On Friday, November 21st, at the close of a dismal week on the NY Stock Exchange, the Market suddenly took a sharp turn upward. By the time it closed an hour later, it had shot up nearly 500 points! What happened to cause such a euphoric bounce?

It was leaked that President-elect Barack Obama was going to appoint Timothy Geithner as the incoming Treasury Secretary. Who is this man who created such a stir on the NYSE? We quickly learned that in addition to having been president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for the last five years, Geithner has a background in Asian studies, international economics, has studied Japanese and Chinese, and lived in East Africa, India, Thailand, China and Japan! He credited these global experiences as critical components of his background and skill base. Surprisingly, the media barely reported on Geithner’s global exposure.

Since little reference to these facts was made, we felt it was important to reinforce the crucial nature of global competencies and how they will continue to become leadership criteria in the 21st century. This lack of coverage is unfortunate, as Geithner’s experience fits in completely with what we’ve been discovering about the skills and background required for global leadership today, both in business and in government. Previously, we’ve commented about how Barack Obama’s multi-cultural background and experiences living abroad have added to his credentials and potential as a world leader. This also fits with a study RW³ conducted with ORC Worldwide, “The Importance of Cultural Skills for Global Business Leadership,” which confirms the importance of global experience in leadership.

Whether it is the banking or financial industry, the auto industry or government, we’re reminded everyday how a new kind of leadership is needed. In order to find that leadership we have to embrace diversity and recognize that skills for the 21st century will regard cultural plurality and will consider the ramifications of its ignorance.

The NYSE celebrated in that moment on November 21st because it is understood our economy is globally interdependent, which means that those who lead must have a global mindset. Unless you’re aware that people around the world think differently, are motivated differently and have values and beliefs that are unique, vital information will be overlooked and opportunities will be passed unknowingly. If one can’t see these clues, one can’t react to them. It seems that Geithner embodies these capacities and has attained the vision and perspective to spearhead the economic misfortune of our time. Learn more about him here.

Mike

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A teacher from the International Community School raises the issue of what role the educator should play in an area containing many different value systems. Since the area where this school is located contains over 26,000 refugees, cultural acuity is one essential skill she has developed, which is needed to understand and be sensitive to the behavior of her pupils. Reference to culture as an iceberg is made, as the hidden aspects of culture resemble some of the hardest obstacles to communication and learning. Understanding others must begin with understanding yourself, the author explains. Comparing the differences between the self and the other is the starting point to learning how cooperation can be successful between diverse groups of individuals. When teaching her class, the diversity of the student body is recognized, as she adjusts her way of instruction in order to make her students aware and comfortable with each other. How important is the development of cultural competence in education? Read more on this very interesting article here.

Why would chocolate made in a cacao producing country be news? As both cacao cultivators and producers of their own chocolate products, Kallari is one of a small handful of companies who fulfill both functions. Typically, those who grow and sell cacao for export do not actually craft chocolate. This tends to be done in many non-cacao exporting countries, e.g. Belgium, Germany and the US. Kallari started as a small group of local entrepreneurs who asked for help from Western businesses to start their own, which now commands prices that compete on an international level. The cross cultural team it took to launch this company is what makes it so unique. Read more here
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Informal societies, as in Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada, may seem nonchalant to people from more formal cultures. Nonetheless, many aspects of daily life and business follow a certain pattern and procedure.

* Invitations to a social or business function might be vague and unspecific. Check with a colleague, local national or fellow expat if in doubt about specifics such as appropriate time to arrive and leave, dress code and gift giving.
* Don’t be surprised or offended if people address you by your first name–or even abbreviate it without your permission.
* Ostentatious displays of wealth or status may be considered pretentious and arrogant.
* Recognize that lines may be blurred–lines between socio-economic groups, lines between personal and professional lives and status in the organizational hierarchy.
* The visible trappings of authority are obscure, which can be very difficult for a newcomer to understand. A CEO, for example, may sit in an open cubicle alongside other employees, dress as casually as they do and drive a practical, family car. But make no mistake – there is a level of deference and acknowledgment of status in informal cultures as well. Subtle gestures can take on great meaning, and business titles imply all the same levels of authority as they do in a formal culture.
* The office dress code is oftentimes casual, full suits are not worn by men or women. Open collared, short sleeve tops are acceptable and even denim has become an acceptable substitution for formal trousers or skirts.

