Newsletter 29 - 16 August 2005

Effective Cross-Cultural Communication This is the newsletter for www.mindtools.com. You have received this newsletter because you have subscribed to our double opt-in newsletter. This newsletter is published by James Manktelow of Mind Tools Ltd, Hardwick House, Prospect Place, Swindon, SN1 3LJ, United Kingdom. To contact us, please email us from this page

Contents: In This Issue... Cross-Cultural Communication Stress Resources Survey Results A Sane Satisfying Working Life Mind Tools Store A Final Note

In this issue, we look at cross-culture communications, responding to a Mind Tools newsletter reader’s request for help. We look at how business people can deal more effectively with foreign cultures and highlight what can be done to enhance communications when individuals of varying locations, backgrounds and cultures come together to reach a common goal.

And, it seems many of our readers remain concerned about the level of stress in their lives, both at home and in the workplace. We get ongoing requests for information that will more effectively combat stress. Because of this, are sharing some exciting news about stress management with our Mind Tools newsletter readers.

We also announce the names of the survey participants who won Amazon.com gift certificates. Thanks to all who participated. We look forward to doing this again soon.

Also in this issue, we share with you an interesting guest article from Patricia Soldati, entitled “A Sane, Satisfying Working Life: Why You Lost It And How To Get It Back.” Former President and COO of a national finance organization, Soldati re-invented her own working life in 1999 and now, as a career fulfillment specialist, she helps corporate professionals enhance their own working lives.

And please remember, we encourage you to share the information in these newsletters with anyone in your organization who you think would benefit from it. We also hope you will let us know if there is any topic you would like to see covered, or any applicable service or product you would like to read more about. We remain committed to providing you with tools that help you reach new heights of success and to do this, we rely on your feedback.

Best wishes, and enjoy this issue!

James & Kellie

Effective Cross Culture Communication - Collaborative Efforts a Must!
By Kellie Fowler and James Manktelow

“We didn’t all come over on the same ship, but we’re all in the same boat.”
                – Bernard Baruch, American financier and statesman

It’s no secret that today’s workplace is rapidly becoming vast, as the business environment expands to include various geographic locations and span numerous cultures. What can be difficult, however, is understanding how to communicate effectively with individuals who speak another language or who rely on different means to reach a common goal.

Cross-Cultural Communication – The New Norm

The Internet and modern technology have opened up new marketplaces, and allow us to promote our businesses to new geographic locations and cultures. And given that it can now be as easy to work with people remotely as it is to work face-to-face, cross-cultural communication is increasingly the new norm.

After all, if communication is electronic, it’s as easy to work with someone in another country as it is to work with someone in the next town.

And why limit yourself to working with people within convenient driving distance when, just as conveniently, you can work with the most knowledgeable people in the entire world?

For those of us who are native English-speakers, it is fortunate that English seems to be the language that people use if they want to reach the widest possible audience. However, even for native English speakers, cross-cultural communication can be an issue: Just witness the mutual incomprehension that can sometimes arise between people from different English-speaking countries.

In this new world, good cross-cultural communication is a must.

Understanding Cultural Diversity

Given different cultural contexts, this brings new communication challenges to the workplace. Even when employees located in different locations or offices speak the same language (for instance, correspondences between English-speakers in the U.S. and English-speakers in the UK), there are some cultural differences that should be considered in an effort to optimize communications between the two parties.

In such cases, an effective communication strategy begins with the understanding that the sender of the message and the receiver of the message are from different cultures and backgrounds. Of course, this introduces a certain amount of uncertainty, making communications even more complex.

Without getting into cultures and sub-cultures, it is perhaps most important for people to realize that a basic understanding of cultural diversity is the key to effective cross-cultural communications. Without necessarily studying individual cultures and languages in detail, we must all learn how to better communicate with individuals and groups whose first language, or language of choice, does not match our own.

Developing Awareness of Individual Cultures

However, some learning the basics about culture and at least something about the language of communication in different countries is important. This is necessary even for the basic level of understanding required to engage in appropriate greetings and physical contact, which can be a tricky area inter-culturally. For instance, kissing a business associate is not considered an appropriate business practice in the U.S., but in Paris, one peck on each cheek is an acceptable greeting. And, the handshake that is widely accepted in the U.S. is not recognized in all other cultures.

While many companies now offer training in the different cultures where the company conducts business, it is important that employees communicating across cultures practice patience and work to increase their knowledge and understanding of these cultures. This requires the ability to see that a person’s own behaviors and reactions are oftentimes culturally driven and that while they may not match are own, they are culturally appropriate.

