"How can you get someone to trust you if you are a
completely different culture? Example: You are American, the
person(s) you are leading are Japanese. Are there any tips you can share?"
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.
That is a fantastic question. Experience has taught me that I can NOT get someone to trust me, regardless of our similarities or differences. Trust is usually earned and/or proven over time. In my daughter's school, we are the minority being African-American. Over the past few years, I've earned credibility by becoming involved and doing what I say I'm going to do. Simplicity at its best.
ReplyDeleteJackie! :)
DeleteIt is unfortunate that there are biases and pre-judgments which people hold that determine if a person trusts someone or not, solely based on how a person looks or what nationality they are. My dad is Mexican and he is a painter - besides him being my dad, he is one of the most trustworthy people I know. I've seen a few instances where people do not automatically trust him because he is a minority and because of what he does for a living. Sad.
Each of us have our own level of how much we initially trust people and as you stated, this increases overtime once "trustworthiness" is proven.
I agree with Jackie that trust comes from the individual, not necessarily the culture. I think showing curiosity and respect for an individual does a lot to further a relationship between two people. Examples like this are where the due diligence that we've been talking about all quarter come into play. Perhaps if you know the person speaks Japanese, you might ask them to teach you a few phrases, such as "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you!" A gesture of wanting to get to know someone better goes a long way towards earning their trust.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Jackie and Robyn. Trust is an individual thing that is built over time. Culture can affect how slowly or fast the trust and bond builds. It really comes down to being a good person. Building trust is about keeping your word, being honest, and always trying to do the right thing. There are always exceptions to every rule so it’s up to you to figure out what works.
DeleteBasic advice is to perform due diligence on both your Japanese employee's culture but also their family, friends and interests.
ReplyDeleteMark,
DeleteHow does due diligence lead to trust?
I believe that a key aspect of trust is commitment. Saying what you do, and doing what you say. Commitment's link to establishing trust seems nearly universal, which is why I think it's so powerful across cultures.
DeleteDue diligence leads to trust by showing an authentic interest to the specific person/culture. It takes time and commitment to research and find out information which in turns shows trust.
DeleteDue diligence absolutely leads to trust. From everything I've learned so far, taking the time to research the culture and people, sincerely, allows people to perceive you are interested in them, and serious about the role you are in.
DeleteThe original question has led me to consider the following questions:
ReplyDelete1) How do you define the term trust?
2) Does trust differ across cultures? If so, how? If not, why not?
3) In your opinion, what is the role of trust in leadership? In global leadership? Please provide an example of a trusted leader, and a rationale for why you consider your leadership choice trustworthy.
1.) I think that the term trust encompasses humbling one-self, the willingness to be open to other cultures, ideas, and perspectives, and exceeding expectations. Trust is earned by being honest, having integrity, and remained loyal to "followers". I think that trust does differ across cultures, as there are different cultural values, therefore what we look to as important and valuable, another culture might see as offensive or unnecessary. I believe that trust in leadership is foundational, and if one is not trustworthy, they are not able to form a powerful coalition. According to John Kotter's eight step transformational change model, this is step two of implementing major change in an organization.
DeleteTo me, trust is the ability to be honest and know that your authenticity will be well-received and respected. I think there are different ways you can earn trust across cultures, but I think trust, in essence, is the same in the U.S., Japan, Afghanistan, etc. Because different cultures value different things, I think trust can be built in different ways. In the U.S., you can earn trust by being punctual and delivering projects on time. Building trust in Mexico, according to the scenario in Maximizing Business Results with the Strategic Performance Framework, requires someone taking the time to get to know one another. Heads down and working independently will not earn a Mexican colleague’s trust.
ReplyDeleteTrust is a non-negotiable in leadership. A leader must be trusted in order to execute on a vision. When employees don’t trust their leader, they will not follow. They will question his/her motives and make decisions based on their own self-interest. I think Michelle Obama is a trustworthy leader. She follows through with promises and places much emphasis on important causes like supporting veterans and childhood obesity.
Due diligence leads to trust when leaders reach out to employees and consultants across borders, as well as to those within their physical organization. Having this competency helps foster trust.
ReplyDeleteIn the current VUCA business environment, the successful leader needs to be a good strategist. By definition, complexity, volatility and uncertainty exist. But more significantly to this topic, the presence of ambiguity contributes to distrust. Since relationships are, by definition, unclear, confusion results.
As seen in our text, the Next Generation Dimensions of Global Leadership lists 15 competencies that encourage successful leadership results. Among them, integrity, creating a shared vision and building partnerships. Moreover, a trusted global leader will search for the flaws in the existing system, and implement improvements to the way employees communicate. If a leader treats people with respect and dignity – in essence being genuine – it will pay off with trust for the leader and success within the organization.
Mendenahall, et al. (2013). page 59.
You earn trust by saying what you do, and doing what you say. Commitment, almost universally, is an important aspect of trust. This might explain it's effectiveness with most inter-cultural and global cultures.
ReplyDelete(391-16SP08) Absolutely, I agree with a lot of the people in my class. You must be able to understand the culture that you are working with. For example, if it’s the Japanese, you must be able to understand they do not like disagreement and or make decisions right away. An American must be able to do their due diligence and start to build that trust. I also believe a successful leader can bring out an emotional connection and work that into the relationship.
ReplyDelete