Blog Post: Increase Your Cross-Cultural Competencies

Competition is an absolute game in any business. Our current generation where global operations of many small and big companies are extensively gaining their grounds internationally. Arizona based corporations are not left behind. Entrepreneurs are now in the global market place as they are attracted with the possibilities of doing business in the international zone. Because of opportunities and possibilities - the global market is the arena to compete.

Operating a business in an international zone is not as easy as cooking your favorite delicacy. It is complex and nerve-testing, by your patience, determination and abilities to combat challenges. One of the challenges in doing business in the global environment is the lack of understanding the simple yet common sense of cultural uniqueness of every cultural setting around the world. Every community in any country, every business and its operation whether big or small scale has its own set of features and characteristics. When you begin interfacing in that zone - you will be challenged to face the nuances. This is because of inadequate knowledge and understanding the required competencies to operate within a micro-cultural environment. Your management and or technical skills to do your job are not the only requirement. Competence to assimilate, learn, interact and immerse into the culture of your target market play a bigger role than anything that you have thought about.

Business owners, expatriates, impatriates and individuals who were not culturally oriented, who have operated in specific country with their independent goals and objectives have experienced huge difficulties to adjust with their peers at work and at social settings, the work environment, the bureaucracies, the hierarchical differences, the magnitude of cultural barriers in order to fit-in at a given environment and most of all the lack of cultural awareness. All of these inadequacies have contributed to their failures, low productivity, higher risks of workforce turnover and losing return on investments.

Mobility of workforce has increased tremendously in the last three years. Business investors from different countries were equally mobile. People around the world are moving.

On the other hand, Human Resource Business Partners are trying to cope up with the demands of global workplace. In that way, they can support the needs of their mobile workforce. They too are challenged with the inadequate knowledge and competence to operate globally.

Within United States, there are very few companies that are source of quality education about culture. The cultural education that is impacting is not gained through attending a one day or two days seminar. It is not a time bound program of three weeks or two months. It is a program that will expand up to the time when the individual has gained certain level of proficiency and have gone through the period of Aculturization. This is an immersion based concept and process. Experiential learning is a great way in assimilating the cultural competencies but hands-on activity is the real scenario which will facilitate a maximum cultural adjustment.

There is a big task ahead of you. Increase your Global Competencies in order to demonstrate an effective operational leadership and management portfolio in the infinite global market. To gain a certain level of competence visit us at: www.jntconsulting.com/workshops.html

 

At JNT Consulting, we advocate professional growth, development and advancement. Our Workshops on Global Relocation Management and Global Expense Management are now open for enrolment. Who should attend? HR Professionals, Relocation Professionals, Real Estate Professionals, Staffing Professionals, New Professionals, Professionals changing careers, Finance and Accounting Professionals, Payroll Managers and Business Professionals - whose responsibilities will interface with the global relocation of an assignee or transferee and family between countries and within cities of countries across cultures.

Contact: Juntee Terrenal, MA, GMS, President, JNT Consulting LLC, www.jntconsulting.com, Email: juntee@jntconsulting.com, Telephone: (480) 656-2981