Media Management

Global Differences, Cultural Understanding!

Today, attracting and retaining employees ranks high on executive agendas. It’s amidst the top 10 business critical issues in leadership, so forward-thinking leaders know that the key to the performance and growth of the organisation resides in the competency of its people.
With a multi-cultural presence on the rise in the workforce, businesses are increasingly aware of the cultural differences that exist. They are progressively and consciously opening a path of understanding in order to harness the competency of their people.

TALENT MANAGEMENT

This is one aspect of what HR professionals are tagging “Talent Management”.
In essence, it’s bridging the gap between the talent a staff member currently possesses and what will be required to succeed in the future. It’s vital to companies to effectively align their talent pool with the company’s objectives.
Cultural understanding is the catalyst for this change.
Let’s first understand the cross-cultural psychology but equally accept and respect the individual rather than lumping them together by national or ethnic category.
Without doubt, the background, life and work experiences of the individual are bound to lead to different types of receptiveness.
By example, as China expands a growth corridor and individuals are met with seeking additional skill sets and training, they have adopted a philosophy that I have used throughout my career.
You are born with the ‘Ratio of learning’, one mouth and two ears.
Listening more than speaking will enhance the process of learning.
Although it has worked for me as a learning discipline, Chinese culture has instinctively used it for decades.
It centers around the uncertainty of being wrong which may lead to a possible loss of face.
They instead study and research the subject before making comment.
As a result, it brings into the work environment, a thorough and dedicated approach to ensuring that the outcome is at the highest level of success.
Understanding the problem in greater detail, then applying an informed approach to the solution.
This is a model that is gaining global momentum.

RATIO OF LEARNING

Through it’s adaptation, the ‘Ratio of Learning’ has impacted on the work environment by use of evolving technology.
In the Czech Republic for example, some institutions are transforming the traditional lecture rooms into dedicated training rooms with interactive electronic whiteboards and the latest Microsoft applications on their PCs. This improves the learning absorption rate by the interactivity for the individual to contribute when they feel comfortable in doing so. With less human interaction, there is little influence on the potential ‘loss of face’.
As per the above example, a faceless interactive learning environment that is currently being employed in South East Asia overcomes one cultural aspect. Traditionally when there is the greatest respect for seniority, a younger individual is less willing to ask the first question. In a faceless interactive environment this is overcome.
In India, the world’s second-largest country, with 1.1 billion inhabitants, almost one-third of the population lives below the poverty line. However, residents with college degrees and who live in urban areas are experiencing unprecedented success. Universities struggle to prepare students for the changing business world, and national and multinational companies clamour for educated workers’ skills. In this case it’s because of the teaching shortage that a faceless interactive environment is evolving.
Similarly, in western civilization there has always been distance education for those unable to attend classes during the course of a normal day. The internet has certainly provided a platform to encourage this.
Now, I’m not advocating that we should all embrace a faceless interactive environment, but at least we should be aware of it, and in some circumstances promote it.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Like, China and the Czech Republic, India has also the culture of retain and fix, rather than throw away and replace. In these countries, through the lack of infrastructure, individuals are naturally more creative as they have had to find out-of-the-box ways to get around the lack of roads, water and electricity—such as combining rickshaws and mobile phones.
It’s interesting that today’s workplace psychology reflects this example, particularly in western civilization.
Throughout the last few decades individuals have become specialists within their trade. However we are now witnessing a change back to a more multi-skilled challenged professional.
This is a trait we should continue to encourage.

COMMUNICATION

Communication is the culmination of understanding of the cultural respect for an individual.
In its use, we portray our understanding.
For example, if there was a mistake was made by someone from one of the fore mentioned cultures, you would not say “You goofed”. Instead, you might say, “Here’s the ideal way to do this”. Interactions are much more indirect. In communication, direct feedback might be perceived as far too harsh.
As we continue to grow multi-culturally the harshness within our sentences will soften and be more acceptable. Eventually our cultural spheres will overlap and eclipse one another, although there will always be an inherent pride of birthplace that will be retained by the individual.
What is evident however is that we should be conscious of an individual’s learning ability, be aware of how to challenge them with new skills and be able to communicate in such a way you inspire growth.

posted by Karl Jansson @ 8:15 AM