May 31

Top Tips for Doing Business in Japan

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector 1 Comment »

Japan has evolved over the last half century to become one of the world’s richest and most technologically advanced economies, well known for its exports of cars and electronic goods. In addition, a well educated population with an incredibly strong work ethic means that Japan offers a wealth of investment and market opportunities to international organisations.

Made up of over 3,000 islands, Japan has some of the most crowded urban areas in the world since the majority of people live on only a few of the islands. It is not surprising then that personal space is highly valued in Japan and gestures and facial expressions tend to be modest when doing business in Japan.

Japan Chris Pritchard i Top Tips for Doing Business in Japan

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As an island country, Japan’s population has remained extremely homogenous and you will find a strong sense of group identity when doing business in Japan. The distinction between private and public life is blurred where teamwork and ‘fitting in’ are much more important than individualism in Japan. That being said, the younger generation of Japanese starting to enter the business world are increasingly making efforts to stand out from the crowd in the way they dress, communicate and act.

During the tragic events that occurred in March 2011, the world also witnessed another Japanese value: the importance of maintaining face and dignity at all times. Most foreigners living and working in Japan at the time were struck by the calm nature and self-control displayed by the local population during and after the earthquake and the tsunami that led to a nuclear situation. The importance of face and dignity are values that can be found in almost every aspect of Japanese social and business cultures so you will often find that your Japanese counterparts will seldom display their emotions or feelings in order to keep face.

The following tips will help you improve your success when doing business in Japan.

  • Avoid causing loss of face at all costs. Don’t be confrontational or openly criticise or embarrass Japanese colleagues as they will lose ‘kao’, or face.
  • Be aware that Japanese business culture is hierarchical. Be sure you always greet the most senior people in the room before anyone more junior.
  • Don’t be afraid of silence as it causes less anxiety than in the West and is often used as a negotiating tactic.
  • Be aware of your body language and try to maintain a formal posture during meetings. Avoid slumping or crossing your legs as this could give a negative impression.
  • Make sure you take plenty of business cards with you and have your details printed in Japanese on the reverse when doing business in Japan.
  • Japan is a country with a high usage of technology which most of the population has access to. You can expect your Japanese colleagues to be comfortable with virtual communication, however as they are relationship focused you should always try to find time for face-to-face meetings.
  • Avoid physical contact or expansive gestures and facial expressions when doing business in Japan. Most Japanese are modest and reserved in their behaviour and value the space around them.
  • Address your business partners by their surname. To show even more respect, add ‘san’ after their surname. For example, Akira Kurosawa could be addressed as Mr Akira Kurosawa or Kurosawa San.
  • Offer your Japanese counterparts a small gift when meeting or visiting them. Your gift should be well wrapped but modest and not too personal. Don’t expect them to open it in front of you as this may cause loss of face to one of the parties.
  • Relationships and networks are a key part of Japanese business culture. Many international companies doing business in Japan find more success when they rely on a third party to help introduce them and build their reputation in the market.

Considering and respecting the top tips for doing business in Japan above is the first step towards building effective relationships with your Japanese counterparts. Participating in a cross cultural awareness training course such as Doing Business in Japan will give you a comprehensive understanding of this dynamic and fast-changing culture so that you can anticipate and manage cultural differences more effectively and build better business relationships.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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May 18

Presenting to an International Audience: Adapting your Style for Maximum Impact

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector 2 Comments »

Have you ever asked a question during a presentation you were delivering to an international audience and no one responded? Or perhaps you’ve made a joke when delivering a presentation that no one laughed at? Many people don’t realise how important it is to adapt the way you deliver presentations to people from international backgrounds. Presenting to an international audience effectively requires a unique set of presentation skills and cultural understanding.

Happy meeting Neustockimages i Presenting to an International Audience: Adapting your Style for Maximum Impact

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Cross-cultural communication skills training programmes like Presenting to an International Audience can be a tremendous help to anyone preparing a presentation for a global group. Training can help you to understand the cultural characteristics which may impact audience expectations when presenting to an international audience, while it will also help you to adapt your style effectively to have the most impact.

Whether following tips on what to avoid during a presentation or increasing your understanding of how to most effectively structure your delivery, it’s important you have the right cultural awareness and international presentation skills for any global delivery.

