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-- MySQL dump 10.11 -- -- Host: mysqlv109 Database: charisdb -- ------------------------------------------------------ -- Server version 5.0.91 /*!40101 SET @OLD_CHARACTER_SET_CLIENT=@@CHARACTER_SET_CLIENT */; /*!40101 SET @OLD_CHARACTER_SET_RESULTS=@@CHARACTER_SET_RESULTS */; /*!40101 SET @OLD_COLLATION_CONNECTION=@@COLLATION_CONNECTION */; /*!40101 SET NAMES utf8 */; /*!40103 SET @OLD_TIME_ZONE=@@TIME_ZONE */; /*!40103 SET TIME_ZONE='+00:00' */; /*!40014 SET @OLD_UNIQUE_CHECKS=@@UNIQUE_CHECKS, UNIQUE_CHECKS=0 */; /*!40014 SET @OLD_FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS=@@FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS, FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS=0 */; /*!40101 SET @OLD_SQL_MODE=@@SQL_MODE, SQL_MODE='NO_AUTO_VALUE_ON_ZERO' */; /*!40111 SET @OLD_SQL_NOTES=@@SQL_NOTES, SQL_NOTES=0 */; -- -- Table structure for table `wp_commentmeta` -- DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `wp_commentmeta`; SET @saved_cs_client = @@character_set_client; SET character_set_client = utf8; CREATE TABLE `wp_commentmeta` ( `meta_id` bigint(20) unsigned NOT NULL auto_increment, `comment_id` bigint(20) unsigned NOT NULL default '0', `meta_key` varchar(255) default NULL, `meta_value` longtext, PRIMARY KEY (`meta_id`), KEY `comment_id` (`comment_id`), KEY `meta_key` (`meta_key`) ) ENGINE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=2580 DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8; SET character_set_client = @saved_cs_client; -- -- Dumping data for table `wp_commentmeta` -- LOCK TABLES `wp_commentmeta` WRITE; /*!40000 ALTER TABLE `wp_commentmeta` DISABLE KEYS */; /*!40000 ALTER TABLE `wp_commentmeta` ENABLE KEYS */; UNLOCK TABLES; -- -- Table structure for table `wp_comments` -- DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `wp_comments`; SET @saved_cs_client = @@character_set_client; SET character_set_client = utf8; CREATE TABLE `wp_comments` ( `comment_ID` bigint(20) unsigned NOT NULL auto_increment, `comment_post_ID` bigint(20) unsigned NOT NULL default '0', `comment_author` tinytext NOT NULL, `comment_author_email` varchar(100) NOT NULL default '', `comment_author_url` varchar(200) NOT NULL default '', `comment_author_IP` varchar(100) NOT NULL default '', `comment_date` datetime NOT NULL default '0000-00-00 00:00:00', `comment_date_gmt` datetime NOT NULL default '0000-00-00 00:00:00', `comment_content` text NOT NULL, `comment_karma` int(11) NOT NULL default '0', `comment_approved` varchar(20) NOT NULL default '1', `comment_agent` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '', `comment_type` varchar(20) NOT NULL default '', `comment_parent` bigint(20) unsigned NOT NULL default '0', `user_id` bigint(20) unsigned NOT NULL default '0', PRIMARY KEY (`comment_ID`), KEY `comment_post_ID` (`comment_post_ID`), KEY `comment_approved_date_gmt` (`comment_approved`,`comment_date_gmt`), KEY `comment_date_gmt` (`comment_date_gmt`), KEY `comment_parent` (`comment_parent`) ) ENGINE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=1372 DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8; SET character_set_client = @saved_cs_client; -- -- Dumping data for table `wp_comments` -- LOCK TABLES `wp_comments` WRITE; /*!40000 ALTER TABLE `wp_comments` DISABLE KEYS */; INSERT INTO `wp_comments` VALUES (965,219,'Bonita Banducc','banducci@genderwork.com','','24.5.234.57','2012-03-06 01:05:31','2012-03-06 01:05:31','Marian,\r\nThis is so useful for working with my students in Gender and Engineering.\r\nI am so happy you had such a magnificent trip and made as difference as you learned.\r\nBonita',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(966,219,'Miriam Lacey','mlacey@pepperdine.edu','','24.5.234.57','2012-03-06 12:05:59','2012-03-06 12:05:59','Great article Marian. And so applicable in other places around the world. Especially the communication piece. I loved the “how fast would you want themn to talk to you in Chinese.” Priceless!\r\nMiriam',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(967,340,'Camille Smith','wipcoaching.comcamille@wipcoaching.com','','24.5.234.57','2012-06-05 21:44:21','2012-06-05 21:44:21','great tips! your blog is educational and useful. thank you!',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(968,340,'Craig Everhart','fundvec.orgcraig@fundvec.org','','24.5.234.57','2012-06-06 19:33:30','2012-06-06 19:33:30','Kudos, and thanks for the excellent ideas, which will be very useful to liven up presentations to educate prospective partners about our non-profit organization’s mission to provide underserved rural children & adults in Venezuela with access to age-appropriate, quality books.\r\nCraig',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(969,340,'santalynda marrero, EdD','santalynda.comsantalynda@gmail.com','','24.5.234.57','2012-06-06 00:17:07','2012-06-06 00:17:07','This piece is informative as it helps bridge communication across cultural linguistic styles, can be an aid for diability in hearing by using text as well and is an inclusive tool. Thank you for the value added.\r\nSantalynda',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(314,394,'Petra Chequer','pchequer@allianceofceos.com','','99.100.36.121','2012-09-06 03:53:54','2012-09-06 03:53:54','Being a German, having gone through the German educational system and having worked for and with German leadership, I could not agree more. Great insights into how to best lead and motivate German teams and their individual team members. Thank you!',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(973,189,'Bill Rice','william.rice@wal-mart.com','','24.5.234.57','2011-05-10 20:12:38','2011-05-10 20:12:38','Excellent observation on the confusing meanings of “Yes.” The meaning is also related to the relationship. If we think of communication as serving at least two functions–information exchange and relationship building–then Yes and No mean different things depending on which need is dominant. Before trust is established, Yes may mean “I want to work with you” and No may mean “I want control.” The real business of the conversation is setting the relationship. After trust is established, Yes and No have something to do with the objective matter being discussed.\r\nBill Rice',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(974,54,'Anjali Magana','anjali.m@pacbell.net','','24.5.234.57','2011-03-24 23:26:23','2011-03-24 23:26:23','I saw you at the APWT event. I work for Cisco.\r\nAnjali Magana',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(970,207,'America','america@fundvec.org','','24.5.234.57','2012-03-06 19:38:33','2012-03-06 19:38:33','Congratulations, inspiring, and very informative Charis Newsletter.\r\nThe training information is very interesting, and I think mediation in multicultural teams should be mandatory in all business and government offices.\r\n\r\nAll the best,\r\nAmerica',0,'1','Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.11 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/23.0.1271.95 Safari/537.11','',0,1),(971,207,'Rozilda','kimberlwelch@hotmail.com','','24.5.234.57','2012-04-21 14:59:04','2012-04-21 14:59:04','I believe that having some type of multicultural education is a must for everyone, no matter what professional field you are in. 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Version 3.8.1 is a maintenance releases that addresses 31 bugs in 3.8, including various fixes and improvements for the new dashboard design and new themes admin screen. An issue with taxonomy queries in WP_Query […]\'>WordPress 3.8.1 Maintenance Release</a> <span class=\"rss-date\">January 23, 2014</span><div class=\'rssSummary\'>After six weeks and more than 9.3 million downloads of WordPress 3.8, we’re pleased to announce WordPress 3.8.1 is now available. Version 3.8.1 is a maintenance releases that addresses 31 bugs in 3.8, including various fixes and improvements for the new dashboard design and new themes admin screen. An issue with taxonomy queries in WP_Query […]</div></li></ul></div><div class=\"rss-widget\"><ul><li><a class=\'rsswidget\' href=\'http://wptavern.com/could-wordpress-plugin-adoption-lower-the-rate-of-abandonment?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=could-wordpress-plugin-adoption-lower-the-rate-of-abandonment\' title=\'photo credit: jono dot com – cc In light of recent events wherein WordPress.org plugin authors have been receiving suspicious requests for repository access, Mike Epstein posted a clarification on taking over plugins. The plugin team does not give out plugin author emails. Instead, the team acts as an intermediary to send the author an email, notifying them of a third-party trying to get in touch. Her note also assures developers that WordPress.org will never give away a plugin unless they have received the author’s explicit permission: Your plugin is yours. We will only close it if there are security issues or guideline violations, and we will always email you about that (so remember to keep your email up to date in your forum profile!). We also will never just give away your plugin without contacting you first, and getting your approval. Developers who no longer wish to maintain a plugin are also urged to consider giving it away to someone else before requesting removal from the repository. There is a chance that someone may be willing to take the plugin on to continue it. But how will other developers find plugins that are up for adoption? How to Put Your Plugin Up For Adoption There are two simple things you can do right away: 1. Add a Note to the Readme.txt File Epstein recommends updating your readme.txt file as a first step towards letting others know that your plugin is available to be adopted. 2. Add a Sticky Topic to the Plugin’s Forums Andrew Nacin suggested that plugin authors create a sticky post in their plugin’s forum to put a plugin up for adoption and add a link to it in the readme.txt file. Interested parties can then comment in the forums and ask questions. Both of these suggestions are useful if someone is specifically interested in your plugin. If the readme.txt and forum sticky are all developers have to depend on, it’s unlikely that someone will stumble upon your plugin with the intention to adopt. A Standard Adoption Tag In the followup comments to the post, several developers chimed in to suggest that a standard tag might be a good option. A plugin tag would provide a centralized way for developers to search for plugins that need a new owner. For example, a “needs-takeover” or “adopt-me” tag could be applied to indicate the plugin’s availability. It might even be useful to have a separate tag to indicate that the author is looking for a collaborator, which could help connect developers and prevent orphaned plugins. I asked Samuel Wood, better known as “Otto”, about the possibility of the project designating an official tag. He said that this is unlikely, given that tagging plugins is entirely voluntary to begin with and not something that you can organize with a standard: Anybody can create and use such a tag and add it to their plugins, we don’t have tag limits on plugins like we do on themes. If somebody wants to make it an unofficial thing, there’s nothing stopping them from doing so, but I don’t think it will take off because it’s edge-casey and relies on authors giving away their plugins intentionally instead of simply letting them die from neglect. If an unofficial tag is to catch on, it will require a group of developers with plugins for adoption to get behind their selected tag and help to make sure that others know about it. Adopting vs. Forking The recent suspicious requests aside, would any WordPress developer actually favor adopting a plugin over forking it? Alex Mills (Viper007Bond) doesn’t think that a list of plugins available for adoption would be of much use to anyone. “Mika’s suggestion of editing the readme to say so is probably better,” he said. “As it’s unlikely it’d be useful to have a list of plugins that need new ownership.” While adoption has its benefits, including a built in user base and history on WordPress.org, forking a plugin is less of a hassle, since it doesn’t require permission. Forks also usually make a good number of changes right off the bat. Last year Jeff Chandler wrote about the growing concern of abandoned WordPress plugins. As the repository is now approaching 30,000 plugins, the discussion continues. Too much orphan-ware can quickly add up and paint a less than inspiring picture of the repository, which is frustrating to users who just want something that works. Even if the incidence of plugin adoption remains low, every bit counts towards making the repository a better resource. If we can providing a clear path for adoption and better ways for plugin developers to collaborate, there may be some hope for lowering the rate of plugin abandonment. Let’s hear from our readers. Would you favor an unofficial tag for adoption? Is it best left to readme.txt notices and sticky forum posts? Have you ever adopted a plugin or had one of yours adopted?\'>WPTavern: Could WordPress Plugin Adoption Lower the Rate of Abandonment?</a></li><li><a class=\'rsswidget\' href=\'http://wptavern.com/upthemes-publishes-open-letter-sounds-wakeup-call-to-other-wordpress-theme-shops?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=upthemes-publishes-open-letter-sounds-wakeup-call-to-other-wordpress-theme-shops\' title=\'The founders of UpThemes, a commercial WordPress theme business started in March of 2010 has published an open letter to their customers and to the wider WordPress community. It’s a fascinating look into how the company has evolved over the past four years. The letter is filled with lessons learned and contains what I consider a wake up call to other WordPress theme shops. Our new approach to theme development is this: we no longer build bloated themes full of features, options, and code that changes the color of your flexslider’s navigation buttons. We want our products to be easy to use and theme support to be a joy for our users and support reps alike. That’s why we’re building themes with simplicity as the feature. This letter is like a breath of fresh air for many in the WordPress theme community as it solidifies the trend of returning to the roots of good website design, the integral separation between functionality and content. Jonathan Atkinson who we interviewed last week mentioned theme authors can create beautiful themes without bundling everything under the sun and still make a profit. Justin Tadlock is living proof it can be done. Photolia By UpThemes Because of poor development practices used earlier in the history of the company, themes filled with options, sliders, color schemes, etc. ended up causing their profit margins to disappear forcing them to re-evaluate their entire business. Because of the time it took to manage all our server-side code and third-party applications, marketing, support, accounting, etc., UpThemes was no longer profitable, nor was it a priority for us. Building awesome themes—the thing we started out to do—screeched to a grinding halt. This is the first time I’ve read a post that explains how the profit of a WordPress commercial theme business dried up because of the way their themes were developed. Thankfully, UpThemes has revamped the entire way they are doing business and are now in a better situation. A Lot Of Lessons To Be Learned I applaud the team behind UpThemes for publishing the open letter as it’s more or less a public gut check. It contains valuable lessons that can be applied to general theme development. I hope it influences theme authors to stick with simplicity and to stop putting everything including the kitchen sink into WordPress themes. While it may seem like they’re satisfying consumer demand, all they’re really doing is hurting themselves and their customers in the long-term. What do you think of the letter?\'>WPTavern: UpThemes Publishes Open Letter, Sounds Wakeup Call To Other WordPress Theme Shops</a></li><li><a class=\'rsswidget\' href=\'http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/10/matt-adams-creating-themes-%E2%80%8Band-customizing-admin/\' title=\' \'>WordPress.tv: Matt Adams: Creating Themes And Customizing Admin</a></li></ul></div><div class=\"rss-widget\"><ul><li class=\'dashboard-news-plugin\'><span>Popular Plugin:</span> <a href=\'http://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/\' class=\'dashboard-news-plugin-link\'>Wordfence Security</a></h5> <span>(<a href=\'plugin-install.php?tab=plugin-information&plugin=wordfence&_wpnonce=03f2f35c7e&TB_iframe=true&width=600&height=800\' class=\'thickbox\' title=\'Wordfence Security\'>Install</a>)</span></li></ul></div>','no'),(8463,'_transient_timeout_feed_867bd5c64f85878d03a060509cd2f92c','1392125175','no'),(8464,'_transient_feed_867bd5c64f85878d03a060509cd2f92c','a:4:{s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:3:\"rss\";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:3:\"\n\n\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:7:\"version\";s:3:\"2.0\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:7:\"channel\";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:61:\"\n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:16:\"WordPress Planet\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://planet.wordpress.org/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"language\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2:\"en\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:47:\"WordPress Planet - http://planet.wordpress.org/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"item\";a:50:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:72:\"WPTavern: Could WordPress Plugin Adoption Lower the Rate of Abandonment?\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16497\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:186:\"http://wptavern.com/could-wordpress-plugin-adoption-lower-the-rate-of-abandonment?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=could-wordpress-plugin-adoption-lower-the-rate-of-abandonment\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6782:\"<div id=\"attachment_16677\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/yellow-plug.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16497]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/yellow-plug.jpg\" alt=\"photo credit: jono dot com - cc\" width=\"840\" height=\"396\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16677\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo credit: <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jono/4867550/\">jono dot com</a> – <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/\">cc</a></p></div>\n<p>In light of recent events wherein <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-org-plugin-authors-receive-suspicious-requests-for-repository-access\" target=\"_blank\">WordPress.org plugin authors have been receiving suspicious requests</a> for repository access, Mike Epstein posted a <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2014/02/06/clarification-on-taking-over-plugins/\" target=\"_blank\">clarification on taking over plugins</a>. The plugin team does not give out plugin author emails. Instead, the team acts as an intermediary to send the author an email, notifying them of a third-party trying to get in touch.</p>\n<p>Her note also assures developers that WordPress.org will never give away a plugin unless they have received the author’s explicit permission:</p>\n<blockquote><p>Your plugin is yours. We will only close it if there are security issues or guideline violations, and we will always email you about that (so remember to keep your email up to date in your forum profile!). We also will never just give away your plugin without contacting you first, and getting your approval.