Talent knows no borders. There are smart, hardworking, curious people working in software development all over the world. The key is how people work together. How do they communicate? How do they discuss tradeoffs, share input, and make decisions?
If you’re working with people from another country, the first layer of challenges tends to be cultural. There are lots of other factors including personal qualities, life situations, and interpersonal dynamics. But the most basic differences start with cultural ones that influence how we interact with the world.
Nearshore software development agencies preach about the cultural advantages of nearshore over offshore. While cultural similarities exist in general, the devil is in the details. Just because two people are speaking English, it doesn’t mean that they are speaking the same language. From setting deadlines to making assumptions, people who have grown up in different cultures don’t see things exactly the same way. Diverse perspectives can add a ton of value on a dev team, but clear communication hinges on culture in many ways.
In this blog post series, I will write about those cultural differences. Let’s start with how to share feedback.
Feedback
There is a well-known phrase: “Communication is what the listener does.” It’s adopted from Peter Drucker’s Management where he discusses the difference between saying and perceiving. The person on the receiving end of the information hears, interprets, and understands whatever is said. Their background, their personality, the circumstances, the relationship, and their own perception mold every incoming word.
When I worked in Boston, I had several blunt managers who took pride in their direct approach. I say it like it is. They often got a temporary spike in performance, but in the process they created a toxic atmosphere and killed morale.
I had other managers who were far less brash but impersonal. When they shared feedback, they were direct but never attacked. They followed a script based on a more transactional manager-employee structure. The common thread in all Boston-based feedback was that it was concise, direct, and specific to the situation. In other words, it tended to be confrontational.
This doesn’t work in Mexico.
Relationships are at the center of communication in Mexico. Social dynamics are behind everything. There is a word in Spanish that expresses this underlying togetherness called convivencia. It’s related to the verb convivir, which literally translates to live together with except it’s used in the context of spending time with. But the connotation of convivencia is more than just hanging out. It’s about being part of this social dynamic, this vibe, this togetherness.
In the US, we value the efficiency of straight talk, but in Mexico giving blunt feedback is like taking a buzz saw to the delicate convivencia that is the linchpin of relationships. And the convivencia isn’t confined to friends and family. Business relationships also revolve around it. That’s why a business meeting might involve a 2 hour dinner filled with jokes and small talk ending in a 5 minute wrap-up discussion where a deal is closed.
What does this mean in terms of feedback?
Build the relationship first.
Maybe a specific situation didn’t play out the way that you expected, but play the long game. What will contribute to building a better rapport so ultimately everyone is doing their best work?
Be sensitive to social cues.
There is a lot of indirect communication in Mexico and confrontation isn’t the norm. In the US where startup culture is a defining force, we often prioritize a get shit done mentality. Don’t let tunnel vision affect your relationships and your ability to read the room.
Be discreet.
If there is a team meeting and you have something to say to one person in particular, speak to the person privately. Don’t call anyone out in a group setting. You’ll destroy trust immediately.
Be positive.
Don’t take anyone to task. Focus on what went well and double down on those things. Then subtly point out how a similar approach could have worked better in another scenario that didn’t go as well.
Be a team player.
Lean into the convivencia mindset. There is a lot of emotional intelligence in Mexico. If you have a loud and in-charge presence, you’ll often find that people will avoid speaking up.
Whether you’re hiring a developer in Latin America or a whole nearshore dev team, don’t make the mistake of thinking that all you need is technical people who speak English. After all, “communication is what the listener does.”