Using Humour

Humour is one part of cross-cultural communication that can have a really positive effect on a presentation, but it can also go seriously wrong if not used appropriately when presenting to an international audience. In Germany and Japan, for example, people don’t tend to appreciate jokes in presentations as much as they do in the US. In France the style and appearance of the presenter itself are very important and humour does not really play a role in French presentations. In the UK people tend to prefer traditional rather than modern PowerPoint slides and a bit of humour in your presentation can be appreciated.

Choosing your Communication Style

Countries like Germany, Sweden and Switzerland tend to be low context cultures in which people are rule, detail and task oriented so presentations tend to have a clear structure and include lots of information. In high context cultures like Brazil and Italy, communication tends to be less verbally explicit and individuals place a high emphasis on personal face-to-face interactions. When presenting to a high context culture, you should therefore try to use fewer words in your slides and select them carefully.

Managing Different Perceptions of Time

According to Edward T. Hall it is important to establish whether you are going to present in a culture which tends to be more monochronic or polychronic. People in monochronic cultures tend to appreciate punctuality and schedules, and time is considered a scarce resource. When presenting to audiences from monochronic cultures, make sure you start your presentation on time, stick to the structure you have outlined and finish as planned as ’time is money’. Conversely, individuals in polychronic cultures put more emphasis on relationships rather than schedules and they will often make last minute changes or interruptions. Don’t be offended if people ask questions or make remarks during a presentation to a polychronic audience as this is quite normal behaviour.

Anyone delivering presentations to an international audience can greatly benefit from considering the cultural characteristics of the audience they are presenting to. International businesses can also profit immensely from developing the presentation skills of its employees, especially when cross-cultural components of the delivery are taken into consideration. By helping employees to increase their understanding of their international audience, they can more successfully harness the cultural differences in each and every context and have the most impact.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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May 12

Leading across Cultures: Cross Cultural Perceptions of the Perfect Leader

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector 1 Comment »

Have you ever wondered how people with impressive experience might fail to achieve their goals because of a lack of international competence? Or perhaps you’ve seen how others might be prevented from finishing their project because they can’t create a positive relationship with their colleagues? Or maybe you’ve felt frustrated because your potential is not understood or blocked by resistance? Perceptions and challenges like these are commonplace when working with international counterparts or leading across cultures.

Business People walking urbancow i Leading across Cultures: Cross Cultural Perceptions of the Perfect Leader

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One person who is experiencing some of the challenges of leading across cultures is UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Since his childhood Ban Ki-moon has always struck people for his modesty, competence and perseverance. It is said that in order to practise English he used to regularly walk several miles to reach a farmer who hosted Americans. He attended university in Seoul and Harvard and his diplomatic career started soon after graduation. In short, Mr. Ban’s profile on paper is immaculate, but some of his colleagues at the United Nations do not have an extraordinary opinion of him as a global leader.

Many of Mr. Ban’s American and European colleagues in particular think that his contributions to the UN have been minimal. They also complain that he often becomes an invisible presence in public, especially when compared with his predecessor Kofi Annan. Unfortunately they seem to forget about Mr. Ban’s successful contributions to issues such as global warming and peacekeeping in Darfur, as well as his position regarding the situation in the Gaza bank.

So why do some people have a negative perception of Mr. Ban? Some might suggest that this is caused by his way of operating which tends to be characterised by discretion and personal meetings away from the limelight.

Interestingly, UN Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka feels that the core reason for this misunderstanding is the cultural perception of leadership. Mr. Ban is an emblem of Confucian values which are reflected in his modesty and discipline as well as his ability to blend in with the crowd in an attempt to establish harmony. These skills are highly valued in certain cultures, and Mr. Ban is seen as a strong leader in the Far East where Confucian values are most prevalent.

Perceptions and expectations about what a global leader should do or say differ greatly from one culture to another. Many Westerners tend to prefer strong and charismatic leaders who lead by example and show strong beliefs and values. Others from Confucian cultures would instead prefer their leaders to have a strong ability to maintain harmony within the group and avoid boasting or taking all of the credit for an achievement.

