Given that I just launched a nine-part series on Overcoming Cultural Differences in International Trade, edited by none other than Dick Locke, I was pleased to see the issue of cultural intelligence getting some recognition in this recent article in Industry Week on “Are You Cued into Cultural Intelligence”.
The article starts off by noting that in a global economy, it’s a mistake to assume that negotiation strategies are a one-size- fits-all proposition and that while negotiation within the dominant American culture seems to be that you are more well-respected if you cut to the chase, say what we are here to talk about, get down to brass tacks, figure out if this is a good deal for both of us and move on, if you begin with that approach in Japan, and didn’t first have a meal, or perhaps even do some sightseeing together, you might be behind in terms of even having a chance to negotiate a deal. Which is very true, but more on Japan in a later post.
The author then summarizes David Livermore’s four-stage plan for developing the cultural intelligence needed to lead abroad, which consists of:
- Drive
you need to be receptive to cross-cultural experiences - Knowledge
you need to understand a culture’s impact on people’s thoughts, attitudes, and behaviours - Strategy
you need to understand the best way to take your knowledge and apply that knowledge - Action
you need to know when to adjust your behaviour to a cross-cultural setting
Which is spot on, but notice the important of knowledge and how it underlies strategy and action. So stay tuned for the coming posts in the nine-part series on Overcoming Cultural Differences in International Trade. They just might get you one step closer.