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Developers who no longer wish to maintain a plugin are also urged to consider giving it away to someone else before requesting removal from the repository. There is a chance that someone may be willing to take the plugin on to continue it. But how will other developers find plugins that are up for adoption?</p>\n<h3>How to Put Your Plugin Up For Adoption</h3>\n<p>There are two simple things you can do right away:</p>\n<p><strong>1. Add a Note to the Readme.txt File</strong><br />\nEpstein recommends updating your readme.txt file as a first step towards letting others know that your plugin is available to be adopted.</p>\n<p><strong>2. Add a Sticky Topic to the Plugin’s Forums</strong><br />\nAndrew Nacin <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2014/02/06/clarification-on-taking-over-plugins/#comment-38429\" target=\"_blank\">suggested</a> that plugin authors create a sticky post in their plugin’s forum to put a plugin up for adoption and add a link to it in the readme.txt file. Interested parties can then comment in the forums and ask questions.</p>\n<p>Both of these suggestions are useful if someone is specifically interested in your plugin. If the readme.txt and forum sticky are all developers have to depend on, it’s unlikely that someone will stumble upon your plugin with the intention to adopt.</p>\n<h3>A Standard Adoption Tag</h3>\n<p>In the followup comments to the post, several developers chimed in to suggest that a standard tag might be a good option. A <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/\" target=\"_blank\">plugin tag</a> would provide a centralized way for developers to search for plugins that need a new owner.</p>\n<p>For example, a “needs-takeover” or “adopt-me” tag could be applied to indicate the plugin’s availability. It might even be useful to have a separate tag to indicate that the author is looking for a collaborator, which could help connect developers and prevent orphaned plugins.</p>\n<p>I asked Samuel Wood, better known as “Otto”, about the possibility of the project designating an official tag. He said that this is unlikely, given that tagging plugins is entirely voluntary to begin with and not something that you can organize with a standard:</p>\n<blockquote><p>Anybody can create and use such a tag and add it to their plugins, we don’t have tag limits on plugins like we do on themes. If somebody wants to make it an unofficial thing, there’s nothing stopping them from doing so, but I don’t think it will take off because it’s edge-casey and relies on authors giving away their plugins intentionally instead of simply letting them die from neglect.</p></blockquote>\n<p>If an unofficial tag is to catch on, it will require a group of developers with plugins for adoption to get behind their selected tag and help to make sure that others know about it.</p>\n<h3>Adopting vs. Forking</h3>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/abandoned-plugin.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16497]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/abandoned-plugin-233x300.jpg\" alt=\"abandoned-plugin\" width=\"233\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-16679\" /></a>The recent suspicious requests aside, would any WordPress developer actually favor adopting a plugin over forking it?</p>\n<p>Alex Mills (Viper007Bond) doesn’t think that a list of plugins available for adoption would be of much use to anyone. “Mika’s suggestion of editing the readme to say so is probably better,” he <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2014/02/06/clarification-on-taking-over-plugins/#comment-38443\" target=\"_blank\">said</a>. “As it’s unlikely it’d be useful to have a list of plugins that need new ownership.”</p>\n<p>While adoption has its benefits, including a built in user base and history on WordPress.org, forking a plugin is less of a hassle, since it doesn’t require permission. Forks also usually make a good number of changes right off the bat.</p>\n<p>Last year Jeff Chandler wrote about the growing concern of <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/how-to-adopt-a-plugin-or-put-it-up-for-adoption\" target=\"_blank\">abandoned WordPress plugins</a>. As the repository is now approaching 30,000 plugins, the discussion continues.</p>\n<p>Too much orphan-ware can quickly add up and paint a less than inspiring picture of the repository, which is frustrating to users who just want something that works.</p>\n<p>Even if the incidence of plugin adoption remains low, every bit counts towards making the repository a better resource. If we can providing a clear path for adoption and better ways for plugin developers to collaborate, there may be some hope for lowering the rate of <a href=\"http://digwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/infographic-abandoned-wp-plugins.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16497]\" target=\"_blank\">plugin abandonment</a>.</p>\n<p>Let’s hear from our readers. Would you favor an unofficial tag for adoption? Is it best left to readme.txt notices and sticky forum posts? Have you ever adopted a plugin or had one of yours adopted?</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 22:15:25 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:91:\"WPTavern: UpThemes Publishes Open Letter, Sounds Wakeup Call To Other WordPress Theme Shops\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16660\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:224:\"http://wptavern.com/upthemes-publishes-open-letter-sounds-wakeup-call-to-other-wordpress-theme-shops?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=upthemes-publishes-open-letter-sounds-wakeup-call-to-other-wordpress-theme-shops\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4009:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/UpThemesLogo.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16660]\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-16664\" alt=\"UpThemes Logo\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/UpThemesLogo.jpg\" width=\"131\" height=\"61\" /></a>The founders of <a title=\"https://upthemes.com\" href=\"https://upthemes.com\">UpThemes</a>, a commercial WordPress theme business started in March of 2010 has published an <a title=\"https://upthemes.com/open-letter/\" href=\"https://upthemes.com/open-letter/\">open letter</a> to their customers and to the wider WordPress community. It’s a fascinating look into how the company has evolved over the past four years. The letter is filled with lessons learned and contains what I consider a wake up call to other WordPress theme shops.</p>\n<blockquote><p>Our new approach to theme development is this: we no longer build bloated themes full of features, options, and code that changes the color of your flexslider’s navigation buttons. We want our products to be easy to use and theme support to be a joy for our users and support reps alike. That’s why we’re building themes with <em><strong>simplicity as the feature</strong>.</em></p></blockquote>\n<p>This letter is like a breath of fresh air for many in the WordPress theme community as it solidifies the trend of returning to the roots of good website design, the integral separation between functionality and content. Jonathan Atkinson who <a title=\"http://wptavern.com/wpweekly-episode-137-making-a-living-on-themeforest-with-jonathan-atkinson\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/wpweekly-episode-137-making-a-living-on-themeforest-with-jonathan-atkinson\">we interviewed last week</a> mentioned theme authors can create beautiful themes without bundling everything under the sun and still make a profit. Justin Tadlock is living proof <a title=\"http://justintadlock.com/archives/2013/09/11/the-themeforest-experiment-one-year-later\" href=\"http://justintadlock.com/archives/2013/09/11/the-themeforest-experiment-one-year-later\">it can be done</a>.</p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16663\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/UpThemesPhotolia.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16660]\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-16663\" alt=\"Photolia By UpThemes\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/UpThemesPhotolia-500x373.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"373\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photolia By UpThemes</p></div>\n<p>Because of poor development practices used earlier in the history of the company, themes filled with options, sliders, color schemes, etc. ended up causing their profit margins to disappear forcing them to re-evaluate their entire business.</p>\n<blockquote><p>Because of the time it took to manage all our server-side code and third-party applications, marketing, support, accounting, etc., UpThemes was no longer profitable, nor was it a priority for us. Building awesome themes—the thing we started out to do—screeched to a grinding halt.</p></blockquote>\n<p>This is the first time I’ve read a post that explains how the profit of a WordPress commercial theme business dried up because of the way their themes were developed. Thankfully, UpThemes has revamped the entire way they are doing business and are now in a better situation.</p>\n<h3>A Lot Of Lessons To Be Learned</h3>\n<p>I applaud the team behind UpThemes for publishing the <a title=\"https://upthemes.com/open-letter/\" href=\"https://upthemes.com/open-letter/\">open letter</a> as it’s more or less a public gut check. It contains valuable lessons that can be applied to general theme development. I hope it influences theme authors to stick with simplicity and to stop putting everything including the kitchen sink into WordPress themes. While it may seem like they’re satisfying consumer demand, all they’re really doing is hurting themselves and their customers in the long-term.</p>\n<p><strong>What do you think of the letter?</strong></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 20:36:01 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:66:\"WordPress.tv: Matt Adams: Creating Themes And Customizing Admin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30867\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:89:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/10/matt-adams-creating-themes-%e2%80%8band-customizing-admin/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:687:\"<div id=\"v-o6PEQKeP-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30867/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30867/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30867&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/10/matt-adams-creating-themes-%e2%80%8band-customizing-admin/\"><img alt=\"Matt Adams: Creating Themes And Customizing Admin\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/o6PEQKeP/video-0368995d95_std.original.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 19:32:57 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:3;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:89:\"WPTavern: Plugin Toggle Turns WordPress Admin Bar Into Shortcut To Enable/Disable Plugins\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16645\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:220:\"http://wptavern.com/plugin-toggle-turns-wordpress-admin-bar-into-shortcut-to-enabledisable-plugins?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=plugin-toggle-turns-wordpress-admin-bar-into-shortcut-to-enabledisable-plugins\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2165:\"<p>Developed by <a title=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/bradyvercher\" href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/bradyvercher\">Brady Vercher </a>and <a title=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/garyj\" href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/garyj\">Gary Jones,</a> <a title=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-toggle/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-toggle/\">Plugin Toggle</a> adds the ability to disable or enable plugins from the WordPress admin bar. This simple plugin is awesome, especially when it comes to diagnosing problems. One of the tenants of troubleshooting WordPress is to disable every plugin and re-enable them one by one in a process of elimination.</p>\n<p>Generally, this is accomplished by having the plugin management page in one browser tab with the front end of the website in another. When a plugin is deactivated, switch browser tabs and refresh to see if the problem disappears. Depending on the speed of your site and the number of plugins installed, this can be a cumbersome experience.</p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16647\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/PluginToggler.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16645]\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-16647\" alt=\"Plugin Toggle\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/PluginToggler.jpg\" width=\"592\" height=\"216\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plugin Toggle In Action</p></div>\n<p>Activated plugins have a brighter shade of text while disabled plugins are grayed out. To switch between on or off, click on the plugin name. The page you’re on will automatically refresh saving you a step in the troubleshooting process. While I used WordPress troubleshooting as an example of what Plugin Toggle is capable of, it’s great to use by itself as a shortcut to turn plugins on and off without having to navigate the WordPress back end. It’s also an interesting use of the WordPress admin bar.</p>\n<p>If you’re interesting in trying out the plugin yourself, you can <a title=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-toggle/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-toggle/\">download it</a> from the WordPress.org plugin repository.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 18:06:55 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:4;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:89:\"WPTavern: WPCollab Provides Collaborative Opportunity For New WordPress Plugin Developers\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16624\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:222:\"http://wptavern.com/wpcollab-provides-collaborative-opportunity-for-new-wordpress-plugin-developers?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wpcollab-provides-collaborative-opportunity-for-new-wordpress-plugin-developers\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3890:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WPCollabLogo.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16624]\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-16641\" alt=\"WPcollab Logo\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WPCollabLogo.jpg\" width=\"231\" height=\"72\" /></a>It started off as a blog post. Fresh out of WordCamp Norway, Slobodan Manic <a title=\"http://slobodanmanic.com/541/lets-release-plugin-together/\" href=\"http://slobodanmanic.com/541/lets-release-plugin-together/\">shared his experience</a> at the event. Near the end of the post, Slobodan asked fellow developers if they’d like to release a plugin together. The idea being that working together creates more opportunities to learn. The plugin would have a few caveats though.</p>\n<blockquote><p>It has to be free, released to wordpress.org repository and lean. Other than that, anything goes. So, let’s do it together. Leave a comment or send me a tweet if you’re interested.</p></blockquote>\n<p>The post generated over 30 comments and thus, <a title=\"http://make.wpcollab.co/\" href=\"http://make.wpcollab.co/\">WPCollab</a> was born. WPCollab is made up of a P2, <a title=\"https://github.com/WPCollab\" href=\"https://github.com/WPCollab\">Github account</a>, and the Twitter hashtag <a title=\"https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23wpcollab\" href=\"https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23wpcollab\">#wpcollab</a>.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/EmojiInAction.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16624]\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-16629\" alt=\"Emoji In Action\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/EmojiInAction-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>The groups first plugin is <a title=\"https://github.com/WPCollab/hello-emoji\" href=\"https://github.com/WPCollab/hello-emoji\">Hello-Emoji</a>. The plugin provides an easy way to access an auto-complete list of emoji icons. Emoji are graphical representations of things like smiles. Emoticons are text-based versions of emotions.</p>\n<p>Functionality aside, the more important aspect of this plugin is that it was created by <strong>five people</strong> from <strong>four different continents</strong> in a <strong>two week</strong> time period. Prior to Slobodan’s post, these people didn’t know each other. The first part of the plugin description illustrates the project perfectly.</p>\n<blockquote><p>Hello Emoji is more than a plugin, it represents the hopes of a generation. It is going to be proof of the idea that WordPress represents: that free software can bring people together to accomplish something that they couldn’t do themselves, while adding something of value to the commons for all to share.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Hello Emoji is almost ready to be submitted to the WordPress plugin repository. Until then, <a title=\"http://make.wpcollab.co/2014/02/10/trello-plugin-scope/\" href=\"http://make.wpcollab.co/2014/02/10/trello-plugin-scope/\">discussion has started</a> on the groups second plugin, Trello. Outside of Hello Emoji, WPCollab also has a <a title=\"https://github.com/WPCollab/wpcollab-plugin-skeleton\" href=\"https://github.com/WPCollab/wpcollab-plugin-skeleton\">skeleton plugin available</a> that is used as a framework.</p>\n<h3>Collaboration Outside Of WordPress.org</h3>\n<p>Slobodan tells me that everyone part of the project will be providing support for any plugins released. WPCollab is open to anyone who wants to contribute and learn with others. So far, the group seems to have good chemistry. The idea of creating plugins with a monetization strategy has been brought up but they have decided to continue working on free plugins for now.</p>\n<p>It’s great to see projects like WPCollab take off. It’s a good starting point for new plugin developers and who knows, perhaps in the future the site will turn into a collaborative plugin factory.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 16:35:04 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:5;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:59:\"WordPress.tv: Zac Gordon: Learning Web Design Via WordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30865\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/10/zac-gordon-learning-web-design-via-wordpress/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:673:\"<div id=\"v-iZESYXYq-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30865/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30865/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30865&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/10/zac-gordon-learning-web-design-via-wordpress/\"><img alt=\"Zac Gordon: Learning Web Design Via WordPress\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/iZESYXYq/video-eb752faf0a_scruberthumbnail_1.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 15:00:08 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:6;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"WPTavern: Sorbet: A Free WordPress Theme From Automattic\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16595\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:154:\"http://wptavern.com/sorbet-a-free-wordpress-theme-from-automattic?