Understanding some of the cultural traits evident in Mr. Ban’s cross-cultural leadership style, we can see why his style may be less appreciated by his American and European colleagues. However, employees of the UN, a strong and truly international organisation, should adjust their expectations and try to be objective in their evaluation of UN representatives. Equally, as the leader of an international organisation, Mr. Ban should also adapt his communication and leadership style and be able to adopt a wide range of manners depending on the context in order to appeal to a bigger audience and be better understood and appreciated

Mr. Ban’s example reminds us that anyone leading across cultures must be aware of how cultural values can shape and influence your own and others’ expectations and leadership styles. Cross-cultural training programmes like Leading across Cultures are absolutely imperative for global leaders who must effectively manage and anticipate any cross-cultural barriers that different cultural perspectives can create.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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May 10

Top Tips for Doing Business in India

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources 1 Comment »

Spectacular economic growth from the explosion of offshore outsourcing and manufacturing in India has created immense opportunities for investment and international commerce. With a huge population of highly skilled and motivated English-speaking graduates, India offers the international business world much more than just financial incentives.

Taj Majal x drew i Top Tips for Doing Business in India

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Indian people place a very high value on relationships and will expect to spend time building trust and respect with new partners before doing business. Indians tend to feel most comfortable working with those they know and trust, so it is essential that you invest time in developing solid professional and personal relationships when doing business in India.

India is a nation of contrasts, with enormous geographic, linguistic, religious and cultural diversity. You will encounter some differences depending on where your Indian counterparts are located but the following tips will help you ensure that you maximise your opportunities for doing business in India.

  • Take time to make friendly small talk at the start of a meeting. Asking questions about your counterparts’ families is a good way to build rapport and establish trust.
  • Use the appropriate title when addressing your Indian colleagues.
  • Business meetings usually start with a handshake but avoid shaking the hand of female colleagues unless initiated by them.
  • Remember that ‘yes’ may not always mean ‘yes’. Indians tend to avoid saying ‘no’ as it can cause them to lose face.
  • Try to avoid expressing disagreement directly as this can also cause loss of face.
  • Be patient. Business often takes longer in India but do your best not to show frustration or anger.
  • Be aware that India is home to many different religions, all of which may impact business in slightly different ways.
  • When entertaining, bear in mind that most Indians are traditionally vegetarian and do not drink alcohol.
  • Small gifts from your own culture are always appreciated but it is advisable not to give expensive gifts.
  • Do your research ahead of time. India is an immense country with many cultural differences from north to south. Read about where your counterparts come from to understand more about their background, traditions and customs.

Considering and respecting the top tips for doing business in India above is the first step towards building effective relationships with your Indian counterparts. Participating in a cross cultural awareness training course such as Doing Business in India will give you a deeper insight to the cultural differences you may find in India and the ability to anticipate and manage them effectively.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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May 09

Cultural Intelligence: A Necessity for Working Effectively across Cultures

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

Doing business with colleagues, clients and partners from around the globe is now commonplace for many professionals. While some of us frequently travel abroad to do business with colleagues in a different cultural background on a daily basis, others are communicating with international counterparts by phone, email or other virtual platforms.  Working effectively across cultures, whether face-to-face or virtually, requires a high level of cultural intelligence.

Business Meeting 13 track5 i Cultural Intelligence: A Necessity for Working Effectively across Cultures

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Cultural intelligence has been defined in many ways over the years, but in simple terms it is the ability to interact confidently and effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds on a social and professional level.

Cultural intelligence requires being aware of your own culture as well as cultural differences in the way that others behave and think. Many individuals, though not all, who have extensive experience travelling and working with other cultures often become “global chameleons” and develop a high level of cultural intelligence. Through experience, intercultural training initiatives and cross-cultural interactions, global chameleons are people who have learned to effectively adapt their behaviour and attitudes instinctively when working across cultures.

According to Joo-Seng Tan, Director of the Centre for Cultural Intelligence at the Nanyang Business School in Singapore, there are three key steps to developing cultural intelligence:

1. Think about culture

2. Be motivated to change your behaviour

3. Act in an appropriate way

Although these three steps seem pretty straight forward, they require a specific set of cross-cultural skills and attitudes which can be difficult to develop on your own. Most of us simply lack the knowledge to do so and, as we all know, motivating yourself can be quite hard too. Participating in a cross-cultural awareness course like Working Effectively across Cultures can help you work through these three steps and others to develop the level of cultural intelligence you require in your unique international role.

