Organizations can be strengthened by leveraging differences that mirror the diversity of its citizens (Reichenberg, 2001). Taking international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) as an example, it is evident that a lot of efforts are placed in order to achieve workforce diversity. In the past, workplace diversity used to be encouraged in order to ensure anti-discrimination, but today, it is based on inclusion and the business case: embracing and leveraging differences for the benefit of the organization (Ismail 2008). Diversity is considered an organizational asset bringing together cultures, ideas and different perspectives and thereby encouraging innovation and creativity.
While these positive aspects of diversity are recognized by many organizations, they also face the practical challenges of achieving workforce unity. In a highly diverse organization, conflicts are inevitable if not well-managed. Increasing diversity presents a double-edged sword; hence the challenge of managing diversity is to create conditions that minimize its potential to be a performance barrier while maximizing its potential to enhance organizational performance (Cox, 2001).
Diversity management is an inevitable aspect for all international organizations nowadays and an important feature therein is cultural diversity and the enhancement of cross-cultural communication and teamwork. Even within a single culture, communication tends to have many complex effects but when communication takes place between two or more cultures, these effects get even more complicated, primarily because they are symbolized in one context and transferred into another (Najafbagy, 2008). Without effective communication within the workforce, misperceptions, misinterpretations and misevaluations will prevail in the work environment, causing lack of unity within the teams. Consequently, such disintegrated teams cannot work towards reaching the common goal of the organization. Therefore, a proper initiative to enhance cross-cultural communication and teamwork within international organizations is of extreme importance.
Research goal and research problem
This research paper will aim to explore the factors that are important in enhancing cross-cultural communication and teamwork in highly diverse teams. In particular, the research paper takes the example of United Nations Office in Vienna/United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNOV/UNODC) as the practical context for analysis purpose. UNOV and UNODC are closely linked through their shared Division for Management (which includes conference services, information services, security and safety services, procurement services, general support services, financial resources management services, human resources management services, information technology and communications services) and therefore is treated as one entity for the purpose of this paper. The United Nations as a whole is particularly suitable to the context of this study due to its richness in diversity as well as its increasingly differentiated teams and sets of activities. The organization has around 30 main field offices in different parts of the world with which the staff of UNOV/UNODC Headquarters interact closely on a daily basis. Therefore, management of cultural diversity within the organization is of particular essence for its smooth functioning in line with its mandate.
This paper deals with the issues related to cultural diversity and ways by which highly diverse teams can improve cross-cultural communication and teamwork. It will identify and explain several initiatives that are already in place to enhance cross-cultural communication within the UNOV/UNODC. Taking practices of the UN as a base, it will also provide recommendations to other organizations with diverse teams, which could ultimately aid them in delivering effective cross-cultural awareness and communication programmes. Finally it will also seek to provide further recommendations to UNOV/UNODC that would help in leveraging the impact of such initiatives.
Research questions
In approaching the research objective, the following questions will be addressed in the paper through literature search, expert interviews and experimental research:
How do cultural patterns affect communication in teams based on various taxonomies?
What are the potential practices and skills that employees can develop in order to improve their cross-cultural communication?
How can lack of awareness of cross-cultural differences impact teamwork?
How should cross-cultural communication trainings be offered in international organizations like UNOV/UNODC to leverage its impact in enhancing cross-cultural communication and teamwork?
How does UNOV/UNODC address the needs of cross-cultural awareness programmes for its workforce to enhance communication and teamwork?
Research methodologies
In finding the answers to the above questions, the following research methodologies were applied:
Literature search
A large part of the research was based on literature search in order to gain insights and ideas, and clarify concepts, on basic intercultural diversity management. In particular, the secondary research sought to understand the general taxonomies of cultural patterns, as well as ways to improve communication skills and cultural awareness in an organizational context. Ultimately, the exploratory research based on literature search sought to find answers to research questions 1 and 2: How do cultural patterns affect communication in teams based on various taxonomies? What are the potential practices and skills that employees can develop in order to improve their cross-cultural communication?
Experimental/Causal Research
As part of a two-day workshop on cross-cultural communication, the Staff Development Unit (SDU) of UNOV/UNODC facilitated a card game exercise known as the "Barnga Simulation game". It is a system that stimulates learning by encouraging behavioral and emotional responses of participants to an intercultural encounter (Fowler, 1999). The game uses cards with deliberately conflicting rule sheets distributed to the different participants for the purpose of building awareness of cultural differences and its impact. The sample for the exercise consisted of UNOV/UNODC trainees who were voluntarily attending a cross-cultural training session. The sample size was 15 people representing 14 different nationalities.
