This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
recruiters, human resource personnel, and managers. Ignoring cultural diff erences today is like ignoring an elephant in the room. It needs to be discussed. Once it is out in the open, cul- turally competent people are comfortable talking about and understanding the impact in the workplace of the diff erent worlds and societies inhabited by diverse people.” As an example, she remembers helping a young Korean


professional overcome her reluctance to engage in a proactive, aggressive job hunt. “She wasn’t ready to cold call potential employers because that wasn’t something that was done in her culture, so we put together a strategy that allowed her to attend less formal events where she could mingle more socially and be her authentic self in a less aggressive setting.”


THE BUSINESS CASE FOR CULTURAL COMPETENCY While the research is ongoing, preliminary results show that eff ective management of culturally diverse teams may lead to greater profi tability. T e McKinsey Quarterly’s May 2008 survey, “Why Multinationals Struggle to Manage Talent”, found that companies scoring in the top third of the survey on global talent-management practices achieved higher profi t per employee than companies scoring in the bottom third. T e companies with strong cross-cultural management had the benefi t of higher productivity, more cross-selling, client exposures, work referrals from other offi ces, and leveraging global resources—all of which contributed to increased profi ts.


misunderstandings and errors, leading to better quality legal work and higher satisfaction for both clients and lawyers.” Sullivan adds that managers with strong cultural awareness


typically make better hiring decisions. “As a recruiter, I have personally experienced that experienced diversity professionals are very tolerant and understanding of others with whom they interface and whom they manage up, laterally, and down.” Andrade also notes that the costs of managing cultural


competency poorly can be detrimental. “Cultural factors aff ect one’s job and interaction with their co-workers and can either create a great culture of cooperation and team- work if culture competency is applied, or it can create chaos, low morale, high turnover, and absenteeism. In worst case scenarios, a lack of cultural understanding can lead to dis- crimination lawsuits that can cost the organization millions of dollars and the risk of tarnishing their reputation.”


LESSONS LEARNED Adjusting one’s cultural lenses is easier said than done.


”Many people are ill-equipped for managing themselves and managing others eff ectively in a global context,” says Andy Molinsky, Ph.D., an associate professor of organiza- tional behavior at Brandeis University. In many instances, the best cultural competency practi-


“ TO BE EFFECTIVE, CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING MUST NOT ONLY


SENSITIZE PEOPLE TO THE CHALLENGES OF FUNCTIONING CROSS-CULTURALLY, BUT ALSO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE NEW SKILLS IN REALISTIC ENVIRONMENTS.” – ANDY MOLINSKY, PH.D.


Ida Abbott, founder of a consulting fi rm that has been


helping professional service fi rms, professional associations, and corporations develop, manage, and retain legal tal- ent since 1995, understands the return on investment for organizations that are committed to advancing the cultural competency of their workers. “Firms that recognize the value of cultural competency and develop their lawyers’ cultural intelligence can have a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace,” she says. “By preparing lawyers to meet the especially demanding nature of working and managing in a global environment, fi rms can minimize culture-based


MCCA.COM


tioners are people who have experience with being diff erent. “Everyone brings their experience, upbringing, education, ‘how-to’ baggage to the work every day,” Hoey says. “Being in the ‘minority’ means you are the mouse in the room of elephants, so you are always aware or make it your business to become aware of how others operate, what motivates them and how, together, you can accom- plish the fi rm or company’s goals.”


Andrade advises her clients to identify the similar busi-


ness interests in various markets and use those interests to drive the cross-cultural decision making into the new markets. “However, when entering foreign markets, organizations frequently fall into the trap of the self- reference measure,” which she explains is the unconscious application of one’s own cultural experiences and values to a market in another culture. “Even more dangerous than self-reference measure is ethnocentrism, the belief that one’s own culture is superior to any other; and that is why cultural blunders occur.”


MARCH/APRIL 2011 DIVERSITY & THE BAR®


33


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52