Yael Zofi's Blog, page 7

Five Strategies For Cross-Cultural Interactions – N = No Judgment

Virtual team managers must LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures.  To complete the acronym, the focus of this week’s blog post is about strategy #5, the N of L E A R N.

 

Strategy #5   N o J u d g m e n t: NO JUDGMENT

 

Respecting others means suspending judgment.  Try this simple technique:

 

Instead of jumping to conclusions consider that your cultural lens may distort someone’s worldview. Consider several alternative possibilities and use this three-part evaluation approach:

Describe – “Nat joins the call late every Monday.”
Interpret – “Nat doesn’t care about the job.”
Evaluate – “I’ll give Nat the less desirable projects.”

 

Now think about the three-step evaluation approach with one additional step:

Describe – “Nat joins the call late every Monday.”

 

Before you make an assumptions, consider several reasons for his behavior.  For example:

He has familial obligations every Monday morning.
His start-of-week meeting with his boss always runs late because his boss wants to discuss a report that never arrives on time, thereby putting him behind schedule.
He oversleeps after the weekend.
He doesn’t care about the job.

 

Once you’ve formulated several hypotheses for Nat’s behavior, you are ready to make your interpretation:

 

2.  Interpret – “Nat’s tardiness could be due to a factor which may be out of his control.”

 

3.  Evaluate – “I will talk to Nat about his tardiness and learn more about why it’s happening.”

 

This ‘consider several options’ step is the one that many people skip, leading them to erroneous, and often biased, conclusions.

 

FIVE STRATEGIES FOR CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS – N = No Judgment

Virtual team managers must LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures.  To complete the acronym, the focus of this week’s blog post is about strategy #5, the N of L E A R N.

 

Strategy #5   N o J u d g m e n t: NO JUDGMENT

 

Respecting others means suspending judgment.  Try this simple technique:

 

Instead of jumping to conclusions consider that your cultural lens may distort someone’s worldview. Consider several alternative possibilities and use this three-part evaluation approach:

Describe – “Nat joins the call late every Monday.”
Interpret – “Nat doesn’t care about the job.”
Evaluate – “I’ll give Nat the less desirable projects.”

 

Now think about the three-step evaluation approach with one additional step:

Describe – “Nat joins the call late every Monday.”

 

Before you make an assumptions, consider several reasons for his behavior.  For example:

He has familial obligations every Monday morning.
His start-of-week meeting with his boss always runs late because his boss wants to discuss a report that never arrives on time, thereby putting him behind schedule.
He oversleeps after the weekend.
He doesn’t care about the job.

 

Once you’ve formulated several hypotheses for Nat’s behavior, you are ready to make your interpretation:

 

2.  Interpret – “Nat’s tardiness could be due to a factor which may be out of his control.”

 

3.  Evaluate – “I will talk to Nat about his tardiness and learn more about why it’s happening.”

 

This ‘consider several options’ step is the one that many people skip, leading them to erroneous, and often biased, conclusions.

 

FIVE STRATEGIES FOR CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS

Virtual team managers must LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures.  To complete the acronym, the focus of this week’s blog post is about strategy #5, the N of L E A R N.

Strategy #5   N o J u d g m e n t: NO JUDGMENT

Respecting others means suspending judgment.  Try this simple technique:

Instead of jumping to conclusions consider that your cultural lens may distort someone’s worldview. Consider several alternative possibilities and use this three-part evaluation approach:

Describe – “Nat joins the call late every Monday.”
Interpret – “Nat doesn’t care about the job.”
Evaluate – “I’ll give Nat the less desirable projects.”

Now think about the three-step evaluation approach with one additional step:

Describe – “Nat joins the call late every Monday.”

Before you make an assumptions, consider several reasons for his behavior.  For example:

He has familial obligations every Monday morning.
His start-of-week meeting with his boss always runs late because his boss wants to discuss a report that never arrives on time, thereby putting him behind schedule.
He oversleeps after the weekend.
He doesn’t care about the job.

 

Once you’ve formulated several hypotheses for Nat’s behavior, you are ready to make your interpretation:

 

2.  Interpret – “Nat’s tardiness could be due to a factor which may be out of his control.”

 

 

3.  Evaluate – “I will talk to Nat about his tardiness and learn more about why it’s happening.”

 

This ‘consider several options’ step is the one that many people skip, leading them to erroneous, and often biased, conclusions.

