6.4. THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS

National influences around the problem-solving and decision-making process vary greatly and can actually be compelling or conflicting influences. For that reason, knowing one's organizational culture regarding the problem-solving process is absolutely critical. Equally important is understanding the degree to which the regional and national expressions of that corporate culture actually follow the "preferred corporate" process. An example of conflicting national styles in the problem-solving process is demonstrated in the methodical, well-thought-out suggestions in Asia and most Pacific Rim countries, which are in stark contrast to the impulsive, speedy technique of brainstorming so popular in the United States. Another national difference can be seen in the very high importance given to relationships in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and in the Middle East. National style in Pacific Rim countries leads to high use of consensus with people at middle and lower levels. This is not the case in the Middle East and Africa.

When one sees that the Pacific Rim countries and the United States rely heavily on consensus, while most of the world uses top-down decision making, it shows the complexity and difficulty of trying to come up with a problem-solving process or method that may work equally well within all locations. We reiterate the importance of taking cues for an effective process from the organization itself.

Once people recognize these different approaches, there is an opportunity to minimize their negative impact. They have less power to inhibit team members. Look at the "Blocks to Problem Solving" checklist and see which ones hinder your group's productivity.

Blocks to Problem Solving Directions: In the three areas below, indicate which blocks operate in your problem-solving group by placing a check mark in the appropriate box(es). Psychological Desire to control the environment (want things to go as planned with no surprises) Preference for the predictable and orderly (processes and procedures should unfold as designed) Unwillingness to tolerate ambiguity (does not like a climate where uncertainty and lack of clarity exist) High achievement motivation (driven by a desire to be successful) Quick success orientation (impatient with processes that take a long time; desire is to see things change quickly) Inability to allow ideas to incubate (want answers and ideas now instead of letting ideas percolate) Valuing sensory perceptions over intuition (trust what one can touch or see rather than trust hunches) Fear of failure (afraid to risk for fear of failing) Fear of success (afraid of high expectations based on past successes) Assumptions and stereotypes about other departments, locations, levels in the organization (locking people or departments into a certain set of expectations instead of being open to what they actually bring) Cultural Limited knowledge about cross-cultural norms (inadequate information about how cultural norms shape working together in a group) Negative judgments about values, attitudes, and beliefs different from one's own (the belief that one's way is the right way to see the world or behave; therefore those different from self are viewed negatively) Value placed on reason, numbers, logic (trust and value what is provable) Limited emphasis on feelings and intuition (hunches and feelings are less valued than numbers) Viewing problem solving as humorless and serious (seeing the process of problem solving without humor and fun) Having a certain set of expectations that make it difficult to see other realities (preconceived ideas about problem definition and solutions limit options) Environmental People threatened by new ideas (change threatens existing reality) Failure to reward innovative thinking (where good ideas are not rewarded or people are blamed for making mistakes, innovation dries up) Work environments where employees do not engage in supportive behaviors (where support is lacking, people take less risk and play it safe) Workplace that is too hot or too cold (distracted by the physical environment) Ringing phones, beeping pagers, mobile phones, conversations that intrude on your quiet (more distractions in the physical environment) Distracting noises Interruptions Selective perceptions (seeing only what one wants to see) [] [] Source: Adapted from Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, Diverse Teams at Work (Alexandria, VA: Society for Human Resource Management, 2003, p. 170).

6.4.1. Suggestions for Using "Blocks to Problem Solving"

Objectives

• To identify obstacles that limit solutions

• To compare perceptions of barriers that hinder problem solving

• To improve group problem solving functioning by removing some of the blocks

Intended Audience

• Members of any global problem-solving group or task force

• Managers, consultants, or facilitators guiding the problem-solving process

Time

• 30 minutes

Materials

• Copies of "Blocks to Problem Solving," either online or paper-and-pencil

• If online, use preferred technology and if paper-and-pencil, also have easel, flip chart, and markers

Directions

• This exercise is most effective when the group is midway through the process and stuck. Members need enough experience together to be able to respond to the blocks each has observed.

