Kiss,Bow or Namaste?- Working in a Cross Cultural Environment

A very senior lady officer had been invited as the Chief Guest for a function to a mining site in a remote location in east Africa. She was accompanied by four other team members who were all gentlemen. The function went off very well and all moved to the dining hall for refreshments. After a cake-cutting-by-the-Chief Guest photo-op, the chief host, an Indian, picked a piece of cake and offered to put it in the chief guest’s mouth; the way we do it to our colleagues, friends and family members in India. The lady first refused politely. But when the host insisted, she bristled and spoke to her team member in Portuguese. Thankfully, the author who had learnt a smattering of the language understood and told his colleague to back off and asked the waiter to offer the cake in a plate.

Apparently, in the local culture, a lady accepts a piece of cake in this manner only from her fiancé or husband!!

Definition of culture. The Merriam-Webster dictionary offers the following definitions of the word ‘culture’.

a. The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; it also includes the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time e.g. popular culture, Southern culture

b. The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization, what we call organizational culture e.g. a corporate culture focused on the bottom line or an organization focused on its employees.

c. The set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic e.g. studying the effect of computers on print culture

d. The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.

Global interdependence of Markets.

Business operations having become global and business executives required to work in different countries, it has become extremely important for them to understand the nuances of the culture they are working in. The human resources department in organizations also has to understand this. When a common culture prevails, personnel management is not difficult since everybody has a common conception of right, wrong and accepted behavior. However, when team members come from different cultural backgrounds or the backgrounds of the manager and the team differ, it might lead to grave misunderstandings.

How to Avoid Misunderstandings. A few things that executives must keep in mind when working in multi-cultural scenarios to avoid misunderstandings are: -

People from different cultures communicate differently. When the author switched his career from the Armed Forces to the corporate with a media company, the first advice he received from his Group Chief HR was, “Pranav in the Army you were used to giving orders in a crisp and concise manner and knew that they would be carried out. The corporate is a different ball-game. The normal style of issuing instructions has to be friendly and not curt.”  

The communication style in India is subtle. Meanings are implied and not explicitly stated. When a person is asking for ‘chai- paani’ to do your work, do not offer him a cup of tea or a glass of water! He is asking for a bribe to get your work done. Even in the case in Japan and China you have to look for the message in the information provided.

Communication styles in the United States, Australia, and the UK, are more direct. It is precise, open and more emotional.

Some cultures communicate calmly, basing discussion wholly on facts and acting decisively. Others are courteous, good listeners, and amiable. A third type of culture is warm and emotional.

By understanding these differences, you will be able to temper your communication style accordingly and be more effective in cross-cultural teams.

Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway in their book ‘Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands’ have written in great details on how to handle common business interactions with grace, respect, and an appreciation for different cultures.

Understand that there will be differences in cultural value

Prof Geert Hofstede, a Dutch social psychologist and an IBM employee did pioneering research on cross cultural dimensions over a period of 7 years in the late 1960s-early 70s.

These dimensions founded by Hofstede illustrate the deeply embedded values of diverse cultures. These values impact not only how people with different cultural backgrounds behave, but also the manner in which they will potentially behave when placed in a work-associated context.

This is a brief overview of the six cultural dimensions:

a.     Power Distance: This dimension explains the extent to which members who are less powerful in a society accept and also expect that the distribution of power takes place unequally. The ‘Mai-baap’ system in India is an example of this. Or the cynical acceptance that the powerful people are above the law.

b.     Uncertainty Avoidance: It is a dimension that describes the extent to which people in society are not at ease with ambiguity and uncertainty. Entrepreneurial organizations are risk takers and can deal with ambiguity while the established organizations are driven more by stringent processes.

c.     Individualism vs. Collectivism: The focus of this dimension is on the question regarding whether people have a preference for being left alone to look after themselves or want to remain in a closely knitted network. The US is more about individualism while the Asian countries are more into collectivism.

d.    Masculinity vs. Femininity: Masculinity implies a society’s preference for assertiveness, heroism, achievement and material reward for attaining success. On the contrary, femininity represents a preference for modesty, cooperation, quality of life and caring for the weak.

e.     Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation: Long-term orientation describes the inclination of a society toward searching for virtue. Short-term orientation pertains to those societies that are strongly inclined toward the establishment of the absolute truth.

f.      Indulgence vs. Restraint: This revolves around the degree to which societies can exercise control over their impulses and desires.