This exercise facilitated by SDU was a fundamental element of this research, since it served as an observational experimentation to see what difficulties people face during a "dummy" intercultural encounter and how it can be resolved. The Barnga exercise helped in clarifying research question 3: How can lack of awareness of cross-cultural differences impact teamwork?
Expert Interviews
An expert interview with Mr. Matthew Alagich, consultant/trainer of cross-cultural communication training workshop, was conducted to gain insights on the training aspects. It specifically sought to explore research question 4: How should cross-cultural communication trainings be offered in international organizations like UNOV/UNODC to leverage its impact in enhancing cross-cultural communication and teamwork?
Another expert interview with Staff Development Unit of UNOV/UNODC was also conducted to explore UNOV/UNODC's initiatives to tackle cross-cultural awareness issues. In particular, it enabled finding the response to research question 5: How does UNOV/UNODC address the needs of cross-cultural awareness programmes for its workforce to enhance communication and teamwork? The questions were submitted in written form to the section's focal point to have consolidated answers from the Chief of the section as well as others working in the section. Later, the mentioned points in the answers were further explored in depth through secondary research by looking into relevant internal documents as directed in the answers.
Basics of Cross-Cultural Communication
Defining Culture
A fundamental point of clarification before the paper dwells into the depths of the issue is to define what culture is. Culture refers to a way of life shared by members of a given society and includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, laws, customs and any other abilities and habits acquired by members of that society (Ancona et al., 2005). It is involves a set of rules that people internalize as their own.
When looking into cultural diversity and cross-cultural interaction, the most evident layer of culture is national culture. However, differences in national culture are only one of the explanations for what happens in any interaction (Hofstede et al., 2002). It should be noted that cultural differences could be regional, societal or ethnic. In addition to national culture, there are also other factors that add to how people behave. These include personalities, past experiences, gender and other factors of an individual. It is also important to take the context within which people operate as a key aspect in fine-tuning cultural categorization. Situational context is infinite in its variations, but three ingredients stand out: age, profession and field of study (Lewis, 2006).
In effect, the concept of culture has multiple dimensions, however, for the purpose of this paper, the focus remains mainly on national culture and is considered as per the definition: "The symbolic or expressive side of human life - actions, objects and ideas that carry specific meanings to particular people and groups and hence stand for something" (Ancona et al., 2005). The first step to understanding cross-cultural variations is to understand how meanings are read and actions are based.
Cultural patterns and its effect on communication
When expatriates who have worked in their home country join the UN and find themselves in the midst of an ocean of different cultures, it is practical to be aware of cultural patterns. Otherwise, when they have their first intercultural encounter, they may ask themselves: I have always done it this way in my previous job and it worked perfectly, so why is it different here? Why is my colleague so distant (or so open) with me? Why did my colleague react this way; I didn't intent it bad? Why does the workforce not follow the rules (or not value relationships) here?
To answer such questions, there is a need for a convincing categorization of culture that, in effect, helps to:
predict a culture's behavior;
clarify why people did what they did;
avoid giving offense;
search for some kind of unity;
standardize policies; and
perceive neatness and order (Lewis, 2006).
There have been several writers in the past who have tried to identify dimensions of cultural variations and historically grounded patterns of people from a certain identified group.
In 1980, Geert Hofstede, a researcher from the Netherlands, undertook one of the most popular studies of culture involving 116,000 IBM employees. The aim of the study was to research the impact of culture on behavior by examining the values and beliefs. The study involved employees in 40 different nations, and later including another ten countries. His study involved the four dimensions, Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism and Masculinity, as summarized below:
Power Distance
Extent to which the less powerful members of an organization expect and accept that power is not distributed equally.
High
Russia, China, Philippines, Mexico, India
Low
Israel, Austria, Denmark, England, New Zealand, USA
Uncertainty avoidance
Extent to which members of a society are anxious about the ambiguous, and therefore try to avoid uncertainty.
High
Japan, Russia, Argentina, Spain, Belgium
Low
Singapore, Hong Kong, Denmark, England, Sweden, USA
Individualism
Extent to which needs and autonomy of individuals are more important than the collective needs of the work unit.