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sorbet-a-free-wordpress-theme-from-automattic\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3062:\"<p>Sorbet is a beautiful responsive blogging theme with <a href=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/Post_Formats\" title=\"WordPress Post Formats\" target=\"_blank\">post formats</a> on parade. The theme has been a big hit on <a href=\"http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/sorbet/\" title=\"Sorbet on WordPress.com\" target=\"_blank\">WordPress.com</a> ever since it was added at the end of January. This weekend Sorbet made its debut in the WordPress Themes Directory and is already a favorite, with more than 1,000 downloads in less than 24 hours after its release.</p>\n<p>What makes Sorbet so special? This theme has a uniquely pleasing balance of color, space and typography. It’s bright without being garish and it’s clean without looking plain.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sorbet.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16595]\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16602\" alt=\"sorbet\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sorbet.png\" width=\"880\" height=\"660\" /></a></p>\n<p>One interesting highlight of Sorbet is that its widget area, social icons, main navigation and search bar are all hidden with icons at the top to pull each into the display. The resulting display gives your content plenty of room to breathe.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sorbet-single-column.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16595]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sorbet-single-column-300x200.png\" alt=\"sorbet-single-column\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-16609\" /></a>Another handy feature is the optional, intuitive sidebar. If you don’t add any widgets to your sidebar, Sorbet automatically recognizes this and changes the display to a centered one-column layout.</p>\n<p>Other features include:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Colorful support for post formats and sticky posts</li>\n<li>One-column layout – sidebar is optional</li>\n<li>Social links panel</li>\n<li>Matching design for threaded comments</li>\n<li>Four widget areas: sidebar and header columns</li>\n<li>Custom header and background</li>\n<li>Three custom menus</li>\n</ul>\n<p>A <a href=\"http://sorbetdemo.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">live demo</a> of Sorbet is available on WordPress.com.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sorbet-comments.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16595]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sorbet-comments-300x202.png\" alt=\"sorbet-comments\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-16613\" /></a>Threaded comments are nicely styled to match the theme and they respond well on mobile devices.</p>\n<p>If you’re looking for a theme where the peripheral aspects of your blog don’t upstage the content, then Sorbet might be just the ticket. It keeps the content in the spotlight and hides all the extras. This marks Automattic’s 37th theme on WordPress.org. Visit your admin panel to download <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/themes/sorbet\" target=\"_blank\">Sorbet</a> for free from the WordPress Themes Directory.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 07:01:33 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:41:\"Akismet: Partial API outage, Feb 9th 2014\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"http://blog.akismet.com/?p=1238\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"http://blog.akismet.com/2014/02/10/partial-api-outage-feb-9th-2014/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:857:\"<p>There was a partial outage today that affected the Akismet API.</p>\n<p>Starting around 21:53 UTC a network issue caused approximately 10% of API calls to fail. Our systems team routed traffic to alternate servers and the network problem was fixed. The partial outage lasted 20 minutes.</p>\n<p>The WordPress Akismet plugin will automatically re-try any comments that were not correctly filtered as a result of the problem.</p>\n<p>The API is now back to normal and responding to all traffic.</p><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/akismet.wordpress.com/1238/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/akismet.wordpress.com/1238/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.akismet.com&blog=116920&post=1238&subd=akismet&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" />\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 10 Feb 2014 00:31:34 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Alex\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:8;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:88:\"WordPress.tv: Noel Tock: Less Is More – The Journey Of Happytables As A WordPress SaaS\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30743\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:103:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/09/noel-tock-less-is-more-the-journey-of-happytables-as-a-wordpress-saas-2/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:727:\"<div id=\"v-XBcrFX5x-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30743/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30743/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30743&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/09/noel-tock-less-is-more-the-journey-of-happytables-as-a-wordpress-saas-2/\"><img alt=\"Noel Tock: Less Is More – The Journey Of Happytables As A WordPress SaaS\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/XBcrFX5x/video-3c056aa85e_std.original.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sun, 09 Feb 2014 14:37:59 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:9;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:59:\"WordPress.tv: Marc Benzakein: There’s No Place Like Local\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30863\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/09/marc-benzakein-theres-no-place-like-local/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:664:\"<div id=\"v-V30oZz2h-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30863/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30863/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30863&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/09/marc-benzakein-theres-no-place-like-local/\"><img alt=\"Marc Benzakein: There’s No Place Like Local\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/V30oZz2h/video-59c488283b_std.original.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sun, 09 Feb 2014 13:49:00 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:10;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"WPTavern: Trend: More People Getting Commit Access To The Core of WordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=14108\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:192:\"http://wptavern.com/trend-more-people-getting-commit-access-to-the-core-of-wordpress?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trend-more-people-getting-commit-access-to-the-core-of-wordpress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3486:\"<p>It wasn’t long ago when I could count the number of core WordPress committers on one hand. These days, it’s hard to keep track of who does and doesn’t have access. In fact, some developers are getting temporary access for release cycles to work on specific features.</p>\n<p>I remember in 2010, community member DD32 or Dion Hulse was <a title=\"http://weblogtoolscollection.com/archives/2010/01/13/congrats-dd32/\" href=\"http://weblogtoolscollection.com/archives/2010/01/13/congrats-dd32/\">granted core commit access</a>. When Dion Hulse was hired by Automattic, the move generated discussions on whether or not it was ok for Automattic to have so many employees with core commit access versus those with no affiliation with the company. Fast forward four years later and the subject appears to have been a moot point.</p>\n<p>On the last day of 2013, Andrew Nacin <a title=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/2013/12/31/commit-announcements-for-3-9/\" href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/2013/12/31/commit-announcements-for-3-9/\">outlined the number of people</a> with permanent access to commit code to the core of WordPress as well as those who have received temporary access. It now takes three hands to count all of the people who have the permanent ability to commit code.</p>\n<blockquote><p>Here’s a full list of those with permanent commit: <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/markjaquith/\">@markjaquith</a>, <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/ryan/\">@ryan</a>, <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/westi/\">@westi</a>, <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/matt/\">@matt</a>, <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/azaozz/\">@azaozz</a>, <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/dd32/\">@dd32</a>, @koopersmith, <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/duck_/\">@duck_</a>, <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/helen/\">@helen</a>, and me (<a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/nacin/\">@nacin</a>); <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/lancewillett/\">@lancewillett</a> for bundled themes; <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/iammattthomas/\">@iammattthomas</a> for UI. You might have also seen commits before from <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/josephscott/\">@josephscott</a> (XML-RPC), @nbachiyski (internationalization), and <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/mentions/mdawaffe/\">@mdawaffe</a> (secret weapon for really tricky problems).</p></blockquote>\n<p>It’s great to see so many talented people involved with the core of the project. It would be awesome to see more companies like 10up find a way to <a title=\"http://wptavern.com/10up-sponsors-helen-hou-sandi-to-work-full-time-on-wordpress-core\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/10up-sponsors-helen-hou-sandi-to-work-full-time-on-wordpress-core\">sponsor an employee</a> to work on WordPress full-time. However, you don’t need to be employed to make a huge, positive impact on the project.</p>\n<h3>Qualities Of A Great Contributor</h3>\n<p>If you’re interested in becoming a core contributor, Andrew Nacin has published a fantastic post that looks at the <a title=\"http://nacin.com/2014/02/07/how-wordpress-chooses-committers/\" href=\"http://nacin.com/2014/02/07/how-wordpress-chooses-committers/\">qualities of a great WordPress contributor</a>. The post is making the rounds throughout the community and some have called it <em>required reading</em>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 08 Feb 2014 04:04:04 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:11;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"WPTavern: Aquarius: A Free Responsive WordPress Theme For Personal Bloggers\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16495\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:192:\"http://wptavern.com/aquarius-a-free-responsive-wordpress-theme-for-personal-bloggers?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=aquarius-a-free-responsive-wordpress-theme-for-personal-bloggers\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2532:\"<p>Aquarius is a new free theme in the WordPress Themes Directory. The typography features the Georgia font and the home page is geared toward personal bloggers. The single post design focuses on the content with post meta data displayed unobtrusively at the bottom of the page.</p>\n<p>In addition to being fully responsive, Aquarius has two other mobile-friendly features. The slide-out sidebar is hidden from view but can be pulled out when needed. Also, its sticky top menu (fixed navigation) helps mobile visitors move around the site after scrolling far down the page.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/aquarius.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16495]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/aquarius.png\" alt=\"aquarius\" width=\"829\" height=\"530\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16566\" /></a></p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wordpress.org/themes/aquarius\" target=\"_blank\">Aquarius</a> is a theme that was created to highlight blog content and as such does not include an host of confusing options for customization. It does, however, pack in all the basics one might look for in a modern WordPress blogging theme, including:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Responsive and retina-ready</li>\n<li>Supports all built-in post formats with basic styling</li>\n<li>Two widgetized areas – sidebar and footer</li>\n<li>Fixed navigation</li>\n<li>Custom navigation overlay pattern</li>\n<li>Clean Georgia-based typography</li>\n<li>Very easy to use – no theme options</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Check out a <a href=\"http://wplovin.com/themes/aquarius/\" target=\"_blank\">live demo</a> to see Aquarius in action with some sample content.</p>\n<p>This is the first theme created by the <a href=\"http://dekciw.lt/\" target=\"_blank\">individual</a> behind <a href=\"http://wplovin.com/\" target=\"_blank\">wplovin.com</a>. He/she plans to expand the collection throughout 2014, as stated on the theme’s homepage: “So, I’ve challenged myself to handcraft twelve free WordPress themes in 2014. That’s one awesome theme per month.” The planned themes will be “newbie-friendly,” easy to use and will follow WordPress’ standard theme development practices. It’s an interesting concept and we’ll be watching the site to see how it unfolds.</p>\n<p>You can check it out on <a href=\"https://github.com/wplovin\" target=\"_blank\">github</a> if you’d like to contribute. Download <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/themes/aquarius\" target=\"_blank\">Aquarius</a> for free from WordPress.org.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 23:37:13 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:12;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:88:\"WPTavern: WPWeekly Episode 137 – Making A Living On ThemeForest With Jonathan Atkinson\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:44:\"http://wptavern.com?p=16429&preview_id=16429\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:212:\"http://wptavern.com/wpweekly-episode-137-making-a-living-on-themeforest-with-jonathan-atkinson?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wpweekly-episode-137-making-a-living-on-themeforest-with-jonathan-atkinson\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3909:\"<p>In this episode of WordPress Weekly, we were joined by Jonathan Atkinson of <a title=\"http://cr3ativ.com/\" href=\"http://cr3ativ.com/\">Cr3ative.com</a> and discussed what it’s like to <a title=\"http://themeforest.net/user/jonathan01/portfolio\" href=\"http://themeforest.net/user/jonathan01/portfolio\">make a living using ThemeForest</a>. We dived into a number of topics including:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Using ThemeForest as a launch platform</li>\n<li>The reputation of ThemeForest</li>\n<li>Can theme authors profit while coding themes the right way</li>\n<li>How theme authors can differentiate themselves without having every theme option available</li>\n</ul>\n<p>This is a fantastic discussion that I encourage everyone to listen to. I’d especially like to hear feedback from other sellers on ThemeForest. <a title=\"http://marcuscouch.com/\" href=\"http://marcuscouch.com/\">Marcus Couch</a> helped us wrap up the show by providing his three plugin picks of the week.</p>\n<h2>Stories Discussed:</h2>\n<p><a title=\"http://wptavern.com/would-you-attend-a-woocamp\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/would-you-attend-a-woocamp\">Would You Attend A WooCamp?</a><br />\n<a title=\"http://wptavern.com/wiredtree-to-sponsor-all-north-american-wordcamps-in-2014\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/wiredtree-to-sponsor-all-north-american-wordcamps-in-2014\">WiredTree To Sponsor All North American WordCamps In 2014</a><br />\n<a title=\"http://wptavern.com/widget-customizer-approved-for-wordpress-3-9\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/widget-customizer-approved-for-wordpress-3-9\">Widget Customizer Approved For WordPress 3.9</a><br />\n<a title=\"http://wptavern.com/buddypress-2-0-development-kicks-off-today-release-set-for-mid-april\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/buddypress-2-0-development-kicks-off-today-release-set-for-mid-april\">BuddyPress 2.0 Development Kicks Off, Release Set for Mid-April</a></p>\n<h3>Plugins Picked By Marcus:</h3>\n<p><a title=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-like-system/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-like-system/\">WP Like System</a> is a rating system for WordPress posts, based on Facebook likes. Allow users like (and undo) your blog posts. A user’s likes are saved directly on your database, like a WordPress native component, which means users can give you a “like” without a Facebook account. This would be great to change the “like” term to something else, and use an alternative icon instead of the thumbs up. Overall a good plugin.</p>\n<p><a title=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/responsive-post-preview/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/responsive-post-preview/\">Responsive Post Preview</a> has functionality that I envision being a part of WordPress core someday. It allows you to preview a post as it would look on multiple devices. Choose mobile or tablet device size for your preview. This plugin makes it so much easier to format your responsive content to make certain that everything lines up the way you want it to.</p>\n<p><a title=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-grass/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-grass/\">WP Grass</a> – The grass grows higher and higher on the footer when you have not published any new content. Once you create something new, the grass is freshly cut and mowed down.</p>\n<h2>WPWeekly Meta:</h2>\n<p><strong>Next Episode:</strong> Friday, February 14th 3 P.M. Eastern</p>\n<p><strong>Subscribe To WPWeekly Via Itunes: </strong><a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wordpress-weekly/id694849738\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to subscribe</a></p>\n<p><strong>Subscribe To WPWeekly Via RSS: </strong><a href=\"http://www.wptavern.com/feed/podcast\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to subscribe</a></p>\n<p><strong>Subscribe To WPWeekly Via Stitcher Radio: </strong><a href=\"http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/wordpress-weekly-podcast?refid=stpr\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to subscribe</a></p>\n<p><strong>Listen To Episode #137:</strong><br />\n</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 22:59:30 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:13;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:61:\"Andrew Nacin: The qualities of a great WordPress contributor\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:24:\"http://nacin.com/?p=4189\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:61:\"http://nacin.com/2014/02/07/how-wordpress-chooses-committers/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:19076:\"<p><em>“A few years ago, there were only a handful of people with commit access. Now there are 15 or so with permanent commit. How has this benefited the development of WordPress? In your opinion, is it possible to have too many people with core commit access? What advice can you give for those looking to either gain temporary or permanent access?”