In a Multicultural Workplace or organization understanding the significance of Cultural differences is paramount. In an organization where people from different countries & cultures work together cultural differences can put a significant impact on the productivity & work environment of that place. A Proper Cross – Cultural understanding & Training is very important so as to curb the development of Cultural Differences, if any.
When working internationally, there are certain principles that are good to remember like it is essential to acknowledge the differences that exist, Understand and analyze the reasons or causes for the development of those differences. Also, appreciate the unique values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of different cultures. Adapt your behavior including your cross-cultural communication style so as to meet the needs of others and remember to be sensitive to feedback and adapt accordingly.
In today’s diverse work culture, Cultural Difference Training & People Management performance is the required skills. At times, cultural differences will arise due to subtle expressions which are easily missed out and this most of the time leads to misunderstandings and a drop down in performance. It is essential to learn about the cultural background and traditions of every individual.
The culture diversity issues can be dealt by developing cultural intelligence in a corporate environment. This also maximizes the corporate brand investment via developing cultural intelligence. It motivates the staff to do their best, authentically and consistently. Besides, it also provides tools for boosting the brand image, sales success and overall people performance. It offers insights and offers tools to understand international clients & colleagues. Thus, it can be said that it is important to develop cultural intelligence to achieve a competitive edge in business.
Apart, from the cultural difference training, it is also very important to know well about the people management performance. A motivated workforce can lead to the development of an efficient, productive and profitable company or organization. It is not necessary that the motivation will essentially come from monetary compensation.
The current global economic climate needs a high level of understanding of the intercultural communication, cross-cultural understanding and people management than the previous times. Every marketplace has its own parameters for how business people in it like to be communicated with. It is a vital pre-requisite for business people to now ‘do business’ with a greater knowledge, understanding and respect for cultural diversity.
When things just don’t seem to be going right then remember not to take up the things personally. This comes from personal experience. When you don’t understand why people are behaving the way they are or people aren’t doing things the way you thought they would, don’t jump to the conclusion that they are doing it to annoy/upset you.
The first lesson of intercultural communication is to STOP BEING SELF-CENTRED. You’ve probably stumbled across a cultural difference which has prompted a form of Culture Shock.
Deborah Swallow is an International keynote with 15 years of vast experience in the field. She has addressed the complexities of people working internationally across multiple cultures, so as to help individuals and organizations to gain an authentic competitive edge and win in international markets.
To know more about Culture Differences visit http://www.deborahswallow.com/2010/06/21/5-important-steps-to-understanding-cultural-differences/
Hello, I’m Deborah Swallow and, for the last fifteen years, I’ve worked in over thirty countries addressing the complexities of people working internationally across multiple cultures. There are certain principles that are good to remember when working internationally where cultural differences & intercultural communication is a major issue.