If a leader or manager of a team that is working across cultures or incorporates individuals who speak different languages, practice different religions, or are members of a society that requires a new understanding, he or she needs to work to convey this.

Consider any special needs the individuals on your team may have. For instance, they may observe different holidays, or even have different hours of operation. Be mindful of time zone differences and work to keep everyone involved aware and respectful of such differences.

Generally speaking, patience, courtesy and a bit of curiosity go a long way. And, if you are unsure of any differences that may exist, simply ask team members. Again, this may best be done in a one-on-one setting so that no one feels “put on the spot” or self-conscious, perhaps even embarrassed, about discussing their own needs or differences or needs.

Demand Tolerance

Next, cultivate and demand understanding and tolerance. In doing this, a little education will usually do the trick. Explain to team members that the part of the team that works out of the Australia office, for example, will be working in a different time zone, so electronic communications and/or return phone calls will experience a delay. And, members of the India office will also observe different holidays (such as Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday, observed on Oct. 2).

Most people will appreciate the information and will work hard to understand different needs and different means used to reach common goals. However, when this is not the case, lead by example and make it clear that you expect to be followed down a path of open-mindedness, acceptance and tolerance.

Tip: Tolerance is essential, however you need to maintain standards of acceptable behavior. The following “rules of thumb” seem universal: Team members should contribute to and not hinder the team’s mission or harm the delivery to the team's customer; Team members should not damage the cohesion of the team or prevent it from becoming more effective; and Team members should not unnecessarily harm the interests of other team members. Other factors (such as national law) are obviously important.

When dealing with people in a different culture, courtesy and goodwill can also go a long way in ensuring successful communication. Again, this should be insisted on.

If your starting point in solving problems is to assume that communication has failed, you’ll find that many problems are quickly resolved.

Keep It Simple

When you communicate, keep in mind that even though English is considered the international language of business, it is a mistake to assume that every businessperson speaks good English. In fact, only about half of the 800 million people who speak English learned it as a first language. And, those who speak it as a second language are often more limited than native speakers.

When you communicate cross-culturally, make particular efforts to keeping your communication clear, simple and unambiguous.

And (sadly) avoid humor until you know that the person you’re communicating with “gets it” and isn’t offended by it. Humor is notoriously culture-specific: Many things that pass for humor in one culture can be seen as grossly offensive in another.

And Get Help If You Need It
Finally, if language barriers present themselves, it may be in every one’s best interest to employ a reliable, experienced translator.

Because English is not the first language of many international businesspeople, their use of the language may be peppered with culture-specific or non-standard English phrases, which can hamper the communication process. Again, having a translator on hand (even if just during the initial phases of work) may be the best solution here. The translator can help everyone involved to recognize cultural and communication differences and ensure that all parties, regardless of geographic location and background, come together and stay together through successful project completion.

For additional information on effective communications, cross-culture communications and more visit the Mind Tools site at: http://www.mindtools.com/page8.html.

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Tools Reviewed: Stress Management Resources

A certain amount of stress comes with success. The trick is to keep this level in check, or at a reasonable minimum, while working to effectively deal with the necessary stressors that you are inevitably faced with.

At Mind Tools, we recognize stress as a part of day-to-day life; both in the workplace and beyond, which is why our team has been hard-at-work reconstructing the Mind Tools stress Website. We have crafted new copy for the site, added additional resources, provided information on services and products – all of which will help you to determine your stressors and control them, while focusing your energies on your career and your success.

With more than 100 articles aimed at managing job stress, the site boasts more than a new look, it beams with additional tools that will help individuals, teams, even heads of HR/Personnel Departments to ensure stress is controlled, so strong results can be met.

As with the Mind Tools site, our stress site is organized into modules, with each dealing with a different aspect of stress, including:

• Understanding Stress
• Causes of Stress
• Overload
• Problem Jobs
• Problem People
• Your Environment
• Building Defenses
• Performance Stress
• Think Stress Away
• Relaxation Techniques
• Avoid Burnout
• References

Similar to the original Mind Tools site, each module is followed by applicable articles and resources, making the site as comprehensive as the Mind Tools site. And, at the top of the right hand column of each page, we provide links to the Mind Tools online stress management training courses, downloadable MP3s, as well as Mind Tools career coaching services.