High
USA, Netherlands, England, Australia, Canada, Belgium
Low
China, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Venezuela
Masculinity
Extent to which value is placed on traditionally 'masculine' values (competitiveness, assertiveness, and ambition) or 'feminine' values (relationships and quality of life).
High
Japan, Austria,Italy,Mexico, Venezuela, Switzerland
Low
Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, Chile
Later on he added the following dimension after conducting an additional international study involving 23 countries:
Long- term orientation
Extent to which a society's importance is placed on long term orientation (thrift and perseverance) vs. short term Orientation (respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and 'face' saving).
High
China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong
Low
Czech Republic, Canada, Norway, Philippines, USA
In addition to Hofstede's study other studies have been conducted along the same line in understanding cultural patterns. Other popular studies include:
Studies by Edward T. Hall, an American anthropologist
Dimensions identified:
Mono-chronic vs. Poly-chronic
High context or Low-context
Past-oriented vs. Future-oriented
Studies by Alfons Trompenaars, a Dutch author in the field of cross-cultural communication
Dimensions identified:
Universalist vs. Particularist
Individualist vs. Collectivist
Specific vs. Diffuse
Achievement vs. Ascription
Neutral vs. Emotional or Affective
Relating to studies is also are also other identified variations, which are briefly described below:
Conversational differences
There are differences in the way people of different cultures engage in conversations:
Voice intonation: While Middle Easterners generally speak loudly to show interest and genuineness, Japanese speak very softly to show modesty and politeness.
Silence: While silences may be seen as lack of communication and sign of disagreement in US culture, Japanese symbolize silence as respect and indicates that the listener is thoughtfully contemplating what has been said.
Conversational overlaps: Talking while somebody else is talking is seen as rather rude in some cultures, whereas, in Brazil or Italy it is a way to demonstrate interest and involvement in the conversation.
Nonverbal differences
In addition, there are also several nonverbal differences in the way people of diverse cultures communicate. The following points provide a few of the differences that could possibly cause some misinterpretations:
Nodding: In certain contexts, while Westerners could think that nodding means "Yes, I agree with you" and think that they have gotten an agreement, the Japanese might simply be saying "Yes, I hear you".
Shaking head from side to side: While many cultures would understand the action of shaking head from side to side as a "No", a variation of head shaking means "I understand" or "Yes" in India.
Eye contact: While most Westerners try to maintain eye contact with the speakers to show interest and respect, Native Americans and Australian Aborigines show respect by looking down when elders/superiors speak.
Handshake: Germans prefer one good handshake stroke, whereas in Spain anything less than five or six handshake stoke is viewed as a lack of trust.
All of the current taxonomies have limitations, and researchers continue to seek a more comprehensive and useful way to describe cultural dimensions (Yukl, 2006). Most significant drawback is that the averages of a country do not relate to all the individuals of that country. Therefore, people should be careful that such taxonomies are not used to negatively stereotype people, but instead it should foster understanding, appreciation, if not, tolerance, for other cultures.
Such studies help in understanding the differences in culture in a general form and how it can impact our relationships. They also help in discovering what degree of effort is needed in order to build rapport between people of cultures on both ends of the dimensional spectrum. It would be impossible for even the most informed and adaptable executives to be aware of hundreds of different cultures from each of the countries represented at the UN. Yet, the factor of adaptation cannot be neglected. The issue would be simplified, if we are familiar with the cultural patterns identified in such taxonomies, which in turn allow us to group certain countries that are similar in certain dimensions described before.
Practices and skills to improve cross-cultural communication
The paper has thus far provided an insight on why awareness of cultural differences is important and what some of cultural dimensions are, which justify the differences. Now, what are the potential practices and skills that employees can develop in order to improve their cross-cultural communication? In order to answer this, we need start off by trying to get a deeper understanding of our mental model.
Mental Model
Our brain works such that we often make assumptions and come to conclusions based on what we expect to see. This expectation is based on our own beliefs, values and experiences. Chris Argyris first introduced the "Ladder of Inference" in 1990 as he explored the idea of mental models, or patterns we establish, that can keep us locked in our current mode of thinking (Mackin, 2007).
The ladder of inference is a hypothetical model of how individuals make inferences (Argyris, 1993). The below model based on the "Ladder of Inference", stipulates that our actions are taken based on our beliefs, our beliefs are based on assumptions and our assumptions are based on our interpretations/inferences of situations.
