When you’re running a meeting with people from different cultures, you need to consider your colleagues’ different needs and approaches. How do you brainstorm ideas, make decisions, and address conflict in a way that is comfortable for everyone? Which culture’s preferences should be the default? And how can you be sure that people who aren’t from the dominant culture participate and are heard? What the Experts Say Be
mindful of differences… …But don’t obsess over them Set expectations Further Reading
Build
relationships Be creative with conflict Be flexible This article also appears in:Consider rewards Principles to Remember Do
Don’t
Case Study #1: Break large meetings into subgroups to encourage open conversation A few years ago, she organized a “woman’s day” program in the Tokyo office as a way to inspire Accenture’s junior employees to build their careers at the company and show them what was possible. “Many of our Japanese company leaders—the majority of which are male—were there to showcase their support,” Nellie says. Midway through the program, one of the facilitators tried to spark a group discussion by asking the young women to share their experiences and their professionals concerns. “The room was silent,” she recalls. But Nellie was confident that the women there were interested in the topic because of the high number of registrants. “I was sitting in the back watching all this when I realized that there were cultural norms at play. They didn’t feel comfortable talking.” Nellie walked to the front of the room and addressed the audience. “I am going to ask some questions that I think are on your mind: How do leaders here handle work/life integration? How do they become more comfortable about speaking up? How can I ‘own my career’ [at Accenture]? I saw the body language shift and people became suddenly more engaged,” she says. She then broke up the audience into sub-teams of five or six so they could talk about these topics in a more intimate setting. After 20 minutes of small group discussion, the larger group reconvened and one person from each team served as a spokesperson to the rest of the audience. It’s a model she’s used in other locations, including Latin America, and one she encourages other managers to try. “Creating cultural awareness is a beautiful thing.” Case
Study #2: Be clear about your expectations One of Haalim’s direct reports was John, an American in his mid-50s and a specialist in a certain type of coding. As the leader, Haalim was supposed to run all team meetings and also report to management on a weekly basis about the team’s progress. “At the first couple of status updates, we noticed that John was the one giving us reports. But we figured that John was helping Haalim because it was his first time leading a project,” recalls MichaelAaron. But as the weeks went by, nothing changed. MichaelAaron decided to talk to both John and Haalim one-on-one about team dynamics. Both said the team was operating well. “It was only when we got everyone together in the room and dug a little deeper that we realized that Haalim thought he was being culturally appropriate by being deferential to John, who was about 20 years older,” he says. “It never occurred to him to do it any other way.” For MichaelAaron it was a wakeup call that he needed to be more culturally aware; he also realized he needed to be clearer about his expectations. He and other managers talked to Haalim about what they wanted from team leaders and together they strategized how Haalim could manage John. “Through a number of conversations, we helped Haalim build a leadership model that involved his working together with John as a partner,” he says. Those discussions proved to be turning point. Today Haalim is a respected member of XenoPsi’s leadership team. What are the things to consider in dealing with different people from different countries nations?The best way to respect people from other cultures is to strike a balance between curiosity and appreciation: ask questions if your friends are open to it, but also learn how to just silently observe and appreciate the differences that make us unique.
What would you need to consider when communicating with people from different cultures?Top Ten Tips for.... Maintain etiquette. Many cultures have specific etiquette around the way they communicate. ... . Avoid slang. ... . Speak slowly. ... . Keep it simple. ... . Practice active listening. ... . Take turns to talk. ... . Write things down. ... . Avoid closed questions.. How to deal with different culture of different nationalities?How to Manage a Multicultural Team. Overcome Language and Cultural Barriers. ... . Consider Different Cultural Communication Styles. ... . Plan Projects Around Different Time Zones. ... . Allow Prep Time Whenever Your Team Needs It. ... . Be Open to All Cultures and Their Differences. ... . Organize a Cross-Cultural Training. ... . Avoid Stereotypes.. What factors should you keep in mind when dealing with different cultures?6 factors to consider when working with different cultures. POWER DISTANCE.. MASCULINITY VS FEMININITY.. INDIVIDUALISM.. UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE.. LONG TERM ORIENTATION.. |