</em></p>\n<p>Jeff at <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/\">WP Tavern</a> asked me these questions about a month ago, and while writing a reply, I realized it’d make a great blog post. I’m going to answer these questions, but I also strongly believe you don’t need commit access (or even desire it) to be a great contributor who commands respect and influences the project. So perhaps the most important question I hope to answer here is this: <strong>What are qualities of a great open source contributor?</strong></p>\n<p>A <em>committer</em> is a contributor with the ability to modify the main WordPress repository. If you’re used to a decentralized model, this would be those with push/write access. There have been around three dozen committers to WordPress over the last decade; <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/2013/12/31/commit-announcements-for-3-9/\">almost twenty</a> currently have access. But in 2009, there were just five.</p>\n<p>The lead developers all got together for the first time at WordCamp Orlando in December 2009, right around the time I started contributing. (So no, I was not there.) At the time, there weren’t any committers who weren’t lead developers. They set a goal to expand the number of people. When they added <a href=\"http://dd32.id.au/\">Dion Hulse</a> that January, Matt <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/12/dd32-whatcha-gonna-do/\">wrote</a>:</p>\n<blockquote><p>One of the goals for the team in 2010 is to greatly expand the number of people with direct commit access, so the emphasis is more on review and collaboration. Right now commit access is tied up with being a “lead developer,” of which we’ve always found a small group of 3-5 works best, but now we want commit to be more a recognition of trust, quality, and most importantly activity, and something that can dynamically flow in and out as their level of commitment (har har) changes and decoupled from the “lead dev” role.</p></blockquote>\n<p>I think it’s great to empower and reward contributors with commit access. When Matt and I are together, he likes to challenge me with one particular thought experiment — he’ll ask what would happen if we just gave everyone the ability to push a change to WordPress. Obviously, that wouldn’t work. But at what point does it not work? 10? 50? 100? 1000? I don’t think it’s a raw minimum or maximum number. I think it has a lot to do with our <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/about/philosophy/\">philosophies</a> and <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/components/\">how we organize ourselves</a>, for example.</p>\n<h2>How to be a great contributor</h2>\n<p>I’ve been involved in identifying and mentoring new committers for a few years now. Certainly, quality of contributions is important, but it’s only one small piece of the puzzle. Especially as contributors start to start review contributions by others, you start to see a number of other qualities. For example, what’s their judgment and temperament like? Also, you can have the most amazing judgment out there, but without strong communication skills, we’ll never know.</p>\n<p>Attention to detail is extremely important. As a committer taking on the shared responsibility of maintaining a large, sprawling codebase, you need to always be thinking about edge cases, big ramifications of seemingly small changes, backwards compatibility, etc. We’re building something pretty amazing, but at a fifth of the internet, it’s also being run at such an incredible scale that all changes are risky. We’re very cognizant of this: once we hit a release candidate, every commit needs to first be reviewed by two lead developers, even if it’s a lead developer who authored it. It helps to be honest when, for example, you know you are <em>not</em> confident. It’s important to be humble, which includes knowing when to ask for help, when you’re wrong, and when to change your mind. Along these lines, I like citing software developer <a href=\"http://ometer.com/features.html\">Havoc Pennington</a>:</p>\n<blockquote><p>In the presence of good rationale, maintainers should be willing to change their mind often.</p></blockquote>\n<p>It’s not about making mistakes, because we all make them. Being thorough and acutely perceptive just goes an incredibly long way to writing and reviewing code. (Word of the day: <a href=\"http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perspicacious\">perspicacious</a>.)</p>\n<p>We also take a lot of pride in building user-centric software. You don’t need to have amazing UX skills, but strongly believing in our <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/about/philosophy/\">core philosophies</a> goes a long way. These philosophies have roots in <a href=\"http://ometer.com/free-software-ui.html\">another of Pennington’s essays</a> on creating good user interfaces.</p>\n<p>There is a lot of history embedded in the code, and we don’t make changes without a deep understanding of the code around it. So it’s important to want to <em>learn</em> it. You need to be curious and love to learn. At the same time, the more you work with a codebase, the more frustrated you’re bound to get with it, so you need to have a lot of patience. For years I’ve not only been building a mental map of WordPress in my head, but I’ve been overlaying it with a potential roadmap.</p>\n<p>Patience when communicating with others can reveal a lot about temperament. Thousands of people represent the WordPress project in some way, so it’s important for contributors to lead by example. If a person feels he was treated poorly when he reported a bug, he’s not likely to contribute again. Karl Fogel covers an aspect of this in <a href=\"http://producingoss.com/en/committers.html#choosing-committers\"><em>Producing Open Source Software</em></a>:</p>\n<blockquote><p>Sometimes someone shows technical skill and an ability to work within the project’s formal guidelines, yet is also consistently belligerent or uncooperative in public forums. That’s a serious concern; if the person doesn’t seem to shape up over time, even in response to hints, then we won’t add him as a committer no matter how skilled he is. In a volunteer group, social skills, or the ability to “play well in the sandbox”, are as important as raw technical ability.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Committers are essentially ambassadors of the WordPress project, so it’s important that they lead by example. It doesn’t serve the project to give a leadership role to someone who is often rude, cantankerous, or overly critical. Along the same lines, knowing how to actually handle a <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q52kFL8zVoM\">“poisonous person”</a> is helpful. It’s good to reach out to contributors to talk about this kind of behavior.</p>\n<h2>How project priorities affect contributions</h2>\n<p>So what advice can I give to those looking to become a committer? It probably isn’t something I’d make a goal. I’d just work hard to make WordPress better. Regardless of your “access” you are sure to make an impact and receive respect from others.</p>\n<p>I got my start doing a lot of thankless tasks during the 2.9 and 3.0 cycles. I tested the heck out of some of the newer features like trash, and weighed in and patched bugs. When multisite started to be merged in 3.0, I would sit there for hours dissecting it and seeing what I could do to understand it (and clean it up). I <a href=\"http://irclogs.wordpress.org/chanlog.php?channel=wordpress-dev&day=2010-02-04&sort=asc#m64323\">volunteered for tasks</a> no one else wanted to work on because I knew it was important to the project. I’d look out to see which tickets were being flagged for the current release, then tackle them, one by one. It was definitely noticed that the committers could reliably turn to me during crunch times to get things done. Being responsive to the needs of the project is key.</p>\n<p>I’m not suggesting you need to work on things you don’t enjoy. You can totally make the project better while sticking to an area of interest. You could even spend time in an area that overlaps significantly with what you’re employed to do, if contributing isn’t just a hobby for you. For example, <a href=\"http://scotty-t.com/\">Scott Taylor</a> initially invested a lot of his time on making audio and video support better while he was at <a href=\"http://www.emusic.com/\">emusic</a> (though music is certainly also passion of his). A lot of contributors have stepped up to improve an API after digging deep into it for a project.</p>\n<p>Worth mentioning: Discussing with your employer about contributing is not an easy conversation. While <em>hiring</em> based solely on open source contributions <a href=\"http://ashedryden.com/blog/the-ethics-of-unpaid-labor-and-the-oss-community\">can be fraught</a>, companies that encourage their employees to contribute are helping themselves, too. Contributing not only gives back or helps to establish a voice in the community, but it’s also an enriched learning environment. I learned more in my first three months contributing than I did in three previous years of web development. It never hurts to have a subject matter expert on staff. And if you’re a consultant, you’ll be worth more to your clients.</p>\n<p>Many committers are “generalists” with a wide knowledge of WordPress, who have contributed extensively to all sorts of areas. Some are “specialists,” who work hard on a particular feature (perhaps a feature plugin), component (like multisite), or have a particular focus (like JavaScript). Becoming an expert in an area is hugely beneficial to the project. Some of our more recent process changes mean we are trying to empower more people to help “maintain” these different areas. This is great because it means more contributors will be able to make bigger differences, whether it’s triaging new or old tickets, providing feedback, helping to build out a roadmap for a particular component, or mentoring newer contributors. Not everything is exciting (like digging through old tickets on Trac, as if looking for diamonds in the rough) but your contributions will definitely be noticed.</p>\n<p>You may not see it right away when you start out as a contributor, but it’s important to place the project’s goals ahead of your own. You might have reported a dozen tickets and it’s possible you disagree with how ten of them were handled. You can and should work to fix tickets you reported, but at some point, you’ll hopefully run out of those and need to look elsewhere to get your fix. Many contributors — including every committer — have “wish lists” or “pet projects” or “pet bugs” that they still haven’t gotten to, because they realize the project isn’t ready for them, or because their solution isn’t ready for the project, or because it simply isn’t a priority.</p>\n<p>Some have said contributing to WordPress is more politics than code. I don’t think that’s true, but it can be easy to think that when you wonder why some things are moving faster than some individual ticket (of thousands). Scott Taylor recently wrote:</p>\n<blockquote><p>For a lot of people, I know the wait can be frustrating, but I would try viewing it in a larger context: we all have things we would love to go in immediately, but as responsible committers, we have to weigh the pros and cons of tossing code onto 20% of internet. I have tickets that have been open for 7 releases, but for each I either:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>don’t think the idea is fully-baked</li>\n<li>don’t have absolute confidence that the feature/code is necessary</li>\n<li>haven’t made a good enough case for it</li>\n<li>haven’t provided bulletproof evidence that it’s going to make WP better</li>\n</ol>\n</blockquote>\n<p>More from Havoc Pennington:</p>\n<blockquote><p>Please don’t assume that the key issue for accepting a feature is whether there’s a patch. It isn’t. It’s easy to write a patch. It’s hard to maintain a software project over the long term. Maintainers absolutely have to <i>understand the rationale</i> for each feature, not just rubber stamp the patches. If they don’t understand a feature they can’t maintain it over time. There will be future decisions about how the feature works, or how related features work, and the maintainer will have to make those decisions.</p></blockquote>\n<p>This is probably the least understood reason why certain tickets move slower than others: maintaining things is hard. When something is committed, that committer is taking on a lot of extra responsibility. That bug or feature isn’t necessarily the problem — it’s also the bugs, features, and even security issues that follow it. Our firm commitment to backwards compatibility also means it will be harder to take a wrong turn now and correct it later. Very simply, there are a lot of things to work out.</p>\n<p>What does describe WordPress well is that it’s more communication than code. I think this is also incredibly healthy. Communication and collaboration are the lifeblood for an open source project.</p>\n<p>As Matt cited in 2010, activity for committers is important, as you need to be following development discussions and an often fast-moving codebase. A lot of contributors don’t venture beyond the bug tracker; you’ll want to pay close attention to the <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/\">development blog</a> and be active in IRC. Some of our committers have gotten less active over time, and that’s also okay, because we know we can trust their judgment. When they wish to commit something, <a href=\"http://producingoss.com/en/committers.html#dormant-committers\">they’ll know they’re behind</a> and will first need to get caught up.</p>\n<p>So ask yourself how you want to contribute, and what kind of impact you want to have. Some of our best contributors don’t have commit access, including a few who are significantly smarter than me. They either don’t want the responsibility of making decisions as a maintainer, or don’t have the time for it — and that’s totally okay!</p>\n<h2>How the WordPress lead developers choose committers</h2>\n<p>In the interest of transparency and <a href=\"http://producingoss.com/en/committers.html\">avoiding mystery</a>, let me explain the specifics of the decision-making process. For a few years now, we’ve been granting commit access for individual release cycles at first, on a temporary or “guest” basis. It’s often because they’re working on a particular feature, though it of course can double as a trial period. Sometimes a contributor is given commit access to a particular area or focus. (We use a <a href=\"http://producingoss.com/en/vc.html#vc-authz\">relaxed approach</a> for partial or “component” commit.)</p>\n<p>The lead developers keep pretty close tabs on what’s going on, and we always have people in mind for commit access. Typically, someone catches our eye and we’ll privately mention it to each other. This can happen very early on — sometimes, someone’s first bug report or patch just knocks your socks off. If you do good work, you will get noticed. A potential committer will often end up working on projects one-on-one with an existing committer. These projects end up being great opportunities to mentor that contributor, see what they’re interested in, get a feel for how they think, and so on. We make it a point to request feedback from other core developers and guest committers, what they think of so-and-so.</p>\n<p>The lead developers discuss commit access over email before each release cycle. We’ll review current guest committers and proposed new committers. We mention contributors we’re keeping an eye on. Nothing is rigid about this process. There’s no formal “voting” procedures; there’s never been anything short of a consensus. A proposal can come at any time, not just at the start of a cycle (that’s just when we check in on guest committers). A few times we’ve essentially agreed ahead of time to grant commit access once conditions are met. Some examples: they’ll be ready in another month or two; we want a documentation committer, so let’s see who steps up after we start this initiative; or let’s try to get the main developer of this feature plugin commit access if the merge goes well. (Building features as plugins first has perhaps lessened the need for granting someone commit access for a cycle, but I think it’s too early to tell.)</p>\n<p>Once a committer accepts, I usually go over a few guidelines. They go something like this:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>For your first half-dozen commits or so, run them by me or another lead (either in IRC or privately) just while you get the hang of things.</li>\n<li>The first sentence of your commit message gets used as the subject for the wp-svn mailing list. Add more details after that and don’t forget props or tickets.</li>\n<li>Try to be on IRC when you’re committing; for the occasional instant feedback.</li>\n<li>Aim to wait for some kind of consensus on the big or controversial stuff. Even Ryan and I, for example, rarely move on anything hefty without the other glancing at it. On the other hand, don’t let us slow you down — we are known bottlenecks.</li>\n<li>Ryan and I miss things weekly and we have 12,000 commits between us. Code can always be reverted. <a href=\"http://blog.ftwr.co.uk/\">Peter</a> will revert you at least once; wear it as a badge of honor.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Often, the final trigger for commit access is <em>I’m getting tired of committing all of your patches, because I never need to do anything to them.</em> That’s what Ryan Boren told me on February 8, 2010, when he asked if I wanted commit, four years ago tomorrow. I’ve been really lucky to have had the pleasure of passing that sentiment on.</p>\n<p class=\"share-sfc-stc\"><a href=\"http://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwp.me%2FpQEdq-15z&count=horizontal&related=nacin&text=The%20qualities%20of%20a%20great%20WordPress%20contributor\" class=\"twitter-share-button\"></a></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:41:01 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Andrew Nacin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:14;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:79:\"WPTavern: Joost de Valk Author Of The WordPress SEO Plugin Acquires WPForce.com\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16537\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:202:\"http://wptavern.com/joost-de-valk-author-of-the-wordpress-seo-plugin-acquires-wpforce-com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joost-de-valk-author-of-the-wordpress-seo-plugin-acquires-wpforce-com\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2273:\"<p>Joost de Valk <a title=\"https://yoast.com/yoast-acquires-wpforce-com/\" href=\"https://yoast.com/yoast-acquires-wpforce-com/\">has announced</a> he’s acquired <a title=\"http://wpforce.com/\" href=\"http://wpforce.com/\">WPForce.com</a> from Jonathan Dingman for an undisclosed amount. WPForce was created in 2011 as an outlet for Jonathan to share opinions and news with the WordPress community. Along with the acquisition, Joost shared details of the process he had to go through to transfer the site into his possession.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wpforcelogo.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16537]\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10183\" alt=\"WPForce Logo\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wpforcelogo.jpg\" width=\"372\" height=\"77\" /></a></p>\n<h3>This Isn’t The First Acquisition For Yoast</h3>\n<p>This is the second WordPress community asset I’ve seen acquired by Joost De Valk. The first was <a title=\"http://wp-community.org/\" href=\"http://wp-community.org/\">WP-Community.org</a>, <a title=\"http://wptavern.com/good-luck-charles-stricklin\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/good-luck-charles-stricklin\">the previous home</a> of The WordPress Community podcast in 2009. At the time, Joost was producing a podcast called <a title=\"http://www2.webmasterradio.fm/press-this/\" href=\"http://www2.webmasterradio.fm/press-this/\">PressThis</a> with co-host Frederick Townes, author of the W3 Total Cache plugin. The two podcasts were merged but soon after, the podcast went silent.