For example, as per Figure 1 below, the observed data is: "4 of the 8 last tasks have not been completed on time". Inference made on the observed data is "people don't want to do the task". From this inference, the assumption is that "people don't want to be on the team anymore". From this assumption, the conclusion is that "people don't care what happens". This conclusion forms the belief that "people don't care anymore like they used to". One action for the above example might be, "Don't invite people to be on teams if they don't even care anymore". This is called the reflexive loop, where our actions actually serve to reinforce the original problem (Mackin, 2007).
Figure : Ladder of Inference (Argyris, 1990; Mackin, 2007)
Practicing the MiSA Model
The MiSA model provides a process for stepping back and analyzing situations to gain understanding by reflecting on our Ladder of Inference (Alagich, 2010). People see what they expect to see and leap into forming judgments. The MiSA model helps to halt that natural function that happens in a quarter of a second. It is a Buddhist meditation technique to develop mindfulness. The model consists of the following elements:
Be Mindful
Separate the DIE: Description (what we observe), Interpretation (what we assume about what we observe) and Evaluation (what we feel about what we assume) process
Explore Alternative interpretations
An example from the Intercultural Communication Workshop Facilitator's Manual (Bennett et al., 1977) explains different interpretations and evaluations based on the way you see things:
Figure : Example from Intercultural Communication Workshop Facilitator's Manual (Bennett et al. 1977)
One may find within the UN as well that people from one culture express themselves in one way, while people from another culture might interpret and evaluate the expression differently. The below model, known as the perceptual model, integrates the Mental model and the MiSA model. Naturally, most people expect sameness as they interact with people from other cultures. When they experience differences, they would portray an emotional response. The natural tendency would be to act based on emotion or judgment. However, the practice that cross-cultural awareness programmes aim to trigger is to pause and clarify with MiSA.
Perceptual model
Expect Sameness
Experience Difference
Emotional Response
Act Pause, Illuminate with MiSA
based
on emotion
or judgment
Awareness of how we form our beliefs and reach conclusions with regard to certain situations and practicing to halt judgments are important steps for laying the foundation to effective cross-cultural communication. Another important aspect is the need for employees working in highly diverse organizations to actually develop their cross-cultural communication skills. Communication refers to the process by which information is transmitted and understood between two or more people (McShane, Von Glinow, 2008).
Communication process
The above diagram shows the communication process. It involves forming, encoding, and transmitting the intended message to a receiver, who then decodes the message and provides feedback to the sender (McShane, Von Glinow, 2008). The materialization of miscommunication mainly occurs when there are problems with encoding the message and decoding the message, leading to misinterpretation from both sides. Especially when interacting with people from different cultures, the chance of misinterpretation and miscommunication rises.
One fundamental way to reduce such miscommunication is through improving interpersonal communication skills, in particular, by learning to get the message across clearly and by active listening skills.
Getting the message across
As discussed in the earlier section of this paper, there are several verbal and non-verbal differences in the way different cultures communicate. When communicating within the UN, it is essential for the speaker to get the message across correctly to the people from different cultures. There are four elements that need to be embedded in the transmission of the message to ensure that the message is sent across to the recipients correctly.
Empathize - Be cautious in using words that may be difficult to understand and also be sensitive to use words that may trigger emotional responses
Repeat the message - Rephrase the key points a couple of times
Using time effectively - Find a schedule when the receiver is less likely to be interrupted or distracted by other issues
Be focused on the problem - Focus on the problem and not on the person, if you have negative message to communicate
REHEAR
Not only is it important that your message gets sent across correctly, but it also vital to ensure you understand the received message correctly. This is achieved through active listening. The below REHEAR (Alagich, 2010) practice is a form of active listening method to enhance cross-cultural communications:
Repeat the message - paraphrase to verify interpretation. This shows that you are interested as well as helps speaker determine if you understand the message
Empathize - make efforts to comprehend the speaker from the speaker's internal frame of reference instead of your own viewpoint. Be sensitive to the speaker's feelings, thoughts, and the situation.
Help with Questions - probe with questions, possibly open ended questions to encourage clarification or more information
Empty Mind to Focus - concentrate on the topic being discussed and avoid distractions
Attend with Body Language and Tone - show interest by sufficient eye contact, acknowledgement of what is being said and send back signals such as "I see", "Oh really" during appropriate pauses in the discussion
Read between the lines - attend to verbal and non-verbal cues - i.e. what is being said, how it is being said, what is not being said, and what expressions are shown or not
Practicing the above points can ensure that the communication process is functioning effectively. It can vastly enhance interpersonal communication when interacting with people from different cultures. The importance of communication is important to have good team dynamics and relationships with co-workers, but also for all staff to be on the same page in terms of the goals of the team.
