Globig recently interviewed Laura Mancini Chan, an intercultural training expert with extensive experience in human resources, relocation, and intercultural training. Laura discussed how culture impacts business and how intercultural training can improve leadership skills, improve the ability to communicate with people, and increase the awareness of and sensitivity to people from different cultures to avoid common areas of misunderstanding. Here is an overview of the conversation.
What is intercultural training?
Intercultural training is the study of and application of knowledge about different cultures, particularly their differences and similarities. In the context of intercultural training, culture means the values, beliefs, and behaviors that are held by a group of people. Intercultural trainers look at culture from a general perspective to understand the general patterns in a society. The process of intercultural training involves learning and understanding the preferences of the society from which you come and the preferences of the society to which you are going. The process focuses specifically on the similarities and differences between these preferences to determine whether there are areas for personal learning and development.
Why is intercultural training important?
Intercultural training is important because it often determines the success of a company expanding into a new market. When employees are sent on an assignment in a new country without an understanding of the local cultural, they have a harder time adapting to the culture, which in turn makes it harder to do business in that new market. International teams that include people from many different cultures also face the challenge of being able to effectively and efficiently work together, so intercultural training may be necessary for an international team, even if the company is not expanding abroad. Furthermore, when companies merge or acquire a company or are acquired by another company, they must adapt and learn to work with different national cultures, and often a different internal business culture as well.
Are there characteristics that make an employee more likely to succeed in a new country?
Many companies use a variety of assessment tools to gauge an employee’s characteristics, education, work habits, etc. Laura cautions against looking at the results as something static. With the training, people can learn, adapt, and grow. Some characteristics to look for in a successful employee are:
- listening skills;
- empathy;
- tolerance of new ideas;
- willingness to change or adjust; and
- synergy seekers.
How much of your own culture can you bring with you to a new country?
Don’t strive to be someone else. Look for aspects that could hinder your mission and work around those. The most important thing is to understand the new culture and be prepared with work within it. Speaking with expats who have returned home is a great way to learn from first hand experience.
How will the new culture affect employee family members?
It is also important to consider the adjustment of family members. Assignments where family members are not happily settled in, tend to be less effective and often end early. There are many programs to assist spouses and children. These programs include education on culture, as well as adjustment to life in the new country, which includes jobs, healthcare, and schools.
What should be included in an employee relocation package?
Overseas assignments are expensive for companies, and intercultural training is a relatively small upfront cost compared to other costs of the assignment, and can make all the difference in the success of the assignment. Employers should try to provide intercultural training for employees, including language and follow up (in country) training, as well as some training for family members. If this is not feasible, as is often the case for smaller companies, there are many online resources that will help guide employees and their family members. It is invaluable to find an in-country mentor who is willing to work with the employee as she transitions into her new home. Laura provided the following great resources:
Intercultural training is important for many companies, including companies expanding abroad, international teams, and companies going through mergers and acquisitions. Often the success of a business hinges on a cultural understanding between co-workers, business partners, and customers. To learn more about intercultural training and hear more of Laura’s insights, listen to the Globig podcast: Intercultural Training.
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