• Distribute copies of "Blocks to Problem Solving" either online or in person.

• If online, give people a deadline by when it must be completed so there is time to synthesize the data and feed it back to the group in whatever way works best in your organization. Then conduct a conversation during which data is analyzed and acted on.

• If done onsite, blow the tool up to 18″ × 24″ size and post it in several locations around the room. Then divide the whole group into small groups and have members indicate by using different color markers the items each has checked.

• Then lead a discussion that focuses on areas given most weight from the data.

• Select a spokesperson from each group to report out.

Questions for Discussion/Consideration

• What does the group's data suggest? How have these blocks hindered us?

• Were there any surprises?

• What are the most obvious blocks?

• What are the consequences of not doing something to minimize this in our group?

• What suggestions might make this block less of a hindrance?

• What will we commit to do as a whole group?

Caveats, Considerations, and Variations

• This exercise can be done in pairs and then processed as a whole group. If there is low trust, pairs might provide more safety.

Identifying the blocks frees problem solvers to be more creative, no matter what process they use to achieve their solutions. Regardless of how decisions are made, good implementation requires support and buy-in.

If an employee from a hierarchical culture such as Mexico is on a problem-solving team for Sony, a strongly Japanese company, there is a good chance that consensus will be the decision-making style of choice. Employees will not only need to be taught the rules of consensus but also should be given a simulation to learn it and practice it. Consensus is a decision-making method worth learning for any circumstances in which employee involvement and input are desired. It is a tool that stimulates creativity and generates commitment and support, but it can also be frustrating because it is time-consuming. For example, in Japan, decision making is spread throughout the whole organization, and this slows down an already lengthy process. Senior people in Japan take seriously the idea of involvement, so they will wait till the consensus process runs its course and a decision is made by the group. If U.S. executives understand this, they will be less likely to think Japanese decision makers are playing games with them as the process unfolds.

The following rules should be explained before a group engages in a consensus activity. An ideal size group is seven to nine people.

Guidelines and Rules of Consensus

• Technique for shared decision making that creates a decision all can live with;

• Uses diverse opinions for creative problem solving;

• Best used when a decision requires acceptance, ownership, and support;

• Avoids creating winners and losers;

• Only used when there are more than two alternatives but no "right answer";

• Time-consuming process;

• Most effective with small groups, where only those involved with the decision are included;

• No voting!;

• Avoid arguing for your own point of view, but do present ideas and be open to discussion;

• Focus on points of agreement;

• Do not change your mind simply to avoid conflict;

• Avoid bargaining and coin flips;

• Expect disagreements and use them to spur the search for alternatives; and

• When deadlocked, divide into subgroups.

Consensus can be a valuable problem-solving tool, but it is a stretch in different ways for many national cultures. Using diverse opinions, in fact cultivating them, is not a valued part of the decision-making process in hierarchical cultures. The fact that consensus seekers use disagreements to produce a positive outcome is difficult to grasp in cultures that place a strong emphasis on harmony. Using these different viewpoints is comfortable for those in Japan and the United States. Using consensus can be seen as compatible with collectivist cultures because it shows respect for the group's ability to come to a good decision. Use the "Essential Characteristics of an Effective Member on a Global Problem-Solving Team" exercise to practice reaching consensus.

6.4.2. Suggestions for Using "Essential Characteristics of an Effective Member on a Global Problem-Solving Team"

Objectives

• To define and discuss the relative importance of behaviors on global problem-solving teams

• To gain awareness of behaviors that managers or facilitators can teach in global problem-solving situations

• To have conversations about what individuals and teams need to do better to solve problems effectively