Summary of findings based on Empirical Research
Lack of awareness and its impact on teamwork
The importance of being aware of cross-cultural differences can be better understood by portraying a situation where it is lacking. The Barnga simulation game is a good exercise in understanding how people react as they join a new organization operating under a different culture without needed awareness.
Barnga Simulation Game
Barnga is a simulation game designed by Sivasailam Thiagarajan. It induces the shock of realizing that in spite of many similarities, people from other cultures have differences in the way they do things (Steinwachs, 1990). A two-day workshop on cross-cultural communication was facilitated by SDU on 15th and 16th April 2010 for UNOV/UNODC staff. The trainer facilitated the Barnga exercise for the trainees at the workshop for introducing them to why awareness of cultural differences is of importance and how it can affect teamwork.
Game Methodology
The exercise was conducted in the premises of UNOV/UNODC and it involved 15 participants from 14 different cultural backgrounds. The trainees were of the following nationalities: Australia, China, Croatia, France, Germany, India, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Russia, Syria and United Kingdom. It was a game that none of the participants had played before.
The rules of the game were as follows: The participants had to form small groups and sit around four different tables. Each table was given a rule sheet called the "five tricks" and the members were given five minutes to study them. The players are expected to win as many "tricks" as possible. After a round of practice, the rules were taken away. The participants were also told not to use any verbal communication while playing. Each table plays two rounds of the card game according to the rules they were given. After two rounds, the individual winners of the rounds move to the next table. As a result, each table has some new participants and some who remain from the old rounds. They continue to play the game based on the rule sheets that they were given at the beginning of the exercise.
Game "Trick"
The twist of the game is that at the beginning of the game, each group had received a minimally differing version of the basic set of rules to "five tricks". In one set of rules, for example, Ace is high; in another, Ace is low. In one set spades are trump, in another diamonds are, while in another there is no trump at all. These differences are the only variations in the entire game meaning that practically everything except one or two aspects is the same for everyone.
Observations
In the first two rounds, people were playing the game without any problems because everybody had the same understanding about the rules. However, as new participants joined or as people moved to new tables, confusion started to transpire. It was observed during the exercise that when the confusion started occurring, at first some people reacted with a laugh, some with a frown, but later, some even became very serious. While a number of people would give in to others' rules, some would persist on their rules and others would lose motivation in the game and give up.
Bottom line
The bottom line of the game is that sometimes everything appears to be the same, and in effect almost everything is the same, however great confusion, ambiguity, misunderstanding, and misjudgments occupy the setting due to just a few dissimilarities. Sometimes, people are not at all aware that there are different rules, and sometimes, people are aware that the rules are different but they are not clear about how they are different. Other times, people even comprehend how they are different, but still have difficulty bridging the communication barriers to work out a proper solution.
Even in real work situations, people find themselves coming from a different culture to a new work environment. Sometimes, they do not realize that there are cultural differences in the way people work. Sometimes, they realize it but find it difficult to integrate. At an initial intercultural encounter, people may not be very persistent and might give in, but if it happens often, the reactions may get unpleasant having serious consequences. All these issues create fractured teams that do not hold together.
The first step is to realize that there are cultural variations. Second step is to understand how they vary. It is vital that there is clear communication of the organizational rules and internal standards in order to increase inclusion. New staff should also try to observe what the (formal and informal) differences are and develop flexibility and adaptability to new environments. This is often difficult as extending your frame of reference, with which you have lived from infancy, is both intellectually and emotionally challenging (Hofstede et al., 2002). The Barnga exercise is a way to understand the impacts of lack of awareness on workplace harmony through a deliberately-set encounter. The concepts of the game spark the energy generated by the game and provide the starting point for a group follow-up discussion rich in observations of what happened can be seen as metaphors for what happens in real life (Steinwachs, 1990).
Cross-cultural communication trainings
Developing the skills mentioned before is an important consideration for workplace trainings. Mr. Matthew Alagich, trainer of UNOV/UNODC Cross-Cultural Communication workshop with over 20 years of experience in training in the field of study, was interviewed (see Appendix A) to get his views on the subject matter concerned in this research paper. Mr. Alagich has extensive experience in conducting cross-cultural training workshops and other management workshops in several international organizations such as the UNOV/UNODC, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labor Organization (ILO), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), as well as many other organizations and profit-seeking businesses. The interview sought to understand how cross-cultural trainings should be offered in international organizations like UNOV/UNODC to leverage its impact.
