Dr. Nava Israel, Founder of Fusion Global Education, has over 20 years of entrepreneurial project development and management. She has also designed, developed and implemented academic programs, including competency-based assessments, training and bridging for international talent. Read more: http://www.skillsforchange.org/ite/2012/01/nava-israel-bridging-strategies.html

1. The “Secret Handshake” of
the Canadian Workplace
By: Nava Israel, PhD
Founder and President

2. Facts
Baby boomers on their way out…
… while babies aren’t on their way in
Recent generations aren’t keen about
high-demand professions
Growth will exceed current supply of existing/local
talent

3. Facts
War for talent or not,
immigrant professionals still
struggle to gain meaningful
jobs.

4. Facts
 Language, communication and soft skills are highly
culture-driven
 Employers report these to be one of the major
barriers to professional employment
Realistic?
Perceived?

5. Facts
 The “Fit factor” is a powerful decision maker in
the Canadian labour market
 Employers tend to hire in their own image

6. Facts
 As international professionals, we have little
awareness of our language and cultural
competency gaps

7. Question:
Can you share examples of
Canadian peculiarities (strange
behaviours)?

8. The Universe and I

9. Diversity Variations
Equality-Driven Hierarchy-Driven
“Liberté, égalité, fraternité” “Know your place”
(Liberty, equality, brotherhood)

10. What “Equality” think of → “Hierarchy”
• Employee = problematic: doesn’t discuss or consult,
shows no initiative, a poor critical thinker,
unprofessional, unethical, unable to explain and
justify recommendations
• Manager = nightmare: arrogant, micromanages,
ordering around, offensive, unprofessional,
unethical, unable to motivate, unable to explain and
justify decisions

11. What “Hierarchy” think of → “Equality”
• Employee = problematic: disrespectful to superiors,
doesn’t know own place, argumentative, a poor
critical thinker, unprofessional, risky
• Manager = nightmare: doesn’t know what needs to
be done; undermines own authority; suspiciously
“too nice”; wasting time explaining and justifying
decisions; unprofessional, risky

12. “Hierarchy” “Equality”
Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

13. Diversity Variations
Individualist Collectivist
“The sky is the limit; it is up to “The whole of the collective is
me to get there and let greater than the sum of its
everyone know I did it” individuals”
and “There is no ‘I’ in the
collective”

14. What “individualists” think of →
“collectivists”
• Never speak of own achievements and strengths = a very
poor performer
• No interest in self development = stagnant, outdated
• Needs to be micromanaged, no initiative
• Poor team member: either waits to be given
responsibilities or oversteps boundaries
• Unable to ask critical questions; poor critical thinker
• Can’t excite about own ideas, can’t persuade
• Either makes no attempts at building relationships or
oversteps personal boundaries

15. What “collectivists” think of →
“individualists”
• No modesty, behaves like a rude child, showing-off
• Openly admits to own shortcomings, poor critical thinker
• Takes liberties with things that wasn’t asked to do; puts
everyone at risks
• Terrible team member; works in isolation, unhelpful to
others
• Takes credit without acknowledging the team
• Disruptive to relationships and harmony
• Tries to persuade using logic instead of relationships;
won’t get anywhere

16. “Individualist” “Collectivists”
Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

17. Diversity Variations
Client-Driven Expert-Driven
“The customer is always right” “The expert knows best”
and “Convince me”

18. What “client driven” think of →
“expert driven”
• Never speak of own achievements and strengths = a very
poor performer
• No interest in self development = stagnant, outdated
• Needs to be micromanaged, no initiative
• Poor team member: either waits to be given
responsibilities or oversteps boundaries
• Unable to ask critical questions; poor critical thinker
• Can’t excite about own ideas, can’t persuade
• Either makes no attempts at building relationships or
oversteps personal boundaries

19. What “expert driven” think of →
“client driven”
• Employee = problematic: disrespectful to superiors,
doesn’t know own place, argumentative, a poor
critical thinker, unprofessional, risky
• Manager = nightmare: doesn’t know what needs to
be done; undermines own authority; suspiciously
“too nice”; wasting time explaining and justifying
decisions; unprofessional, risky

20. “Individualist” “Collectivists”
Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

21. Diversity Variations
Confrontation-Driven Avoidance-Driven
“Talk to me” and “Let sleeping dogs lie” and
“Better out then in” “Conflict is inevitable, but
combat is unwise”

22. “Confrontation” “Avoidance”
Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

23. Diversity Variations
Feedback-Hungry Feedback-Averse
“Feedback is the breakfast of “If you don’t have anything
champions” nice to say, don’t say it at
all”

24. “Feedback” “No feedback”
Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

25. Diversity Variations
Informal Formal
“talk 2 U later” “Respectfully yours”

26. “Informal” “Formal”
Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

27. Building Your Cultural Intelligence
Step 1: See the need and recognize benefits

28. Building Your Cultural Intelligence
Step 2: Let go of ethno/self-centric thinking

29. Building Your Cultural Intelligence
Step 3: Look around, listen and learn

30. Building Your Cultural Intelligence
Step 4: Try new behaviours

31. Building Your Cultural Intelligence
Step 5: Seek guidance and feedback

32. One thing I would like to improve…
One thing I could do to improve my…