Howdy ,
I get asked a few times how I have adapted and thrived living and working in countries where their language was not my language of communication.
The unspoken question being asked is “How do I get people to get on the same bus with me despite the obvious differences?”
I have been in situations where I joined as a member of the team and where I came in to lead a team
My playbook for getting the bus rolling has always been the same - The Respect Playbook.
I don’t assume that people are going to assume that I am good to work with just because I showed as the next incarnation of Simon Templar aka The Saint.
This leads to the first hill I aim to climb - I respect whatever perception they have had of me.
This perception may have nothing to do with me. It may be because of the circumstances of how I came to the job or just the general perception of how people from my part of the world behave.
And it may have all to do with me. Perhaps, someone told them about how working with me was at a previous job or maybe we had met somewhere else on my not-so-exciting day.
Whatever the cause - that perception of me exists. Thus I must respect their ability to hold a perception that I may have or not have any contribution towards.
Now that I have myself out of the way, the next hill to climb is just up the next bend.
I must respect the uniqueness of their national history.
You see, certain elements seep through individual character traits which have their origins in a story that citizens of a country have told themselves.
I once reached out to someone online about a post he made concerning Ethiopians. He made the post and he couldn’t understand why Ethiopians were going mano a mano on him. He was doubling down on his post.
I told him that Ethiopians have a huge sense of national pride as the only African nation that was never colonized. They will also remind you that they have existed as a people and civilization from ancient times and are well-documented in Biblical history. You don’t fight with someone who wears such a level of pride front and centre.
By the way, I discovered this when I did a bit of business prospecting in the country. Understanding that was important when it came to framing conversations and transaction details.
Yes, I digress a bit. But you get the overall gist. You need to respect national history because it will reflect in the way the folks you work with show up at work.
The third hill you have to climb is to respect their way of doing business or doing work.
I once listened to an African business leader lament that he was never going to do business in a particular African region.
His reason - he had a few bad experiences from previous forays into countries in the region.
When he went into details I think the problem was that he did not respect the way they do business or work. He expected them to adapt to his way.
One must never forget - the people will always see you as a foreigner. They will resist changing to your tune. Even if you show up as the fairy godfather or godmother at work. They will not wear the glass shoes just so they can go to the ball.
You are in their turf so you must respect their turf rules.
I once spoke with a senior executive who was posted from head office to a branch in another country. His first strategy was to show them that a new sheriff was in town.
This alienated him from the team he was meant to lead. The country also had strong employee protection legislation so he couldn’t wield the sledgehammer as he would have liked. After about 3 years, he got the full picture. He changed, and they worked better with him.
I come to the final hill you have to climb. Respect their work history and experience.
This is an expression of respect that you show by asking their perspectives more than you giving your advice.
You need to learn more than you teach - if you consider talking about what you want to do as a form of teaching.
Most people want to feel important knowing that they helped you in one way or another. By asking their “wisdom” to give you the “know-how” you need, you are putting yourself in their debt. And people love it.
You just need to be comfortable with that. You need to have self-confidence to let people think they have something over you. And compliment them for it. Appreciate the perspective they provided by sharing from their work history and experience.
And there you have it.
The four horsemen of the Respect Playbook.
1 - Respect whatever perception they have had of you
2 - Respect the uniqueness of their national history.
3 - Respect their way of doing business or doing work.
4 - Respect their work history and experience.
If you work in a different country, there is one that changes the group and makes it a “House of Five”
Respect their language.
Don’t go all defensive when they speak it especially if it’s not one that you can speak.
If you have practised the first 4 well enough, you will not have to be scared that they are discussing a plan to rob the Bellagio, the Mirage, & the MGM Grand casinos and leave you all alone holding an empty moneybag just as Terry Benedict walks in.
Try to learn a few phrases of the language - it will bind you better with the team.
Now you have the “House of Five” from the Respect Playbook.
Show up confidently to make your difference at work in the new country.
Yes, show yourself you can win at work and in life.
Even in a new country
I am a Workplace Multiplier
© Tola Akinsulire
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