and it's 2020!

I've been slacking on the blog, but I’m back!

I’m going to make this short and this isn’t going to be some New Year’s Resolution thing - or is it??

This is a confession - I have been slacking on keeping up this Leadership Blog!!

Perhaps drinking too much wine in Stockholm and Copenhagen 🤷‍♀️ + [wine emoji please]

We all have been slacking on something (or many things) in 2019 - and there is no shame in this. I am owning it and going to start a new.

So picking up where I left off - I had a 3-Part Series on Cross-Cultural Communication that I had been planning to launch back in September.

Here is Part 2 of 3 - Please enjoy!

Yours truly,

Mary

Awareness about Individualistic & Collectivistic Culture Can Help Us at Work!

Check out www.unsplash.com for beautiful and non-copyright images! This is in Pamplona, Spain

Two big words, but once you know them, it can be so powerful to how you view the world, yourself and others!

Please note that “always” doesn’t live here, and these are ideas to think about, but does not mean that everyone acts or behaves in a certain way.

Never make assumptions and instead ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS to learn more about someone else, their perspectives, views, and beliefs. Even when you think you know, ask another question!

---

Individualistic

Collectivistic

Typically associated with western cultures.

Typically associated with eastern cultures.

---

Test yourself:

Fill in this blank, “I am _____________________.”

In the United States, most of us think with “I” as the center of why we do things.  And if you are from an individualistic culture, you may have been more likely to answer with a trait or characteristic that describes you.

If you are from a collectivistic culture, you may have answered with a reference to a group or relationship that you are part of.

“I am goal-oriented/tall/34 years old”

vs.

“I am with XYZ company/Muslim/one of four siblings”

Can you see how these different perspectives could misunderstand each other at work?

• When thinking about work relationships individualists and collectivists may take very different perspectives on developing relationships.

Collectivists:

• We are interdependent on each other

• Relationships aren’t voluntary and may even be obligatory

• Relationships are stable and permanent

• Do not want to burden others with their stress and problems and may be less likely to ask for support and help

• Seek out time to spend with those they trust deeply, without mentioning their stress or problems

Individualists:

• View relationships as voluntary

• Perceive that they have a choice to create or end a relationships

• If something isn’t working, they can be more likely to walk away or end a relationship

• Are generally comfortable sharing information, stressors, and issues with others

• Expect that others will freely share information with them

• Are generally okay asking for support from others

How does this show up at work for you?

Share your comments down below!

AND…If you want to learn more about these nuances check out this article!

7 Tips for Dealing with Bullies at Work

1. Strengthen your support team. Create strong relationships based on trust with higher-ups, peers and cross-team colleagues.
2. Be on guard. Limit your interactions to group settings if possible.
3. Trust your gut. If you think they are being manipulative, trust it. Walk away or call it out.
4. Stop the guilt trip. If they say, “You don’t care about all of the work I am doing for you.” You can say, “I do care, and it seems like you don’t appreciate how much I care”.
5. Verify what they say. Check their data, examples and evidence.
6. Keep a record. Document your conversations and save emails.
7. Appreciate yourself! If you have an interaction with this person or find they are entering your thoughts, take a break to appreciate yourself and reset on a positive note.

Enhance Communication on Your Team

Know what your communication preferences are. Try this quick Assessment to increase your self-awareness and learn about your peers and colleagues' communication preferences.

PLAN A LEARNING EVENT (1 hour):

Organize a Lunch & Learn. Invite your team/colleagues to complete the assessment prior to the Lunch & Learn. Ask them to write down their dominant style on a note card of corresponding color to their style (blue, red, yellow, green). Also ask them to bring their scores to the session.

Foster discussion around a relatable communication situation (see below for an example).

Scenario: You must comunicate to your team a change in project scope, including a shorter deadline.

Exercise:

1. Pair up with someone with the same dominant style. Discuss the strengths and liabilities of your style when communicating the above scenario.
2. Pair up with someone who has an opposite style to you. Discuss how you each would communicate the scenario to someone with a different style.

Debrief: Discuss as a group the following questions:

• What style is your manager/direct report?
• What did you learn about yourself?
• What did you learn about someone with a different style?

This assessment comes from The Brinkman Method. Check out this Forbes article for more analysis. Listen to this Tedx Talk by Scott Schwefel to learn more about communication styles.