Reflection Responsibility Inspiring Action

ReflectionResponsibilityInspiring ActionDarlene FisherECIS Seville April 2014

What will we do? Reflect Consider communication Wonder about culture Compare working styles Decide on responsibilities Share inspirations

Reflection(s) How well do your

staff (all staff not just teaching staff) communicate across cultural /group borders within your community, or do you have national groups who stick together?

Communication What are the potential effects of cultural

differences in communication style?

Kaplan (1966)

How is it so? English - (includes Germanic languages

such as German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish) Communication is direct, linear and doesn’t digress or go off topic.

Semitic – (for example, Arabic or Hebrew) Thoughts are expressed in a series of parallel ideas, both positive and negative.  Coordination is valued over subordination.

Oriental – (Languages of Asia) Communication is indirect. A topic is not addressed head on, but is viewed from various perspectives, working around and around the point.

Romance – (Latin-based languages such as French, Italian, Romanian and Spanish)  Communication often digresses. It is fine to introduce extraneous material, which adds to the richness of the communication.

Russian – Like Romance languages, Russian communication is often digressive. The digression may include a series of parallel ideas.

So what?Leadership requires communication - yes? How do we

communicate with multiple styles of communication in existence in one group of staff?

What is culture?

Geert Hofstede‘My favourite definition of "culture" is precisely that its essence is

collective mental programming: it is that part of our conditioning that we share with other members of our community’…

Trompenaars ‘Culture is the way a group of people solve problems’

D. O’Neil ‘Culture is the full range of learned human behavior patterns…Culture

is a powerful human tool for survival, but it is a fragile phenomenon.  It is constantly changing and easily lost because it exists only in our minds. ’

Why is it so?

Understanding is based on interpretations – through attitudes, values and beliefs

Dimensions of culture Hofsted

5 Dimensions Trompenaars and

Turner 7 Dimensions

Hofstede’s cultural dimensions Power distance « PDI »

Individualism/ Collectivism « IDV »

Masculinity / Femininity « MAS »

Uncertainty avoidance « UAI »

Long term orientation « LTO »

Trompenaars & Turner

In a nutshell? Cultures differ markedly in ways that

significantly affect our communication styles and relationships, thus affecting how we can(should?) lead and manage…

Stereotypes & Generalizations

GeneralizationsStereotypes

Be careful though….

Fixed and oversimplified opinions, images or judgments

General statements, ideas or principles

AlwaysNever

AllNone

Either/Or

MostManySome

UsuallyTypicallyGenerally

Corinne Rosenberg

Some examples of contrasting ways of working:

Power distanceLow to High

Power is decentralised Managers count on the experience of their team

members Employees expect to be consulted Ideal boss is a ‘coach’ Hierarchy is for convenience Privileges and status symbols

are frowned upon

Power is centralised Managers count on their

bosses and the rules of the organisation

Employees expect to be told what to do

Ideal boss is a ‘father figure’ Hierarchy is part of existence Privileges and status symbols

are normal and popular

Hofstede

How do you communicate to the staff when you wish to implement change? What actions do you take?

Collectivism vs Individualism The relationship between employer and employee is

morally based; “I take care of you and you are loyal in return”

Feedback is always indirect

Praise is given to groups not individuals

Nepotism may exist

Individuals do not speak up unless asked to

The relationship is based on a contract

Feedback is direct

Individuals expect to be recognised and thanked or their efforts

Nepotism is rejected

Individuals expect to be able to speak up, add their ideas and be heard.

Hofstede

How do you deal with staf who have made a mistake? How do you reward/recognise those who have done something well?

1. How do you reward/recognise those who have done something well?2. How do you deal with staff who have made a mistake?

DirectionInternal (locus) vs External

Allow people to develop their skills and take control of their learning.

Set clear objectives that people agree with.

Be open about conflict and disagreement, and allow people to engage in constructive conflict.

Give people direction and regular feedback  , so that they know how their actions are affecting their environment.

Manage conflict  quickly and quietly.

Do whatever you can to boost people's confidence  .

Balance negative and positive feedback  .

Encourage people to take responsibility   for their work.

Trompenaars and Hampden Turner

How is conflict dealt with – if at all? What are the issues with this?

Levels of directnessDirect vs Indirect Concise, concrete, to

the point Not afraid to “say it

like it is” Confront difficulties

openly OK to give and

receive “constructive” feedback

Attention given to how messages are expressed

Save face and preserve personal dignity

Preserve harmony, avoid difficult topics, may not say no

Edward T Hall

What is your style?

Responsibilities Cultural differences abound in how work is

organised and goals achieved. If there is a difference of expectations, this affects the efficiency of any group and potentially makes a group totally ineffective.

How do you ensure that professional communities or committees, (or in fact any group designated to achieve anything) has a shared understanding of how they will achieve their goals?

Q. What are you doing about it in your community?

Inspiring action? How do you inspire action on the part of

all community members, to ensure excellent communication enhances the school achieving its mission and providing the school with a positive culture of inspiring educational ideals?

Effective communication

How can you enhance communication among a)Staff b) Students c) Parents

Inspiring Action? Increase awareness of different

communicating styles through workshops/presentations/games/modelling

Provide opportunities for responding in different ways to requests for input

Increase intercultural intelligence in your school by….

Join us and send your staff to AIE in Mumbai to discuss all of the above and much more!

Come to Mumbai! and enjoy sharing at

AIE, your ideas about intercultural

understanding

References Kaplan, (1966) Cultural Thought Patterns in Inter-

cultural Education, Language learning, Vol 16: 1, 1-20. Hall, E (1990).Hidden Differences, Doing Business

with the Japanese, Anchor, Hofstede, G., (2005) Culture and Organisations -

Software of the Mind, London: Mc Graw Hill, UK. Trompenaars and Hampden Turner, Seven Dimensions http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm accessed 1/4/2014