The following strategies can help you avoid jumping to conclusions when working with people of other cultures:

Before taking action or letting emotions get the better of you, consider several different interpretations of the behavior/situation in question.
Don’t assume that other people think/behave the way you do. ? Accept the possibility that whatever occurred could be an anomaly caused by any number of circumstances (e.g., someone having a bad day or dealing with personal issues).
Be aware of your personal biases (increase your self-awareness).
Treat people as individuals and not as generalized stereotypes. Refrain from seeing things at the extremes since there are many shades of gray.
Remain positive. Don’t always assume the worst/negative outcome.
Avoid making comments such as, “You don’t understand” or “What’s your problem?” since they may cause the other party to respond defensively.
When communicating with others, use descriptive and non-evaluative language.
Be mindful of terms people use to explain themselves and the world around them, as certain terms have different meanings across cultures.

Next week’s post will conclude the LEARN Cross Cultural Principles with tips for reflecting on effective strategies for your cross cultural interactions.

For more information, check the 2nd Edition of my Communicating Through a Global Lens booklet.

 

Yael Zofi

Techniques for Working at Home – And Staying Away From Your Refrigerator

Need a lock for your refrigerator? A growing trend of the virtual workplace is working from home, even occasionally.  Many consider flexible work-from-home policies encouraging, producing increased productivity, decreased costs, greater choice for talent, and lower employee attrition.

This might be argued given the recent controversy when Yahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer called all virtual workers back to the office. Shortly after her announcement, New York Times’ columnist Maureen Dowd called it a “fem-quake” while Virgin CEO Richard Branson deemed it “a backwards step.” A “symptom of problems,” is how The Economist put it.

Whatever your opinion or company direction may be, don’t forget that there are several tips that can guide you to be more successful and overcome those distractions – a barking dog, a crying baby, and a ubiquitous refrigerator.

Yael Zofi, author of A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams, was the featured guest on Ora Shtull’s Need a lock for your refrigerator? video blog (also known as vlog) and offers tips on maximizing our virtual workday. Ora and Yael discussed the biggest challenges for those who work virtually, many who have never met their teammates and use technology as a means to communicate. Yael offered guidance on how to diminish problems while amplifying the benefits of working virtually.

Question: How to keep productivity levels high while minimizing the distractions around you?

Yael shared tidbits on getting ready for work as if you were leaving the house, putting on work attire, creating a separate work area, and dedicating time for setting goals/agenda. And, Zofi suggests, don’t forget to take breaks throughout the day!

Question: How do you maintain relationships with people you do not see?

At their core, people like to connect, Zofi asserts. So spend time before or after virtual meetings to get to know each other, look for commonalities that you share. Food is a great example of what brings people together. No matter the culture, people always enjoy food!

Question: What things does a team need to think about when using technology?

When it comes to technology, your virtual team needs to examine their common denominator. Yael explains that if one region/area has sophisticated technology available while another location/person only has phone capabilities, the common denominator for that team is a phone. Why? Because it gives all team members equal opportunity to interact. Technology is a useful medium to engage team members, so make sure you find your common denominator.

Need a lock for your refrigerator? gave useful, simple and thoughtful tidbits that anyone working virtually can apply. Yael covers each section more in depth in her book A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams.

Trudy Ann Channer

OD Consultant

 

Managing Virtual Teams Monday, April 22, 2013 | 3:15pm-4:15pm, Times Square, New York City

Managing Virtual Teams

Monday, April 22, 2013 | 3:15pm-4:15pm,

Times Square, New York City

An increasingly digital workplace has more leaders managing teams spread around the world. This evolution in management structure requires new skills to produce the best performance from the members of your team. Our own AIM CEO and virtual team expert, Yael Zofi,  will help the audience identify the strategies needed to build and coach virtual teams that work collaboratively and communicate effectively during a keynote address in Times Square on Monday, April 22nd.

Yael is a featured speaker at the upcoming ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) Global Education Conference. Her keynote address will address professionals that  range from global travel executives as members from the airline and hotel industries.

During her session on Managing Virtual Teams, Yael will provide highlights about the virtual team trends we can expect in the next 3-5 years. She will explore the four human connection elements necessary for effective collaboration and close with the 8 characteristics of high performing virtual teams.

Following this presentation, Yael will be available for book signing and  Q&A.

Join us if you can. For more information see schedule snapshot or contact info@aim-strategies.com.

Trudy Ann Channer

OD Consultant

Practice Active Communication in the Virtual Environment – LEARN Strategy #4: R= Respect Differences

To LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures and enable the R of L E A R N., we must first practice using Active Communication

 

 

Five Steps to Manage Differences

Look at these situations, some of which you may have experienced firsthand. The proposed solutions are taken from various client sessions where we brainstormed how best to respond to the issues stated below.

