echi da berlino - pmi-nic.org · “culture like software is a program. culture is a collective...
TRANSCRIPT
Echi da Berlino25 giugno 2018
A Brazilian project experience from an Italian project manager’s perspective
Paola Mosca, Project Manager
2
Your presenter today
Paola Mosca, PMP®
Management Consultant , Business&Life Coach
PMI Southern Italy & PMI Central Italy &
PMI Northern Italy Chapter Member
PMI Southern Italy Chapter President
3
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session,
participants will be able to:
◆ compare cultural differences
between team members and
various stakeholders;
◆ describe valuable skills to help
manage intercultural teams and
projects.
Paola Mosca
4
The theory –Some suggestions from Literature
The practice –My experience & On site studies
The practice – Off site studies & my proposal
Conclusion
Presentation Flow
Paola Mosca
6
What is it typical of another cultural contest?
A. Technical tools for communication can be focused on the
language transfer, either written or spoken.
B. It is preferred a sort of communication that reduces the
number of additional and useless information.
C. A message has no meaning without the complete
understanding of the surrounding contest.
D. In order to understand a message, no information regarding
personal history or opinion is needed.
Some questions from PMP exams
Paola Mosca
Some questions from PMP exams
Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimension of Individualism refers to…
A. The degree of dependent relationships between individuals.
B. The significance of the person versus the group.
C. The identification with the gender role of an individual.
D. The tolerance for ambiguity or uncertainty in the workplace.
7Paola Mosca
The theory
What are the Project Manager’s tools
How can the theory
help us when you
have to deal with
different cultural
environments?
8Paola Mosca
“Culture like software is a
program. Culture is a collective
mental program generated by a
group of people in a given
environment and consists of a
series of instructions.”
The paradigm of Universal Project Management was questioned from
The echoes of the silent language of Project Management(1997)
“The instructions permeate our
behavior and whatever we do:
they tell us what to do and what
not to do. Consequently every
atom of our PM practices is
guided by cultural instructions”
The theory
14Paola Mosca
“Culture like software is a
program. Culture is a collective
mental program generated by a
group of people in a given
environment and consists of a
series of instructions.”
The paradigm of Universal Project Management was questioned from
The Echoes of the silent language of Project Management(1997)
“The instructions permeate our
behavior and whatever we do:
they tell us what to do and what
not to do. Consequently every
atom of our PM practices is
guided by cultural instructions”
The theory
15Paola Mosca
The aspects to consider:
• Relations with the context
• Space / time orientation
• Nature of people
• Orientation to activities
• Focus on responsibilities
From the unicultural to the awareness of diversity
The theory
16Paola Mosca
I was involved in a project that took
me to the biggest Brazilian city, Sao
Paulo, a huge metropolis with more
than 25 million inhabitants
I ended up at the edge of another
world..
I didn’t know anything about the
country..
The Experience
19Paola Mosca
The team I had to deal with was mainly
composed by local people, around 150,
whose target was getting know-how and
skills about an Italian product.
Both the team and I, had to gain mutual
trust and be on the same wavelength.
The Experience
21Paola Mosca
Language, non-verbal
expressions, customs
and traditions were the
encountered
obstacles
The Experience
25Paola Mosca
Mutual false friends caused a chain of
misunderstandings
The loss left me speechless
The Experience
27Paola Mosca
Mutual false friends caused a chain of
misunderstandings
The loss left me speechless..,
mute
The Experience
28Paola Mosca
The Experience
I decided to define my priorities to
overcome the “empasse”…
What was my main priority?
- Creating the right conditions to
motivate people..
29Paola Mosca
Open questions?
• How to avoid a project failure?
• How to obtain the team & stakeholder trust?
• How do I have to be? To be myself or not?
• What are the expectations?
The Experience
31Paola Mosca
What was I aiming at?
