OntoSomething

Group Harmony vs. Speaking Up - China/Colombia/US

I asked the team I was working with in China to identify their strengths. The words “good communication between us” made it on the flip chart page immediately….only to add to it later a few [???} question marks. The team was identifying their struggle with managing the fine line between polite communication to maintain group harmony with the stigma of speaking openly to one another about individual needs or wants. The question marks on the page were a call for help – they had things to say to one another.

This is the opposite problem that what I tend to find In the U.S., where we often do team-building work because, frankly, in many organizations in our society we’re not that great at it. We tend to be more outspoken and highly individuated relative to the rest of the world, and therefore, are not culturally predisposed to taking into account what the group may need at any particular time.

So when working in Colombia and China last month, which are both group-oriented cultures, my group interventions tended to touch on supporting members to individuate. Specifically, how can someone show up with one’s own views, preferences, and needs, so as not to provoke a negative reaction among the others in the group? This is critical because when people don’t speak up, valuable information, ideas, and the chance for departures from the norm, are lost. Leaders in group-oriented cultures often observe employees who don’t speak up and take ownership of organizational problems.

There are a number of ways to set up and work on this issue, but a key component to the conversation is to not forget that the agreed upon behavior (as in “we agree that we will give and receive constructive feedback to another”) must be actively supported by each person in the context of their culture. Indeed, the practice may be counter-cultural. (“Culture” can refer to that of a team, an organization, region, etc.) So while the team might come up with their own set of standards around the kind of communication they most want in the team, challenging them on how they will hold themselves and each other accountable to their commitments – especially necessary in times of stress -- is the real conversation.

World Cup or American Football? …What Your Preference May Say about You

I'm enjoying the irst match of the World Cup 2010 between South Africa and Mexico match right now and remember writing a piece on the topic in 2006 (still in the Quick Tips section of the website). The piece looks at linear vs systemic thinking styles. Which are you?

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I had a green Pelé lunchbox when I was eight years old. At the time, I didn't even know who Pelé was and probably would have preferred Wonder Woman.

Times have changed. Now American kids love and play soccer more than any other youth sport. But then at about the age of 13, kids turn their attention to American football. I wonder why. Of course, most of the rest of the world loves soccer intensely ... children and adults.

What can soccer and football teach us about each other? Answer: Lots. Here's one consideration: It may reflect your approach to life.

For example: American football correlates perfectly with the overriding American thought process: Work in teams. Go straight. Push hard. Move little by little, yard by yard. At any given moment, it's mostly offensive or mostly defensive. Work out the strategy ahead of time. Push it through to the goal.

In some cultures, soccer correlates more closely with the thought process: Focus on stars and power plays. Go forward and backward according to the conditions. Manage the offensive and defensive at the same time. Change the approach as the conditions dictate. Work it around from different angles until you score.

5 Tips: How to be a Multi-Talented, Global Player -- Using Both Football and Soccer

1. Ask your colleagues and friends for personal feedback on your thought process style: football or soccer? (Do you rely on one style entirely?)

2. Experiment with your less-prevalent style. Example: Recently I was negotiating the price of an item, and we did not agree. Realizing we were stuck, I changed the subject to other aspects of the sale, returning to the issue of price at the end. (I had made no other concessions during the conversation.) Then he agreed to my desired price. Why? Soccer mentality.

3. Trust others to resolve things in their way. I regularly see people criticizing others' styles (soccer or football) up until the day that s/he receives a positive result. Then there is surprise from the criticizer, as if it was just luck! This is a sign of one-dimensional thinker.

4. When negotiating anything, focus on the outcome you both want (the goal) ...not the method. By getting underneath the positions each party holds and finding out what really matters, many more options can emerge. Ask: Why is this element important to you?

5. Strive to be equally adept at both styles (football and soccer). Then use the appropriate style depending on the circumstances. How? Meet with people you work with (your team, counterparts, clients, etc.) after resolution of issues (or ½ way through) and discuss how you work together. What worked about the styles or process? Were there moments in which a style did not work?

I like to think of thinking style preferences as part of a set of cultural preferences that each of us have based on our DNA and life experiences. Being able to identify and integrate best aspects of any given culture into one's own style helps us in that by having a wide range of skills makes life easier. It allows for more opportunity for win-win results when navigating our daily experience and lives.

I hope you enjoy the World Cup series, if that is your preference!