 

Yael Zofi

 

STRATEGIES FOR CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS – Respect Differences 2 -

To LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures and enable the R of L E A R N., we must first practice using Active Communication

 

Five Steps to Manage Differences

Look at these situations, some of which you may have experienced firsthand.  The proposed solutions are taken from various client sessions where we brainstormed how best to respond to the issues stated below.

SITUATION:

APPROPRIATE ACTION STEPS:

If you don’t have enough information to respond to a disagreement through feedback or alternatives.
1. Ask for clarification to get a better understanding of the other person’s needs or concerns.  (“I’m not sure how you propose to get this done in six weeks.  Could you walk me through your plan?”)


When you understand someone’s needs and concerns, and are willing to consider alternatives.
2. Suggest and/or ask for alterna­tives. This may lead to the opportunity for clarification and confirmation, balanced feedback or building. (“I’m willing to look at other suppliers for – - – that are within our cost guidelines, but what will you do to ensure quality control?”)


If you’re still uncertain about what someone wants, and you want to continue the discussion.
3. State what’s important to you, and check what’s important to the other person. (“What matters to me is getting clean images quickly at a reasonable cost.  If I understand you correctly, you can guarantee the quality of the images but the cost is prohibitive.”)


It you’re still unable to identify alternatives and want to probe further. 
4. Temporarily remove restrictions. This may lead to the opportunity for clarification and confirmation, balanced building, or additional alternatives.  (“If there weren’t any restrictions, Brenda, what would you like to do?”)


When you clearly understand someone’s needs and concerns and have spent sufficient time trying to identify alternatives.
5. End discussion (by acknowl­edging that person’s right to his/her views and feelings), and state your decision. (“Raj, I understand why you want Marketing to promote this new application, but it will come back to haunt us if we can’t deliver it.  I can’t go along with what you are proposing to top management.”)

 

Yael Zofi

 

Strategies For Cross-Cultural Interactions – Respect Differences

Virtual team managers must LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures.  After a few weeks focused on creating transparency and overcoming ambiguity, we continue this week with strategy #4, the R of L E A R N.

 

Effective cross-cultural communication can be difficult if you have trouble showing respect for another’s differences.  A low score here does not mean that you don’t respect others; it means that your behavior may not show it.  Just as you want to be respected for different characteristics that you may bring to a group, others do as well.  With the right attitude (as the cliché says, attitude is everything), you can encourage your team members to think of their differences as the spice that lends interest to your Pepper Pot Soup

 

Strategy #4   R E S P E C T: RESPECT DIFFERENCES

PART 1

While different cultures vary in how they show respect, following these general guidelines should lead to positive results:

Make it your business to learn at least one fact about every member’s culture.
Acknowledge cultural differences and remind team members to respect them, as they want to be respected in turn.
Make it a point to create common ground among team members where they share similarities, especially around work goals.
Be professional; even those with a less than perfect understanding of English will be able to detect curtness or indifference in your tone.  Therefore, make it a point to assume a clear and welcoming tone when you communicate by phone.
Be punctual when meeting someone new from an unfamiliar culture.
Do not over generalize or attribute characteristics of a given culture to individuals – in other words refrain from stereotyping, even when others around you do.
Use optimistic, positive terms in your written or oral communication.
Find every opportunity to acknowledge others.
Demonstrate flexibility. Be open to discussing other options. If you find that you and the person with whom you are speaking want different things, try to find a middle ground and compromise. Being rigid and too tied to your way of doing things could set back your progress.
No one expects you to master a slew of foreign languages; however using the phrases ‘please’ and ‘thank you’; in the individual’s native tongue is appreciated.
Watch or read the news from your team members’ countries of origin. Discuss cultural topics to better understand different viewpoints (perhaps it’s best to avoid political issues).
Become aware of the traditional festivals of your virtual team members’ countries. They may genuinely appreciate a greeting via email or IM on that day.
Respect different time zones when scheduling virtual meetings. Work towards sharing this responsibility so that everyone’s availability and time preferences are honored equally.
Use social networks to learn more about your virtual co-workers. You will often find common interests that can become topics of conversation.
Develop an action plan to improve your own skills.

 

Next week’s post will provide suggestions for practicing active communication in the virtual environment and will bring 5 steps to manage differences.

 

Yael Zofi

 

STRATEGIES FOR CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS – Respect Differences

Virtual team managers must LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures.  After a few weeks focused on creating transparency and overcoming ambiguity, we continue this week with strategy #4, the R of L E A R N.

