business cultural competence and etiquette
TRANSCRIPT
BUSINESS CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND ETIQUETTE
Understanding Culturally Sensitive Executive Manners
Our Team
Beth HowellGeneral Dynamics Land Systems
Employment Compliance Officer (US-HR)
Bryant D. HendersonLockheed Martin
Director of Flight, Maritime and Advanced Systems
Melisa Fowler Exelon Corporation
Senior Business Project Manager
Pamela HarrisRaytheon Company
Director, Diversity and Inclusion
Executive Manners and Cultural Competence Objectives
• Improve capacity to understand and negotiate around business and cultural expectations– United States and Global
• Increase interpersonal effectiveness• Protect and enhance our image
Executive Manners• Professional and corporate expectations
– Decision making process• Learn how it works!• Corporate office must understand the culture• Diversity impacts the bottom line!
– Conflict resolution• Managed differently around the globe
– Time zone differences• Why time matters
– Australia, Canada, Germany, Saudi Arabia, United States
– Labor laws• When is it okay to call?
– France– Saudi Arabia
Cultural Competence• Capacity to apply and adapt executive
manners in a wide variety of settings and cultures
» Does “conducting business” mean the same thing around the globe?
» In the United States, there is great cultural diversity!
» International - change communication and interaction styles …like you change clothes!
» In the United States, adapting to culturally diverse settings can reflect respect!
Common Business Etiquette Mistakes• China
– Business card etiquette• Saudi Arabia
– Be patient• What if you are in the United States?
– Be patient
Global Cultural Practices and Blunders Made by Professionals• Seeing clients as the same as you.
– If it works in Philadelphia, then it'll work in Riyadh– Assuming that all countries (or people from)
within a particular part of the world have the same expectations
• Middle East• British Commonwealth
– Australia, United Kingdom, Canada
Personal and Professional Expectations Based on Cultural Experiences
• Be flexible – personally and professionally!– Time for tea, time for prayer, time for
reflection or even time for a nap– Adapt to circumstances, customs and
culture
Opportunities to Learn More about Executive Manners and Cultural Competence• Consultants • Books
– Don’t They Know It’s Friday? by Jeremy Williams/Handshaikh, Ltd.
• Professional Organizations– SHRM’s Country Guides
• Cultural Organizations– Local events at cultural centers
Outcome
• Attract diverse talent– Appreciation of cultural diversity impacts
recruiting AND retention• Influence customers
– The customer appreciates being “understood”
• Maximize personal effectiveness– Growth opportunity!
Questions and Answers