Multicultural Teamwork & Communication
Even when English is used as the common business language, with teams who are relatively fluent, there is still huge scope for misunderstandings which hamper team cohesion and effectiveness. There are many layers of meaning that filter and distort your message according to a person's:-
- Personal upbringing & values
- National backgrounds
- Organisational culture
- Technical background & training
Who needs it?
- Multinational or multicultural teams, especially when:-
- They are newly formed
- Project teams
- Corporations discussing partnerships & alliances
Overview:
Each culture, be it racial, national, familial, professional, or religious creates its own set of values & beliefs (and these are interpreted differently by each individual in that group). They create strict ideas about what is polite, desirable, acceptable etc. Apparently simple constructs such as Time, which we take totally for granted, can become positively Einsteinian in their complexity when interpreted by different cultures. This is the kind of thing that underlies a lot of racial stereotypes about how different nationalities behave and without gaining a true understanding of these issues, cross-cultural working is a minefield.
Outcomes:
We can help you & your team to explore these murky waters & develop:-- A shared 'language'
- Enhanced awareness of problem areas
- A set of ground rules to ensure a level playing field, and a common set of behaviours & acceptable responses
- A shared understanding of each others' sensitivities around manners, politeness etc
- An understanding different versions of constructs such as:-
- Time
- Work
- Decision making
- Seniority
- Competion & co-operation
- Authority & power
- Acceptable ways of signalling when things are not working for individuals
- A safe environment to ask questions without being judged as 'stupid'
- An awareness cultural stereotypes and explore the facts underneath them
Unpacking these deceptively complex constructs, which appear simple is a vital and valuable investment in your team's performance. If you want to get the very best from your multicultural team (and reality every team is multicultural,) you need to create the right environment in which everyone is enabled to contribute and succeed.