• To use a consensus activity as a simulation to become better problem solvers

Intended Audience

• Team members of global problem-solving teams or task forces

• Managers or facilitators who work with global teams

Time

• 60 minutes

Essential Characteristics of an Effective Member on a Global Problem-Solving Team Directions: In the column labeled "Your Rank," prioritize the following eight characteristics of an effective member on a problem-solving team, with 1 being the characteristic that is most important to you and 8 being the least. Then, with fellow team members, reach consensus on the ranking. Your Rank   Team Rank   Gathers data and pertinent information before offering solutions     Can adapt and style switch to work effectively with colleagues of different backgrounds     Has opinions but remains open to being influenced by others     Listens to and genuinely tries to understand the viewpoints of others     Has skills to help group communicate and effectively accomplish a positive outcome     Is able to bring a group in conflict and frustration to a point of mutual respect and decision     Has no personal hidden agenda     Puts the welfare and health of group ahead of own views and goals   [] [] Source: Adapted from Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, Managing Diversity in Health Care Manual (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999, p. 179). This material is used by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Materials

• Copies of "Essential Characteristics of an Effective Member on a Global Problem-Solving Team" for each participant

• Easel, flip chart, pencils, pens, felt-tip markers

Directions

• Have each person read all eight leader behaviors and determine the order of importance from his or her own viewpoint, with 1 being most important. Record all answers in the "Your Rank" column.

• Then ask the group members (in a classroom setting several groups of approximately seven people each may be doing this simultaneously) to discuss the ranking among themselves and reach consensus on the order of items from 1 to 8, recording answers in the column marked "Team Rank."

• At this point, give a few rules for achieving consensus before the group(s) begin the process:

  • Consensus is defined as "something we can live with for at least some period of time."

  • Each person is responsible for contributing ideas that will lead to a good decision.

  • No voting because voting creates winners and losers. Losers sabotage winners. Consensus needs the support of all.

  • Keep focusing on common ground and working toward agreement.

• Then give groups approximately thirty minutes to discuss items and reach consensus.

• Draw a grid on the board or flip chart to record all rankings of each group in order to compare responses, like the following grid.

  Items	A	B	C	D

  
  

• Lead a total-group discussion of insights and learnings about consensus and the group's process.

Questions for Discussion/Consideration

• What is your reaction to having just participated in this exercise?

• Look at the different responses from each group. What do you make of them, both when group responses are similar and when they are different?

• What cultural norms or values guided your choices? Share some of the discussion points that influenced the ranking.

• What do these different rankings say about the ability to solve problems well on a global team?

• What does it suggest are the "must have" skills on a multinational and multicultural problem-solving group?

Caveats, Considerations, and Variations

• This exercise can be used for teaching consensus. The discussion question, however, would focus on the group's interaction—how easy or difficult it was to achieve consensus and what behaviors helped or hindered the group in doing so. Once they discuss this last question, apply the process to their ongoing work as part of a problem-solving team.

• Solving problems always implies dealing with different views and perspectives. In a global environment, it is more complex because, in addition to different views and perspectives about work issues, there are different cultural norms that complicate the process. This exercise gives each individual the chance to state what matters most to him or her when working together. Then the group members as a whole will have the opportunity to practice consensus by discussing and reconciling their differences as they rank them in order of importance. The discussion and understanding gained about how different participants view behaviors is as important as reaching consensus itself.

Beyond learning the technique of engaging in consensus, it is important to teach problem solvers how to present their various opinions so they will be heard. Getting people's attention and speaking in values and symbols that others will relate to will at least help one's ideas be heard. (Note: In Chapter 3, one of the figures compares Influencing Strategies and Presentation Expectations across nine countries.) Practice the positioning technique by using the tool entitled "Influencing Others: Unimundo Case Study." A case study is given first, followed by a worksheet.

6.4.3. Influencing Others: Unimundo Case Study

Directions: In order to successfully influence the thinking of others, it is helpful to first understand your own thought process. Once you've done that, pay attention to the values and desired outcomes of others, focusing specifically on the language that can influence them. Start by reading the Unimundo Case Study below and answering the questions that follow.