</p>\n<h3>The Future Of WPForce</h3>\n<p>Yoast states they will be toying with the old content of WPForce and the established business directory on the site. He hints that we’ll soon find out what their plans are. In a <a title=\"https://yoast.com/yoast-acquires-wpforce-com/#comment-193010\" href=\"https://yoast.com/yoast-acquires-wpforce-com/#comment-193010\">follow-up comment,</a> Yoast mentions the site will be a great testbed for upcoming themes they are developing.</p>\n<p>Are there more WordPress site acquisitions in the future? In a comment published on the acquisition, Yoast said “<em>We’d be interested in buying just about <em>any</em> good WordPress site or product that fits into what we do</em>“.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:19:01 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:15;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:93:\"WordPress.tv: Srdjan Jocic: Going Global – Build And Manage WordPress Multilingual Websites\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30747\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:106:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/07/srdjan-jocic-going-global-build-and-manage-wordpress-multilingual-websites/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:731:\"<div id=\"v-XFxQ5LY9-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30747/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30747/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30747&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/07/srdjan-jocic-going-global-build-and-manage-wordpress-multilingual-websites/\"><img alt=\"Srdjan Jocic: Going Global – Build And Manage WordPress Multilingual Websites\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/XFxQ5LY9/video-3c59c7b506_std.original.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:11:15 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:16;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:95:\"WPTavern: Piklist WordPress Development Framework Rebrands, Plans to Launch Commercial Products\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16528\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:232:\"http://wptavern.com/piklist-wordpress-development-framework-rebrands-plans-to-launch-commercial-products?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=piklist-wordpress-development-framework-rebrands-plans-to-launch-commercial-products\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4018:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/piklist.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16528]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/piklist-271x300.jpg\" alt=\"piklist\" width=\"271\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-16539\" /></a>The <a href=\"http://piklist.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Piklist</a> rapid development framework for WordPress has rebranded and relaunched its website with the 0.9.0 release. The framework helps developers to quickly build things like fields for settings pages, widgets, custom post types, custom taxonomies and user profiles with minimal code.</p>\n<p>The most recent <a href=\"http://piklist.com/2014/02/04/new-piklist-new-piklist-com/\" target=\"_blank\">0.9.0 release</a> includes the ability to easily create your own list tables, add post-to-post relationships, group users by taxonomy and much more. Piklist now automatically creates and supports multiple user roles, a feature that WordPress currently supports without a UI.</p>\n<h3>Piklist Plans to Add Commercial Plugins and Support Packages</h3>\n<p>The project is maintained by two main contributors, Steve Bruner and Kevin Miller. I spoke to Bruner about Piklist rebranding. He said the new logo and site design are part of a new era and symbolize their mission for the future. “This year we plan on releasing other plugins that will be built on our framework,” he said. “Each Piklist plugin will connect, enhance and collaborate with other Piklist plugins.”</p>\n<p>With Piklist’s continual improvement and plans to expand into plugins, it’s clear that this framework has found a solid user base. I asked Bruner if he thinks every WordPress developer needs a framework and why many of them are turning to Piklist. “<span class=\"pullquote alignleft\">We believe that Piklist is to WordPress what Rails is to Ruby</span>,” he said. “Not every developer is going to use Piklist, but the ones who do are going to finish projects quicker and never look back. It simplifies many of the more difficult tasks in WordPress and adds functionality not presently common in WordPress core. <strong>Anything you can build with WordPress can be done in less time with Piklist.</strong> It’s that simple.”</p>\n<p>Bruner and Miller have been supporting Piklist for the past two years without monetizing it in any way. The plan to release commercial plugins and support packages will help to fund the future of the framework. “We’ve helped businesses achieve higher levels of productivity by using Piklist,” Bruner said. “Their donations have funded Piklist until now. We hope that our reputation for quality and ease-of-use will convince users that they can’t do with out Piklist, and the (soon-to-be-released) Piklist family of plugins.”</p>\n<h3>The Future of Piklist</h3>\n<p>In the meantime, the team at Piklist is locking down features for the upcoming 1.0 version. Their next major release will be plugins based on the framework and they have more products in the pipeline that Bruner believes “will be as revolutionary as Piklist itself.” A drag-and-drop field and form builder is in the works. The team also plans to develop some out-of-the-box applications, such as a contact manager and order management.</p>\n<p>All of the <a href=\"http://piklist.com/user-guide/\" target=\"_blank\">documentation</a> and screenshots have been updated for 0.9.0 and tutorials have been added for the new features. Piklist is available for <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/piklist/\" target=\"_blank\">download</a> on WordPress.org. If you want to learn more about the framework, check out <a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2012/09/04/steve-bruner-and-kevin-miller-building-powerful-websites-and-web-applications-with-piklist/\" target=\"_blank\">Building Powerful Websites and Web Applications with Piklist</a> on WordPress.tv.</p>\n<p>Have you tried Piklist? Do you use a development framework to build your themes and plugins?</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 18:52:50 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:17;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"WordPress.tv: Konstantin Dankov: This Doesn’t Look Like WordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30749\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:81:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/07/konstantin-dankov-this-doesnt-look-like-wordpress/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:680:\"<div id=\"v-MaUOj3OM-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30749/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30749/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30749&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/07/konstantin-dankov-this-doesnt-look-like-wordpress/\"><img alt=\"Konstantin Dankov: This Doesn’t Look Like WordPress\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/MaUOj3OM/video-0031daf866_std.original.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 16:30:55 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:18;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:69:\"WPTavern: Theme Review Guideline Revisions Proposed For WordPress 3.9\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16519\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:182:\"http://wptavern.com/theme-review-guideline-revisions-proposed-for-wordpress-3-9?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=theme-review-guideline-revisions-proposed-for-wordpress-3-9\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1528:\"<p>Chip Bennett has outlined a list of <a title=\"http://make.wordpress.org/themes/2014/02/07/wordpress-3-9-guidelines-revisions-proposal/\" href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/themes/2014/02/07/wordpress-3-9-guidelines-revisions-proposal/\">proposed changes</a> and revisions to the WordPress Theme Review guidelines. The changes are listed in two sections, <strong>required</strong> and <strong>recommended</strong>. The required changes would take effect immediately while those that are recommended could become guidelines in the future. Some of the recommendations include:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bundled Plugins:</strong> Themes must not bundle Plugins.</li>\n<li><strong>Arbitrary Header/Footer Scripts:</strong> Themes must not provide Theme options for arbitrary header/footer scripts.</li>\n<li><strong>License:</strong> Themes are required to document in the Theme readme file the copyright/license attribution for all bundled resources.</li>\n<li><strong>Theme Credit Links:</strong> ThemeURI and AuthorURI, if both are used, must be from distinctly separate sites.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>The guidelines and recommendations are currently in the discussion phase. If you’re a theme author and have additional recommendations or guideline please provide your <a title=\"http://make.wordpress.org/themes/2014/02/07/wordpress-3-9-guidelines-revisions-proposal/\" href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/themes/2014/02/07/wordpress-3-9-guidelines-revisions-proposal/\">input on the post</a>. There’s already a lively discussion underway.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 16:04:37 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:19;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"WPTavern: New WordPress Plugin Aims To Fight Back Against Mass Surveillance\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16452\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:194:\"http://wptavern.com/new-wordpress-plugin-aims-to-fight-back-against-mass-surveillance?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-wordpress-plugin-aims-to-fight-back-against-mass-surveillance\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3304:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mass-surveillance.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16452]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mass-surveillance.jpg\" alt=\"mass-surveillance\" width=\"800\" height=\"299\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16493\" /></a></p>\n<p>On February 11th, 2014, internet users around the world plan to fight back in protest against mass surveillance. The setup is similar to the protest that was held in January 2012, which helped to defeat SOPA and PIPA censorship legislation. The February 11th event is called <a href=\"https://thedaywefightback.org/\" target=\"_blank\">The Day We Fight Back</a> and the mission is:</p>\n<blockquote><p>Together we will push back against powers that seek to observe, collect, and analyze our every digital action. Together, we will make it clear that such behavior is not compatible with democratic governance.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Websites can participate in the protest using the embeddable banner, which changes based on the the nationality of the visitors and includes different calls to action. Here’s what the banner looks like for visitors in the United States:</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tdwfb-banner.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16452]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tdwfb-banner.png\" alt=\"tdwfb-banner\" width=\"1138\" height=\"349\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16502\" /></a></p>\n<p>The banner makes it easy for your visitors to contact their legislators to ask that they oppose the<a href=\"https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security-technology-and-liberty/sen-dianne-feinsteins-nsa-reforms-bad-privacy-bad\" target=\"_blank\"> FISA Improvements Act</a>, support the <a href=\"https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/usa-freedom-act-real-spying-reform\" target=\"_blank\">USA Freedom Act</a>, and enact protections for non-Americans.</p>\n<h3>WordPress Plugin For The Day We Fight Back</h3>\n<p>If you’re using WordPress and you want the banner on your site, there’s a plugin you can install to join the protest. Ryan Fugate’s <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/tdwfb/\" target=\"_blank\">The Day We Fight Back WordPress plugin</a> is based on <a href=\"https://github.com/tfrce/thedaywefightback.js\" target=\"_blank\">thedaywefightback.js</a>. It will automatically display the banner at midnight on 2/11 for 24 hours. If you want to display the banner now, there’s an option in the settings for that, too.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tdwfb-settings.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16452]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tdwfb-settings.jpg\" alt=\"tdwfb-settings\" width=\"769\" height=\"335\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16506\" /></a></p>\n<p>When asked why he took the time to create the plugin, Fugate replied, “<strong>WordPress sites make up a large percentage of the internet and can have a powerful impact. Plugins make it easy to allow voices to be heard.”</strong> Check out a <a href=\"http://modemlooper.me/\" target=\"_blank\">live demo</a> of the banner in action on his site. If you want to join the protest, download <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/tdwfb/\" target=\"_blank\">The Day We Fight Back WordPress plugin</a> from WordPress.org.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Feb 2014 01:09:43 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:20;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:88:\"WPTavern: WordPress.org Plugin Authors Receive Suspicious Requests For Repository Access\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16458\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:220:\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-org-plugin-authors-receive-suspicious-requests-for-repository-access?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wordpress-org-plugin-authors-receive-suspicious-requests-for-repository-access\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6446:\"<p>A suspicious request has been circulating via email, soliciting WordPress.org plugin authors to give a third party write access to their repositories. The originator of these requests goes by the username <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/profile/bestweblayout\" target=\"_blank\">bestweblayout</a> on WordPress.org and operates the <a href=\"http://bestweblayout.com/\" target=\"_blank\">bestweblayout.com</a> domain.</p>\n<p>The issue was first <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/topic/a-strange-offer-from-third-party-to-give-them-repository-access\" target=\"_blank\">reported</a> by WordPress user <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/profile/fractalizer\" target=\"_blank\">FractalizeR</a>, who posted the contents of the email:</p>\n<blockquote><p>“Hello Vladislav.</p>\n<p>My name is Grigoriy and I am a representative of BestWebLayout. Our team specializes in WordPress development services.</p>\n<p>We saw that your WP-SynHighlight plugin was updated more than 4 years ago. We would like to offer you our assistance and participation in further development and maintenance of this plugin. In other words, we would like to get your permission and access to plugin repository on wordpress.org. In such way we will become the plugin contributors along with you and will be able to control testing and development of this tool within the WordPress community.</p>\n<p>Our activity will include plugin updates, compatibility testing, support, etc.</p>\n<p>We have already talked to WordPress support team (they said that WordPress is open-source community and such contribution is welcome), who asked us to contact you with such a request. Please let me know if you are ready to accept our offer. Feel free to contact me with any questions.</p>\n<p>Thanks!</p>\n<p>Grigoriy”</p></blockquote>\n<p>FractalizeR’s initial reaction to the email was one of suspicion. “The offer itself is a little strange,” he said. <span class=\"pullquote alignleft\">“If I want to contribute, I donate code. I don’t ask write access to the repository.”</span></p>\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/profile/codix\" target=\"_blank\">@Codix</a>, another recipient of the email, decided to ask for contributions first. “I got the same offer and I suggested they should submit a patch to one issue before I can grant them access,” he said. “Still they insist they need to be listed as a contributor.”</p>\n<p>A handful of other plugin developers reported on the same thread that they have received the same email, which they forwarded to plugins@wordpress.org. Mika Epstein, a member of the WordPress.org plugin review team, confirmed that they did not ask bestweblayout to get in touch with the authors.</p>\n<p>In the meantime, bestweblayout <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/topic/a-strange-offer-from-third-party-to-give-them-repository-access?replies=16#post-5173167\" target=\"_blank\">posted</a> on the thread in defense of the email solicitations:</p>\n<blockquote><p>We aren’t involved in any illegal affairs. Earlier on forum there was a question about the possibility of cooperation with the authors of neglected plugins. And it said that it is not a problem to cooperate with the authors. So we decided to help WordPress community with these plugins. We only collect information about plugins, which were simply neglected by authors and have not been updated with the latest changes of WordPress. Some of the authors refused, but some of them agreed. Sorry that it looks like spam. </p></blockquote>\n<p>Those who have reported having received the requests are uniformly suspicious of the technique that is being employed for gaining write access to their repositories. Epstein addressed bestweblayouts to explain why their requests are not being well-received. “It looks like spam because you’re sending this out to a LOT of people, and as of yet, haven’t done anything with the plugins,” she said. <span class=\"pullquote alignleft\">“Which is, sadly, a tactic of some spammers. They’ll take over legit plugins and turn them into guideline violation spam fests.” </span></p>\n<p>WordPress plugin developer Jeff Sayre was another recipient of the email and he <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/topic/a-strange-offer-from-third-party-to-give-them-repository-access?replies=16#post-5201320\" target=\"_blank\">cites several issues with the approach</a> that indicate it may be a potential threat. The fact that anyone is free to fork a plugin and develop their own version was the first indication. Developers can let the original author know, as a courtesy, but permission is not required.</p>\n<p>Secondly, the “approval” implied in the email request is suspect. “The fact that the email makes it appear that they have “approval” from the WP repo team to contact me is another big, red flag,” Sayre said. “No one requires approval from anyone at WP to contact a plugin author. I receive emails all the time about updating my plugins.” Despite Epstein having made it clear that approval has not been given, the folks at bestweblayout continue to circulate the same email without modification.