See, Do, Results Model - changing the mind frame
Mr. Alagich explained that when conducting workshops, he goes beyond teaching an individual model. Mostly, he starts with one that he developed known as the See, Do, Results model. He clarified that "the way you see things leads to what you do and that gives you the results you get - so if you want to change behavior, what you do is you have to go back some time to do something differently or look back at what you do and how you do it".
Training to retain the change
Sometimes it is not sufficient to change behavior. People will change behavior for a day or a week and then revert back to old behavior and that is because, in order for people to change behavior (and it should be long lasting), then they have to change mentality (Alagich, 2010). A trainer is not able to change other people's behavior but he helps them "change their own mind frame by not just saying this is not good but by saying that's fine, and so is this as well". In end effect, the trainer helps people widen their horizon. That is the deepest level of change that you can have (Alagich, 2010).
Training on awareness building of different cultures
First step to cross-cultural communication training is awareness building. It is the first step as people are sometimes not necessarily aware that there are other cultures as there can be complete ignorant people (Alagich, 2010). However, Mr. Alagich explained that it is not sufficient to have awareness. People can be aware that there are differences and not act to it. Therefore, helping trainees to develop a will and take personal initiatives to enhance cross-cultural communication and teamwork, while residing within such differences, is central.
Awareness building about people's own cultural peculiarities
Often, it is extremely difficult to help people recognize their own cultural habits because they have not had an intercultural encounter before. They have been interacting with people of their own culture and they never realized that there are differences. Quite often people are not aware of their own mainframe or their own cultural peculiarities and it is through interaction with others that they discover (Alagich, 2010). The training practice using Barnga exercise is a good way of showing people the potential "reality shock" they get when they have to function within such cultural differences.
Training in pausing the judgment
Once people have an intercultural encounter, and it is different from what they expected, it is often evident that people jump into the conclusion of how negative it is and start forming judgments. Mr. Alagich uses the MiSA model in explaining to his trainees how to "slow down this judgment and its expression either through words or action".
Training tailored to the needs of the trainees
The way in which you conduct workshops, cannot be done in the same way right across the whole UN system (Alagich, 2010). Mr. Alagich explained that when he conducts workshop for the Human Rights Organization, they would focus on those parts of the models which are particularly applicable and important to them. For example, the dimension of "power-distance", Human Rights employees have to work out things like how should they deal with certain member states or with certain countries they operate in. They need answers to questions such as: How do we deal with power-distance in terms of talking with governors or the governing people in some countries that feel it is their right to abuse or lock up people arbitrarily in their countries, in contract to, if you are coming from a different stance where people are free (Alagich, 2010).
He explained that the International Labor Organization, for instance, would focus on relationships with workers and employers; to see how they can negotiate and how they can seek to understand two different points of view.
Due to the nature of the organization, and the subject matter they deal with, they will be focusing on different elements. Training should be tailored to address those particular needs in their profession (Alagich, 2010).
Limitations of workshops
Workshops are simply platforms for training in awareness building on the several aspects of cross-cultural differences and how it can be managed. However, it cannot measure how this is actually applied at work.
UNOV/UNODC's approach to cross-cultural awareness building
Since UNOV/UNODC is an organization operating in headquarters as well as several other field offices (listed below), the level of interaction with people from different cultures is very intense. There link between the headquarters and the field offices is essential to move the programmes forward.
Table : Field offices of UNODC
Abuja, Nigeria
Lima, Peru
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Mexico City, Mexico
Bangkok, Thailand
Moscow, Russia
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Nairobi, Kenya
Bogota, Colombia
New Delhi, India
Brasilia, Brazil
New York City, USA
Bridgetown, Barbados
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Cairo, Egypt
Pretoria, South Africa
Dakar, Senegal
Sofia, Bulgaria
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tehran, Iran
Islamabad, Pakistan
Vienna, Austria
Kabul, Afghanistan
Vientiane, Lao PDR
La Paz, Bolivia
Yangon, Myanmar
In this respect, it is essential that the Staff of the organization is well trained on cross-cultural issues in order to function effectively.
