1) Culture is collectively programmed and influences how we view the world through "cultural glasses". 2) Managers must understand cultural differences to avoid misunderstandings when implementing strategies in new contexts. 3) What seems normal or important in one culture may not translate to another, so managers must adapt their processes to the local culture.

1. THE CHALLENGE OF CULTURE
IN A GLOBALISING WORLD
War & Peace & Understanding Each Other
When I hear the word "culture" I
reach for my gun.
Hans Johst (c. 1939)

2. A GIVEN PERSON'S CULTURAL ROOTS EXTEND
MUCH BEYOND THE WALLS OF A GIVEN COMPANY –
A GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME, OR A GEOGRAPHIC
LOCATION
The collective culture of a given group of people is
a compilation of each person's existing beliefs and
mental models.
These beliefs and mental models are reflected in
our day-to-day behaviours, but the behaviours are
not necessarily accurate or complete
representations of what we each personally think
and believe – they are only rough, and often
misleading, indicators.

3. A first step towards acquiring these skills is to gain
better understanding of culture generally.
There are three points, which are worth noting:

4. 1. WE'RE ALL COLLECTIVELY
PROGRAMMED
Geert Hofstede's www.geert-hofstede.com definition of culture:
"The collective programming of the mind,” that distinguishes one
group from another, tells us that we are all collectively
programmed. Thus, each of us wears "cultural glasses" that
condition how we view the world:
A) What we accept and what we reject.
B) What we consider as right and what we consider as wrong.
C) What we call “normal” and what is outside those norms, etc.

5. These three points affect daily managerial interactions, and
determines the way in which managers set objectives, give
feedback, run meetings, make decisions, hire, and promote
staff and delegate.
Since the corporate cultural programme is likely to be different
in a different cultural context, managers are likely to run into
misunderstandings, resistance, and even hostility if they try to
implement their "normal" way of doing things in a different
cultural context.
This is when trust begins to break down. And so too; do end
results, as a result.

6. 2. IT'S ALSO ABOUT "ME"
Our own cultural programming is so tied to
our sense of identity that it inevitably triggers
negative reactions in us when people behave
according to another "programme."

7. As an example, let's look at the following three
quotes picked up during an international meeting:

8. An Italian participant, talking about a German colleague at the meeting says:
“The Germans care more about the agenda than about the subject under
discussion.”
A German participant, talking about a British colleague at the meeting says: “I
can't understand why the British are always joking even when the matter is
very serious.”
And a British participant, talking about an Italian colleague at the meeting
says: “Italians never stop talking, and they always give me the impression
they're fighting.”

9. There is nothing very “diversity-friendly” about
these comments but the more interesting issue(s) to
consider are, perhaps these points of conjecture:
A) Do they tell us more about the person described?
B) Or more about the speaker?
C) Or more about the interaction between the two?

10. 3. EVERYTHING ISN'T IMPORTANT
EVERYWHERE
The same thing holds true when managers try to work in teams, build
trust, or make decisions across borders.
Different cultures handle the same issues in very different ways, and
what appears legitimate in one culture is not at all acceptable in
another.
The clues in one culture may mean something very different in
another.
Managers who proceed from their own cultural vantage point alone
are, therefore, likely to make costly mistakes.

11. CONSIDER THESE EXAMPLES:
Imagine a Franco-British joint-venture in a high tech sector and the bi-cultural
teams of engineers are working on new product development. All team
members want an outstanding product.
However, the British engineers integrate market and commercial
considerations much earlier on in the product development process than the
French do.
They (the British) prefer to focus on technical considerations at the outset. The
arguments continue, each convinced the other is not being professional.
This is an “either-or " mode, where neither party is able to acknowledge the
legitimacy of the others' position.

12. OTHER EXAMPLES
Imagine now a Canadian petroleum engineer who moves out to Saudi
Arabia. As protocol requires, he is invited to meet with Minister of
Energy to review projects.
He reviews all the files and prepares for the meeting. Fortunately, this
engineer has been briefed on the importance of building trust.
He spends two hours talking with the Minister and resisting the
temptation to pull out his file. They talk about holidays in the desert.

13. His Successful Tactic and Consequent Reward
The files remain closed.
After two hours, the Minister gets up, shakes his
hand and says, “Thank you, I'm sure we'll have no
difficulties doing business together.”
Despite his anxiety, this engineer was able to
engage in diversity-friendly behaviour and
guarantee the on-going level of business for his
organisation.

14. Finally, imagine a Franco-German joint venture. The French marketing
manager and her team are making a proposal to the management team about a
new advertising campaign.
After some discussion, she says, "I think this is the right approach." The
French team members go off and begin implementing the plan: a decision has
been made.
Their German colleagues do nothing. They heard no decision being made.
Neither side will even be aware of the misunderstanding until the time that is,
that time and resources have been allocated in two different ways, nor is the
resulting distrust likely to hamper this team unless they can take distance and
learn to Culture Bridge.

15. THE RESULT
This team could not integrate diversity and did not
produce a product that was both technically
outstanding and eminently competitive. It should,
therefore, have come as no surprise that this alliance
did not last.

16. THE “CHALLENGE” OF CULTURE
BRIDGING
In working with multicultural teams to help them be more effective
together, I have identified a something we could call “Culture Bridging,”
which I define as: "the ability of people and organisations, of different
cultures, to build effective, rewarding relationships and high-performance
teams: across borders."
Managers who are looking for high performance in the different parts of
the world, where their companies operate need to master the art of
“Culture Bridging.” And these are some of the issues which can be learnt,
thus making their management and managerial behaviour far more
effective.

