| When the problem du jour consumes a U.S. | | | | But by then, significant damage may have occurred. |
| management team, offshore activities can too often | | | | "I didn't hear anything about it and assumed that |
| be left to operate in a vacuum. This situation is | | | | everything was OK," your U.S. team members offer |
| particularly true when the U.S. management and | | | | in their defense. But how could they hear about it? |
| technical personnel have "other" responsibilities in | | | | They were too swamped to listen. Explanations and |
| addition to overseeing or helping the offshore | | | | excuses always exist, but not only don't they solve |
| organization. | | | | problems, they don't prevent them. You need to |
| When the offshore team senses that you are too | | | | have escalation and other management processes in |
| busy with other issues, generally they will not push | | | | place and create an environment where your |
| hard and aggressively get your attention to get a | | | | offshore team feels comfortable to bring forward |
| solution. They will try their best to develop a work | | | | issues, regardless of how busy you are. In addition, a |
| around and try to solve it on their own - which they | | | | regular program to review offshore projects from a |
| may not be able to do. Depending on the nature and | | | | process and procedure viewpoint can prevent this |
| severity of the problems that distract management, | | | | situation and assure that U.S. and offshore teams |
| the situation offshore can become very severe | | | | remain aligned and in sych. |
| before it hits your radar screen. | | | | |