Many BPM projects are international in nature. Working overseas as a part of an international team can be one of the most enjoyable, yet challenging environments. Over the past 12 years, much of my travel has taken me to the Middle East, an area with much change going on right now.
Projects in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Bahrain were all on my radar. Taking your US or European model just doesn’t cut it, so you will need your antennae out to learn and manage the project accordingly. While this checklist is not exhaustive, it will give you a good idea of where to ensure you don’t put “your foot in your mouth”.
- Be respectful of prayer breaks which can be scattered throughout the day
- Understand the management protocol. It is often very different according to who is invited
- Review your review and intervention procedures for the project. Get everyone on board before you start the project off
- If the project is over Ramadan you may find yourself fasting for long periods during the day. If this is a medical problem for you talk to management about it. Don’t schedule long meetings when others haven’t eaten for hours before.
- Find out how you are going to be transported around. You are unlikely to have a rental car, but you may have a driver or have to get taxis to get yourself to the right location.
- Keep project management meetings protocol simple and to the point. Don’t invite huge numbers of staff who don’t need to be there