</p>\n<h3>A Warning to All WordPress.org Plugin Authors</h3>\n<p>Sayre has some sage words of warning to anyone who may receive this request or something similar. In case the offer of free updates to your plugin sounded like a dream come true to you, it’s a good idea to consider what is at stake. He cautions all concerned:</p>\n<blockquote><p>Providing such credentials to an unknown, therefore untrusted party, is never wise as it could be a significant security threat. Malicious code could be entered into your plugin and you, in effect, would be complicit in its insertion. If you do not know someone, it is never wise to team up with them without fully vetting their integrity and the quality of their work.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Obviously, you should be very wary of giving anyone write access to your plugin repositories. The motivation for the request could be harmless or it could be a ploy to gain access to WordPress.org plugins in order to unleash spamagaddon. When it comes to collaborating on code, it’s best to work only with developers you trust. If you’re not interested in collaborating, the safest route would be to suggest that they fork your work and credit you.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 21:16:46 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:21;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:62:\"Gravatar: Manage Multiple Identities with One Gravatar Account\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"http://blog.gravatar.com/?p=481\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"http://blog.gravatar.com/2014/02/06/multiple-identities/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2472:\"<p>Did you know that you can have multiple email addresses associated with your Gravatar account? And that each email address can use a different image? Managing multiple email addresses with Gravatar is a snap.</p>\n<p>Many of us have multiple email accounts — for work, school, our personal lives, our blogs, online groups we belong to, and more. Many of us also use different images of ourselves on different websites. You might not want your professional image to be the same as what you’d use on Twitter or Facebook.</p>\n<p>Gravatar can help you manage these identities by allowing you to use associate a different image with each email address you’ve connected to Gravatar. To get started, sign in to Gravatar. You’ll see all the email addresses associated with your account, and all the images you’ve uploaded:</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/gravatar.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-484\" alt=\"gravatar\" src=\"http://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/gravatar.png?w=660&h=363\" width=\"660\" height=\"363\" /></a></p>\n<p>Pick the email address you’d like to edit, and select an image (or add a new one using the blue link at the top). We’ll double-check with you to make sure you want to make this change:</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/gravatar-confirm-copy.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-483\" alt=\"gravatar confirm copy\" src=\"http://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/gravatar-confirm-copy.png?w=660&h=369\" width=\"660\" height=\"369\" /></a></p>\n<p>And there you go!</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/gravatar-climax.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-482\" alt=\"gravatar climax\" src=\"http://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/gravatar-climax.png?w=660&h=367\" width=\"660\" height=\"367\" /></a></p>\n<p>Make sure you use this email address when participating online, and the appropriate Gravatar will appear alongside. Now, your online identities are neatly separated, and you’re presenting yourself exactly as you prefer.</p><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/gravatar.wordpress.com/481/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/gravatar.wordpress.com/481/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=blog.gravatar.com&blog=1886259&post=481&subd=gravatar&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" />\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 21:12:50 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"michelle w.\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:22;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:88:\"WPTavern: Fine-Grained WordPress Trac Notifications Help Core Contributors to Specialize\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16340\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:220:\"http://wptavern.com/fine-grained-wordpress-trac-notifications-help-core-contributors-to-specialize?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fine-grained-wordpress-trac-notifications-help-core-contributors-to-specialize\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2759:\"<p>If you visit <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/\" target=\"_blank\">make.wordpress.org/core</a>, you’ll find that there’s a new greeting in place. This addition is part of Andrew Nacin’s most recent round of <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/2014/02/05/fine-grained-trac-notifications/\" target=\"_blank\">updates</a> for WordPress contributors. The greeting serves to introduce visitors to the development blog and weekly meetings, and also helps to quickly funnel bug filing and contributions to the appropriate screens.</p>\n<h4>Simplified Ticket Form</h4>\n<p>The ticket creation form has been simplified and cleaned up. The objective, according to Nacin, was to make the ticket creation process “much less intimidating.”</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/simplified-ticket-form.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16340]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/simplified-ticket-form.jpg\" alt=\"simplified-ticket-form\" width=\"747\" height=\"431\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16448\" /></a></p>\n<h4>Fine-Grained WordPress Trac Notifications</h4>\n<p>One of the most exciting additions is the new notifications preferences. Visit your <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/notifications/\" target=\"_blank\">trac notifications page</a> and you can now subscribe to activity that you’re interested in, based on component, focus or milestone. There’s also an option to subscribe to new tickets as they come in. However, in order to receive comments on the ticket you will need to star it.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/focuses.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16340]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/focuses.jpg\" alt=\"focuses\" width=\"729\" height=\"635\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16455\" /></a></p>\n<p>These new notification preferences allow contributors to specialize in their areas of interest without being overwhelmed by irrelevant notifications. When you subscribe to a component, you’ll show up on that particular <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/2014/02/05/fine-grained-trac-notifications/make.wordpress.org/core/components/\" target=\"_blank\">component page</a> as one of the contributors. This information may possibly make its way into WordPress.org profiles, as Nacin hinted in the comments, “And in the future, there’s no reason this can’t also be a part of your WP.org profile.”</p>\n<p>This round of updates will be the last of the shiny new trac toys for awhile. Nacin says that he doesn’t have anything else planned at the moment. Thanks to his efforts, life is much easier for existing WordPress contributors and more inviting for those who are new to the table.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 19:30:57 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:23;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:82:\"WPTavern: WordPress Service Provider BruteProtect Secures Funding, Forms Parka LLC\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=15557\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:206:\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-service-provider-bruteprotect-secures-funding-forms-parka-llc?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wordpress-service-provider-bruteprotect-secures-funding-forms-parka-llc\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4721:\"<p><a title=\"http://bruteprotect.com/\" href=\"http://bruteprotect.com/\">BruteProtect</a>, the cloud-powered brute force attack prevention service that <a title=\"http://wptavern.com/bruteprotect-protecting-against-brute-force-attacks\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/bruteprotect-protecting-against-brute-force-attacks\">we wrote about back in July of 2013</a> has <a href=\"http://bruteprotect.com/hotchkiss-consulting-group-announces-parka-llc-angel-investment/\" title=\"http://bruteprotect.com/hotchkiss-consulting-group-announces-parka-llc-angel-investment/\">successfully closed a seed round of venture capital funding</a> with a private angel investor in California. <a title=\"http://jes.se.com/\" href=\"http://jes.se.com/\">Jesse Friedman</a> who previously worked for <a title=\"http://www.astonish.com/\" href=\"http://www.astonish.com/\">Astonish</a>, has been hired on as the director of innovation. BruteProtect is looking to hire two more developers and currently has major updates scheduled to occur in April.</p>\n<div id=\"attachment_15582\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BruteProtectFunding.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[15557]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BruteProtectFunding.jpg\" alt=\"BruteProtect Funding Image\" width=\"638\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15582\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo credit: <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracy_olson/61056391/\">Tracy O</a> – <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/\">cc</a></p></div>\n<h3>What BruteProtect Plans To Do With The Funding</h3>\n<p>When I asked Sam Hotchkiss what he plans on doing with the funding, he told me that they want to hire additional personnel to focus on fulfilling the vision he has for the software. What once was a side project is now the main focus of a dedicated team. I found it surprising that something as simple as BruteProtect would be successful to the point of receiving venture capital funding. Sam however, was not surprised.</p>\n<blockquote><p>I’m not at all surprised at the success we’ve had with BruteProtect so far. It’s a drop-dead simple to install plugin that provides the most comprehensive solution to the growing problem of distributed brute force attacks. It’s pretty incredible what a large problem this is. We’ve identified over 2 million infected machines that are a part of a distributed botnet and have blocked over 41 million attacks now. That number is growing by over 1 million a day on average at this point.</p></blockquote>\n<h3>BruteProtect Is Just The Beginning</h3>\n<p>BruteProtect is sort of like Akismet, but for the WordPress login page. It tracks failed logins across a large number of WordPress sites, then analyzes that data to find patterns and identify attack bots. The more sites using the service, the more data they have to work with. Sam believes that BruteProtect is just the tip of the iceberg. To that end, Jesse and Sam have created a new parent company called <strong><a href=\"http://GetParka.com\" title=\"http://GetParka.com\">Parka, LLC</a></strong> with the goal to allow websites to work together to solve problems.</p>\n<h3>WordCamp Road Trip</h3>\n<p>Sam and his wife have purchased a camper and will be traveling the United States of America stopping at numerous WordCamps along the way. Check out the license plate that will be on the bumper of their new camper.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/WordCamperLicensePlate.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[15557]\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15580\" alt=\"WordCamp License Plate\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/WordCamperLicensePlate.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a></p>\n<p>Here is a tentative list of upcoming WordCamps that Sam and his wife are planning to visit.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>March 1, 2014: WordCamp St. Louis</li>\n<li>March 15, 2014: WordCamp Atlanta</li>\n<li>April 10, 2014: Albuquerque WordPress Meetup</li>\n<li>April 26-27, 2014: WordCamp Minneapolis</li>\n<li>May 2-3, 2014: WordCamp North Canton</li>\n<li>May 10, 2014: WordCamp Connecticut</li>\n<li>May 17, 2014: WordCamp Charleston</li>\n<li>May 30 – June 1, 2014: WordCamp Asheville</li>\n<li>June 13-15, 2014: WordCamp Chicago</li>\n<li>October 25-26, 2014: WordCamp San Francisco</li>\n</ul>\n<p>You can follow their adventure via <a title=\"http://wordcamper.com/\" href=\"http://wordcamper.com/\">WordCamper.com.</a> While the domain currently violates the WordCamp trademark, Sam says they are in the process of changing the domain and will redirect it to its new home. If you see their license plate while driving, be sure to give them a friendly wave!</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 18:17:27 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:24;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:59:\"WPTavern: WordPress Theme Trends To Keep An Eye On For 2014\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16267\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:180:\"http://wptavern.com/9-wordpress-theme-design-trends-to-keep-an-eye-on-for-2014?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=9-wordpress-theme-design-trends-to-keep-an-eye-on-for-2014\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2885:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/wpkubelogo2.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16267]\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-16417\" alt=\"WPKube.com Logo\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/wpkubelogo2.jpg\" width=\"165\" height=\"61\" /></a>Prospecting theme designers should take note of the <a title=\"http://www.wpkube.com/9-wordpress-design-trends-look-2014/\" href=\"http://www.wpkube.com/9-wordpress-design-trends-look-2014/\">nine WordPress design trends</a> outlined by Rachel Adnyana of WPKube.com. Many of the trends on her list are carry overs from last year. Responsive is definitely not a trend but an expectation. Websites that are not responsive are at a serious disadvantage considering at least <a title=\"http://mashable.com/2013/08/20/mobile-web-traffic/\" href=\"http://mashable.com/2013/08/20/mobile-web-traffic/\">17.4% of web traffic comes through mobile</a> according to a study by <a title=\"http://www.statista.com/\" href=\"http://www.statista.com/\">Statista</a> in 2013.</p>\n<h3>Fullscreen Background Images</h3>\n<p>One particular trend that I don’t understand is full-screen background images and videos. Where are people finding gigantic videos and images to use with these themes? Granted, if designed properly with the right images, these types of sites look great. <a title=\"http://graphpaperpress.com/themes/wall-street/#demo-full\" href=\"http://graphpaperpress.com/themes/wall-street/#demo-full\">Wall Street</a> by Graph Paper Press is a great example of a design that looks good using fullscreen images. I’m just unsure of their practicality.</p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16414\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WallStreetByGraphPaperPress.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16267]\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-16414\" alt=\"Wall Street By Graph Paper Press\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WallStreetByGraphPaperPress.jpg\" width=\"506\" height=\"317\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wall Street By Graph Paper Press</p></div>\n<h3>One Page Websites</h3>\n<p>The other trend I’ve taken note of is one page sites. Instead of the typical site layout with links to informative pages, all of the pages are combined into one page. As you scroll, different pages of information are shown. Thanks to the simplified display of content, navigation can be determined with clever graphical elements instead of an entire column of links. I’m not a fan of this design but I realize not every website has to convey information in the same manner.</p>\n<p>Amongst the trends listed on WPKube.com, which stand out to you? What <strong>new</strong> trends will we see in 2014? I’m predicting more WordPress themes in 2014 will take advantage of <a title=\"https://css-tricks.com/examples/IconFont/\" href=\"https://css-tricks.com/examples/IconFont/\">icon fonts</a>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 17:15:07 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:25;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:88:\"WPTavern: WordPress Developer Tom McFarlin Advocates Markdown As A Choice Not A Standard\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16400\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:220:\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-developer-tom-mcfarlin-advocates-markdown-as-a-choice-not-a-standard?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wordpress-developer-tom-mcfarlin-advocates-markdown-as-a-choice-not-a-standard\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3418:\"<p>Tom McFarlin has <a title=\"http://tommcfarlin.com/markdown-syntax/\" href=\"http://tommcfarlin.com/markdown-syntax/\">published an awesome blog post</a> about developer’s tunnel vision. The gist of the post is that although <a title=\"https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/\" href=\"https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/\">Markdown</a> is a simplified markup language that makes it easier to format and style content, it shouldn’t be forced onto users. In the post, Tom goes on to say:</p>\n<blockquote><p>To that end, I will <em>always</em> advocate for markdown being a choice – not a standard – for people to draft their content, but I also believe that it’s important we not expect non-technical users to want to author their content in that way.</p></blockquote>\n<p>When we wrote about <a title=\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-com-adds-support-for-markdown-is-tinymce-on-its-way-out\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-com-adds-support-for-markdown-is-tinymce-on-its-way-out\">support for Markdown being added to WordPress.com</a> and then through Jetpack as a module, some questioned whether it would outright replace the TinyMCE editor in WordPress. The reviews were mixed but I’m glad to see TinyMCE isn’t going anywhere. In fact, WordPress 3.9 will have a <a title=\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-developers-take-note-tinymce-4-0-merged-into-core\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-developers-take-note-tinymce-4-0-merged-into-core\">shiny new version of TinyMCE</a> for users to play with.</p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16410\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/HeadersInMarkdown.