Working Across Borders

Have you worked overseas? Have you considered how you would enhance your conversations with your colleagues, customers and consumers?

With the advent of the Internet, borders have shifted from physical ones to digital to psychological ones. We talk about ‘border-less’ connections, which means we are closer to somebody than we think we are. With the Six Degrees of Separation, we may be more inter-connected than we think and apply.

Having worked in about 19 countries, I continue to learn about what makes people tick differently and similarly. Differences make for uniqueness, whereas similarity builds familiarity. Finding out what matters to people can be integrated into each conversation you engage in.

Which would be useful skills and competencies when working across borders?

1)    Build courage and confidence with each face-to-face interaction.

2)    Speak to internationals and be inquisitive about their culture.

3)    When you are next onboard a plane, engage in mild conversation with the persons next to you (where appropriate).

4)    Observe how proxemics (distance), touching, and seating arrangements matter at meetings and dining.

5)    Apply values that build rapport and trust such as respect, recognition and reassurance.

6)    Asking questions when you are unsure, and especially when you think you are sure. Calibrate your understanding of people, processes and culture.

Enlist a coach to guide you: in-house, external, business, or career. These facilitated sessions can yield many new perspectives so that you can ‘venture boldly where you have not gone before!’ These coaches are sounding pads, sparring partners and platforms to launch ideas from.

Leadership Lessons: How open are you to travel? How quickly do you build rapport with strangers? How do you dissolve your self-imposed barriers to unfamiliar territories? Which are the unspoken rules when you operate across borders? Does the quality of a handshake, smile and nod make a difference?

The Significance of Your Company Culture

Company culture is the spirit, attitude and character of its people put together. Although products or services are the backbone of business, the working culture of staff and its management matter. A happy staff is a productive staff.

America’s Continental Airlines moved from ‘worst to first’ after its CEO, Gordon Bethune re-invented the way his staff was treated, and how they treated their customers. Within one year, the ailing airline recovered from a loss of $100 million per year to a profit of $100 million. Bethune goes about his day thanking his staff, customers and even assisting with a bag or two at the baggage handling section. His management style is mainly by charisma and management by walking around (MBWA). Once embarrassed staff who removed their company badges when lunching, now wear their uniforms proudly and deliver top-notch customer service.

Singapore’s executive search and temp agency, Business Trends (now absorbed by Kelly Services) had staff ring a bell when they rang in a sale. Staff would recognize a colleague’s sales closure with high-fives!

A leading Australian management consulting company’s working philosophy includes: ‘We will end up better mates at the end of each project.’

Elite Bicycles, based in Philadelphia and Singapore, is a boutique customized bike-fitting company. Their attention to details and personalized service is impeccable. A comprehensive bike fitting session takes about 3-4 hours, with initial focus on physical diagnostics, muscle strength testing, core stability exercises, limb measurements, and the actual fitting. Their strong and shared culture of attentiveness and patience to each client creates brand building and customer loyalty. Much of their business is based on positive word of mouth.

Your company’s culture is unique. It defines the way your business is run. It reflects on the products and services that we present for the benefit of our customers.

An unspoken culture of this website is ‘to share fully of our experiences’. I hope that you are enjoying and benefitting from each author’s wisdom and sharing. Enjoy building your business!