Unimundo Case Study All Call Cellular, a leading U.S. telecommunications firm, recently announced a merger with Telespaña, Spain's largest telecommunications equipment and service provider. While the creation of the new organization, Unimundo, has been presented to the world as a merger, Telespaña is in fact the object of a nonhostile takeover. The unification of these two organizations is a farsighted business move because Unimundo now has operations in Europe and the Americas. Furthermore, its offices and plants in eleven countries with three primary languages (Spanish, English, and Portuguese) solidify the firm's employee and customer base on three continents. The recent joint venture with the government of Singapore has provided an increasing access to the Pacific Rim markets. With a saturated U.S. market, the strong projected growth in southern Europe and South and Central America reinforces vital business interests for the current merger and potential joint ventures. However, these benefits come with some significant challenges. Putting a good face on this emerging organization has been difficult. Many problems have already surfaced during the past year in a recently completed joint venture between the two organizations. The cultures of these two organizations, both successful but very different, demonstrate a classic case of culture clash. Here's why. All Call Cellular (ACC) is a young, dynamic, aggressive company whose success is attributed to rapid innovation, scrupulous attention to marketplace needs, and the heroic efforts of staff, who often work seventy to ninety hours a week. ACC's meteoric accomplishments have made them the envy and surprise of telecom companies around the world. In this competitive market, the employees at All Call are proud of their willingness to do whatever it takes to maintain their lead in the field, even though they are tired, overworked, and readily admit that a balanced life, while longed for, is not in their future any time soon. Telespaña, on the other hand, is a revered institution in Spain and is seen as a reliable, stable, consistent company and one that has nurtured relationships with leaders in Central and South America. They realize that their widening operations and developing consumer markets in these areas are long-term investments. It has a strong foothold in these potentially lucrative markets and pays close attention to producing products and services to meet the needs of its different consumers. While the pace is less aggressive and hard-charging than at All Call, its results do show in its bottom line, with profits that beat Wall Street projections by 6 percent. Critical issues that affect operations can be seen at all levels. At the executive level, the top management team is comprised of five individuals, four of whom are U.S.-born All Call executives and only one of whom is a Basque from Telespaña. Executive meetings and teleconferences are conducted exclusively in English. Furthermore, the meetings are conducted in a straightforward, task-focused manner with little time and attention paid to relationships. U.S. leaders generally fly in overnight for meetings and fly out afterward. To date they have not stayed beyond the perfunctory operations tour, nor have they met local employees. One of the executive staff's first tasks is to reorganize the management team for the new organization, and they are beginning to have conflicts over what qualities are needed for these roles and what compensation should be doled out. Differences over preferred leadership styles and compensation inequities between expatriates and in-country staff have flared into heated disagreements. At the management level, employees are worried about how to succeed. Do they have to change their work/life balance and adopt the more frenetic, unrelenting American pace? How will they be held accountable and by what standards? What corporate values and practices will change—from basic principles about treatment of employees to issues about language? They are most concerned about a feared emphasis on English in everyday communication as well as what part accents will play in presenting obstacles to promotability. The anxieties or concerns go both ways, however. American staff are worried, both about their ability to be successful in a European cultural environment as well as their own language deficiencies. They are sensitive to the perceptions about their "taking over," as they do not want to come across as the "Ugly American." Their attempts at being less formal and more collaborative by soliciting feedback and input have confused many of their European employees, who are used to working in a more hierarchical system. At the employee level, nervousness about change exists on both sides of the Atlantic. Unimundo orientation sessions about new organizational policies, procedures, and plans have been conducted by U.S. staff in English using interpreters when appropriate. Project managers are finding it difficult to arrange conference calls because of time zone differences. Leaders of geographically dispersed virtual teams are perplexed as to how to create a cohesive work team with groups who, due to cost containment, do not have any in-person contact. In a few cases, female managers are becoming concerned about a tone of voice or attitude demonstrated in e-mails and voice mails with their male subordinates. Finally, many employees have wondered out loud whether their future career mobility depends on moving to another country—either the United States, Spain, or one of the Latin American countries—in order to move up in the organization, due to the highly broadcast global growth objectives of All Call Cellular's CEO. If the current "map" were not confusing enough, employees are also concerned about the rumored acquisition in Wuhan, China, and expectations placed on them in the Pacific Rim due to their joint venture with the government of Singapore.

