Google Team

Client Problem:

Team Cohesion and Motivation.

Mahir had a highly talented team, and his main priority was keeping the team together. He wanted to address the lack of parity and motivation across his team, which caused issues as they were working remotely and in different countries. His goal was to increase motivation, productivity, and reduce the risk of losing his team and money.

Our Analysis:

Upon assessment, we identified several key areas contributing to the team’s communication challenges:

• Poor Cross-cultural Communication: The seven nationalities working together had no working knowledge of each other’s backgrounds and cultures.
• Language Differences: Everyone, except one, was speaking in a second or third language – all communicating in English.
• Online Interaction: One team member was isolated from the team in another country, working only on-screen with them.
• Cultural Differences: Two pregnant team members felt held back by cross-cultural views around pregnancy.
• Hierarchy Issues: A PA felt her voice was not heard, even though she co-ordinated the team.
• Motivational Issues: Different levels of motivation throughout the team.

Our Solution:

We implemented personalised strategies and exercises for both voice and body, including:

• Private and Group Sessions: To achieve greater understanding and parity, providing a safer space within the team to communicate more effectively.
• Physical Alignment: Education on body support mechanisms and body language. Implementing a program to support body alignment and breathing for self-regulation to combat anxiety and tension.
• Vocal Technique: Exercises in pitch, intonation, volume, tone, and vocal intensity to support clearer dialogue and understanding.
• Presence, Presentation, and Camera Technique: Building a greater presence, confidence, and sense of authority through voice and body language in-person and on camera; using emotional recall for more creative narrative arc and storytelling on and off screen.
• Thought Process and Intention: Techniques to bring awareness to misunderstandings created through thought process and intention.
• Body-Voice Alignment: Improved connection between body and voice delivery. Recognising and encouraging positive emotive interaction and connection.
• Platform of Conversation and Storytelling: Collating all V Vibration techniques.

The Results:

The team experienced significant improvements:

• Improved Body Alignment: Leading to muscular core strength which supports the breathing mechanism, allowing for better breath control, vocal health, and projection.
• Improved Vocal Technique: Enhanced breath control, vocal stamina, and projection, with techniques to soften accent-related vowels.
• Breathing for Self-Regulation: Techniques like 4/2/6 breathing for nervous, tense, or heightened situations.
• Greatly Improved Vocal Health: Speaking with greater vocal variety; pitch, tone, rhythm, and vocal athletics to recognise cultural speaking differences.
• Body Language: Better understanding and application of body postural awareness to hone appropriate body language and non-verbal communication to the different cultures around them. Greater understanding of cultural differences, reducing the fear of offence in verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Encouraging Chit-Chat and Conversation: Greater clarity and understanding between team members. Understanding body nuances and life events, such as pregnancy, creating inclusivity despite differences in culture and location.
• Team Bonding: Increased motivation and a cohesive team spirit.

In Conclusion:

It was a delight to work with the Google Team and see the improvement and understanding in their cross-cultural communication. They levelled up their communication skills, leading to better integration and team productivity. We are delighted to say that the team is still together – and we are reliably informed by their director that they are communicating better than ever!