 

Effective cross-cultural communication can be difficult if you have trouble showing respect for another’s differences.  A low score here does not mean that you don’t respect others; it means that your behavior may not show it.  Just as you want to be respected for different characteristics that you may bring to a group, others do as well.  With the right attitude (as the cliché says, attitude is everything), you can encourage your team members to think of their differences as the spice that lends interest to your Pepper Pot Soup

 

Strategy #4   R E S P E C T: RESPECT DIFFERENCES

PART 1

While different cultures vary in how they show respect, following these general guidelines should lead to positive results:

Make it your business to learn at least one fact about every member’s culture.
Acknowledge cultural differences and remind team members to respect them, as they want to be respected in turn.
Make it a point to create common ground among team members where they share similarities, especially around work goals.
Be professional; even those with a less than perfect understanding of English will be able to detect curtness or indifference in your tone.  Therefore, make it a point to assume a clear and welcoming tone when you communicate by phone.
Be punctual when meeting someone new from an unfamiliar culture.
Do not over generalize or attribute characteristics of a given culture to individuals – in other words refrain from stereotyping, even when others around you do.
Use optimistic, positive terms in your written or oral communication.
Find every opportunity to acknowledge others.
Demonstrate flexibility. Be open to discussing other options. If you find that you and the person with whom you are speaking want different things, try to find a middle ground and compromise. Being rigid and too tied to your way of doing things could set back your progress.
No one expects you to master a slew of foreign languages; however using the phrases ‘please’ and ‘thank you’; in the individual’s native tongue is appreciated.
Watch or read the news from your team members’ countries of origin. Discuss cultural topics to better understand different viewpoints (perhaps it’s best to avoid political issues).
Become aware of the traditional festivals of your virtual team members’ countries. They may genuinely appreciate a greeting via email or IM on that day.
Respect different time zones when scheduling virtual meetings. Work towards sharing this responsibility so that everyone’s availability and time preferences are honored equally.
Use social networks to learn more about your virtual co-workers. You will often find common interests that can become topics of conversation.
Develop an action plan to improve your own skills.

 

Next week’s post will provide suggestions for practicing active communication in the virtual environment and will bring 5 steps to manage differences.

 

Yael Zofi

 

STRATEGIES FOR CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS – Respect Differences -

Virtual team managers must LEARN how to effectively communicate across cultures.  After a few weeks focused on creating transparency and overcoming ambiguity, we continue this week with strategy #4, the R of L E A R N.

 

Effective cross-cultural communication can be difficult if you have trouble showing respect for another’s differences.  A low score here does not mean that you don’t respect others; it means that your behavior may not show it.  Just as you want to be respected for different characteristics that you may bring to a group, others do as well.  With the right attitude (as the cliché says, attitude is everything), you can encourage your team members to think of their differences as the spice that lends interest to your Pepper Pot Soup

 

Strategy #4   R E S P E C T: RESPECT DIFFERENCES

PART 1

While different cultures vary in how they show respect, following these general guidelines should lead to positive results:

Make it your business to learn at least one fact about every member’s culture.
Acknowledge cultural differences and remind team members to respect them, as they want to be respected in turn.
Make it a point to create common ground among team members where they share similarities, especially around work goals.
Be professional; even those with a less than perfect understanding of English will be able to detect curtness or indifference in your tone.  Therefore, make it a point to assume a clear and welcoming tone when you communicate by phone.
Be punctual when meeting someone new from an unfamiliar culture.
Do not over generalize or attribute characteristics of a given culture to individuals – in other words refrain from stereotyping, even when others around you do.
Use optimistic, positive terms in your written or oral communication.
Find every opportunity to acknowledge others.
Demonstrate flexibility. Be open to discussing other options. If you find that you and the person with whom you are speaking want different things, try to find a middle ground and compromise. Being rigid and too tied to your way of doing things could set back your progress.
No one expects you to master a slew of foreign languages; however using the phrases ‘please’ and ‘thank you’; in the individual’s native tongue is appreciated.
Watch or read the news from your team members’ countries of origin. Discuss cultural topics to better understand different viewpoints (perhaps it’s best to avoid political issues).
Become aware of the traditional festivals of your virtual team members’ countries. They may genuinely appreciate a greeting via email or IM on that day.
Respect different time zones when scheduling virtual meetings. Work towards sharing this responsibility so that everyone’s availability and time preferences are honored equally.
Use social networks to learn more about your virtual co-workers. You will often find common interests that can become topics of conversation.
Develop an action plan to improve your own skills.

 

Next week’s post will provide suggestions for practicing active communication in the virtual environment and will bring 5 steps to manage differences.

 

Yael Zofi