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Today, whether we work with colleagues in Dusseldorf or
culture
STRATEGIES FOR WORKING EFFECTIVELY AROUND THE WORLD
Dubai, New York or New Delhi, we are all part of a global
network (real or virtual, physical or electronic) where success
requires navigating through wildly different cultural
realities. Unless we know how to decode other cultures and avoid
easy-to-fall-into cultural traps, we are easy prey to misunderstanding,
needless conflict and deals that fall apart.
Canadians working with colleagues from other countries can
employ simple strategies that help navigate a cultural divide more
smoothly.
BUILD TRUST FROM THE HEART
In task-based cultures such as Canada, the U.S., Australia or
Germany, trust is cognitive: it is built through work. If you do
good work and prove to be reliable and effective, you are more likely
to be viewed as trustworthy. In a relationship-based society such
as China, Turkey or Argentina, trust results from spending time
getting to know each other at a personal level. Although slightly
more relationship-oriented than the U.S., Canada is still one
of the most task-based parts of the world, and much more taskbased
than many emerging markets.
As one Canadian manager said, “The first time we bid for business
in Turkey, we worked hard to get the presentation just right
and the brochures perfect. But we didn’t invest the necessary time
to develop a personal bond with the people we would be working
with. We lost the business, and learned that we needed to spend
just as much time sharing meals and building a friendship with
our counterparts as we did showing our product was top of the
line.”
SOFTEN THE BLOW
All cultures believe criticism should be given constructively,
but the definition of “constructive” varies greatly. In Israel or the
Netherlands, a colleague may say, “Your work was unacceptable,”
while in Ghana or Saudi Arabia, they are more likely to say, “This
is good. You might possibly think about doing this part a little differently.”
Canadians can be at risk of being too direct when giving
negative feedback to certain cultures. One Canadian manager who
had recently moved to Thailand lost several employees in his first
month on the job by giving feedback in a way they perceived as
blunt and disrespectful.
EYE OFF THE CLOCK
Many Canadians approach tasks in a sequential fashion. They
avoid interruptions, focus on deadlines and stick firmly to the
schedule set in advance. Employees watch the clock closely and being
organized and structured is held at a premium.
In most Asian cultures (with the exception of Japan and
Singapore), as well as across the Middle East and Latin America,
flexibility and reactivity are more important than meeting a deadline
and following a timeline. As one Brazilian manager said, “We
are more flexible in Brazil. Because we grew up in a society where
currency wasn’t always stable and governments could change
regulations on a whim, we learned to value flexibility over linear
planning. But Canadians, like Americans and Europeans, are
more rigid. They expect us to work by carefully closing one box
before opening the next.” When working with these flexible-time
cultures, try ignoring the clock and focus instead on meeting your
clients’ needs at that particular moment.
By Erin Meyer
Lightspring / Shutterstock
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ FEBRUARY 2015 ❚ 49