• Full comprehension of the language
• relationship with colleagues and customers
• living daily life and situations connected even
outside working hours
The Experience
32Paola Mosca
A language course was the
first tool to gain trust and
"words" by renouncing the
"comfort zone" of business
English
selfawareness notes
34Paola Mosca
Words were not
and are not
enough to
understand the
reality in which
we are living
selfawareness notes
With the Power of
the words I began
to interact
35Paola Mosca
Than I obtained and provided
feedback, even if I continued to
make mistakes…
Errors and feedback are the
basis of learning……..
… learning
selfawareness notes
37Paola Mosca
…Little by little words and gestures
gave me the voice
and some improvements appeared
38
… learning ….listening….
selfawareness notes
Paola Mosca
....finally I found out that without the real possibility to
communicate
.
... I had been deaf too !!
39
selfawareness notes
Paola Mosca
selfawareness notes
40
The culture of a nation is
defined on the basis of
its values, its norms, its
beliefs, its attitudes, its
behavior and its
conception of the world.
Paola Mosca
The Hofstede’ dimensions
His last book deals with
organizational culture, which is
a different structure from
national culture, but also has
measurable dimensions, and
the same research
methodology is used for both.
on site study
44Paola Mosca
46
Power distance
• How important is it for you to have
a leader to whom you are
respecting?
• How important is it for you to
consult with your boss in decisions
concerning your job?
• According to your experience, how
often subordinates are afraid of
contradicting their own boss?
degree of tolerance for
hierarchical or unequal
relationships
?on site study
Paola Mosca
47
• The collaborators expect being
told what to do
• More supervisors needed
• The ideal boss is like a good
father
• The chief-collaborator relations
are emotional
power distance
• Managers trust experience and
theirs collaborators
• Collaborators expect to be
consulted
• The ideal leader is a democrat
competent
• Chief-collaborator relations are
pragmatic
LOWHIGH
on site study
Paola Mosca
Power distance
The Brazilians have a great respect
for hierarchy, whereas the Italians
seem to be more reluctant to the idea
of control
Based on my experience
this means they tend not to
antagonize with their boss, to
follow in any instruction, even
though this doesn’t mean they will
do whatever is asked them to do
Hofstede’s
dimensions
on site study
Italy
Brasil
48Paola Mosca
49
Individualism
• How important is it to have
sufficient time for one's personal or
family life?
• How important is safety at work?
• How important is it to do an
interesting job?
• How important is it to have a job
respected by the family and by the
Friends?
?
degree emphasis
placed on individual
accomplishment
on site study
Paola Mosca
50
High
• The use of the word "I" is
encouraged;
• Everyone is born to take care
only of himself and his small
family;
• Individual interests prevail over
those of the group;
• The ultimate goal is the self-
realization of each individual;
Low
• “The use of the word "we" is
encouraged;
• People are born in extended
families;
• Group interests prevail over
individual interests;
• The ultimate goal of societies
is harmony and consensus;
• Patriotic ideals.
individualism
on site study
Paola Mosca
The Brazilians, far different from
the Italians, have a greater
need to share and feel
themselves part of a group
Based on my experience
It means that they need trust
and good relationships,
generally speaking a relaxed
work environment to produce
better.
Hofstede’s
dimensions
on site study
Individualism
Italy
Brasil
51Paola Mosca
52
Masculinity
• How important would it be to have
a recognition for good
performances?
• How important would it be to be
surrounded by pleasant people to
work with?
• How important would it be to live
in a desirable area?
• How important would it be to have
the possibility of promotion?
?
degree of stress
placed on materialism
on site study
Paola Mosca
53
High
• Challenges, earnings, awards and
promotions are important
• In the family, fathers take care of
the facts and the mothers of the
feelings
• Honors based on equity
• You live to work
• Strong and aggressive
management
• Stricter society
Low
• Relationships and quality of life
are important
• In the family, fathers and mothers
take care of facts and feelings
• Acknowledgment based on
equality
• You work to live
• Management based on
consensus and intuition;
• More permissive society
Masculinity
on site study
Paola Mosca
The Brazilian are half the way
between career ambitions and
competition on one side, care
for the others and quality of life
on the other hand.
