A manager's job is to deliver results, through people, according to the requirements of the company. Globalization has brought its share of complexities to the management front.
Managers with responsibilities around the globe who can adapt their style will have the edge. Not only must the mamager have great people skills, but they have to embrace the differences cultures bring to the workplace.
International; intercultural; multicultural and diverse are all terms that help us understand the new ways of a modern world and few large businesses are insulated from needing to embrace this new 'technology'.
With offices in all the major cities, production based in outreaches normally associated with TV specials and growing, wealthy markets just clamoring for appealing products, there are few organizations who remain untouched by the globalization of trade.
Value-creating diversification management skills are, for many, the challenge of the new millennium and beyond.
Intercultural Management - What You Need To Know
The bottom line is that there is now, in a tough marketplace, a need for exceptional managers who can work worldwide to get the best from cultural differences.
'Intercultural Management' is all about being able to maximise value from the differences across the world, by overcoming the challenges that such locations might throw up.
In all forms of people management, communication is a recognized key ingredient for success and intercultural communication is a term of increased complexity.
It's vital to recognize just how shared understanding is the most important piece of the puzzle in businesses that work across international boundaries.
Within the business, an multicultural manager plays the role of a go-between for senior personnel and employees and must have clear and effective communication with all.
The manager must also build and oversee an efficient team of often worldwide employees to ensure that and strategies and global plans get delivered at the sharp end.
One way that a manager who works in diverse lands can make rapid progress is by living and working in the environment they are attempting to leverage. Carefully choosing appropriate personnel ready for such challenges is paramount.
Some managers have the knack of great relationship building sklills wherever they are in the world - a talent to be much admired!
Where things work out well, bank those for the future. Where there are some shortfalls, careful scrutiny of what could be done better will also forge the way for future success.
Intercultural Management - Worldly Experience Counts
Apart from the more challenging differences across cultures, simply making sure that language issues are not a problem is the first and probably most obvious task.
Any intercultural manager has to use the experience he has and then supplement them with the following four skills:-
1. A focused awareness of the target location(s)
2. Vision to capitalize on differences
3. A flexible approach to different cultures
4. The capacity to pace change appropriately
If a manager has been able to live in a different country - any country apart from their own - they will undoubtedly have a capacity to live as differently as neccesary to get by.
That gives a big step-up to working there - or anywhere 'different', which makes integration easier and results much more likely to be positive.
International Managers Must Be Resourceful
Whilst any manager needs to be resourceful, it's a given that they will need an extra dose of this skill if they have intercultural management responsibilities.
When you have a flexible approach these problems can be handled with a certain amount of ease.
It's amazing how those who do really well, learn fast how to get the best from their local environment, leveraging local knowledge and radical solutions that come from out-of-the-box ideas that may be completely unexpected elsewhere.
It's a great chance to find the best people; new items for sale and varied rules and regulations to make a better deal possible.
Managed well, by an effective manager, experienced in extracting the benefits of such a role, will lead to added value for the organization, as well as to the advantage of employees in the target country too.
"A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains", is a saying well known in Holland.
Patience, perception, persistence and resourcefulness, all coupled with a vison for what might be possible, all are the trademarks of the truly valuable intercultural manager. - 16036
Managers with responsibilities around the globe who can adapt their style will have the edge. Not only must the mamager have great people skills, but they have to embrace the differences cultures bring to the workplace.
International; intercultural; multicultural and diverse are all terms that help us understand the new ways of a modern world and few large businesses are insulated from needing to embrace this new 'technology'.
With offices in all the major cities, production based in outreaches normally associated with TV specials and growing, wealthy markets just clamoring for appealing products, there are few organizations who remain untouched by the globalization of trade.
Value-creating diversification management skills are, for many, the challenge of the new millennium and beyond.
Intercultural Management - What You Need To Know
The bottom line is that there is now, in a tough marketplace, a need for exceptional managers who can work worldwide to get the best from cultural differences.
'Intercultural Management' is all about being able to maximise value from the differences across the world, by overcoming the challenges that such locations might throw up.
In all forms of people management, communication is a recognized key ingredient for success and intercultural communication is a term of increased complexity.
It's vital to recognize just how shared understanding is the most important piece of the puzzle in businesses that work across international boundaries.
Within the business, an multicultural manager plays the role of a go-between for senior personnel and employees and must have clear and effective communication with all.
The manager must also build and oversee an efficient team of often worldwide employees to ensure that and strategies and global plans get delivered at the sharp end.
One way that a manager who works in diverse lands can make rapid progress is by living and working in the environment they are attempting to leverage. Carefully choosing appropriate personnel ready for such challenges is paramount.
Some managers have the knack of great relationship building sklills wherever they are in the world - a talent to be much admired!
Where things work out well, bank those for the future. Where there are some shortfalls, careful scrutiny of what could be done better will also forge the way for future success.
Intercultural Management - Worldly Experience Counts
Apart from the more challenging differences across cultures, simply making sure that language issues are not a problem is the first and probably most obvious task.
Any intercultural manager has to use the experience he has and then supplement them with the following four skills:-
1. A focused awareness of the target location(s)
2. Vision to capitalize on differences
3. A flexible approach to different cultures
4. The capacity to pace change appropriately
If a manager has been able to live in a different country - any country apart from their own - they will undoubtedly have a capacity to live as differently as neccesary to get by.
That gives a big step-up to working there - or anywhere 'different', which makes integration easier and results much more likely to be positive.
International Managers Must Be Resourceful
Whilst any manager needs to be resourceful, it's a given that they will need an extra dose of this skill if they have intercultural management responsibilities.
When you have a flexible approach these problems can be handled with a certain amount of ease.
It's amazing how those who do really well, learn fast how to get the best from their local environment, leveraging local knowledge and radical solutions that come from out-of-the-box ideas that may be completely unexpected elsewhere.
It's a great chance to find the best people; new items for sale and varied rules and regulations to make a better deal possible.
Managed well, by an effective manager, experienced in extracting the benefits of such a role, will lead to added value for the organization, as well as to the advantage of employees in the target country too.
"A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains", is a saying well known in Holland.
Patience, perception, persistence and resourcefulness, all coupled with a vison for what might be possible, all are the trademarks of the truly valuable intercultural manager. - 16036
About the Author:
(c) 2008 Martin Haworth has written Super Successful Manager!, an easy to use, step-by-step weekly performance improvement program for managers of ANY capability. You can get a sample lesson for free at http://www.SuperSuccessfulManager.com.
