Global Cultural Awareness at Work

Today’s workplace requires not only good qualifications and personal competences but also global cultural awareness skills. Successful professionals are skilled at dealing not only with multiple personalities but also being able to work in multi-cultural teams. In fact, good managers ensure their teams are a good balance of introverted and extroverted team players from diverse backgrounds. In healthy teams with good group dynamics,  each member brings their specific strength to the collective goal. The bold, creative extroverts compliment the analytical, careful introverts although they might be each other's allergy. 

 

Even though we live in an individualistic world, being a team player is important as is, being able to give and receive constructive feedback.  Not only does this enhance the exchange of information and generate more ideas, it also strengthens individual personal and professional growth. The need is for being a team player is even stronger now that so much occurs online which makes communication just that bit more difficult due to tech issues and sound delays.

Personal development involves life-long learning because as times are changing rapidly, with technology taking over certain tasks, and with a global workforce, talent can be recruited from all over the globe, making competition tough.  As we spend a large majority of our time at work, enjoying what we do is essential. Work, as an integral part of our lives gives purpose and  meaning to our intellectual skills plus builds  soft-skills as we interact daily with people different to ourselves. In multi-cultural societies, work is the best way for immigrants to integrate into a culture and learn a new language. Healthy work environments provide challenge but simultaneously, also a social playground for building relationships where values are placed on reciprocity, trust, cooperation and team playing.  Feeling valued and valuing others facilitates self-development and healthy competitive team work encourages sharing the load fairly.  As long as there is still space for autonomy, healthy competitive work floors and teams teach cooperation, unselfishness and skill development.  

However, an overkill of competition can disturb individuals' work life balance.  Too much competition brings office politics into play, conflicts arise and working environments become stressful or psychologically unhealthy. Work groups and teams are just like families and just as sibling rivalry in families creates conflict, so too does career elbow pushing to get to the top or  be the best disrupt balance.  At work, just as in families we often have to blend into complex situations  unwillingly because in both places, we are confronted by people who are willing to say or do anything to get the upper hand.

Expertise in dealing with difficult behaviors of individual personalities or understanding group dynamics is not a skill you can learn in a book. While theory might explain the why's, only experience teaches us the practical skills. When dealing with multiple personalities and cultures,  it is good to realize that one cannot keep every individual happy all the time. Additionally, while  tolerance and understanding are key to avoiding conflict, the latter should not always be side-stepped. That is because conflicts are functional in encouraging introspection on all sides. When team members are mature enough to express frustrations or disappointment (within reason), conflicts can clear the air and put everyone on the same page again. Acknowledging ones own strengths and weaknesses and their effects on others is a learning curve everyone should be courageous and mature enough to take. Holding back, denying the problem or allowing things to escalate does not embolden team spirit or individual motivation. I often ask those climbing the career ladder "what was the biggest mistake you made last year and what did you learn from it?" The answers provide ample insight into the ability of someone to self-reflect. The ones that want to grow readily provide an example, whilst those who have only competition on the mind or insecurities to overcome will struggle.  It takes an agile mind to self reflect and to blend into teams when those around you speak a different language. have another culture and background with norms and values different to your own.