Based on my experience
I saw if they have to choose
between a meeting in a later
hour and going at home ,
typically they choose the
second one
Hofstede’s
dimensions
on site study
Masculinity
Italy
Brasil
54Paola Mosca
55
• How often do you feel nervous or
agitated?
• Is a good manager who don’t have a
precise answer to all the questions that
a subordinate can raise regarding their
work ?
• Should not the rules of a company or
organization be infringed - even when
the employee believes that breaking
the rules is for the good of the
organization?
? Uncertainty Avoidance
degree to which
individuals of a specific
society are comfortable
with uncertainty and the
unknown
on site study
Paola Mosca
56
High
• he uncertainty inherent in life is a
constant threat that must be
fought
• Stress and anxiety at high levels
• Ambiguous situations and
unknown risks are feared
• many laws or precise norms
• Less innovative capabilities, more
applicative
Low
• Uncertainty is normal :every day
we accept it as it is
• Low level stress and anxiety
• ambiguous situations and unknown
risks are easy
• Few laws and precise rules
• Better inventive skills, less
applicative
Uncertainty Avoidance
on site study
Paola Mosca
Like the Italians, the Brazilians live
the contradiction between the real
need for rules, laws and
regulations of their social life and
the actual incapability to respect
them.
Based on my experience
Both of them need relaxing
moments to reduce their stress,
such as several coffee breaks,
conversations with friends and
colleagues
on site studyHofstede’s
dimensions
Uncertainty Avoidance
57
Italy
Brasil
Paola Mosca
58
Long Term Orientation
• In your private life, how important
is it to help a friend?
• In your private life, how important
is thrift? (not spend more than
necessary)
• How proud are you to be citizens
of your country?
• Are persistent efforts the safest
way to achieve results?
?
degree of the society's
attitude towards
traditional values
on site study
Paola Mosca
59
High
• Respect for the circumstances
• Importance of personal adaptation
skills
• The most important values at work
• they include learning, honesty,
reliability and self-discipline
adaptability
• We feel guilty
Low
• Respect for tradition
• Importance of personal stability
• The most important values at
work include freedom, rights,
fulfillment and thinking about
oneself
• Concern about "losing face"
Long Term Orientation
on site study
Paola Mosca
The Brazilians are not used to
achieving long-term targets.
They place themselves in a
hypothetical middle point.
Conversely, the Italians show a
deeper inclination towards
pragmatism and determination
in achieving their goals
on site studyHofstede’s
dimensions
Long Term Orientation
60
Italy
Brasil
Paola Mosca
61
High
• Have fewer restrictions on
behaviour
• More likely to display
optimism
• Have a higher crime rate
Low
• Have more restrictions on
behaviour
• More likely to display
pessimism
• Have a lower crime rate
Focus on individual happiness
and well being, leisure time is
more important and there is
greater freedom and personal
control
Indulgenceon site study
Paola Mosca
The Brazilians are very
optimists and live up
their lives, whereas the
Italians tend to be more
pessimists and as a
result it gives rise to a
sort of cynicism.
on site studyHofstede’s
dimensions
Indulgence
Italy
Brasil
62Paola Mosca
65
• Superficiality in
relationships
• Courtesy-Caution-
waiting
• Nervousness-Anxiety
• Hesitation
• Uncertainty
• Suspicion
• Low participation
• Who are the others?
• Will my skills be
enough?
• Will others accept
me?
• What will happen to
me?
• Which attitude should
I take?
