Technology has made global teamwork an everyday reality for thousands of people. Software developers in the United States and Europe work with programmers in India to design systems and write code; bankers trade a common book of US government bonds around the world 24 hours a day; medical specialists collaborate with local doctors in remote regions to diagnose and treat rare conditions; and country managers coordinate production plans and marketing campaigns across Europe. Video conferences, voicemail, electronic live-boards, the Internet and corporate intranets, groupware, and virtual team rooms are just some of the technologies that enable people to work together no matter where they are based, giving them access to countless new business opportunities.

Yet many corporations have invested millions of dollars in top-of-the-line technology, only to be disappointed when there is no commensurate improvement in performance. Although technology creates business openings by enabling us to communicate with colleagues and business partners in far-flung places, we cannot rely on technology alone to capture them. Human relationships are still paramount.

Take the case of a US-based law firm serving a client’s Japanese affiliate. A senior partner in the firm used voicemail, e-mail, and video conferences to communicate with the firm’s...