The “Secret Handshake” of the Canadian Workplace

By: Nava Israel, PhD

Founder and President

Facts

Baby boomers on their way out…

… while babies aren’t on their way in

Recent generations aren’t keen about

high-demand professions

Growth will exceed current supply of existing/local talent

Facts

War for talent or not, immigrant professionals still struggle to gain meaningful

jobs.

Facts

Language, communication and soft skills are highly culture-driven

Employers report these to be one of the major barriers to professional employmentRealistic?Perceived?

The “Fit factor” is a powerful decision maker in the Canadian labour market

Employers tend to hire in their own image

Facts

As international professionals, we have little awareness of our language and cultural competency gaps

Facts

Can you share examples of

Canadian peculiarities (strange behaviours)?

Question:

The Universe and I

Diversity Variations

Equality-Driven

“Liberté, égalité, fraternité”

(Liberty, equality, brotherhood)

Hierarchy-Driven

“Know your place”

What “Equality” think of → “Hierarchy”

• Employee = problematic: doesn’t discuss or consult, shows no initiative, a poor critical thinker, unprofessional, unethical, unable to explain and justify recommendations

• Manager = nightmare: arrogant, micromanages, ordering around, offensive, unprofessional, unethical, unable to motivate, unable to explain and justify decisions

What “Hierarchy” think of → “Equality”

• Employee = problematic: disrespectful to superiors, doesn’t know own place, argumentative, a poor critical thinker, unprofessional, risky

• Manager = nightmare: doesn’t know what needs to be done; undermines own authority; suspiciously “too nice”; wasting time explaining and justifying decisions; unprofessional, risky

“Hierarchy” “Equality”

Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

Individualist

“The sky is the limit; it is up to me to get there and let everyone know I did it”

Collectivist

“The whole of the collective is greater than the sum of its

individuals”

and “There is no ‘I’ in the collective”

Diversity Variations

What “individualists” think of → “collectivists”

• Never speak of own achievements and strengths = a very poor performer

• No interest in self development = stagnant, outdated• Needs to be micromanaged, no initiative • Poor team member: either waits to be given

responsibilities or oversteps boundaries • Unable to ask critical questions; poor critical thinker• Can’t excite about own ideas, can’t persuade • Either makes no attempts at building relationships or

oversteps personal boundaries

• No modesty, behaves like a rude child, showing-off• Openly admits to own shortcomings, poor critical thinker• Takes liberties with things that wasn’t asked to do; puts

everyone at risks• Terrible team member; works in isolation, unhelpful to

others• Takes credit without acknowledging the team• Disruptive to relationships and harmony• Tries to persuade using logic instead of relationships;

won’t get anywhere

What “collectivists” think of → “individualists”

“Individualist” “Collectivists”

Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

Client-Driven

“The customer is always right” and “Convince me”

Expert-Driven

“The expert knows best”

Diversity Variations

What “client driven” think of → “expert driven”

• Never speak of own achievements and strengths = a very poor performer

• No interest in self development = stagnant, outdated• Needs to be micromanaged, no initiative • Poor team member: either waits to be given

responsibilities or oversteps boundaries • Unable to ask critical questions; poor critical thinker• Can’t excite about own ideas, can’t persuade • Either makes no attempts at building relationships or

oversteps personal boundaries

• Employee = problematic: disrespectful to superiors, doesn’t know own place, argumentative, a poor critical thinker, unprofessional, risky

• Manager = nightmare: doesn’t know what needs to be done; undermines own authority; suspiciously “too nice”; wasting time explaining and justifying decisions; unprofessional, risky

What “expert driven” think of → “client driven”

“Individualist” “Collectivists”

Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

Confrontation-Driven

“Talk to me” and

“Better out then in”

Avoidance-Driven

“Let sleeping dogs lie” and “Conflict is inevitable, but

combat is unwise”

Diversity Variations

“Confrontation” “Avoidance”

Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

Feedback-Hungry

“Feedback is the breakfast of champions”

Feedback-Averse

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at

all”

Diversity Variations

“Feedback” “No feedback”

Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

Informal

“talk 2 U later”

Formal

“Respectfully yours”

Diversity Variations

“Informal” “Formal”

Where is the Canadian workplace along this scale?

Building Your Cultural Intelligence

Step 1: See the need and recognize benefits

Building Your Cultural Intelligence

Step 2: Let go of ethno/self-centric thinking

Building Your Cultural Intelligence

Step 3: Look around, listen and learn

Building Your Cultural Intelligence

Step 4: Try new behaviours

Building Your Cultural Intelligence

Step 5: Seek guidance and feedback

One thing I would like to improve…One thing I could do to improve my…