Navigating Global Holidays & Timezones

In a distributed team, the sun never sets. But your teammates still need to sleep and celebrate.

Timezone Etiquette

• The "Golden Window": The 2-3 hours where most of the team is online at the same time. Use this for high-bandwidth meetings.
• Scheduled Send: If you have a great idea at 11 PM, don't send it now. Schedule it for 9 AM their time.
• Status Matters: Keep your Slack status updated with your local time and "Away" status.

Respecting Holidays

Don't assume everyone has the same "Bank Holidays."

• US: Thanksgiving, July 4th.
• China/SEA: Lunar New Year (Golden Week).
• India: Diwali, Holi.
• Europe: August (the whole month is often quiet!).

Phrases to use:

• "Happy [Holiday] to those celebrating!"
• "I'll be O-O-O (Out of Office) next week for the Lunar New Year."
• "Is there a public holiday in [Country] that I should be aware of?"

Sync vs. Async

• Sync (Synchronous): Live meetings. Use for brainstorming and conflict resolution.
• Async (Asynchronous): Slack, Docs, Loom. Use for status updates and deep work.

Alex's Tip: If you are in the "difficult" timezone (e.g., you are in Asia working for a US company), don't be a martyr. If you are always working at 2 AM, you will burn out. Negotiate a schedule that works for your health.

• Hard: Notwithstanding the aforementioned challenges, we're nonetheless inclined to pivot, leveraging our existing infrastructure.
• Clear: Despite these challenges, we plan to change direction. We will use our existing infrastructure.

The second is easier for everyone, including native speakers.

Define jargon on first use

If you must use technical terms, define them:

• We use a SaaS model: customers pay a monthly subscription to use the software online.

This helps non-native speakers and anyone new to the field.

Checking for understanding

The phrase Does that make sense? is common but weak. It pressures listeners to say yes, especially in face-sensitive cultures, so it hides real confusion.

Better alternatives:

• What questions do you have? (assumes there are questions)
• Which part would you like me to go over again? (invites specificity)
• Let me pause here. What are your thoughts? (opens discussion)

These invite genuine engagement instead of a polite yes.

Slowing down without dumbing down

You do not need to speak in a slow, exaggerated way. Small adjustments help:

• Pause between sentences to let listeners process.
• Structure your points with signposts (first, second, finally).
• Repeat key numbers and terms once.

These help everyone, not just non-native speakers.

Common mistakes

1. Idioms everywhere. They exclude non-native listeners.
2. Does that make sense? as the only check. It hides confusion.
3. Long, complex sentences. They overload working memory, especially in a second language.

Practice

Rewrite this sentence for an international audience:

We need to circle back, push back on the scope, and make sure we don't boil the ocean.

A clear version:

We need to return to this topic later. I will object to the large scope so we can focus on the most important work.

You have now completed the Cross-Cultural Business course. You can read direct and indirect styles, navigate high and low context, save face, adapt to decision styles, observe etiquette, and clarify your English for any audience. In the next course, Team Management English, you will learn to lead and give feedback in global teams.