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Bill Schuilenberg, MA, MPCP, MAC
Executive Coach & Counsellor A Canadian in
Kuwait
Power Dynamics
@ Work
Tonight’s ObjectivesPresent a few aspects of
the power dynamics which affect the Kuwaiti workplace 1: Nobody told me story2: East & West Perceptions of power. 3: Employer & Employee Needs4: Loyalty drives choices.5: What you can do.
“Nobody told me!” Story
Permission is required for everything and anything because without permission there is no protection.
Western use of Power
Direct the way forward
Discover solutions
Dictate policy
Deliver results
Delegate responsibility
Dispute management
Eastern use of Power
Patriarchal oversight
Protect the people
Promote relationships
Permit the processes
Provide for people’s needs
Comparison of expatriate employee reactions to Eastern & Western Power
Eastern….Protect, provide and permit.Leaders build relationships, are guided by alliances, patriarchal and authoritative.
Reaction-I need permission to maintain safety and security and I will be loyal to the one who protects me and my family. Therefore no initiative or ingenuity is required.
Western…. Direct, drive, and decide. Leaders are directive, pressuring, performance and results driven, guided by policy
Reaction…Creates insecurity , fear and anxiety because protection is not implied, “I do not know what will happen if I fail”
Risk avoidance and minimal production occurs.
Employer expectations vs. Expatriate needs
Types of Loyalty Conflict
Employer expectations vs employee needs
Work/Family needs
Workplace/Personal values dissonance CONFLICT
The constant choiceWhich one usually wins?
Attitude shifts for Leaders
1. Leaders need to acknowledge that they cannot demand absolute loyalty of their employees here in the Middle East. Either from the locals or expatriates.
2. Only when the expectations of the workplace are in line with the employees values will the performance be optimised.
3. People are loyal first to either family, themselves, God, religion, money, social causes and then maybe their work.
4. The first loyalty will always win.
Practical Responses for Leaders
1. Develop connections by socialising with employees.
2. Learn their stories; who influences them? Who are they loyal to?
3. Give permissions explicitly when giving directions. 4. Explain procedures and take responsibility for
outcomes.5. Provide a no-fault feedback process for when
things go wrong.
Practical Responses for Leaders
6. Include group discussions in the decision process.7. Expect and accept outside influences to impact your
workforce.8. Create security for the employees through dialogue
and support without criticism.9. Learn to live with perpetual problems rather than
solve them.10. Remember granting empowerment or autonomy
causes anxiety.
Westerners strive to solve problems. When
people appear obstinate, we often indignantly say,
“Are you part of the solution, or part of the problem?” This is alien to Middle Eastern and Islamic culture. Middle Easterners cope with
problems for which they know there are no
solutions—akin to living with a chronic illness.
Harold Rhode
Resources
Five languages of appreciation in the workplace by Dr. Paul White
Switch by Chip & Dan Heath
Decisive by Chip & Dan Heath
The three laws of performance by Steve Zafron
Mind tools.com
@workplacewise