Experienced cross-cultural experts will not only tell you more about different cultural values, such as how attitudes to time, tasks or risk might impact your working relationships, but they will also help you to reflect about your own cultural identity to increase your self-awareness. By sharing with you anecdotes and first hand experiences and discussing your own, they will help you to identify differences and similarities between cultures so that you start to understand how to respond appropriately in each cultural context.

Cultural intelligence is important for anyone working across cultures, but it is particularly beneficial for international managers and global business leaders. Culturally intelligent managers are able to see how their employees behave in different cultural settings and understand what they expect. Culturally intelligent managers have the ability, as Tan suggests, to “create a new mental framework for understanding what they experience”, which allows them to consider how working practices and communication styles could be different when working across cultures. A high level of cultural intelligence helps them to create a positive environment, harness team member’s skills and develop high performing teams that will deliver the best results when working across cultures.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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May 06

Understanding the World of ‘Third Culture Kids’

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

What do Yoko Ono, Carlos Fuente and Barack Obama all have in common? A shared cultural identity based on similar upbringings: they are Third Culture Kids.

Third Culture Kids spend their developmental years in a fusion of multiple cultures, typically growing up in countries different from their parents’ ‘passport country’. Dr. Ruth Hill Useem first coined the phrase in the 1950s when she was conducting primary research on American children in India. Useem recognised that children growing up in this fusion of cultures exhibited elements of their parents’ cultural background as well as facets of their immediate cultural surroundings, thereby creating their own ‘third culture’.

Flower Tulips Maria Pavlova i Understanding the World of ‘Third Culture Kids’

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TCKs have an innate open-mindedness and cross-cultural awareness that significantly helps them to cope with their unique cultural make-up and use it to their advantage. They usually come from globally mobile groups such as expatriate communities, the military, governmental bodies or missionaries.

When parents decide to accept an international assignment they must consider the long-term impact that exposure to multiple cultures will have on their children. Unlike adults, children and teenagers can be more deeply affected by their experiences abroad. Why? Because, unlike their parents, they are in a natural process of developing their identity.  Exposure to multiple cultures at an early age means that each new experience will be embedded in their identities for life. This is a key characteristic of TCKs and a massively potential tool for their future professional lives. Given the implications that international assignments can have on families, spouse and family training can be worth its weight in gold.

The TCK community is vast. TCKid, a non-profit community supporting TCKs around the world, welcomes over 21,000 website members, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Every TCK possesses a unique multicultural identity but they are all able to lay claim to a common TCK identity. Common behavioural characteristics of TCKs might include the ability to:

  • Build cultural bridges easily
  • Integrate well into new surroundings
  • Adapt well to unfamiliar situations
  • Pick up new languages with ease
  • Adopt an open-minded and flexible approach with others
  • Demonstrate maturity at an earlier age than their non-TCK peers

Although TCKs tend to have a high level of cross-cultural awareness, they also have a concerning identity dilemma. TCKs live in a dichotomy of worlds. They identify with an abundance of cultures but yet they are unable to take full ownership of any. As they get older, questions such as ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Where is home?’ becoming increasingly difficult to answer. For a TCK, home is everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

TCKs have little experience in domestic schools where peers do not fully appreciate their multicultural backgrounds. Often on repatriation to their ‘passport countries’, this can sometimes push them to the fringes of social groups where they are misunderstood or simply do not feel like they fit in. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is common to find TCKs who possess a deep-rooted wanderlust.

Third Culture Kids are Third Culture Kids for life. When they can recognise their own TCK behaviours, feelings and identity traits they are more likely to realise that they do in fact share a common ground with others. TCKs of all ages can manage their cross-cultural awareness and unique multicultural identities and use them to their advantage rather than a restraint, throughout life.

Parents and TCKs alike can benefit immensely from spouse and family training programmes before, during and after an international assignment. Culture for relocation programmes like these provide opportunities to discuss the challenges of each international assignment and develop strategies for the whole family to ensure they effectively adjust to their new environment, no matter how many cultures may be present.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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