In an interview (see Appendix B) with Staff Development Unit (SDU) of UNOV/UNODC, information on its current initiatives was explained for the purpose of this paper. All training programmes of UNOV/UNODC take into consideration high standards required for the conduct of international civil servants as well as the UN Competencies, of which Respect for Diversity is a Core Value and Teamwork and Communication are UN Core Competencies.
The two major trainings offered by SDU are the Global Diversity and Cross-Cultural Communication programmes. It aims to create an inclusive work environment by increasing awareness of various aspects of diversity.
Global Diversity
Global Diversity offers colleagues the chance to enhance their understanding of the importance of the UN core value, Respect for Diversity, and support in better managing the impact of diversity in their day-to-day work (Staff Development Programme, 2008).
Cross-Cultural Communication
The Cross-Cultural Communication programme reflects how cultural styles may affect communication and aims at enhancing communication among staff and developing teamwork (Staff Development Programme, 2008).
Negotiating Diversity Conflicts
The Negotiating Diversity Conflicts workshop focuses on the role that identity and diversity plays in the negotiation process. The influence of style differences, gender, race and culture are explored through assessment tools, case studies and role plays (Staff Development Programme, 2008).
To gain an understanding on the frequency of the programme offer, SDU was requested to specify in the interview how many times per year the programme was offered in the last five years. SDU informed that it is offered 1-2 times per year, and eight workshops have been conducted since 2005. While the cross-cultural communication workshop has been offered seven times in the last five years, the gender diversity programme was only offered once. Total participants of the programmes since the inception of the workshop initiative were 122 participants from UNOV/UNODC. It was also stated that compared to other programmes, interest and participation rate is high.
Advertising the workshops
SDU informed that participation at the workshops is encouraged by advertising the workshops via special message to all staff and through divisional Learning Focal Points. The Learning Focal Points are also requested to provide SDU with the training needs on a yearly basis.
Language programme
Finally SDU was requested to help identify other initiatives that it offers in order to enhance cross cultural awareness and communication. Not to neglect, one of the most obvious cross-cultural challenge in diverse organizations is mastering the language. Words are easily misunderstood in verbal communication either because the receiver has a limited vocabulary or because the sender's accent distorts the usual sound of some words (McShane, Von Glinow, 2008). SDU offers the language programme in the six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) and German. While mastering the language improves cross-cultural communication, it also this provides insights into different cultures.
Complementary programmes
Also, cross-cultural issues come up in any workshop and will be addressed accordingly. Some courses have specific components on cross-cultural awareness, for example negotiation skills, supervisory skills, team building, etc (Lassing, 2010).
E-learning
Lastly, in July 2009, the new UN e-learning platform, UN.SkillPort.com, was launched. Access to the site is available for all UN staff members. It offers more than 6,000 online courses and some of those in UN core and managerial competencies. This is particularly useful for staff working in the field that may not be able to attend the courses offered at headquarters. In addition there is a very large database of e-books on topics of cross-cultural communication and teamwork.
Recommendations
The paper has provided an overview on the several initiatives that UNOV/UNODC has taken for its staff to promote awareness of cultural diversity and manage the issues embedded in it. The paper recommends other diverse organizations to follow such practices to tackle issues of managing diversity. In particular, training should be focused on:
Awareness building rather than encouraging negative stereotyping
Fostering tolerance, understanding and appreciation of other cultures
Broadening people's horizon on different cultures
Pausing quick judgments and conclusions
Teaching effective communication skills
In addition, trainings should be tailored to the needs of the trainees.
Other initiatives in place by UNOV/UNODC are also recommended to other organizations. In particular:
Language programmes to master the working languages of the organization
Complementary programmes (such as those for improving negotiation skills, supervisory skills and team building) that touch on cross-cultural issues
E-learning platforms to do courses online and to have access to e-books that teach cross-cultural issues.
While some excellent initiatives are already in place at UNOV/UNODC to address the issue, the paper highly recommends the organization to make the workshop on cross-cultural communication absolutely mandatory. In the cross-cultural workshop session offered on 15th and 16th April 2010, there was a clear consensus within the participants as well as in the opinion of the trainer that the training should be made obligatory for all UN staff.
Many of the participants felt that such a course would have been useful much earlier on in their career. Nevertheless, they felt that it is vital that all the participants have attended the training as it provides a base for people in the organization to understand each other and cooperate through effective communication. It is extremely fundamental and everybody needs to have completed the training. In the same way Integrity is one of the three [UN core] values, [and the] Integrity and Ethics workshop is mandatory at the UN, Respect for Diversity is one of the values and the workshop should be mandatory (Alagich, 2010).