17. 1. FOCUS ON PROCESS AND ADAPT IT
WHEN NECESSARY
Don't only focus on content – that is, what needs to be done – but
pay a great deal of attention to the process – that is, how you're
going to do it.
Because norms. i.e. what might appear to be “normal” to you: are
not shared across boundaries.
They need to be made explicit to be sure everyone understands the
same thing.
Coaching on process takes time and needs to be planned for.
Be open to adapting your process to the new cultural context.

18. 2. BE ACTIVELY OBSERVANT AND SEEK
INCREASED CLARITY
A) Develop observation skills to pick up details you would otherwise not
notice. I.e. Pay any special attention to.
B) Watch for non-verbal cues. The strongest messages come from non-
verbal communication. Who sits next to whom; who speaks and when will
tell you more about who has more power and responsibility than just
words alone.
Facial expressions, types of handshakes, hand and leg/feet gestures and
movements are all very powerful forms of non-verbal communication,
which can send very strong – either positive, neutral and/or negative
messages.
C) Develop and use active listening skills, in particular summarising, re-
formulating and clarifying. You cannot overuse these.

19. .
3. UNDERSTAND THE “IMPACT” OF YOUR
OWN CULTURAL "BAGGAGE"
Be sure you make your own implicit norms, values,
and attitudes explicit. I.e. known to the others in your
team.
Monitor your own negative feelings and ask yourself
if you are reacting out of a “stereotyped” syndrome?
Understand your own personal limits for cultural
adaptation and be prepared to act on these.

20. 4. GO FOR THE “MEANING” BEHIND THE
SIGNS
Pursue curiosity about the other culture, history,
and politics. Be open and flexible to other ways
of doing things. I.e. Ask you colleague(s)
questions – be interested!
Seek out systemic explanations that give
meaning to individual cultural contexts and to
behaviours

21. 5. ACTIVELY BUILD TRUST
Listen to the "music” behind the words, pace and
rhythms of speech and behaviour.
Give relationship-building the time it needs as a
step to developing open, transparent interactions.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. And
always…face-to-face!

22. “NORMS”
TALKING ABOUT THE TIME.
FOR EXAMPLE:
What might appear “normal” in your culture – might not be normal in
another culture.
Compare: English and Russian factors of time. For example:
“He came to see me last night.” “Он пришел ко мне вчера
вечером” на английском языке .. .. мы говорим, “вчера
вечером, а не ночью.”
“At two o’ clock in the morning.” “В два часа ночи.”

23. Слово “день” представляет для русских людей той или
иной проблемы. Why?
Потому что в западной культуре ... утро
начинается немедленно после полуночи и ...сразу
же день после полудня.
Поэтому, как кусочек мозаики культуры русского
языка ... "день" состоит из двух английских слов, “day”
and “afternoon.” “Good day” = “добрый день”
Therefore…How could it (logically) be, according to the
Russian language and its culture, either a “Good morning” or
a “Good afternoon?”

24. The seasons are also a little different:
The Russian spring starts in May, while in the UK, it’s
already British summertime.
November, in the Russian culture is, an autumn month,
while in British culture it’s winter.

25. ЧЕРЕЗ ЧАС?
In English we say, “I’ll be there within an hour or so,” for
example. Которые, буквально переводится что-то вроде
этого; на русский язык, "Я буду там в течение часа или
около того", например.
Тем не менее, на русском языке, вы обычно говорили,
“I’ll be there after one hour or so.” “Я буду там через
час или около того.”

26. Therefore, the difference between the Russian understanding and the
English-speaking world’s understanding of the word, “hour” hides a
slightly, but very significant (значительный) different meaning: with
regard to communicating a time of arrival to someone else, for example,
on the telephone.
Could this be confusing?
In business…yes…it could be. Why?
Because, a person, who does not understand this subtle (Russian
language-cultural) difference in the meaning of communicating the time of
arrival – either of a delivery of goods and/or people; could lead to
confusion and possible embarrassment. And, moreover, in business, “Time
is always money.”

27. A professor at the Moscow State University, decides to have a birthday arty – starting at: 7pm.
The Germans arrive at: 6.55pm
The Chinese arrive at 7.05pm and spend the next 20 minutes aplogising for being late +
explaining the reasons why they were late
The Russians start arriving at about 7.30pm and say “Давай - давай начинать.”
The Koreans arrive at: 8.30pm and spend just one minute aplogising
The Americans arrive at: 9.15pm and are so happy that the party is already in full swing
and spent no time (whatsoever) aplogising, for being late.
The rest of the Russian guests then continued to arrive all through the rest of the night.

28. IN CONCLUSION
These Culture Bridging skills are obvious and make good common sense. But
they are generally ignored. And, for some people; however, quite difficult to
implement.
The benefits (of acquiring good “culture bridging” skills), are however thus:
They will allow you to monitor/observe and review yours, as well as, others’
interactions.
A) Avoid stereotyping.
B) Build effective, cross-border relationships.
C) And finally…Reduce any cross-cultural misunderstandings.

29. This is the way to draw on the innovative
potential of cultural diversity and gain the
commitment of your colleagues and create a
high-performance and effective team.