More and more often, I am asked the same question in the classroom by clients from a broad spectrum of industries: “As my company continues to gain a global presence, what resources are available to me so that my training abroad is effective?”
Many clients have experienced high levels of frustration as the needs analysis information they collect from their Chinese associates yields inconclusive or misleading assessments. Others report that the dynamics they foster in the American classrooms go completely wrong in Singapore. And the Level 1 evaluations they receive in India indicate a high level of satisfaction which does not translate into the day-to-day behaviors or operations.
Because my family roots sprang from such a myriad of cultures it was always made clear to me that, “when it Rome…” A significant mistake American businesses have made in the past (and often continue to make) is to approach international business opportunities with a “business as usual” mindset and strategy, wondering later why their business deals fell through.
As we set up to design and subsequently deliver training abroad, we must keep in mind that, beyond the standard ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation & Evaluation) processes, we are responsible for adapting that training according to the cultural composition of the audience in that country. What we often accept as evidence or fact in the United States will be seriously questioned and probed for further research elsewhere. The practice exercise that everyone has a great time doing in North America might be frowned upon or create an atmosphere of intimidation in Asia. The mere order in which we unveil the training session or conduct an icebreaker may not produce the group dynamics we regularly achieve with an American audience when tried in Indonesia or in certain parts of Europe.
For example; in most of our Langevin courses, the first hour is dedicated to providing a course overview, conducting introductions, and establishing group dynamics. We invite the participants to introduce themselves either individually or at their table groups or as a large group in a “cocktail party” fashion. After this has taken place, we (the Langevin course leader) introduce ourselves providing a general background of our careers and maybe share some of our leisure time hobbies. The order of this process would portray the instructor as culturally insensitive to an Indonesian audience who would expect the instructor to introduce him/herself prior to anything else being done.
But how do we make certain that we are doing the right thing? While there are various resources available for professionals to breach the cultural gaps that exist between countries and their people, very often the ones most commonly tapped into are tourism and travel guides from our local bookstores. Even though these offer a good general idea of what to expect concerning food, time constraints, visa requirements, health, weather, and climate, they offer very little information about business etiquette.
A few years ago, and prompted by the fact that my biggest passion in life is to travel the world and know many different cultures, I found what I consider the MUST HAVE for international business etiquette. I am certain there are other fantastic resources also available, but based on the limited amount of time I have to do research, this one particular book is organized in a fashion that works best for me. Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway authored Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands. This book is a reliable resource to conducting business in over 60 countries. I never travel internationally, even if I’m only doing so for pleasure, without bringing this book. It offers reliable information, in a concise format, about the various aspects that may influence any given business endeavor in other cultures.
Of course, in addition to tapping into resources like this one, it is imperative that we partner with the training associates in our international locations to find out more directly any details that must be considered when designing or preparing lesson plans and learning modules for their learners. They can provide specific information about the learning preferences, styles, and challenges of that audience so that we have a higher rate of success and of assimilation.
As many of you work with global organizations, you have a wealth of knowledge to share about what has and has not worked for you when it comes to making training stick in other countries. I invite you to write and share with our readers your strategies; ideas, and findings so that we may all continue to better understand how our differences are a great catalyst to finding common ground. I look forward to your input.
José
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