• Let's see what
happens and how
others behave
The Experience
Paola Mosca
69
I was still learning Portuguese ,
Even if I was moving in that world
while the team was developing
competition
The Experience
Paola Mosca
72
Then we adopted
an agile control &
monitoring
approach , with
daily and weekly
status meeting to
align all
stakeholders…
The Experience
Paola Mosca
73
…and to avoid potential critical
issues, managing the different
time zone between Italy and
Brasil and….
….
every day, the team was being
more and more self confident in
own abilities and competencies
The Experience
Paola Mosca
74
• Confidence
• Appreciation
• Respect
• Mutual attention
• Affection
• Optimism
• Team spirit
• Pride of belonging to
the team
• Profusion of the
maximum personal
commitment
• Personal contribution
from all members
The Experience
Paola Mosca
79
Off site study
Field research typically involves a combination of participant
observation, interviewing, and document or artifact analysis
Paola Mosca
80
As the anthropologist uses
"cultural mediators" or the
old "interpreters" of positivist
ethnography,
even the PM seeks
comparison and comfort with
privileged witnesses who are
part of the community itself,
and are accepted by it.
Off site study
Subjects that allow us to get
in touch with the group and
its rituals.
• institutional witnesses (the
mgr account, or the TL)
• simple community
subjects (the team
members, or the language
teacher ..)
the key to access to the world
Paola Mosca
The proposal
82
starting an observation and
study phase: behavioral
differences between people
and cultures, as suggested
by the Hofstede paradigm
Paola Mosca
The proposal
implementing a "participative
observation", as claimed by
Malinowsky, to support this
"learning phase", to ‘dive’
oneself into the society, and
be emotionally involved.
83Paola Mosca
Remembering that at the beginning of 2000 a research stream
formalized :
• The “ ” movement, which
attempts to understand project-based working in the context of
creating a better, more organized relationship between theory
(knowledge) and practice (experience) (Winter & Smith, 2006)
• Thus, a different philosophical stance,
rather than objective planning and control
87
Conclusion
Paola Mosca
89
“Obrigada por tudo gente”
Thank you for your attention
Gracias
merci danke
teşekkürlerteşekkürler
спасибо
mulțumesc
хвалаευχαριστίες
dzięki
شكر
aitähkiitos tack
Paola Mosca
90
What is it typical of another cultural contest?
A. Technical tools for communication can be focused on the
language transfer, either written or spoken.
B. It is preferred a sort of communication that reduces the
number of additional and useless information.
C. A message has no meaning without the complete
understanding of the surrounding contest.
D. In order to understand a message, no information regarding
personal history or opinion is needed.
Some questions from PMP exams
Paola Mosca
91
What is it typical of another cultural contest?
A. Technical tools for communication can be focused on the
language transfer, either written or spoken.
B. It is preferred a sort of communication that reduces the
number of additional and useless information.
C. A message has no meaning without the complete
understanding of the surrounding contest.
D. In order to understand a message, no information regarding
personal history or opinion is needed.
Some questions from PMP exams
Paola Mosca
Some questions from PMP exams
Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimension of Individualism refers to…
A. The degree of dependent relationships between individuals.
B. The significance of the person versus the group.
C. The identification with the gender role of an individual.
D. The tolerance for ambiguity or uncertainty in the workplace.
92Paola Mosca
Some questions from PMP exams
Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimension of Individualism refers to…
A. The degree of dependent relationships between individuals.
B. The significance of the person versus the group.
C. The identification with the gender role of an individual.
D. The tolerance for ambiguity or uncertainty in the workplace.
93Paola Mosca
References:
• Miloevic, D. (1999). Echoes of the silent language of project
management. Project Management Journal, 30(1), 27–39
• Project Management Institute (2013) A guide to the Project Management
Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5 ed. Project Management Institute
Newtown Square, PA.
• Hofstede, G. Culture’s consequences” (1980),
• Malinowsky, B - from Wikipedia
• Winter, M and Smith, C, (2006). Rethinking Project Management
(EPSRC Network 2004-2006)
94Paola Mosca
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95
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