Digital White Papers

8 WWW.ILTANET.ORG | ILTA WHITE PAPER POTPOURRI Keeping Innovation Strategies On Track Across Global Cultural Lines Innovation depends on communication, and anything that hinders communication must be addressed. Language differences can be real barriers to understanding key objectives, and culturally disparate engagement styles need to be carefully considered in advance. For instance, humor among regional colleagues may be beneficial, but it can be tricky between cultures and can easily lead to misunderstandings, resulting in embarrassment or offence. Showing you understand the values of other regions creates trust, while ignoring nuances can cause the failure of initiatives. Respecting cultural norms includes understanding the effect of: » Hours of work » The person in authority on project teams » What is meant by "yes" and "no" » Aire » Religious beliefs » Cultural etiquee when engaging in personal interactions If an innovation delivers a benefit that a culture does not value, the innovation will not be adopted. In Mexico, for example, a company aempted to expand the market for its bath soap by marketing aggressively into the Yucatan peninsula. What the company failed to consider was that the cultural norm in the Yucatan at that time was for people to bathe less frequently. An innovation strategy works best when all levels of the business hierarchy contribute, but in some places this can be difficult to achieve due to cultural aitudes. In certain regions, team members might not contribute ideas if their superior is not on board with a project. Global innovation can be hampered by something as simple as language. Even among people sharing a common language, slang and idioms can present communication challenges. Some idioms are difficult to understand, and slang can be downright offensive. When engaging in international collaborative conversations –– whether in person or in writing –– avoid slang unless you are certain it will be understood. I remember one meeting in which I participated years ago where the conversation went off track for 15 minutes while someone in Hong Kong tried to figure out what I meant when I said, "I will be there with bells on." Be careful of using too many adjectives in global conversations. Also be wary of humor, irony and sarcasm –– especially with a team just learning to work together. Cultures do not always find the same words and situations to be funny. Where collaborators do not share a common first language, simplicity is key. Focus on declarative sentences, and choose your words carefully. In-person meetings can greatly facilitate communication, but they introduce a wrinkle of their own: nonverbal communication. When getting face-time with teammates from other countries or cultures, be aware of cultural norms in terms of dress and gestures. A meaningless gesture to one could easily turn into something offensive to another. Do not let communication get in the way of collaboration. ILTA The Challenges of Language by Joy Heath Rush, VP of Client Development (Law Firms) at Litéra

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