Canadian HR Reporter

STRATEGIC CAPABILITY NETWORK'S PANEL of thought leaders brings decades of experience from the senior ranks of Canada's business community. eir commentary puts HR management issues into context and looks at the practical implications of proposals and policies. CANADIAN HR REPORTER October 19, 2015 EXECUTIVE SERIES 11 www.scnetwork.ca Join our professional community of Canadian HR & Organizational Leaders: • Connecting @ monthly events • Collaborating with peers • Challenging conventional thinking The Power of Human Capital CULTIVATING LEADERSHIP FOR 35 YEARS Great Leaders GROW www.scnetwork.ca ree simple words can make all the diff erence In building meaningful global partner- ships and co-working eff ectively and successfully with diff erent cultures, three simple words make all the dif- ference for Stephen Miles of Har- lequin Enterprises: awareness, en- gagement and appreciation. In listening to his experiences and viewpoint, you can understand the shift that is happening and has to happen if organizations wish to succeed in the international world of business. Managing diversity and being customer-centric is not enough in today's global mar- ketplace. Unmistakably, building partnerships and initiating multi- cultural relationships are the two fundamental underpinnings to Harlequin's global achievements. e company's way of thinking is expansive. Its emphasis is on everyone's ability to be more than aware of other people's outlooks, perceptions and values. ey ex- cel at being consistently open and predisposed to sharing outcomes, collaborating and establishing how they can meet customers' needs — together. There is no room in their approach for a win- lose ending, only a win-win for all parties. With his unique stories and real examples, Miles illustrated the need for and value gained by taking the time to know the other parties' business almost as well as you know your own. e under- lying messages were clear as to how you can make a meaningful diff erence in building affi rmative relationships. Key tips for leaders included: making sure they have done their research with the intention of appreciating the other party's in- dustry, their competition, their challenges and their threats; fi nd- ing out how they can help their clients resolve their difficulties and setbacks; conscientiously en- couraging everyone to be open to sharing ideas without judgment and to enthusiastically learn from each other; and convincing every- one to be willing and prepared to change the way they have been doing business in order to achieve something greater. Harlequin is an outstanding example of how multicultural partnerships involve careful selec- tion and attentive nurturing over and above what is traditionally defi ned as relationship manage- ment skills. Harlequin embraces an all-inclusive approach where not only the leadership team is involved, but also middle man- agers, people managers and the workforce at large. Its onboarding programs and employee develop- ment programs demonstrate an integrated approach where mul- ticultural training is incorporated into team-building and relation- ship management skills training. For any leaders looking to en- hance and expand their global success, there are three simple codes of behaviour from the Har- lequin model that can be acted on immediately. First is com- munication. Undoubtedly, the more communications there are between you and your client, and the more transparent, honest and straightforward the relationship, the easier it will be to build a trust- ing, long-term relationship. Second is to establish integrity by keeping commitments. Do what you say you will do, every single time. If you make a prom- ise to fi x something, look into it or follow up to fulfi ll that promise, without a hitch, every time — only then will people know and believe they can trust you. Third is to stay focused and fl exible. Doing things the way you have always done them because it worked that way in the past does not work in today's con- tinuous-change state of aff airs. Sometimes, it's about stopping and re-assessing your processes, technology platforms, clients' ex- periences and results — good and bad. It's important to be mindful about creating an organizational culture from the top down that emphasizes infl uential learning, encourages risk-taking, and advo- cates innovation and long-term, continuous improvement. Multiculturalism is an evolving process; it is qualitative. It's the shift that occurs when we stop defi ning everyone by one cultural norm and move to an understand- ing of multiple norms. Critical to this process is the breaking down of systemic barriers to fairness, open-mindedness and neutrality. Multiculturalism can only exist when we make a well-informed commitment to change. ank you, Harlequin Enter- prises, for reminding us it really is that simple to build great mul- ticultural relationships in a global marketplace. Trish Maguire is a commentator for SCNetwork on leadership in action and founding principal of Synergyx Solutions in Nobleton, Ont., focused on high-potential