If you’re familiar with the Mind Tools site, navigating the stress management site will be a breeze and the results, we believe, will be exceptional.

Coinciding with these exciting changes to the Mind Tools Stress site are changes and updates to the Stress Management Masterclass. This is still in the final stages of development, but will soon be ready for viewing and sharing with your colleagues and friends. We’ll provide more information on the Stress Management Masterclass in upcoming newsletters, so stay tuned!

Visit the Stress Management from Mind Tools site at http://www.mindtools.com/smpage.html.

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Mind Tools Survey: Winners Receive Amazon.com Certificates

Thank you to everyone who took part in July’s newsletter survey and our follow up research! It has been extremely valuable for understanding more about you and what you want from Mind Tools.

One of the real pleasures of the research was to confirm that there is such a wealth of experience and a passion for personal development among our readers. With the clarity we’ve gained about your wants and needs, we are now developing new career skills with focus on what you find most useful. And yes, we also understand that you’re very busy – so we’re working hard to make sure material is quick- and easy-to-use!

We were excited by the level of interest expressed in a new Career Excellence Club. We are continuing to work hard behind the scenes on this proposition – with renewed energy and some great suggestions from you! Watch this space for further announcements in coming months.

We were also interested to hear about how you like to learn, with a strong interest in audio and coach-lead learning. This confirms our plans to bring more “blended learning” to our programs, and we will continue to expand our range of teleclasses, e-classes and coach-supported learning. Again, you’ll see more on this over the next few months.

With all this focus on new paid-for services, we’d just like to assure you that we remain 100% committed to providing excellent free content on our web-site and in this newsletter - this was a question that one reader asked.

The principle here is that we can continue to deliver free material because it is funded by our paid-for, in-depth services. With both together, we can continue to develop the high quality materials and resources you expect from us.

And thank you also for the many other thoughtful suggestions. You’ll see the results of many of these rolled out over the next few months.

Which (cue drum-roll) brings us to the awarding of the $100 Amazon.com vouchers for the survey draw. We’re very pleased to award these to the following randomly-selected survey respondents: Chanda Musa, Frances Weeks, Suseelah, Jorge G Medina and Lynne Cardinal. We’ll be sending the vouchers through over the next few days.

Thank you to all respondents for your help!

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Guest Article: A Sane, Satisfying Working Life: Why You Lost It And How To Get It Back
By Patricia Soldati, former President & COO of a national finance organization

As a corporate professional, you can pay dearly for your paycheck and perks - you can pay with your soul. Here’s a look at the underlying forces that can cause you to settle for the relentless grind, and give you seven straightforward steps to craft a better working life.

“Corporate life” can be a nasty oxymoron.

Jam-packed days; endless demands to do more with less; impossible goals; rally the troops; jump on a plane; miss your kid’s birthday.

You may know these painful facts all too well. An existence? Yes. A path to a paycheck? Certainly. But, a life; a well balanced, appropriately challenged life? No way.

Is it any wonder that you may be filled with dreams of escape? You’re not alone. Recent Conference Board surveys reveal that:

• 40% of employees feel disconnected from their employers
• Two-thirds of American workers do not feel motivated to drive their employers’ business goals
• 25% of employees are just showing up for a paycheck

These surveys validate the Gallup Employee Engagement Index Poll, which finds that a majority, or 54% of workers are “not engaged” with the objectives of their organization. Even worse, 17% of employees are considered actively disengaged -- to the point of undermining what their engaged co-workers accomplish.

Why, then, do so many people stay in jobs they dislike so intensely?

The obvious answer is the pay and the perks. But the real reasons go deeper, and involve the dynamics of fear, procrastination and the challenge of finding the voice that shouts: “I deserve better!”

Underneath The Pay And Perks

In Western culture, we learn early to conform to fit inside the lines. Not that this is always bad, but it holds up the larger group as the ideal, and ignores one’s personal style and values, which lie at the heart of being fulfilled in work and life.

This conformity is reinforced as we’re urged to get a steady job. We’re rewarded for being a team player, and by default, to feel a little guilty if we exhibit behavior that serves our own desires. Before you know it, the familiarity of co-workers and routine creates a warped kind of comfort zone that causes you to suck it up day after day. After all, pain often feels better than S-C-A-R-E-Y old change.

Pretty soon, blaming the corporation becomes a way of life. It’s satisfying to be right, to join your colleagues in those misery-loves-company, finger-pointing moments. There is an endless stockpile of urgent work and not every manager is a gifted leader. While venting has some value, this is a good example of what psychologists call “learned helplessness” on the part of employees who feel powerless to make even small changes to improve their working lives.

