cc understanding cross cultural business nigel paterson pmb 15 5 2012

Understanding Cross-Cultural Business

Dr.Nigel PatersonPeople Management Breakfast

at Dutton Gregory Solicitors, Winchester15th May 2012

Introduction • Various models of culture exist. This presentation

explores concepts within the Lewis model, which has the advantage of being highly visual.

• The main concept is that many important cultural differences can be described within a triangle bounded by three categories of culture.

• Various other concepts have been developed within this model, of which this presentation gives a taster.

What is culture?

Culture is collective

Stereotyping (1)

“The Japanese are ultra-polite.”

assumptions:1. This is a stereotypical sentence.2. Therefore it is not true.3. The truth lies somewhere else.

Stereotyping (2)

)

1. A stereotype does not based on

2. Is it true?

BUT (defence)

1.A stereotype does not come from nowhere.

2.Therefore it comes from somewhere.

3.What is that somewhere based on?

4.Is it true?

Stereotyping (3)

© 2001, 2011 Richard D Lewis

The Lewis model

Linear-active culture

A culture whose people are task-oriented, highly-organized planners, preferring to do one thing at a time in the sequence shown in their diary.

Multi-active culture

An extrovert, people-oriented culture whose members tend to do many things at once, often in an unplanned order.

Reactiveculture

An introvert, respect-oriented culture whose people are reluctant to initiate firm action or opinionated discussion, preferring to listen to and establish the other’s position, then react to it and formulate their own.

© 2001, 2011 Richard D Lewis

Cultural categories

Concepts of time

Linear-active

Multi-active&

Reactive

Linear-active – Reactive horizons

© 2001, 2009 Richard D Lewis

Listening habits

France

© 2001, 2009 Richard D Lewis

National communication patterns (1)

Japan

© 2001, 2009 Richard D Lewis

National communication patterns (2)

France

Golden rules for interacting with linear-active people (1)

• Talk and listen in equal proportions.• Do one thing at a time.• Be polite but direct.• Partly conceal your feelings.• Use logic and rationality.• Interrupt anyone only rarely.• Stick to the facts.• Concentrate on the deal.• Prioritise truth over diplomacy.• Follow rules, regulations and laws.• Speech is for information.

Golden rules for interacting with linear-active people (2)

• Maintain close word-deed correlation.• Stay results-oriented.• Stick to the agenda.• Compromise to achieve a deal.• Respect officialdom.• Respect contracts and the written word.• Reply quickly to written communication or

emails.• Restrain your body language.• Look for short-term profit.• Be punctual.

Golden rules for interacting with multi-active people (1)

• Let them talk at length.• Reply fully.• Be prepared to do several things at once.• Be prepared for several people talking at once.• Display feelings and emotion.• People and feelings are more important than

facts.• Interrupt when you like.• Truth is flexible and situational.• Be diplomatic rather than direct.• Speech is for sharing opinions.• Be gregarious and sociable.

Golden rules for interacting with multi-active people (2)

• Think aloud.• Digress from the agenda and explore

interesting ideas.• Seek and give favours with key people.• Remain relationship-oriented.• The spoken word is important.• Contracts may often be renegotiated later.• Reputation is as important as profit.• Expect and use overt body language and

tactility.• Accept their unpunctuality.

Golden rules for interacting with reactive people (1)

• Good listening is important.• Do not interrupt.• Do not confront.• Do not cause anyone to lose face.• Do not disagree openly.• Suggestions, especially criticism, must be

indirect.• Be ambiguous, so as to leave options open.• Statements are promises.• Prioritise diplomacy over truth.• Follow rules but interpret them flexibly.• Speech is to promote harmony.

Golden rules for interacting with reactive people (2)

• Share as much as you can.• Utilise networks.• Talk slowly.• Do things at appropriate times.• Do not rush or pressure them.• Observe fixed power distances and hierarchy.• Show exaggerated respect for older people.• Go over things several times.• Face-to-face contact is important.• Work hard at building trust.• Long term profit is preferable.• Be punctual.

Conclusion

• A grasp of cultural differences can make it possible to alter one’s own behaviour and be much better prepared for differences of cultural behaviour shown by others.

• This is not about make judgements but about understanding and respecting others better.

• This provides a useful model, not a law or a formula.

References

• Lewis, R. (2006). When cultures collide: Leading across cultures (3rd ed.). London: Nicholas Brealey.

• Lewis, R. (2008). Cross-cultural communication: A visual approach (2nd ed.) Warnford, Hampshire: Transcreen.

• Lewis, R. (2011). Cross-culture: The Lewis model (2nd ed.). Warnford, Hampshire: Richard Lewis Communications. (booklet)