SDU claims that the interest and participation rate is high. This is true considering that this is a voluntary training programme. However, a total of 122 participants to the workshop is a negligible number compared to the thousands of staff (over 6,000) at UNOV/UNODC worldwide. This adds to the reason why the workshop should be made mandatory for all staff.
Conclusion
Each individual is different from the other in some way or another based on their backgrounds, personal experiences, education, age, profession, etc. However, there are also common behaviors, beliefs and values that people from some cultures share. Notwithstanding the similarities, the degree to which certain values and attitudes are present in various societies varies across their cultural boundaries (Tayeb, 1996).
Diversity management is a vital aspect for all international organizations. The UN gives clear priority to promoting diversity in all its forms through encouraging its core value "Respect for Diversity". A number of initiatives are already in place to foster effective management of Diversity. In addition, Communication and Teamwork are core competencies that have been identified and encouraged in the UN system. As such, the issues dealt with in this paper could be useful for the organization and other diverse teams as well.
In the previous sections, the paper dealt with several aspects of enhancing cross-cultural communication in highly diverse teams.
Firstly, the paper provides an overview of the cultural patterns that affect communication and teamwork. It explains some of the popular taxonomies and differences between cultures. Bottom line is that understanding the different values, cultural patterns and different communication styles, should help create tolerance, respect and appreciation for the differences and thereby enhance workplace communication.
Secondly, the paper identifies the skills necessary to enhance cross cultural communication. It focuses on ways to improve cross-cultural communication through enhancing interpersonal skills such as effective speaking methods and active listening methods. It also explains our mental model and our Ladder of Inference leading to our actions. It also describes the perceptual model that integrates the mental model and the MiSA model in helping to practice slowing down the natural tendency to act based on emotion or judgment. In particular, the section focuses on the need for people to break down the barriers (Ancona et al., 2005) by the following practices:
Avoid evaluating, but observe
Do not jump into conclusions
Assume that people are different from yourself
Take the other person's perspective
Thirdly, the paper recognizes the importance of being aware of cross-cultural differences through the Barnga simulation exercise. It explains how lack of communication can impact the team dynamics, when staff are coming from different backgrounds into the organization. Clear communication of the organizational rules and internal standards are important in order to increase inclusion. Flexibility in adapting to new communication situations is also an advantage.
Fourthly, the paper seeks to explore expert view on how trainings should be offered in cross-cultural settings so that its impact can be maximized. It investigates the models that can change people's mind frame and how to retain that change. It dwells into how to increase people's awareness of other cultures through training, as well as increasing awareness about people's own cultural peculiarities. Training should help in pausing the quick judgments about different cultures in work settings. Finally, the paper recognizes the need for trainings to be tailored to the needs of the trainees depending on the mandates and activities of the organizations.
Fifthly, it also looks into how UNOV/UNODC addresses the needs of cross-cultural awareness for its workforce as well as the programmes it offers. UNOV/UNODC has three main workshops focused on diversity management and cross-cultural issues: 1) Global Diversity; 2) Cross-Cultural Communication; and 3) Negotiating Diversity Conflicts. In particular, the paper looks into the participation rate in the Cross-Cultural communication workshop. UNOV/UNODC also offers language programmes to master the working languages of the organization and other complementary programmes (such as those for improving negotiation skills, supervisory skills and team building) that touch on cross-cultural issues. Finally, it also has an E-learning platform to complete courses online and to have access to e-books that teach cross-cultural issues.
Finally, the paper tried to provide recommendations to diverse organizations on how to conduct effective training that can enhance cross-cultural communication and teamwork. It also tried to provide recommendations to UNOV/UNODC on enhancing the impact of the programmes they offer.
In a nutshell, the paper has strived to explore the issues of cross-cultural differences in organizations that emerges from the promotion of diversity in organizations and examined ways to conduct trainings that increase awareness and develop skills for ensuring workplace harmony through effective communication and teamwork.
From the book Exploring Culture: Exercises, Stories and Synthetic Cultures:
"Cross-cultural misunderstanding is a much-underestimated cause of trouble. If we inhabitants of the globe do not acquire an awareness of our mutual differences, knowledge of basic cultural variables, the skills to communicate effectively across boundaries and the will to do so, our world will be the worse for it. We need to communicate effectively with people who were raised in ways utterly unlike our own"
(Hofstede et al., 2002).
