity is also important in ensuring that the company is compliant with EEOC (Equal Opportunity Commission) regulations, anti-harassment, and equality-related legislation. Workers from abroad must understand the company's commitment to such issues, while American workers must learn how to negotiate their own cultural differences with international staff members. Training must not merely be generalized, although orientation and company-wide materials may be general about cultural and regional differences: each work team must engage in specific icebreaking activities to allow for constructive dialogue and to create effective strategies of dialogue so that conflict between members is productive, rather than counterproductive.
References
Careers and Jobs. (2010). ADT. Retrieved February 14, 2010 at http://www.adt.com/about_adt/careers/
Careers. (2010). Tyco Fire Suppression & Building Products. Retrieved February 14, 2010 at http://www.tyco-fire.com/index.php?P=careers&B=
Tyco: Our businesses. (2010). Retrieved February 14, 2010 at http://www.tyco.com/wps/wcm/connect/tyco+our+business/Our+Businesses/Overview