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16400]\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-16410\" alt=\"Header Code In Markdown\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/HeadersInMarkdown.jpg\" width=\"578\" height=\"214\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Header Code In Markdown</p></div>\n<p>One thing I’ve enjoyed since we started using <a title=\"http://themehybrid.com/themes/stargazer\" href=\"http://themehybrid.com/themes/stargazer\">Stargazer</a> by Justin Tadlock is the visual editor. In Stargazer, Justin modified <a title=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/Editor_Style\" href=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/Editor_Style\">editor-style.css</a> so that the content within the visual editor looks just like it would if it were published. It brings users closer to the principle of <strong>what you see is what you get</strong>. I bring this up because Tom drafts all of his posts in WordPress using the visual editor instead of using Markdown. He explains why:</p>\n<blockquote><p>As someone who enjoys writing, programming, and obviously markdown, I can also say that I’m someone who drafts all of his posts in the WYSIWYG editor of WordPress using editor-style.css because, when done right, it helps me to see clearly see what my content is going to look like when it’s published, and shortcuts save me just as much time as do syntax of markdown.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Thank you Tom for advocating choice instead of forcing Markdown on users as the standard to formatting content. I agree with Tom’s last statement in his post and it bears repeating. “<em>Give ‘em the choice of how they want to write; otherwise, we risk making something that should be fulfilling – that is, writing and publishing – a bit of a frustrating chore.</em>“</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 15:00:37 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:26;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:92:\"WordPress.tv: Michelle Schulp: A Website Is Not A Poster: Designing Successfully For The Web\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30603\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:108:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/06/michelle-schulp-a-website-is-not-a-poster-designing-successfully-for-the-web/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:732:\"<div id=\"v-zPJ26qEl-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30603/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30603/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30603&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/06/michelle-schulp-a-website-is-not-a-poster-designing-successfully-for-the-web/\"><img alt=\"Michelle Schulp: A Website Is Not A Poster: Designing Successfully For The Web\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/zPJ26qEl/video-214e24bcb8_std.original.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 14:26:14 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:27;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"WPTavern: BuddyPress 2.0 Development Kicks Off, Release Set for Mid-April\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16379\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:200:\"http://wptavern.com/buddypress-2-0-development-kicks-off-today-release-set-for-mid-april?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=buddypress-2-0-development-kicks-off-today-release-set-for-mid-april\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3208:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bpmobilewallpaper.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16379]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bpmobilewallpaper-300x225.png\" alt=\"bpmobilewallpaper\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-16159\" /></a>BuddyPress <a href=\"http://codex.buddypress.org/developer/releases/version-1-9-2/\" target=\"_blank\">1.9.2</a> was released today. This maintenance release includes two important security fixes related to group creation. It also adds a few improvements to WordPress menus integration, bp-default theme switching and theme compatibility.</p>\n<p>Today is also the beginning of the <a href=\"http://buddypress.org/2014/02/buddypress-2-0-development/\" target=\"_blank\">BuddyPress 2.0 development</a> cycle. The plugin’s core contributors have finalized dates for beta 1 and the release:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Development starts (today): Wednesday, February 4, 2014</li>\n<li>Beta 1 (8 weeks from today): Wednesday, March 26, 2014</li>\n<li>Release (3 weeks after beta): Wednesday, April 16, 2014</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>What’s Coming in BuddyPress 2.0?</h3>\n<p>Today’s BuddyPress development meeting focused on setting goals and exceptions for the 2.0 release. Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect to see in mid-April, barring any major roadblocks:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>bp-forums will be retiring</li>\n<li>WordPress Rewrite Rules API integration</li>\n<li>Move XProfile visibility from each field into Settings</li>\n<li>last_activity usermeta improvements</li>\n<li>Activity comment sync for comments</li>\n<li>Ticket triage and general maintenance</li>\n<li>BuddyPress Profile editing within the WordPress admin</li>\n<li>New template pack</li>\n</ul>\n<p>The newest addition to this roadmap is the ability to <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/buddypress-2-0-to-add-profile-editing-in-the-wordpress-admin\" target=\"_blank\">edit BuddyPress profiles directly within the admin</a>. Administrators will appreciate not having to navigate to the front end in order to view/edit profiles. Performance improvements are also a major focus in this release, as Boone Gorges is working on <a href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/5349\" target=\"_blank\">refactoring the Activity query</a> and implementing persistent caching for the components.</p>\n<p>The BuddyPress documentation team is <a href=\"http://bpdevel.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/the-codex-into-2014/\" target=\"_blank\">gearing up for another push</a> to expand codex articles and refactor the “Getting Started” section into a “User’s Manual.” Boone Gorges is also heading up an <a href=\"http://bpdevel.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/inline-documentation-initiative/\" target=\"_blank\">initiative</a> to improve BuddyPress’ inline documentation coverage. If you can help document the plugin’s many action and filter hooks, please get in touch.</p>\n<p>BuddyPress 2.0 is shaping up to be an exciting release. There’s a lot going on under the hood that will help the plugin perform better. Community management within the admin is on track for big improvements as well. What are you looking forward to in the upcoming 2.0 release?</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 06 Feb 2014 01:04:59 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:28;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:54:\"WPTavern: Widget Customizer Approved For WordPress 3.9\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16348\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:152:\"http://wptavern.com/widget-customizer-approved-for-wordpress-3-9?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=widget-customizer-approved-for-wordpress-3-9\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2551:\"<p>The <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/widget-customizer-proposed-for-wordpress-3-9\" target=\"_blank\">Widget Customizer</a> plugin is now cleared for takeoff and will land in WordPress 3.9. During the core development meeting today, the plugin was approved to be merged into the WordPress trunk. The days of editing widgets blind will soon be over, as widget editing with live previews will now be a native part of the WordPress publishing experience.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/widget-actions.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16348]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/widget-actions.png\" alt=\"widget-actions\" width=\"1190\" height=\"894\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15709\" /></a></p>\n<p>Weston Ruter, the project’s lead developer, submitted a detailed <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/2014/01/28/widget-customizer-feature-as-plugin-merge-proposal/\" target=\"_blank\">proposal</a> on the new feature last week. After several rounds of feedback and testing, the feature needs only a few minor adjustments and a bit more polishing in the accessibility department before making its debut in WordPress 3.9.</p>\n<h3>What Can You Do With The Widget Customizer?</h3>\n<p>If you haven’t tested the plugin yet, prepare to be impressed. The widget customizer offers live previews for every action associated with widgets, including:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Editing existing widgets</li>\n<li>Adding a new widget</li>\n<li>Reordering widgets</li>\n<li>Dragging widgets to other sidebars</li>\n<li>Removing widgets entirely</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Widgets have long been one of the most user-friendly and approachable features in WordPress. The original WordPress widgets feature was actually first built as a plugin and then brought into core. When Matt Mullenweg first introduced widgets in <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/news/2007/05/wordpress-22/\" target=\"_blank\">WordPress 2.2 (Getz)</a>, he described their purpose:</p>\n<blockquote><p>WordPress Widgets allow you to easily rearrange and customize areas of your weblog (usually sidebars) with drag-and-drop simplicity.</p></blockquote>\n<p>The new widget customizer feature seems like a natural fit for the original intent to help users customize their sites more easily. Where would WordPress be without widgets? It’s safe to say that without this feature it would not be the CMS powerhouse that it is today. With live previews now on deck for every aspect of widget management, WordPress users will wonder how they ever lived without the widget customizer.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:58:55 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:29;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:88:\"WPTavern: Prevent Publishing Mishaps In WordPress With The Publisher Confirmation Plugin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16338\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:220:\"http://wptavern.com/prevent-publishing-mishaps-in-wordpress-with-the-publisher-confirmation-plugin?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prevent-publishing-mishaps-in-wordpress-with-the-publisher-confirmation-plugin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1982:\"<p>As I was writing a post the other night, I mistakenly clicked the publish button thinking it would update the post. This sent me into panic mode. I watched the animated circle spinning endlessly as if it were laughing at me. Not knowing what to do, I clicked a few buttons, including the Trash link but the damage had been done. The post was published and all it contained was a text link.</p>\n<p>This is the second time I’ve been burned by the Publish button. Thanks to the <a title=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/publish-confirmation/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/publish-confirmation/\">Publisher Confirmation plugin</a>, it will be the last.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/PublishConfirmation.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16338]\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16343\" alt=\"Publish Confirmation Box\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/PublishConfirmation.jpg\" width=\"253\" height=\"140\" /></a></p>\n<p>Publisher Confirmation was created by <a title=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/tristanh/\" href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/tristanh/\">TristanH</a> and is simple to use. There are no configuration options. After the plugin is activated, when you click the Publish button, a dialogue box will open confirming if you’d like the post to be published or not. The plugin hasn’t been updated in 2 years so you’ll see a warning box on the plugin directory when searching for it. However, it works just fine with WordPress 3.8.</p>\n<p>One update I’d like to see is a change in the wording from <strong>OK</strong> and <strong>Cancel</strong> to <strong>YES</strong> or <strong>NO</strong>. Ok and Cancel do not convert very well to Yes and No. Other than that, the plugin works exactly as intended and it’s already saved me once since activating it.</p>\n<p><strong>How many of you have accidentally published a post by mistake by clicking the Publish button instead of Update?</strong></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:42:58 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:30;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:38:\"BuddyPress: BuddyPress 2.0 Development\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"http://buddypress.org/?p=177987\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:57:\"http://buddypress.org/2014/02/buddypress-2-0-development/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2015:\"<p>Today marks the first official day of BuddyPress 2.0′s development cycle. As such, we want to keep everyone in the loop about what we’re planning for 2.0, and what our release dates are, so you can better plan your sites, updates, contributions, and testing.</p>\n<p>Features:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>bp-forums retirement <a title=\"defect (bug): bp-forums retirement (assigned)\" href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/5351\">#5351</a> (johnjamesjacoby)</li>\n<li>WordPress Rewrite Rules API integration <a title=\"task: Migrate BP\'s custom URI parser to use WP\'s Rewrite API (new)\" href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/4954\">#4954</a> (johnjamesjacoby)</li>\n<li>Move XProfile visibility from each field into Settings <a title=\"enhancement: Move XProfile visibility into Settings extension (new)\" href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/5352\">#5352</a> (johnjamesjacoby)</li>\n<li>last_activity usermeta improvements <a title=\"enhancement: Move user and group last_activity out of wp_usermeta (new)\" href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/5128\">#5128</a> (boonebgorges)</li>\n<li>Activity comment sync for comments (r-a-y)</li>\n<li>Ticket triage and general maintenance (paulgibbs)</li>\n<li>BuddyPress Profile editing from wp-admin (imath)</li>\n<li>New template pack <a title=\"enhancement: New template pack for BuddyPress (new)\" href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/4952\">#4952</a> (karmatosed)</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Dates:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Development starts (today): Wednesday, February 4, 2014</li>\n<li>Beta 1 (8 weeks from today): Wednesday, March 26, 2014</li>\n<li>Release (3 weeks after beta): Wednesday, April 16, 2014</li>\n</ul>\n<p>If you’d like to tag along with us for the next 8 weeks, the <a href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/milestone/2.0\">2.0 Roadmap</a> is a great place to start. On behalf of the core development team, we’re really excited about what we have planned for 2.0, and can’t wait to get started!</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:09:26 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"John James Jacoby\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:31;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"BuddyPress: BuddyPress 1.9.2\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"http://buddypress.org/?p=177981\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:47:\"http://buddypress.org/2014/02/buddypress-1-9-2/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1098:\"<p>BuddyPress 1.9.2 is available. This is a security and maintenance release, fixing two possible security issues with Group creation (responsibly disclosed by Pietro Oliva) along with some fixes to our WordPress Menus integration, bp-default theme switching, and improvements to theme compatibility.</p>\n<p>A complete list of closed tickets can be found at <a href=\"http://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/query?group=status&milestone=1.9.2\">the 1.9.2 milestone</a>, and a full changelog is at <a href=\"http://codex.buddypress.org/developer/releases/version-1-9-2/\">http://codex.buddypress.org/developer/releases/version-1-9-2/</a>.</p>\n<p>This is a recommended update for all installations of BuddyPress 1.5+.</p>\n<p>Upgrade via your WordPress Dashboard > Updates. You can also download the latest version at <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress/\">http://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress</a>.</p>\n<p>Questions or comments? Check out our <a href=\"http://buddypress.org/support\">support community</a> and <a href=\"http://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org\">development tracker</a>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 20:45:16 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"John James Jacoby\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:32;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:66:\"WPTavern: Why You Should Clean Out Your WordPress Themes Directory\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16288\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:176:\"http://wptavern.com/why-you-should-clean-out-your-wordpress-themes-directory?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-you-should-clean-out-your-wordpress-themes-directory\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4642:\"<div id=\"attachment_16322\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/cleaning.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16288]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/cleaning.jpg\" alt=\"photo credit: 13Moya 十三磨牙 - cc\" width=\"1146\" height=\"549\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16322\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo credit: <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericqian/4447132325/\">13Moya 十三磨牙</a> – <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/\">cc</a></p></div>\n<p>You’ve probably heard the advice that you should delete old or unwanted plugins from your WordPress installation. Plugins are often on the forefront of WordPress housekeeping lists. This is probably due to the fact that on a normal WordPress site you’re usually running just one theme and then multiple, sometimes dozens, of plugins. Unused plugins in the mix make it inconvenient to scroll through the list and troubleshoot conflicts. They can also pose a security risk if they’re not updated.</p>\n<p>But what about themes? Cleaning out your WordPress themes directory is just as important as plugin housekeeping. The current WordPress download package comes with three default themes pre-installed: Twenty Fourteen, Twenty Thirteen and Twenty Twelve. You may even have Twenty Eleven left over on your site, along with themes you’ve previously tested.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/800px-themes.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16288]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/800px-themes.png\" alt=\"800px-themes\" width=\"800\" height=\"548\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16297\" /></a></p>\n<p>Chances are that you won’t need all of these. Any theme not in use has got to go – with one important exception: a default theme for fallback. You can always re-install a theme further down the road if you decide you need it.</p>\n<p>Trying on a bunch of themes and then leaving them in your themes directory is somewhat akin to leaving your clothes all over the floor, instead of putting them in the laundry bin. When it comes to WordPress themes, however, this careless practice can have some serious consequences.</p>\n<h3>WordPress Themes Can Be An Entry Point For Hackers</h3>\n<p>Because WordPress is now powering more than 1 in 5 websites on the internet, WordPress sites are a prime target for hackers and spammers. If your site isn’t secure, hackers can use your themes as entry points. They’ve studied WordPress themes and know how to take advantage of them to forge an all-out attack on your site, your server and its resources.