Question

A project manager leads a globally distributed team with members from several countries. During virtual meetings, team members from one region rarely speak up or challenge ideas, while members from another region dominate the discussion and interrupt frequently. Deliverables are on track, but the PM senses that valuable input is being lost and some members feel unheard. What should the PM do to improve collaboration?

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge that different cultural communication styles are at play and introduce facilitation techniques—such as round-robin input and anonymous idea-sharing—to ensure all voices are heard

Answer

Instruct the quieter members that they must contribute a minimum number of comments per meeting to demonstrate engagement

Answer

Reduce the number of live meetings and rely primarily on written status reports so the dominant members cannot monopolize discussions

Answer

Since deliverables are on track, take no action to avoid disrupting a team that is meeting its commitments