A comparative study of these dimensions between India and the United States is given below. (Source: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/)

Dimension	India	United States	Singapore
Power distance	77	40	74
Uncertainty avoidance	40	46	8
Individualism Vs Collectivism	48	91	20
Masculinity Vs Feminity	56	62	48
Long-term Vs Short-term Orientation	51	26	72
Indulgence Vs Restraint	26	68	46

By understanding how different cultures ‘operate’ within these six dimensions, you will be able to bridge the gap that exists between your cultural dimension and that of your employees or customers.

An analysis of the chart would indicate that in India and Singapore hierarchy is very important while in the US people interact on more equal terms.

A Few Tips for Those Aiming to Work in Internationally

a.       Familiarize yourself with cultural basics. If you're going to be doing business with someone from a different country or culture, acquaint yourself with the basics in advance. This author has found that knowing the history and geography of a country or society helps immensely in striking a rapport and gaining acceptance.

b    Greeting. While hugging or kissing is a common greeting in some cultures, touching, even the simple act of shaking hands, may raise eyebrows, especially between men and women. Observe what others are doing and how is it being responded to. It also helps to learn the words of greeting and a few key phrases of the local language.

c.    Pay attention to your gestures. In-person or on video conference calls, simple gestures and stances can mean wildly different things in different cultures. For example, sitting casually with a foot resting on the opposite knee is the equivalent of showing one's foot, which is a highly offensive gesture to some people from the Middle East. Choose a more formal demeanour with good posture, feet on the floor or crossed at the ankle, and hands folded or at your sides if you are unsure of what is acceptable and what's not.

d.   Take cues from clues. Whether in person or online, take your cues from the other person's communication. Research shows that some cultures indulge in small talk and exchange of inanities, before they start talking about business is a clue that the individual is social and that you shouldn't jump right into business conversation. If you cut them off and jump into talk about work, they are going to feel like they haven't had the time to interact with you in the way that they need to before business talk starts. The business talk could prove to be non-starter.

e.    Begin with being Formal and Reserved. It is always safe to begin with being formal and reserved till you get a measure of the other person. Avoid informalities, and carry yourself the way you would if you were meeting a dignitary. You can always adjust to a more animated, informal or affectionate manner, but more conservative people may be put off by anything less than a reserved and respectful manner.

f.     Be open to trying new things. When joining an organization overseas or traveling to visit clients in other countries, be open to trying new things, like the food, at least once. Even if you don’t like something, you will be appreciated for making the effort. If you are allergic or prefer not to partake in something (like drinking alcohol) do not compromise your own values, however, to accommodate theirs. You are permitted to respectfully decline. The idea is not to create boundaries, but to build bridges and open the door to cultural differences. In fact this cultural diversity has to be remembered when working in different parts of our country too.

Success in the global marketplace begins with a deep understanding of international business etiquettes, practices, and cultural nuances. Without it, businesses and organizations cannot develop a competitive network of customers, suppliers, and, most important, talent. The colossal failure of the merger of Daimler and Chrysler is a case in point.

What do Employers Want from Employees

WHAT DO EMPLOYERS WANT FROM EMPLOYEES

A team was having an in-house discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. The point regarding quality manpower came up. Everyone was chipping in with ideas on how to improve the intake and coaching new employees. Methods to improve communication channels came up. An employee, who was so far updating his Facebook status, piped up. “These are okay, but we must have systems in place. Systems must drive the operations.”

“And who will drive the system my friend?” the facilitator shot back at him.

Prof Ram Charan, the renowned management guru to dozens of blue-chip companies and mentor to numerous CEOs writes in his book ‘Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done’, that “The three processes—people, strategy, and operations— remain the building blocks and heart of good execution.” He places people foremost. ‘The man behind the machine’ as they say in the Army.

Each organization, based on the business it is in, needs people from a wide domain of skill sets to drive the business. Skill sets as varied as coding in software development industry to cutting in the garment industry. Skills to handle huge cranes in the construction industry to micro-cutters in the diamond business. This segment of the employees forms the operational core of the business. And there are managers who supervise this operational core.

There is a popular saying that ‘people don’t leave jobs, they leave their managers’. Therefore, the role of managers in sustaining the operational efficiency of the business assumes great importance. And therefore, the companies have great expectations from this supervisory or managerial level of employees.