- taken from RW3’s CultureWizard™

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When in Kenya, or interacting with Kenyans, the following information will be essential ro avoid cultural faux pas:

* The most common greeting is the handshake preceded by the salutation “Jambo”, pronounced jawm-bow (“Hello” in Swahili).
* Kenya’s society is hierarchical, women over the age of 21 are often addressed as “Mama” and men over the age of 35 are often addressed as “Mzee”.
* At a social gathering, it is common for hosts to introduce newcomers to each guest individually. Introductions should never be rushed. It is polite to converse briefly with each person as this demonstrates an interest in them and an understanding of Kenyan etiquette.
* While direct communication is valued, Kenyans tend to qualify what they say so that the message is delivered in a sensitive way.
* Kenyans value tradition, so it is a good idea to provide a historical framework or context when attempting to introduce a new idea or process. They may ask questions until they feel comfortable.
* The culture is highly risk averse and tolerance for change is low, as the idea of it is not received with enthusiasm. The underlying belief is that change may threaten the social fabric. New projects will be carefully analyzed to assure that whatever risk they represent is thoroughly understood and addressed.
* Meetings seldom have scheduled ending times since what matters is finishing the meeting in a satisfactory manner to all concerned. In fact, Kenyans are amused at the concept of an ending time, since they believe the meeting ends only when all parties are finished.
* Two tips on physical gestures: If you want to use a hand motion to indicate you want someone to move closer, make certain that your palm is down. Never point with your index finger. Use your chin instead.

- taken from RW3’s CultureWizard™

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This computer manufacturer’s history of cultural fusion, between Chinese and American varieties, has lead to experience with cultural impasse, which is the highlight of this article. The company’s Western employees did not realize their Chinese co-worker’s silence during conversation signified disagreement, while their reporting of problems directly to senior executives left American employees feeling circumvented and purposely left out of the loop (why do you think this happened?). The dynamics of conversation seem to be especially difficult between Chinese and North Americans, as the latter speak more readily while the former listen more eagerly. What other instances can you remember where a conversation with a colleague in a multicultural team left you feeling awkward or confused? Lenovo now alternates its headquarters between Paris, Beijing and Raleigh, North Carolina, which seems to have introduced a sort of cultural balance. More subtle changes have also been implemented: silkworms are no longer offered on the menu in the Beijing cafeteria and sports metaphors, confusing to many, are prohibited during phone meetings.

This article brings light to the disparity in value placed on math for students of different cultural backgrounds. Math students in India are charged with completing math problems on a daily basis, where their American counterparts spend a lot of time only reading about math topics. The article reports that Indian students are oftentimes years ahead of Americans in terms of knowledge and curriculum they are taught. What else is there to be learned from teaching methods in other countries? See Indian Math Online’s website to learn more about services offered for math instruction in the Indian way.

An indigenous minority, the Adivasis, of Gujarat have commenced various projects to enliven and document unwritten rural languages that have never before been recorded. This New York Times article explains the importance of this action in a time when Hindi and English dominate as pathways to “modern” identity. The Adivasi Academy, a school created to reposition local thought on the value of heritage, actively works to keep languages and lifestyles of rural India alive through their various projects. One of the vital tasks of the Acedemy’s pupils is to create dictionaries for languages that have never had them before. The most interesting aspect is that the area’s youth, who typically flock to metropoles, have changed concepts of rural culture and increasingly show signs of appreciation for it through endeavors to keep it alive in the public memory.

What kinds of perspectives do people have on foreign cultures and how qualified do they feel to explain such cultures to others? A recent post on Ethnography.com argues in favor of the “armchair” scholar who conducts his research on various communities from libraries, saying the perspectives and information placed in books is more than one person could ever experience through travel and residence abroad. The writer of the post admits that there is value in both reading and experiencing culture, but how do people value knowledge gained from life experiences and textual knowledge? Let us know what YOU think.

Sean
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Celebrating the calendar year’s end is just as important in Japan as it is in many countries, which is why December and January are big months for hosting parties and other festivities. Chopsticks New York, a resource for anything Japanese in New York and frequently a cultural guide, has noted in its current issue the essential ways of entertaining in the Japanese way (see the full text here: Chopsticks ny). Everything from pouring beverages (never for yourself) to seating arrangements (the most honored guests sit farthest from the door) have been covered. One interesting segment highlights parties, called Bureikou, which are thrown to encourage the mingling of junior employees with senior staff, where a so-called break from hierarchy is allowed to facilitate candid, easy-going conversation. Interesting and otherwise unknown to outsiders, this article is priceless and amusing to those venturing to Japan or for those hosting Japanese guests elsewhere!

For more Culture Tips, please click here.

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