This blog will feature questions (ranging from leadership and diversity to culture-specific communication, global team-building, and the nuances of business and social protocol in different countries and cultures) raised by working, adult students in higher education. You are invited to share your insights and perspectives based on your own personal work experiences. See "Welcome . . . more about this blog" for additional information about the blog's history and purpose.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Students' Questions 2.0 - Module 3
"My organization works with technology and business partners in India, Japan, Malaysia, Belgium, France, UK, Germany, Netherlands, among other countries in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Americas.
Questions include:
* How can I assess cultural competence within my organization?
* How can I effect or improve cultural competency? What are the benefits?
* How is cultural competency measured?"
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Cultural competence can be assessed by a variety of means. Depending on the size of the team or the budget allowance, employees can complete cultural assessments that will provide insight to individuals orientations in order to better collaborate in the workplace. A manager can ask questions to gain a better understanding of someone’s competence. In addition, a manager can assign employees to various projects to expose them to an array of cultures in order to see how that individual reacts and functions.
ReplyDeleteIndividuals can improve cultural competency by having an awareness and fostering an open and safe environment. Leaders who are successful at improving this proficiency typically embrace the adaptation strategies to complete their due diligence, shift their minds, enter into a cultural dialogue (“Help me understand”) and participate in cultural mentoring, both as the mentor and the mentee.
Cultural competency can be measured by using the tools and resources that are available. Depending on your organization or your objective, there are several options available and easily accessible.
(391-16SP08)Cultural Competence can be accessed via self-service online portal where employees are able to take quizzes to see where they stand. For example, in my organization, they send you to mandatory training around Cultural Bias courses. The training video goes over the different types of cultures and how people can say things that are indirect afterwards you have to take a quiz. However, I would say this is the fastest way to assess and teach people about cultural competence within a large organization. This is also a great way to improve competency within an org. The benefits would allow people to step in the shoes of other cultures and understand how they may feel. It also gives everyone a chance to become much more self-aware. I would say being able to measure self-awareness goes back to how productive you are with your international team. If the engagement levels are low, then we must reassess and understand why they are low and begin training.
ReplyDeleteIn Maximizing Business Results with the Strategic Performance Framework (Putz; 2014), Chapter 4 reviewed the steps associated with Cultural Due Diligence. To assess and consider differences and similarities between people, organizations and business transactions, the research describes the following:
ReplyDeleteStep 1: Investigate and determine culture backgrounds and orientations of colleagues, counterparts, clients, partners
Step 2: Evaluation potential or actual cultural gaps
Step 3: Identifying the potential impact (risks and opportunities) of gaps on your objectives
Step 4: Developing a strategy to mitigate the identified risks and maximize opportunities
While this approach seems reasonable, it seems difficult to execute the above framework (or similar) without executive commitment -- and without one or more global leaders with prior experience.
Why difficult, Mark? Perhaps you will decide to present your team's Final Project within the context of your organization. Suggest you reach out to an "executive" mentor to propose the idea, and then "maximize" the opportunity to share the benefits of the COI--an excellent cultural assessment tool. It is important to identify your mentor carefully--an important first step.
DeleteI definitely agree with your last comment about the difficulty of executing the given framework without executive commitment, Mark. I have experienced this firsthand where the executive team has a certain initiative that they want to achieve, but they don't mirror the behaviors that would help implement the initiative. It can be a very frustrating cycle if team leaders are not committed to do what is needed.
DeleteBased on the model that was developed by Ernest Gundling and his associates at Aperian Global, the Global Leadership Online (GLO) was developed. As outlined in our text, the GLO measures five dimensions – Seeing differences, Closing gaps, Opening the System, Preserving balance and Establishing solutions, for which he created the acronym SCOPE. The first aspect of this paradigm is for the leader to notice the cues around him/her. The leader becomes aware of his own cultural perceptions and how they reflect his openness to new situations and ideas. If successful, then he will in turn be open to new people and the differences in experiences they bring to the table.
ReplyDeleteOnce the leader takes this first step to recognize the cultural differences, he must find ways to resolve them. The model describes two facets of this action stage: 'results though relationships', which focuses on the leaders’ ability to successfully work through interpersonal relationships and to successfully network to achieve results. The second facet is called 'frame shifting'. This describes the degree to which a leader is able to change his cognitive and behavioral style in order to accommodate others. This action is successful in any number of situations, and not only in an international environment.
The third step is for the leader to extend beyond his own circle of influence in order to influence others throughout the corporate environment. 'Expand ownership' is the degree to which the leader is able to successfully make this leap. The second part is to 'develop future leaders'. In addition to his own success, a good leader will develop others to create a positive succession plan.
The fourth step is to examine the value that was created as a result of the prior steps. 'Adapt and add value' is the extent to which a leader can adapt to the aforementioned changes, while contributing new skills to the organization. 'Core values and flexibility' means that although the individual has adopted new models, he still stays true to his own values.
The last step is to focus on implementing changes across boundaries. 'Third way solutions' seeks to observe models from each facet of the organization and create positive ideas through the ability to create a positive new operational system.
This GLO model is administered online by evaluating various competencies. Questions are based on the above criteria. The results of such a comprehensive leadership model would evaluate the level of cultural competencies within any organization. The result of this would show where successful global competencies already exist, and where they can be improved.
Although these steps seem very labor intensive, hard work and employment of proven competencies is the best way to assess and improve on cultural competency in a global organization. The authors admit that the field of global leadership is still in its beginning stages. Using the SCOPE questionnaire and examining its results will identify a method towards superior performance in an international arena.
Mendenahall, et al. (2013). page 136-137.
I think part of being able to assess your company's cultural competence comes from just your daily observation of your company. People sometimes put too little stock in what they see on a day-to-day basis. Does your company prepare for international business meetings the same as they would prepare for a domestic business meeting? Americans have a reputation for not being very versatile abroad. Are you seeing the same thing within your organization?
ReplyDeleteYou can effect cultural competency merely by talking about it with your team leaders. Any good team leader worth their salt knows that diversity within a team can lead to more creativity, and as a result, a better project. Cultural competency is important because it increases awareness. Cultural competency does not equal political correctness; it equals respect for those within your organization and for those with whom you do business with.
Look at the different groups and teams in your organization and find which ones are performing. Use them as a bright spot and have them help mentor some of the other teams. Setup norms for working in culturally diverse group after completing due diligence for the cultures in the groups. You can measure the cultural competency of the groups by their performance as a group. If they are still having issues, they still have a mentor to help out.
ReplyDelete