What do employees look for in candidates at the entry-level?

The results of a fairly recent survey by National Association of Colleges and Employers (US) showed that soft skills are what the hiring managers are looking for in the candidates for entry level jobs.

The top 5 responses in the survey were:

·         Ability to work in a team structure.

·         Decision making and problem solving.

·         Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization.

·         Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work.

·         Ability to obtain and process information.

You’ll notice that the first five are all soft skills, that is, skills and attributes that make a person able to interact with others effectively. They’re all part of your EQ, your emotional intelligence quotient.

The rest 5 responses related to the technical skills.

·         Ability to analyse quantitative data.

·         Technical knowledge related to the job.

·         Proficiency with computer software programs.

·         Ability to create and/or edit written reports.

·         Ability to sell and influence others.

The second half of the top ten does focus more on specific skill sets, including an analytical mindset, good written communication skills, and computer proficiency.

When a person transits from an entry level to the junior or middle-level manager, the expectations of the employer are different. The employee is deemed to have the skills and knowledge of his previous job-level and is required to possess higher levels of those skills and some new ones.  

Basic expectations of employers from junior and middle level managers.

Empathy. Caring about the job and your co-workers are as important as executing the job. The employers put a premium on this quality in this highly interdependent world.

Mentoring inclination and ability. At this level you are a team leader. You are expected to reach out to mentor your team members, and facilitate enhancement of their knowledge and skills.

Conflict management skills. Employers want people who can play well with others in the "corporate sandbox”. You have to know how to deal with personality conflicts and your own role in them.

Self-direction and initiative. Employers expect employees to take upon themselves more than what is actually expected or required.

Flexibility and adaptability. In many companies, change is often the only constant. Employers appreciate members who can adjust quickly and keep playing ball even if the ground, rules or the competitor are changing rapidly.

The expectations of employers can be mapped to the required personal traits of an employee to meet these expectations. Prof Ram Charan, in his book ‘Know-How’ lists out the following personal traits that can boost or interfere with sustained performance of an organization or an individual. To quote from the book:

·         Ambition- to accomplish targets BUT NOT win at all costs.

·         Drive and Tenacity – to search, persist, and follow through BUT NOT hold on too long.

·         Self-confidence – to overcome the fear of failure, fear of response, or the need to be liked and use power judiciously BUT NOT become arrogant and narcissistic.

·         Psychological Openness – to be receptive to new and different ideas AND NOT shut other people down.

·         Realism – to see what can actually be accomplished AND NOT gloss over problems or assume the worst.

·         Appetite for Learning- to continue to grow and improve the know-hows AND NOT repeat the same mistakes.

Understanding the expectations of the employees and conducting an analysis of one’s own strengths and weaknesses will help an employee in quickly adapting to the work and the workplace. He can re-calibrate his skill-sets and knowledge to deliver at his job in a sustained manner and maintain a work-life balance too. Of course, it’s the positive attitude and perseverance that ultimately separates the also-rans and the winners.  

Chabahar: Port of Good Hope

During my stay in Kabul for over a year on a consulting assignment, one experienced first hand the immense love and respect that Indians get and the confidence that India as a country inspires in the Afghans. This is in sharp contrast to the feelings towards Pakistan and its citizens.

A lot of hope is riding on the Chabahar port. In fact one heard many Afghans rue the fact that Pakistan restricts the supply of grains to Afghanistan at its land-border posts thereby limiting availability and  pushing the prices out of reach of the common man. They were optimistic that once Chabahar port is operational, such shortages and high prices will be a thing of the past.

The Chabahar port will not only enhance the availability of food grains to the Afghan citizen, it will also provide a gateway to international markets for its agriculture produce, carpet industry and minerals thereby making the economy grow.

Further,it appears that the US is not going to be leaving Afghanistan anytime soon.It has also been talking about a greater role and involvement of India in bringing back normalcy to Afghanistan. Therefore, notwithstanding US's relations with Iran, I would expect that it would use this port for maintaining its troops stationed there. And India could be acting as the bridge between Iran and US.  To remind the readers, Pakistan has been prone to blackmailing the US over providing passage to supplies through its sea and land ports.In fact there have been disruptions to the supply routes in the past to extract concessions from the US.Such a step would make Pakistan irrelevant for the US war on Taliban. Pakistan would lose its lever over the US and then the latter can go full blast to eliminate the Taliban and the ISIS in Afghanistan..