6.4.4. Suggestions for Using "Influencing Others: Unimundo Case Study"

Objectives

• To help all members of a problem-solving group understand other viewpoints

• To recognize the validity and underlying values of other points of view

• To learn to influence the thinking of others by presenting ideas in values and words others can identify with and respond to

Intended Audience

• People throughout a global organization who need to solve problems together

• Managers, facilitators, and internal and external consultants who have to help employees in global organizations clarify thinking, solve problems, and make decisions together

Time

• 45 to 60 minutes

Materials

• Copies of the "Unimundo Case Study" with the fill-in sheet, either online or hard copy

Directions

• Whether online or in person, ask everyone to read the case study, identify an issue to work with, and then fill out all the data on the positioning tool.

• Have participants fill out the tool from the viewpoints of Telespaña and ACC by remembering what they have read about each one's values and considering what might influence the merging partner to buy in to the different behaviors.

• Pair people with managers or consultants to discuss what they have written and how it pertains to their actual work situation. In this case, ask the employee to select a situation and tell the manager where he or she is frustrated in not being able to influence others in a behavioral change and to identify his or her own desired values and outcomes.

• Have a whole group discussion to see what values were used in exerting influence and what was in it for each side to shift behavior.

Questions for Discussion/Consideration

• Where were participants convincing?

• Where did their arguments fall short?

• When arguments did fall short, what was missing, or what was needed, in order to be more convincing?

• What were the values of others you were trying to influence?

• What became apparent to you as you went through this process?

• In order to help others move closer to your viewpoint, how should you position your ideas?

• What language, values, and ideas could successfully sell your point of view to someone else?

• What changes do you need to make in how you talk about your ideas?

• Where are the overlaps and reconciliations?

Caveats, Considerations, and Variations

• This is also a good one-on-one coaching tool so that a manager can identify a person who needs to see other points of view more easily and openly. The manager can ask the employee to think of a real work situation where it will be helpful to understand other viewpoints and how to help others understand,

• This can be a useful group tool, but it is also a productive learning tool between any two people trying to understand different viewpoints better, not just manager and employee but any co-workers. It would be especially helpful when people are fixed in a position and want others to understand their perspectives. That understanding has to go two ways, and this exercise can help participants expand their viewpoints and see ideas from different vantage points.

In the final analysis, regardless of what kind of problem-solving process a group uses, global work groups have to be sensitive and careful to consider organizational norms, national and civilizational cultural influences, and the individuals one is working with. The "Group Experience Rating Form" shows group members that there are behaviors that enable groups to work better together.

The more answers the group has on the "Group Experience Rating Form" that are closer to 5, the better the group works together. An overall score is less important than an item analysis that helps a problem-solving group focus on its weak points. A group should spend its time looking at items where people agree that scores are low. Conversation can then follow that suggests what to do to improve group performance. It will also be worthwhile to spend time looking at any items that have a wide range of responses. Where people experience the group very differently, that also bears discussion. The goal is to have the problem-solving group work consistently well for all its members and to have group members share a common and positive experience as they work together.

