Cross- Cultural Understanding

Sahar Andrade, MB.BCHConsultant- Sahar Consulting, LLC

"People fail to get along because they fear eachother; they fear each other because they don'tknow each other; they don't know each otherbecause they have not communicated with eachother."

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Leaders

H.E.A.R.T.™

•H: Human Relationship builders•E: Empathy•A: Awareness & Acceptance•R: Respect•T: Trust

Coeur

Employee Engagement: 3 S

Gallup Research 2010- 2012 results:

18 % of employees are “actively disengaged”

EffectsActively disengaged employees

cost between $450 and $550 Billion annually

Less than 30% are engaged

Words To Ponder

“When we feel a sense of belonging it is not because we are the same as everyone else, but because we have been accepted as we are.”

6

What is the ONE thing that is crucial for Leaders?

FOLLOWERS

What is Leadership?

An interpersonal process by which an individual influences the behavior and attitudes of others from

different walks of life to be aligned, and achieve a common goal

Inspirational Leaders

How

Why

What

Feelings that are Chemically produced incentives: Love, Trust, Joy, Pride, Status, Fulfillment>>>Cooperate (Vision)

Golden circle

Leadership Competencies

What is missing in this picture?

Cross-Cultural Competence

Emotional Intelligence

Four items – Two intrinsic – Two extrinsic1- Self Awareness2- Self Management3- Awareness of Others4- Management of Others

Knowing others’ behaviors & attitudes (Culture) help in managing them.As Strategic Planning need starting point

Emotional Intelligence

1. Start within by self awareness about our own emotions, then continues outwardly in how they impact and influence others emotionally.

2. People resonate to people who connect with them emotionally. Learned ability

Our new world reality is more diverse than ever.

Leading a productive, innovative, quality minded multigenerational, multicultural and diverse team in an evolving workplace and marketplace is far more complex than ever before

Tough for leaders BUT smart leaders know that it drives business results.

Cross-Cultural Leaders

“Diversity includes all characteristics and experiences that define each one of us as unique individuals.”

“Inclusion is: Constructively call out our differences,rather than assuming similarities: “Policies”

How are we Diverse: R.E.G.A.R.D.S.

Diversity is about1. Dignity2. Honor3. Human Beings

People can learn, change and grow if you give them the right tools. (PYGMALION EFFECT)

People do what makes sense to them even if it doesn’t make sense to others

All behaviors are goal oriented, and attitudes are a response to a goal (Father/Car)

Employee bad attitude = not achieving their goals. As a leader you can either help them achieve their goals OR adjust their goals

Basic Points

• Differences are real or perceived

1.Political correctness

2.Not AA/ EEO/ numbers or forms

3.Black and white

4.Blame, guilt or fault

5.Meritocracy

6.Tolerance Coexist

Multi-Cultural Teams

LeadershipCultureWe are culturally programmed. We respond, react and

interact in a personal manner based upon our culture. We trap ourselves within our emotions, habits, judgments and our own ethnocentrism or fear.

Cultural Differences

We expect others to be like us, but they aren’t

Cultural incident occurs,

causing a reaction (Anger,

Fear)

Fear generates frustration, recoil

and reject others>> Lack of

Confidence

Negative Emotions: “I

don’t like those…they are

loud….they make me nervous

Ask people about Cultural Differences

8 million people in the U.S. Speak Spanish>>>US the 5th largest Spanish-speaking country on the planet, behind Mexico, Spain, Colombia, and Argentina.

By 2040, Blacks and Latinos/naswill be 42%

1 Million legal immigrants from all over the world enter the United States every single year.

According to the census data, one in 10 couples in America are interracial. This is a 28% jump since 2000.

Women

• 1998: Made up 46 % of the labor force.• By 2020, predicted to be balanced.

• Now earn:- 41% of all doctorates- 57% of master’s degrees- 56% of all undergraduate degrees.

• More women are electing to work.

• Women leadership style • Different communication

• Approximately 1.5 million households in the United States are identified as same sex domestic partnerships.

• Difference between Sexual Gender and Sexual Identity

• Keeping it a secret: Fear of discrimination and prejudice leads to frustration affecting productivity

Sexual Orientation

Identification of Generations Each generational cycle is approximately 20 years

Percentages very between 5 and 10% up or down

Workforce by Generations

• Labor statistics: 80M BB will exit the workplace in the next decade. At the rate 8,000/ day; 300/ Hour.

• By 2030, 75% of employees are projected to be millennials (fastest growing generation in the workplace, twice as big as either Gen X or the BB. (Soo Key group)

50.1M50.4M55.2M 3.9M 74M

48.6M 26.1M

0.7M19.3M

The Traditionalists’ Generation 70- 89

& Korea

& Radio

Baby Boomers’ 50-69

Women liberation

Generational “X” 30 - 49

Latch Key kids

Can’t we all get along

Generation Y/ Millennials 16 - 29

• Underutilized human resource. • Estimated at 54 million in the U.S., their employment

rate estimated to be less than 50% • Increased due to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Reasonable accommodationsUndue hardship on organizations.Disability as “anyone possessing a physical or

mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” Visible / Invisible – Temporary / Permanent

Disabilities

Technology

GlobalizationMergers&Acquisitions

Call Centers

Virtual TeamsPolitics

1. Conflicts2. Misunderstandings3. Wasted energy4. Low Morale5. Increased absenteeism6. Low productivity7. Inability to acquire or retain talents8. Failed projects9. Significant cost increases10.Discrimination laws suits11.Millions of dollars in legal settlements and

risk of loosing reputation

Why to Embrace Diversity?

