Having a thorough understanding of cultural influences and components is a prerequisite that helps employers and the human capital managers tolerate and better manage individuals and employees with cultural differences to avoid misconceptions and altercations due to “cultural misunderstandings” (Lynch, 2017).
In as much as there are tangible aspects/elements of culture such as dressing, language, food, etc., the biggest components of culture are actually hidden beneath the surface. This comprises of the invisible values and rules that differentiate one culture from the other (Penstone, 2011). It is always difficult to use the rule of culture to interpret the components of another culture. Crucially, the tangible and visible aspect of a culture is usually influenced by the hidden components, such as values, notion, attitudes, and assumptions (Penstone, 2011). Edward T. Hall in his 1976 theory described culture as an iceberg that has two main components, the internal and external. In order words, the visible or tangible and the invisible or intangible components (Constant Foreigner, 2013).
Visible or tangible component of culture corresponds to known organizational norms. They are the symbols and representations of the organizations. For instance, it can objectively be in the form of branded tea mug that the firm offers to all new employees. In my former organization, all new employees are presented with a tea mug to help minimize the use of plastic cups and at the same time differentiate our employees from visitors. Another way I think an organization can subjectively represent herself is by conducting and the promotion of social activities and gathering among employees as a way of taking care of their social needs. Doing this will help promote and uphold the organization’s shared values among her employees. Leaders are challenged to pay attention to the cultural makeup that is visible as it is the first things an employee or a customer will see. It reflects the company core and visible symbols outside and inside the company. Ignoring those aspects may directly impact the cohesion and behaviors of his team as well as the firm’s reputation.
This aspect has to do with the organization’s values and believes that employees are aware of but do not have something visible about it. It can be represented objectively by the mission statements of the company that will describe what the company does, “for who, where, when, why, and how” the company will do it. The mission statement is often available on the corporate website. A way to represent an organization’s values and believes subjectively is the goals that a manager gives to his employees. Those goals should follow the objectives of the company and the way to achieve ends. It is important that leaders pay attention to the cultural makeup of their organization because it is better that employees are aware of but not quite accustomed to, than being entirely novices. Doing this will ensure that those values and beliefs are correctly imbibed among the members of the teams, because ignoring them, will negatively affect the attitude and corporation among employees.
This has to do with the perceptions and ways a firm does things without following the formal rules or laid-down process. It deals with rules and processes that were not written down that employee can follow without thinking on the reasons and their relevance in the current context. It is often thought to be historical in context. It could be said to be the way things are done in the firm since inception or "since immemorial," so to say. Sometimes, it is difficult to coordinate and monitor cultural makeups we are not unaware of because it can sometimes lead to the firm making loses and also have a knockdown effect on their reputation. This could unknowingly derail employees from focusing on the core goals and objectives of the firm.
Monochronic cultures are known to focus on “doing one thing at a time” while taking into consideration the order in which they were done. To a monochronic person, time is actually tangible and highly valuable while schedules are of extremely high importance, hence can sometimes be very stressful because of the time views (Duranti & Di Prata, 2009). Polychronic cultures could be said to be “multi-task,” in the sense that it loves doing quite a handful of tasks at the same time (The articulate CEO, n.d.). “Polychronic cultures view time as being more flexible because life isn’t entirely predictably-scheduling and being precise is seen as simply not that important” (Duranti & Di Prata, 2009). Both have a different perspective on time management.
Dealing with the two concepts in the same team can be very challenging. A leader should be able to identify each culture’s general preference to adapt to his communication. For example, for monochromic cultures, the leader might choose to use direct, simple, and clear messages without the use of non-verbal communication whereas, for polychromic cultures, he will use indirect and explicit messages using highly non-verbal communication (Maclachlan, 2010). Here there is the need to apply the principles of cultural intelligence and awareness in managing the team so that they can identify and understand the difference when dealing with each other.
Here below is a good outline of the characteristics of a culturally Monochronic person v a culturally Polychronic Person.
Image source: Duranti, G. & Di Prata, O. (2009).
Time perception is among the major central differences that separate cultures and cultural ways of doing things. It is important that a team manager should have to adapt and cope with the diversity among members of his/her project team. This is because “this diversity is likely to include widely divergent assumptions about the importance of meeting project deadlines” (Duranti & Di Prata, 2009). Because time concepts differ among cultures, a leader should take into consideration the perception of time such as doing one thing at a time or multiple things at the same time. The leader should engage with his team in a form of cultural training to develop cultural intelligence and inter-cultural skills for the different cultures that make up the team.
The following principles can also be of help to manage such a team; Avoid Making Assumptions, Avoid Making Instant Judgments, Adopt Different Methods in Relationship Building, Develop an Effective Communication Method, Develop a General Understanding of Others’ Points of View, Develop Your Cultural Sensitivity and Intelligence, Do Not Stereotype, and Build Conscientiousness (Duranti & Di Prata, 2009).
For one to effectively manage a team that comes from different time-based culture, one would need to be aware of the most important difference in cultures, and most especially, our own attitudes, the way we behave and must eliminate being biased in Toto (Duranti & Di Prata, 2009). Fundamentally, we need cultural intelligent skills to consistently apply a sensitive and effective communication strategy with team members from different time-based culture and background. One thing we have to bear in mind in this instance, while working with a team that is culturally diverse is that, we are not setting out to minimizing the differences between people, rather, to “making the most of the added value that a diverse team can offer” (Duranti & Di Prata, 2009).
References
Constant Foreigner. (5 Jun 2013). Edward T. Hall's Cultural Iceberg. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6aeqXaXOSg
Duranti, G. & Di Prata, O. (2009). Everything is about time: does it have the same meaning all over the world? Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2009—EMEA, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.
Lynch, N. (2017). The Cultural Iceberg Explained. Available: Retrieved from https://lynchsc.com/insights_1/cultural-iceberg/
Maclachlan, M. (2010). Cross-Cultural Communication Styles: High and Low Context. Retrieved from https://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/high-and-low-context/
Penstone, J. (March 5, 2011). Visualising the Iceberg Model of Culture. Retrieved from http://opengecko.com/interculturalism/visualising-the-iceberg-model-of-culture/
The articulate CEO (n.d.). Cultural Differences - Monochronic versus Polychronic. Retrieved from http://thearticulateceo.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/08/cultural-differences-monochronic-versus-polychronic.html
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