Maximizing Business Results with the Strategic Performance Framework: The Cultural Orientations Guide by Walch Karen & Schmitz Joerg & Putz Lynne Elaine

Author:Walch, Karen & Schmitz, Joerg & Putz, Lynne Elaine [Walch, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Training Management Corporation
Published: 2014-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6:

Cultural Dialogue

Cultural dialogue is the ability to elicit cultural insight through conversation and thereby illuminate the cultural underpinnings of behavior and performance, close cultural gaps and create cultural synergy. 1 This involves more than observation and active listening skills; it requires a better conversation along Isaacs’ (1999) principle that dialogue is a powerful means “to create a new context from which many agreements may come. And we seek to uncover a base of shared meaning that can greatly help coordinate and align our actions with value” (p. 12).

Cultural dialogue is a powerful tool to establish a new understanding and create a shared foundation for thinking and acting when cultural differences seem intractable, or when we seek to create synergies. It is a skill most effectively applied when style switching is unadvisable, unreasonable, unfeasible or ineffective. Particularly in merger and acquisition situations and joint ventures, and with multicultural teams, it is cultural dialogue that leads to common operating agreements.

The decision to conduct a dialogue instead of a debate is especially vital in a business world in which emotional attachment to values is too often attacked or disregarded. Dialogue has the potential to unleash the wisdom and power latent in value conflicts. Debate, on the other hand, often destroys motivation and the emotional will to create, problem solve, negotiate or lead others when values are disrespected, invalidated or obliterated. Though debate is often considered an intelligent, open and objective way to uncover the superior course of action a team should take, it often leads to defensiveness and entrenchment of a deeply held cultural value in the opposing camps. This defensiveness can destroy the inclination toward working together to negotiate a new meaning of terms and mutually agree upon a preference about how to work together.

Those with cultural insights make a conscious decision to use the cultural dialogue approach when working with colleagues, partners or clients from another culture, whether it be on the national/societal, organizational, functional, team, identity group or individual level. Dialogue assumes that there are many alternative ways to structure thinking about a group’s work, and enables the design of a communication dynamic and creation of cultural norms that represent the social reality of culturally diverse teams.

We can distinguish two types of cultural dialogue:

1) Proactive – These conversations have the primary purpose of raising awareness and knowledge about cultural differences. This type of conversation is a positive measure for creating an inclusive environment and an understanding of differences.

2) Reactive – These conversations have the primary purpose of identifying the cultural underpinnings of specific challenges that negatively affect collective performance. Reactive dialogues are a remedial measure for breaking deadlock and addressing the tensions, problems and issues related to cultural gaps.

Before beginning a dialogue, it is essential to first take stock of your underlying attitudes toward your partners.

You may have a stereotype of your potential dialogue partner’s culture – even a subconscious stereotype. In order to be able to effectively engage in cultural dialogue – and ultimately become culturally competent –

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