Last week we began by discussing how “Mind The Gap”  is used as a warning by transit systems worldwide – just as “Mind The Gap” can also be used as a cautionary statement that could be critical to alerting leaders of oncoming chasms that may derail the organization on its journey toward excellence. One aspect of organizational life that has great potential for derailment is multi-cultural interactions – functional and interpersonal. In any diverse cultural interaction, customary evaluations and interpretations are more likely to be off-base because there is less shared meaning and experience to draw on. People think differently, have different concepts of time, space, work, etc. –  if we are not careful to appreciate and value the contributions and knowledge that may be different from our own, we may never reach our potential!

In this era of globalization, most companies are expanding into multiple countries and cultures. However, no company should take a “one size fits all” approach to business management and leadership style. Because we are aware that many aspects of organizational behavior – such as teams, leadership, and conflict – vary by culture, it is important to recognize that it is virtually impossible to fully understand all aspects, of all cultures, for any diverse group of people in our complex environments. At the same time…

As a leader, it is also absolutely critical to know and understand what you can do to ensure everyone feels validated, acknowledged, understood and valued.