Group Experience Rating Form Directions: Rate the problem-solving performance of your group members collectively by responding to the questions below. Indicate for each question the rating (1 through 5) that most nearly describes your observation of the group experience. Simply circle the appropriate number. The scale is as follows: 1     2     3     4     5 Seldom                    Always Members in This Group           1. Take time to find out if the presenting problem is the problem or if there are other problems involved. 1 2 3 4 5 2. Listen and try to understand the viewpoints of all group members. 1 2 3 4 5 3. Understand the different reactions and feelings of those involved in this process. 1 2 3 4 5 4. Help each other clarify our thinking. 1 2 3 4 5 5. Help people functioning in a second or third language to effectively communicate their thoughts. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Ask clarifying questions that help explore the issue more deeply. 1 2 3 4 5 7. Share their thoughts about the group's strengths and maximize these strengths or liabilities. 1 2 3 4 5 8. Support and encourage one another, both within the group meeting and outside during social time. 1 2 3 4 5 9. Give all participants a chance to talk and encourage contributions from everyone, but also accept the styles of quieter participants. 1 2 3 4 5 10. Work with quieter participants both within the group process and outside to gain and utilize their contributions. 1 2 3 4 5 11. Help each other explore alternatives without pushing one's own solution. 1 2 3 4 5 12. Find the greatest amount of information and facts related to the focus of the meeting prior to participating. 1 2 3 4 5 13. Structure initial meeting time to set group goals and objectives. 1 2 3 4 5 14. At regular intervals, evaluate how the group is valuing individual contributions and collectively accomplishing the goal. 1 2 3 4 5 15. Measure the group's outcome. 1 2 3 4 5 16. Are willing to ask for advice and information from others for the good of accomplishing the goal of the whole group. 1 2 3 4 5 17. Provide different functions to the team at different times (for example, leader, clarifier, summarizer). 1 2 3 4 5 18. Include discussions about what group members want from others in order to accomplish the task. 1 2 3 4 5 19. Develop a process for reconciling differences in opinion by seeking to understand the diversity of thought. 1 2 3 4 5 20. Demonstrate respect for ourselves and all members of the group in professional and social contexts. 1 2 3 4 5 21. Demonstrate a commitment to accomplish the group's goal in professional and social contexts. 1 2 3 4 5 22. Give helpful, nonjudgmental feedback that focuses on specific behaviors in culturally appropriate ways. 1 2 3 4 5 23. Are willing to receive helpful, nonjudgmental feedback that focuses on specific behaviors in culturally appropriate ways. 1 2 3 4 5 [] [] Source: Copyright © 1999 Cendant Intercultural, The Bennett Group; Gardenswartz and Rowe; RealWork. Adapted from Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, Managing Diversity: A Complete Desk Reference and Planning Guide (rev. ed.) (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998, p. 173).

6.4.3. Suggestions for Using "Group Experience Rating Form"

Objectives

• To identify and assess behaviors that foster effective problem solving

• To help a group develop skills that enhance productivity

• To compare perceptions to determine how a group's problem-solving process is experienced by different members

Intended Audience

• Any global team or work group engaged in problem solving

• Managers or consultants who facilitate problem-solving sessions for global groups

Time

• 45 to 60 minutes

Materials

• Copies of the rating form, either online or as a handout

Directions

• If done online, choose a technology tool of choice, tabulate data, and then find a time to have the group engage in online chat and talk about perceptions. If done face-to-face, distribute the rating form.

• Introduce the exercise by stating that the assessment will enable all participants to share perceptions of how the team works for them and, ultimately, this will result in a better team for everyone and better results for the organization.

• Give the directions and ask each individual to fill out the rating form.

• Depending on the size of the group, have participants pair up or form small groups and discuss their responses.

• Lead a discussion that not only looks at perceptions of the team but suggests areas for improvement according to the data.

Questions for Discussion/Consideration

• Where were your answers most similar to those of other team members?

• What items provided the widest range of responses?

• What does the data suggest are the team's strong points?

• Where do the opportunities for improvement exist?

• If nothing is done to strengthen performance, what might the consequences be?

• What could get in the way of our efforts at improvement?

• What are we all willing to do to make certain our collective efforts are realized?

• What is one commitment you will make toward change that improves the group?

Caveats, Considerations, and Variations

• The items are looked at from both individual and collective viewpoints to accommodate cultural differences. Some words still may need to be adapted to be culturally appropriate.

• Selected items from the list can be used as a stimulus for discussion after the group has engaged in problem solving. The actual working together could offer opportunities for ongoing discussion and refinement of the processes used.