Of late Shias have been the target of repeated attacks in Afghanistan. The IS has had a hand in these attacks. Iran is reported to have been hiring Shias from Afghanistan to fight the ISIS. Thus it will only be too happy to support any measure that will bring the menace of ISIS to an end. It is on this premise that I base my conjecture that Iran could permit the  US to use Chabahar as a port for maintenance of its troops in Afghanistan. 

The challenge before the Afghan government is the evacuation of goods from the Zahedan border to the interiors of Afghanistan. While there is a road link existing and  there are plans to construct rail-links, providing security will be the main concern.

Afghanistan is investing heavily in the power sector, especially the Renewal Energy sector. It is also revamping its power transmission, distribution and metering infrastructure. It is a huge opportunity for the Indian firms to build a market for power equipment. This port will facilitate transportation of heavy machinery too.

All said and considered, the port is certainly going to be a game and 'fate-changer' for all parties concerned, locally and internationally. It is indeed the 'Port of Good Hope'. 

What Do Employees Want from an HR Professional?

“Sir, what do you tell these employees that even when you have just terminated their work contract they come out smiling out of your office?”, my colleagues used to ask me. This was in the background of frequent strikes by employees in a coal mine in Mozambique till only a few months back.

The previous Head-HR had to face immense hostility and when complaints reached the labour directorate, he was repatriated. I had joined at short notice and set about getting into the hot seat. The initial days were very tough spent in understanding the work and social culture, labour laws and other ground realities. Very soon I was able to establish myself and bring about changes in the organization.

The expectations of the management had been made clear to me when being hired. “Improve productivity.” The question that faced me was, “what do employees expect from the HR team?” The reader is requested to read this with a caveat. There is a difference between expectations from a company and those from an HR person.

My long years in the Army had taught me that a leader has to know his men. So I started meeting the employees almost every day when they were in the mine at work or in their living areas during their free time. This helped me understanding the psyche and the expectations of the employees from the company. I also picked up the basics of Portuguese, the spoken language, the social customs, geography and history. This helped me immensely in connecting with the employees at a more personal level.

The meetings with the employees gave me new insights into their behavior and what motivated them. These expectations were discussed with the management and those which were feasible, fulfilled. Morale was raised. Discipline improved. Productivity improved.

I have worked with organizations before Mozambique and after in different geographies.The expectations of employees from HR in a coal mining company in Mozambique resonate with the expectations of an employee in a manufacturing company in India or a services company in the US. Ultimately it is the human being driven by same physical and emotional needs. Similarly, the expectations from an HR professional are the same across industries and geographies.

We look at some major expectations, being conscious of which has helped me tremendously in my years as an HR professional working in India and abroad.

Problem solving

The HR professional must facilitate individuals with different personalities to work together and accomplish company goals. He is expected to be skilled at conflict management and diffusing tense or combative situations.

Ethics

Employees look up to the HR professional for ethical conduct. Honesty and respecting confidentiality are key components of any successful HR person. The employees admire a professional who is honest in his opinion, fair and unbiased in application of company policies and does not misguide employees.

Communication

An HR professional is the bridge between the employees and the organization. He should be capable of communicating clearly the policies and other directions of the company to the employees. Similarly, he should communicate the feedback received from the employees for the management. He has to be approachable and trustworthy.

Organized

An HR professional should be organized. Strong time management skills and the ability to complete tasks efficiently is very important.

Subject Matter Expertise

An HR professional has to know his industry and the competition. He should be aware of various laws and regulations regarding employment. The employees and the management look towards him for advice on these matters.

Leadership

Employees look to HR professionals for answers and leadership in many situations. The best HR professionals can balance being a friendly presence in the office and the organization with taking control and helping things run smoothly. They have to be ‘people person’ and balance organizational requirements with the needs of the employees. He has to be empathetic and capable of thinking ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions. An employee when approaching an HR person with a grievance, justified or otherwise, expects to heard. Good listening skills combined with patience are a must for the latter.

Companies and employees both expect an HR person to be proactive and address issues before they assume unmanageable proportions. Dynamic has to be the second name. A real partner to the business and the employees. That is what is expected.