THE CULTURAL COACH
Learning to Manage Cultural Shades
by Linda Wallace on 07/06/11
Show a photo of a person standing in front of a group to Asian business executives, and they are likely to believe that the man or woman is an “outcast.” Many Asian cultures are collectivistic, which means members tend to think of themselves as interdependent. The goal is to become a cohesive group – not to stand alone. In the United States, however, the cultural lens differs in the world of business. Show this same photo to American executives and they are far more likely to conclude the person standing by himself is a leader. In individualistic cultures, the ties and responsibilities between individuals are looser. Standing out or standing alone may be framed positively.
Michael W. Morris, the Chavkin-Chang Professor of Leadership Management at Columbia University Business School uses this illustration to explain the phenomenon of cultural shades, which are the lenses we carrying with us to help make sense of the world.
Our cultural shades may automatically tap into the data base of cultural values, beliefs, customs and mindsets when we meet new people or analyze complex political issues. This explains why racial and cultural groups can look at the same data – or same televised footage - yet reach differing conclusions.
Following Hurricane Katrina, for example, two-thirds of African-Americans said that the government's response would have been faster if most of the storm's victims had been white. More than three-quarters of whites (77 percent) believed race would not have made a difference.
So whose cultural lens is right? Well, we don’t know until we do some additional detective work. Most of us, however, never go out hunting for facts that do not support our beliefs. Instead, we assume that our cultural view is right, and it is the only one that matters. When there are pieces of a cultural puzzle we can't see, we are left with a blind spot, and these blind spots lead to acts of bias, discrimination and communication breakdowns.
Many colleges and universities and employers are addressing these issues by developing cultural competencies – skills which give individuals tools to help manage cultural differences and work as collaborators. Cultural shades, much like sunglasses, may make it harder for individuals to clearly see barriers right in front of them – especially when they are in unfamiliar places.
Even so, we still need our cultural shades. They enable us to make snap decisions and process information quickly as we go through the work day. They empower us to be more productive. We don't want to get rid of them; rather we need to develop the skills to manage them effectively. Once we inventory of our cultural lenses, we become more fully aware of our blind spots and learn how to compensate.
Over the last two decades, I have interviewed hundreds of people; worker bees, CEOs, community bridge builders, and academic leaders. I’ve used their insights to develop a list of cultural skills that are required to succeed in offices and boardrooms today:
Characteristics of a culturally competent worker:
Ø Emotionally controlled: Makes an effort to control and monitor her or his emotions in tense situations
. Ø Reflective: Applies learned techniques and strategies to assess and improve effectiv\eness.
Ø Self-sufficient: Easily identifies the special skills needed to interact effectively with other cultures.
Ø Culturally agile: Willing to view situations through the cultural lenses of other peoples and nations. He or she uses this expanded view to gather facts and determine strategy. Cultural insights are used to help build and maintain effective working relationships.
Ø Empathetic: Senses and responds to the emotions of colleagues.
Ø Patient: Willing to understand those who are slow or resistant learners.
Ø Culturally literate: Seeks knowledge and information about a diversity of cultures and special populations.
Ø Tolerant of ambiguity: Recognizes and accepts that ambiguity exists. It is possible that a culture that loves freedom may enslave other people.
Ø Willing to audit mistakes: He or she understands that mistakes provide opportunities for learning and skill development; demonstrates the courage to share her or his weaknesses.
Cultural Competency @ Work
by Linda Wallace on 03/30/11
Rick James, president of Castle Retail Group in Memphis, is a man on a mission. He wants to know what his customers need and how his business must change to gain their loyalty. The recession has hit James’ customers in the wallet, where it hurts the most. Families that put national brands in the grocery cart a few years ago are picking up generic brands today to save money . Memphians are working harder to get the most from every dollar, said James. Castle Retail Group, which operates Midtown Piggly Wiggly at 1620 Madison, is rebranding its Midtown store - one of the city’s oldest, continuously operating businesses – to increase its appeal to value-conscious shoppers. On March 30 and 31, the Midtown Piggly Wiggly will close its doors so employees and suppliers can re-price every item in stock. When the 62,000-square-foot store reopens on Friday, April 1 – April Fools’ Day – the store will have lower prices and a new name: Cash Saver Cost Plus Food Outlet. “There is not going to be a lot of changes inside the store,” James explained in an interview this week. “A new sign in the front of the building, and signage inside to help customers understand how this pricing works for them. We are not going to change the look of the building. We have got to contain our costs. This is not about fixtures. It is not about adding an extra coat of paint. It is about getting customers the best prices we can.” Castle Retail Group's Midtown store serves an eclectic group of customers. As an African American, I felt an immediate sense of comfort in this store. My favorite brands - like Glory Foods - line the shelves and I can find an array of products for my frizzy hair. This communicates to women who look like me that we are welcome, valued and respected - much more so than polite words like "please" and "thank you". I asked James how these products found their way onto his shelves. He said the lines of ethnic products grew over time as employees brought customer recommendations to him. “I listen to the people who listen to my customers.," he said, adding that his stores were among the first in the area to advertise vegetables from Glory Foods, a black-owned company. The vegetables sell well in his stores, and now are popular with many Southerners. “I like the black-eyed peas,” James shared. We agreed. They are yummy. Here's what is interesting. It wasn't as easy as we'd think to get these vegetables into the store. James and his staff had to work really hard to get the item picked up so the customers would have it available. They were the first local store to advertise Glory in the circular. They had to take other risks too. "We kind of shed our fear," James said. "In a lot of cases a retailer wants to establish themselves as vanilla ice cream. It may be your favorite flavor…everybody kind of likes it and you don’t want to make people uncomfortable. However, we merchandise and advertise for the vast majority of our customers. I think absolutely, when we made the call to look for those items, that was the right strategy."