Finally, there’s the sobering “How do I begin to fix this?” challenge. Like the deer in headlights, there seem to be many directions to move. How do I choose? What are the consequences? How long will it take? Not knowing these answers is one more reason for stoically marching in place.

It’s a rough pickle. But the answer doesn’t lie in settling for more of the same. Fulfillment requires a shift in perception that shouts: “I deserve better!” And the conviction that it is entirely permissible to go after what you want.

How To Save Your Soul

Unfortunately, no magic formula can deliver an ideal working life. The answer is different for each of you. To explore that answer, follow these simple steps:

1. Separate the notion of exploring your options from acting on them. This will remove the fear factor and allow you to more fully explore and evaluate all of your options.
   
2. On a regular basis, give yourself quiet time to think about your working life. Try 15 or 30 minutes per week, while you’re commuting or at the gym. Consider what is and is not working. Be as specific as possible.
   
3. Mentally play with what a more fulfilling work life might look like: Staying where you are and making boundary or relationship changes? Finding similar work in an organization that more closely mirrors your style and values? A more significant career change?
   
4. Work with a career coach or mentor, someone who understands both the realities of the corporate world and the possibilities around career fulfillment. Feedback and dialogue will help you clarify your goals and generate a broader set of options in a shorter time.
   
5. Clarify and visualize what you hope to gain as a result of any changes you make. If your gain is not greater than the pain of staying the same, you will not progress.
   
6. When you are ready, move from thinking into action. Set clear, specific goals and slowly integrate the changes you make. If you struggle with moving into action, ask: “What is in the way?” and “How can I move beyond this obstacle?”
   
7. Inspire yourself with daily readings and by surrounding yourself with positive people who take responsibility for their lives; avoid complainers and other negative influences.

There are many ways to improve your working life -- and all of them are rooted in your willingness to grant a small bit of magnificence to your life and shout: “I’m worth it!” All by itself, your decision to explore is empowering and, potentially, life-changing.

Patricia Soldati is a former President & COO of a national finance organization who re-invented her working life in 1999. As a career fulfillment specialist, she helps corporate professionals enhance their working lives.

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The Mind Tools Store:

• Design Your Life E-Class: This e-class helps you think through what you want to do with your life, and helps you set the powerful, compelling goals you need to achieve your ambitions.
  More >>
  
  
• Mind Tools Relaxation MP3s: Download 15-minutes of intense relaxation in MP3 format with our relaxation MP3s. Put stress behind you, and face the rest of your day with renewed energy and enthusiasm. More >>
  
  
• Personal Coaching from Career Excellence Professionals: Find career and life direction, bring your job under control, build self-confidence and put yourself on the path to long term success with a Mind Tools coach. Our coaches give you the focused personal coaching you need to make the very most of your career and life. More >>
  
  
• The Mind Tools E-book: All of the articles on the Mind Tools website in one convenient, easily-downloadable, easily-printable PDF file. We have excluded advertising to enhance clarity and have formatted sections to be easy to read, print and use. More >>
  
  
• Make Time for Success!: Make Time for Success teaches the 39 essential time management and personal productivity techniques that help you bring your workload under control and maximize your effectiveness, so that you can make the most of the opportunities open to you. More >>
  
  
• The Stress Management Masterclass: This e-book shows you how to tackle the deep structural problems that cause stress in your working life. It introduces you to relaxation techniques, shows you how to win control of your job and career, cope with politics and manage stress effectively. More >>

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A Final Note From James

By now, most of you know about the soon-to-be launched Mind Tools course on leadership, “How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You.” We’ve been hinting at a few surprises that will come along side this course and are eager to share this news with you as we feel certain you will be as excited as we are.

Next month, coinciding with the release of “How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You,” will be a bundle of supporting products, including leadership teleclasses, e-classes, a guide to leadership resources on the Web, a guide that details the top five leadership tips and another that provides important information on the top 10 leadership failures. Combined, these resources offer a comprehensive package on leadership, one we hope you rely on for many years to come, for it truly reflects years of experiences, validated research and a strong team effort (one that involved a great deal of cross-culture communicating).

In the next newsletter, look for more specific information on the leadership teleclasses and a discussion on the important, but too often misunderstood or misused tool, delegating.

Best wishes, and until next time!

James & Kellie

James Manktelow & Kellie Fowler

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