Lesson 2: Understanding Cultural Dimensions
Recommended size of the group: Group of ten.
Aim of lesson: To explore the five-step 'RADAR' technique for underlining and overcoming cross-cultural misunderstandings.
Objective: To give learners the chance to practice using 'RADAR' technique to cope with real-life cross-cultural misunderstandings.
Resources: Small presentation of technique. Printed information of the case.
Teaching method to be used in the lesson: RADAR technique, 30 minutes to perform and 30 minutes to discuss.
Content
David and Mario work in the same company but in different departments. One day they meet each other in a coffee room. David said to Mario that his accent is nice and asked him where he comes from. Mario said that he is from Uruguay and continued that he is in the USA for a year, but all his family is still in Uruguay. David compliments Mario for his English. Mario replied that as he said before his family is in Uruguay and he hopes that they will come and stay with him. David told him that he needed to go because he has a meeting and he did not want to be late.
As Mario is new in the U.S., he thinks that David who is very friendly, cares about him and is eager to know more about him. As Mario has the need for socialization, he wants to know other people and exchange life stories with them. Based on his culture, family plays a significant role in life. So, he expects that he can start a deep conversation and family could be a preferred topic for a long conversation.
On the other hand, David has small social interaction and politely gives a compliment to the newcomer about his English.
Use R.A.D.A.R in order to recognize and overcome cross-cultural misunderstandings.
Think and discuss about personal identity, culture values, and feelings.
Evaluation of the lesson
Here is an example, on which you can base your evaluation of David and Mario situation:
A multinational company has manufacturing facilities in Greece. The U.S. headquarters appointed Nick Nikopoulos, born in the United States but with Greek ancestry, as a floor manager.
His assignment was to improve efficiency without firing people. Nick was anxious to get ahead. He thought he would start by establishing a good working relationship with the existing workers. His first action was to call on his direct subordinates, the shift leaders, for a meeting. He addressed them in his not so good Greek with a clear English (“greeklish”) accent: “I want to launch an efficiency operation. Since you have more working experience here than I do, I would like to ask your opinion about the optimal duration of a number of tasks.”
To his surprise and discomfort, the shift leaders stared at the floor mutely, until one of the older ones finally said, “Sir, you are the boss. Why don’t you just tell us what to do?” Nick began to realize that he had not adopted the Greek mentality as much as he thought, when he was back in the U.S.
An evaluation according to “RADAR” technique would be like the following:
• Recognize the cultural dimensions.
Nick comes from a culture with low power distance, that involves in decision making all those, who will be directly affected by the decision, while his leaders are used to high power distance and may need to go to the top for answers.
• Analyse the diversity and understand the reasons that cause any difference.
Misunderstandings arose when Nick asked his direct reports for their opinions. From their perspective this was a sign of weak leadership.
• Decide about the reasons that underline differences instead of similarities.
If Nick had first made a speech showing firmness and a sense of purpose, he might have asked his question afterwards with more success.
• Act based on best opinion that we have after examination of the situation.
Next time, Nick can first explain his point of view and then ask his leaders to express their opinions and to have an open discussion about the next steps.
• Review what happened at the end and adapt the future behaviour and action.
Nick believes that he can work in another country in the same way that he used in the U.S. He also believes that based on his Greek origin, he can present a friendly behaviour. So, now he must learn to adapt to the new environment based on their perspective and way of thinking and not on his.