The lens we see the world through, acquired knowledge we use to interpret experience and

generate social behavior. It is unconscious and complex passed through generations

This knowledge:

1- Forms values2- Creates attitudes

3- Influences behavior.

What Culture is NOT

Right or wrong – Culture is relative.

About individual behavior – Culture is aboutgroups, collective shared values and meanings.

Inherited– Derived from the social environment.We are not born with it; we learn and acquire aswe grow up.

Static: It is ever changing

Geert Hofstede a Dutch organizational anthropologist, ‘software of the mind’

9/10 of Culture is below the surface

FoodDance Art

Music

DressLanguage

Problem SolvingConcept to past/ Future

Concept of self/ physical pain

Courtesy

Non-verbalCommunications

Notions of Leadership

• Old school leaders how they look at humans/ profits No emotional engagement

• “Emotions don’t belong in the workplace” is total bunk

• Passionate followers create passionate customers

• Followers want an emotional connection with their work, be part of something bigger, make a difference

• Creating a vision, culture of purpose (Coca-Cola)

Organizational Culture

Holidays? Religious beliefs?Dress?

Customs and Traditions?

Food?

Rituals?All of the above

Language?

BUTMost important part is managing your prejudices

Global mindsets understand cultural differencesCross Cultural Competence is feeling comfortable

in an uncomfortable setting

Where do prejudices come from?

• 1st impressions?

• Reaction through gut reaction. Not to the personin front of you

Prejudice is an attitude, Discrimination is behavior

are often erroneous and lead to unjustified conclusions about others: Conscious or subconscious

Stereotypes & Prejudice

1. Our own bias, stereotypes, and prejudice• Bias: Mental discrimination• Prejudice: Opinion not based on facts • Stereotypes: Rigid mental picture

2. Assuming and judging

3. Lack of experience with others that are different

4. Fear of differences / Unknown/ Others

5. Communication conflicts

Four Dimensions of national Culture+ 1 Attribute: Geert Hofstede

4 Dimensions of Culture + 1 Attribute

Time Orientation: Mono/ Poly

Chronic

Masculinity/ Femininity

Low/ High Uncertainty Avoidance

Low/ High Power

Distance

Individualism/Collectivism

Mono-chronic Vs. Poly-chronic

• Orientation- past, present and future – Past-oriented Cultures plans

evaluated in terms of their fit with established traditions- American Indians/ Hispanics/ some Europeans

– Present-oriented: Australia, Canada, and the U.S. (Short term planning)

– Future-oriented: Asia (Long planning for decades)

Perc

eptio

n of

Tim

e

VS. Macho 1.Sense of self & personal space. How people think about themselves

2. Communication, Language, Silence, Listening, Context.

Context

Components

3. Dress, Appearance, and Body adornment

4. Time & Time concepts

5. Relationships: Flags, Maps, Geography, Naming

IndividualCollective

Authoritative Paternalistic

Flags

Genders

6. Values, Attitudes, Religion, Beliefs, Symbols, Colors, Numbers.

7. Food, Habits, Gifts

= 4

8. Stereotypes: Racial, Ethnic, Cultural, or Religious

9. Mental processes and learning (abstract thinking vs. rote memory).

10. Work Habits & Practices

Performance Promotion: Money Promotion: Title

Intercultural Competence

1. Communicate effectively across cultural boundaries

2. See the world from a perspective other than own

3. Appreciate the diversity of societies and cultures -Acceptance of people who are different- Synergy

4. Interact free of negative attitude (e.g. prejudice, defensiveness, apathy, aggression etc.)

5. No judging. Understand before being understood

6. Be willing to allow people to feel what they feel

Cul

tura

llyC

ompe

tent

Le

ader

• Develop Cultural Empathy, Curiosity and Sensitivity• Reconcile differences and similarities• Be culturally neutral – Know who you are• Empower strength and compensate weaknesses• Have a sense of humor and humility• Never assume transferability• Learn the language or get cultural informants• Adaptability to ambiguity and uncertainty• Interpersonal skills- communication• Perceptiveness, Patience, Flexibility, and Respect

How to Build a Culture of Inclusion

1. Know the demographics (Generations/ Diversity)2. Respect and recognition3. Communication: non-Judging4. Mentoring & reverse mentoring5. Participation – interpersonal relationships6. Build on ALL strengths7. Value people for who they are8. Empathy9. How decision is taken10.Work/Life balance

In Summary

• Remember the H.E.A.R.T.

• Be the Change you want to see in the world- Gandhi

• Remember the Golden rule: “Treat others the way you want to be treated”

• Top it up with the Platinum rule: "Treat others the way they want to be treated."

Stand Up Against ALL ISMs

Sahar@saharconsulting.comwww.saharconsulting.com

(818)861 9434

Diversity Starts at Home!

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