leadership develop- ment coaching. She has held senior leadership roles in HR and OD in education, manufacturing and entre- preneurial fi rms. She can be reached at synergyx@sympatico.ca. Trish Maguire LeaDershiP In Action Embracing 'high-context,' 'low-context' cultures Small Canadian businesses have a real challenge growing internationally. Unlike large corporations that have established reputations and are well-known within the international arena, small companies struggle to even be acknowledged. Also, large corporations can hire foreign agents to establish con- nections within other countries. ese agents are familiar with the local cultures and usually know key people there. Smaller fi rms typically don't have the money or talent to do this, so they must do it themselves. Not only does this take them away from critical duties back home, but they must operate in an unfamiliar culture. How can we do this most ef- fectively? Stephen Miles of Har- lequin Enterprises thinks the best way to approach this is to fi rst understand how the culture of the country in question aff ects its communication style. After accumulating more than two million Air Miles points and a plethora of passport stamps, Miles succinctly concludes that in order for small Canadian busi- nesses to establish a successful presence in any foreign country, they "must adapt to the cultural structure of that country." Every country has its own cul- tural traits. We in Canada see subtle differences between our American neighbours and our- selves; the same goes for England and us. e contrast is even more pronounced between the West and eastern cultures such as Japan, China and India. Edward T. Hall, in his 1976 book Beyond Culture, defi ned these traits in terms of "high-context" and "low-context." Canada is considered a low- context culture. Our communi- cation with each other is, for the most part, straightforward. When we say something, our meaning is largely self-evident: "How much of a discount will you give me if I pay cash?" or "Would you like that in blue or red?" High-context cultures base their communication systems more on background information, tradition or rituals. For instance, in Japan, the word "yes" may mean "Yes, I hear you" or it could mean "Yes, I agree" as we know it. You have to be acutely attuned to the culture in order to detect these diff erences. is is one of the reasons why it is so important for Canadian fi rms wishing to expand interna- tionally to be very cognizant of target countries' cultures. Misin- terpretation of a phrase or even a single word could determine the mission's success or failure. Another factor to consider when venturing into foreign countries is time. Time perspec- tives vary among cultures. In North America and Europe, time is treated as a commodity: "Time is money," "Do it now." Our view of time is very linear. In Latin countries, such as Spain, Italy, Mexico and those in South America, time is looked upon as what we're working on and with whom we are working. erefore, it is important to be fl exible with time because rela- tionships are more important. In Asian countries, time can be considered "circular." Issues are re- visited several times. People prefer to "walk around the pool" several times to ensure the right decision is made. These circular events may include tea ceremonies with the Japanese or visits to the Great Wall with the Chinese before any discussion about a business ven- ture is even mentioned. You have to be patient and respectful of their processes, which are based on harmony and Confucian and Buddhist philosophies. Another aspect of diverse cul- tures is the way workers interact with each other. In western cul- tures, particularly the U.S. and Canada, we tend to be individu- alistic. We pride ourselves on the amount of responsibility and au- thority we have, as discussed in Geert Hofstede's model Power Distance. In Latin and eastern cultures, it's the opposite; they tend to value group participation and achieve- ments. Brainstorming sessions typically don't work there because people don't publicly volunteer their ideas because they could be perceived as mavericks. Subordi- nates rarely question their supe- riors openly. Malcolm Gladwell says this may be why Korean Air, in the late 1990s, had so many crashes — the reluctance of co- pilots to countermand or even question pilots' decisions. Miles states the three key ingre- dients for success with any foreign culture are to be aware of its nu- ances, appreciate its beauty and elegance, and embrace it — enjoy it and learn from it. By employing this approach, we become more aligned with new foreign partners and signifi cantly improve our po- tential to grow and succeed in new and thriving markets. Morgan Smyth is an SCNetwork thought leader and a change manage- ment consultant who launched his own IT services company which soared to Profi t Magazine's 50 Fastest Grow- ing Companies. He is based in Toronto and can be reached at msmyth@brae- gen.com. Morgan Smyth LeaDershiP in Action

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