There are many necessary steps in helping problem solvers build awareness of cultural differences and then be able to switch style. One has to first identify his or her own cultural norms, habits, and preferences. Understanding that other ways of behaving also exist and have validity is the second step. A worthy goal in any global problem-solving group is to help all participants develop a wide repertoire of behaviors so they can be comfortable responding in various ways. Overlaying the national cultural norms of members is the organizational culture. Each global entity has its own set of expectations that may coincide or conflict with national culture. Reconciling culture on personal, national, and organizational levels takes time and commitment. The "Cross-Cultural Adaptations on Global Teams" tool can help people acknowledge cultural differences and realize that adaptations will be required all around. It is designed to help participants gain an understanding of where individual adaptations can be made.

6.4.4. Suggestions for Using "Cross-Cultural Adaptations on Global Teams"

Objectives

• To understand one's own cultural norms and the need to expand behaviors on a global team

• To understand and negotiate these behaviors with other group members

• To collectively seek alternatives that take into account and validate the legitimacy of all cultural norms while also realizing that, to be productive and high-performing in global settings, adaptations by all are in order at various times

Cross-Cultural Adaptations on Global Teams Directions: Working with international employees creates an expectation that problem-solving participants need to switch style in order to achieve the best results. The following five culturally based behaviors allow each person to think about what comes easily or naturally for him or her and about where each can learn to adapt more comfortably. Read the five statements below and select the answer that suits you best by circling either a or b. Then write a statement about where you need to be more culturally flexible and expand your behavioral options. 1. Regarding time, it is preferable for me to ... not have precise deadlines. have clear deadlines. One thing I will do to be more adaptive is 2. In resolving disagreements/different opinions, I am more comfortable ... stating the issue and trying to solve the problem. keeping my thoughts and feelings to myself and settling differences outside the group. I can style switch more effectively by 3. Regarding communication, I ... can handle any reality if people communicate clearly and directly. appreciate subtle, more implied communication, as it is more helpful for me. My communication skills will be enhanced if I 4. In this day and age, ... we already have too much change. Let the future come from natural evolution. we live in a fast-changing world. We should be leading the charge. We either change or die. Regarding change, I am willing to 5. I am most satisfied working where the emphasis on assignments is ... given to the individual. given to the group as a whole. I can reframe my preference by

Intended Audience

• Global team or work group members

• Managers or project managers of a short-term global task force charged with work groups

• Facilitators or trainers trying to create understanding and awareness on globally dispersed teams

Time

• 45 minutes

Materials

• Copies of the "Cross-Cultural Adaptations on Global Teams" assessment tool

• Easel or flip chart, markers

Directions

• Distribute the assessment and ask each person to fill it out.

• Have group members pair up and discuss their own responses.

• Conduct a large group discussion after pairs are finished.

Questions for Discussion/Consideration

• In which of these five areas is it most difficult for you to be flexible? What is the reason?

• Under what circumstances would you be unwilling to bend?

• What is your reaction when others are unyielding? Give an example.

• When there is resistance to moving, how will you resolve the dilemmas?

• Where are you willing to be flexible?

• What does the team need to do to help you out?

• What do you envision the consequences might be for team productivity if team members do not increase flexibility?

• What commitment are you making to yourself and the team about developing flexibility for the good of everyone?

Caveats, Considerations, and Variations

• This exercise would be a good follow-up to a lecturette or discussion of cross-national and cross-cultural differences and the implications of national culture on the work environment. It would be used best when bringing a team together for norm setting and interpersonal understanding.

• Trust and comfort are increased if done in pairs. Once the group has established trust, depending on the size of the team, this exercise can be conducted with all participants as a whole group. However, seven participants would be the maximum size for one large group discussion.

• This exercise can be done online, but it requires dialogue. If people fill out the form online, schedule a teleconference or online chat room when you can talk about it.

• Give people the questions to think about before a teleconference to make better use of time and to allow for different thinking styles.