</p>\n<p>Hackers may insert malicious files or edits to your theme to try to hijack your site. Sometimes they get in through vulnerable scripts, as was the case with the historic <a href=\"http://markmaunder.com/2011/08/01/zero-day-vulnerability-in-many-wordpress-themes/\" target=\"_blank\">timthumb.php attack in 2011</a>, which posed a serious security risk for millions of WordPress sites using themes bundled with the script.</p>\n<p>Once a hack is successful, you’ll spend more time than you’d like in unraveling what they’ve done and convincing your host to turn your site back on.</p>\n<h3>WordPress Theme Housekeeping Checklist</h3>\n<p>Outdated versions of WordPress, themes and plugins are the most common cause of hacked sites. At the very least, you’ll want to keep everything up to date. Enabling <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/how-to-configure-automatic-core-updates-for-wordpress-3-7\" target=\"_blank\">automatic background updates</a> is a great way to stay current, especially for sites that you own but rarely visit.</p>\n<p>Here’s a checklist of what you can do right now to clean out your WordPress themes directory:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Remove all unused WordPress themes (with the exception of one default for fallback)</li>\n<li>Update any themes that you are keeping</li>\n<li>Make sure <a href=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_File_Permissions\" target=\"_blank\">permissions</a> on your wp-content and themes directories are 0755</li>\n<li>Enable automatic background updates</li>\n</ul>\n<p>This checklist should have you covered for the basics, but more advanced measures can be put in place if you’re keen on exploring additional security options. For more information about <a href=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress\" target=\"_blank\">hardening WordPress</a> against intrusions, check out the codex and its <a href=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress#Resources\" target=\"_blank\">recommended resources</a>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 20:36:55 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:33;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:62:\"WPTavern: Daily Plugin – Maps, Mobile, Money and Maintenance\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16271\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:110:\"http://wptavern.com/daily-plugin-02-05-2014?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=daily-plugin-02-05-2014\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8508:\"<p><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-16289\" alt=\"Daily Plugin for Wednesday 02-05-2014\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/custom_classifieds_12091-300x253.png\" width=\"180\" height=\"152\" />Here we are, half way through the week! What a busy week it’s been for the WordPress Plugin Repository! A lot of plugin developer “<em>New Years Resolutions</em>” are starting to bear fruit and are being released into the repository this week after a long month of development. We have a good sampling of fruit this week. Today it’s about <strong>Maps, Mobility, Menus, Money and Maintenance</strong>. Let’s get plugged in!</p>\n<h3>Overlay Multiple Location Markers on a Map as Custom Post Types</h3>\n<p>For a few months I have been working on a business/industry directory site using a premium directory theme from ThemeForest and some custom programming. The theme worked well for about 6 weeks until suddenly it broke. The developer vanished off the face of the Earth. As my fellow theme buyers gathered with their pitchforks and torches, the entire theme was removed from ThemeForest due to lack of support. I’ve not been able to find the same functionality for maps <strong>until now</strong>.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-31.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16271]\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-16276\" alt=\"gMap Point List\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-31-300x188.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" /></a><strong><a title=\"gMap Point List\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/gmap-point-list/\" target=\"_blank\">Gmap Point List</a></strong> by Rafel Sans is a plugin that lets you create your own jQuery based map from the Google Maps API and then overlay your pins, or “<em>markers</em>” on top of the map. Each of the markers represents a custom post type that contains the data about the specific location. Because it is a custom post type, there is no limit to the data fields that are available when compiling data about a specific business listing. Pins can be added with address, lat/long Geo-coordinates or simply dropped on the map. The plugin is new and the documentation is currently only available in Spanish, but it was simple enough to use without it.</p>\n<h3>How Much is a BitCoin Worth Anyway?</h3>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-11.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16271]\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-16281\" alt=\"BitCoin Exchage Rate\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-11.png\" width=\"219\" height=\"143\" /></a>I’ve seen several BitCoin based plugins float by in the repository lately. There are several donation widgets that accept it, but I’m always resorting to a Google search to figure out exactly what my coins are worth. In comes the <a title=\"BitCoin Exchange Widget\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/btc-exchange-widget/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>BTC Exchange Widget</strong></a>. This is a quick and easy widget that adds an area for visitors to enter the amount of BitCoins and select their preferred exchange currency, such as USD for US Dollars. In just one click, the current exchange rate is provided. While I am personally still a bit of a skeptic when it comes to BitCoin, fans of this virtual currency should find this plugin useful.</p>\n<h3>Preview Your Posts as a Tablet or Mobile device in one click!</h3>\n<p>Responsive design was supposed to make our lives easier. Instead of having to create a different mobile and tablet theme, the responsive set was billed as the end-all of design. While that advancement has certainly warranted applause, creating responsive content has not gotten much easier. This is mostly due to our inability to view our content as it would look on a device. Enter <a title=\"Responsive Post Preview\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/responsive-post-preview/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Responsive Post Preview</strong></a> by Jake Bresnehan. This plugin provides an easy, quick way to test how your content looks at various sizes.</p>\n<p><strong>Have a look at the demo, straight from the developer.</strong></p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\"></span></p>\n<p>This plugin will undoubtedly save a lot of time when in development mode. The instant view provided by Response Post Preview may be something that will find its way into WordPress Core functionality sooner than later.</p>\n<h3>A clean, responsive way to show a site is still under construction.</h3>\n<p>In the old days, we used an animated GIF of a construction tractor to show the world a site was not ready for public viewing. While that may have worked well in 2005, a domain today is considered a valuable web property. Every single site viewer should be seen as a potential lead or subscriber. That’s why it’s important to provide as much information as possible on your “<em>Coming Soon</em>” page. Even though the site isn’t ready, you can still connect with your audience.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-41.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16271]\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-16283\" alt=\"Easy Maintenance Mode Coming Soon\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-41-300x142.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" /></a>The <a title=\"Easy Maintenance Mode\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/easy-maintenance-mode-coming-soon/\"><strong>Easy Maintenance Mode</strong></a> plugin allows to you quickly create a maintenance or under construction page. Upon plugin activation you are presented with a few options to get you going, including Facebook, Twitter and Google+ connectivity options, HTML-enabled text area, customization of the background, fonts, colors and style. The plugin is also responsive, allowing you to provide the same message social connections across any platform. The great thing about this plugin is that a logged-in user does not see the “<em>Coming Soon</em>” screen. If you’re working on the site and are logged in, you will see the site as you normally would. But if you are a random page surfer or not logged in, you see the maintenance page.</p>\n<h3>Adding Custom Icons to your Category Widget.</h3>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-111.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16271]\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-16285\" alt=\"Category List Icons\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-111-263x300.png\" width=\"216\" height=\"247\" /></a>The recently released plugin <a title=\"Category List Icon\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/category-list-icon/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Category List Icon</strong></a> by Hasan Rang provides functionality to add an icon for your categories. I’ve often seen commercial sites that categorize their news with an icon. Now I can have it for myself, and so can you! The plugin provides options for custom category icon sizes and custom CSS for each of the category icon items. This can provide an added punch to a theme from a design perspective. The subtle, yet contextual icons can help your users identify content and navigate through your site accordingly. Page views matter to Google. Present your viewers with rich, content-related icons to navigate your site and you’ll be rewarded with a better looking sidebar category widget as well!</p>\n<h3>Need Custom Icons for a Responsive Display? Check this out!</h3>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-21.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16271]\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-16287\" alt=\"Mobile Optimizer Menu\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/screenshot-21-77x150.png\" width=\"77\" height=\"150\" /></a><a title=\"Unite Mobile Optimizer Menu\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/unite-mobile-optimizer-menu/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Unite Mobile Optimizer Menu</strong></a> by Amit Keren lets you create a sliding icon list for mobile site viewers. Like the category icon plugin above, you can set up your own custom images and icons for the mobile menu. I found this among the easier mobile menu plugins that I have tested out. I can imagine the different button and icon configurations a person could come up with. But remember to stick with icons that will be familiar to your viewer. Keep it simple!</p>\n<p><strong>Which plugins from today’s list are you most likely to try out? Share your feedback and ideas!<br />\n</strong></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 20:02:54 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Marcus Couch\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:34;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:104:\"WordPress.tv: Joe Casabona: Making WordPress Mobile: Great Responsive Theming Tips, Tricks And Tutorials\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30605\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:119:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/05/joe-casabona-making-wordpress-mobile-great-responsive-theming-tips-tricks-and-tutorials/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:755:\"<div id=\"v-G1nKobdE-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30605/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30605/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30605&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/05/joe-casabona-making-wordpress-mobile-great-responsive-theming-tips-tricks-and-tutorials/\"><img alt=\"Joe Casabona: Making WordPress Mobile: Great Responsive Theming Tips, Tricks And Tutorials\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/G1nKobdE/video-a234ed4e39_std.original.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:07:50 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:35;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"WPTavern: WiredTree To Sponsor All North American WordCamps In 2014\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=15911\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:178:\"http://wptavern.com/wiredtree-to-sponsor-all-north-american-wordcamps-in-2014?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wiredtree-to-sponsor-all-north-american-wordcamps-in-2014\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2971:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/WiredTreeLogo.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[15911]\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-15914\" alt=\"WiredTree Logo\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/WiredTreeLogo.jpg\" width=\"282\" height=\"78\" /></a><a title=\"http://www.wiredtree.com/\" href=\"http://www.wiredtree.com/\">WiredTree</a>, a webhosting company has become a <a title=\"http://central.wordcamp.org/wordcamp-pillar/\" href=\"http://central.wordcamp.org/wordcamp-pillar/\">WordCamp Pillar sponsor</a>. The pillar sponsorship program is a package setup by WordCamp Central that enables businesses to sponsor multiple WordCamp events without having to go through the hassle of sponsoring them individually.</p>\n<p>WordCamp organizers will have a little less to worry about when it comes to funding for their event. WiredTree has upped the ante and will be <a title=\"http://central.wordcamp.org/news/2014/01/31/wiredtree-sponsors-every-wordcamp-in-north-america-for-2014/\" href=\"http://central.wordcamp.org/news/2014/01/31/wiredtree-sponsors-every-wordcamp-in-north-america-for-2014/\">sponsoring all North American based WordCamps</a> in 2014. I got in touch with WiredTree and asked them why they became a pillar sponsor and if sponsoring WordCamps has led to more customers.</p>\n<p>It turns out that the relationship between WordCamps and Wiredtree began at WordCamp Chicago 2013. A client of theirs reached out to Wiredtree on Twitter and asked if they would like to sponsor the event since they were a happy user of both. Zac Cogswell, President of WiredTree agreed that it would be a great fit.</p>\n<blockquote><p>WordPress is the most widely deployed CMS system across our network and many of our clients are actively involved in the WordPress community. Our support team uses it daily so we have a lot of operational experience we can share. WordCamp in particular being non-profit and locally-organized looked like a great way to support the community.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Wiredtree had such a great experience sponsoring WordCamp Chicago, they later went on to sponsor WordCamp Grand Rapids, MI along with a few other events. Getting to connect with clients face-to-face has been invaluable to the company. I then asked Zac whether sponsoring WordCamps correlated with an increase in new customers:</p>\n<blockquote><p>It’s too early yet to say what the effect will be as we’re coming up on the second WordCamp of the year in Dayton, OH, but I can say that feedback on social media has been positive. WordCamp attendees are very passionate folks and we’re passionate about hosting so we think it will go well. In any event, we’re just happy to be a part of it.</p></blockquote>\n<p>I personally want to thank <a title=\"http://www.wiredtree.com/\" href=\"http://www.wiredtree.com/\">Wiredtree</a> for sponsoring all North American based WordCamps during 2014. The less headaches WordCamp organizers have the better.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:00:04 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:36;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:49:\"WordPress.tv: Kameron Williams: Design For Humans\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30601\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:66:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/05/kameron-williams-design-for-humans/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:653:\"<div id=\"v-0c6tdIL3-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30601/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30601/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30601&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/05/kameron-williams-design-for-humans/\"><img alt=\"Kameron Williams: Design For Humans\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/0c6tdIL3/video-2855cb23a4_scruberthumbnail_1.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 07:34:22 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:37;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:64:\"WPTavern: How to Set Up Email Alerts For Topics on WordPress.org\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16242\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:172:\"http://wptavern.com/how-to-set-up-email-alerts-for-topics-on-wordpress-org?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-set-up-email-alerts-for-topics-on-wordpress-org\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2641:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/alerts.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16242]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/alerts.jpg\" alt=\"alerts\" width=\"1015\" height=\"561\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16258\" /></a><br />\nDid you know that you can set up notifications for topics on <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/\" target=\"_blank\">WordPress.org</a>? Sign in to your account and then navigate to your notifications by visiting:</p>\n<p><strong>http://profiles.wordpress.org/username/profile/notifications/</strong></p>\n<p>Once you are there you can create new notifications by adding a search string for a topic that you’re interested in following. The “notification name” field will be shown in the subject line of the alert emails sent from WordPress.org.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/new-notification.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16242]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/new-notification.png\" alt=\"new-notification\" width=\"1421\" height=\"763\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16249\" /></a></p>\n<p>When you set up a new notification, you’ll be notified any time a word or phrase you choose are directly referenced in a post or forum anywhere in the WP.org ecosystem.</p>\n<p>You’ll notice that mentions of your username are included in your notifications by default. Any custom notifications that you set up will be listed below your profile.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/notifications.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16242]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/notifications.png\" alt=\"notifications\" width=\"1933\" height=\"1124\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16250\" /></a></p>\n<h3>Why Should You Set Up Email Alerts?</h3>\n<p>Your profile on WordPress.org is more valuable than you might think. There are so many useful things you can do with the email alerts to keep you informed on community discussions without having to read everything. You can use your account to set up alerts for mentions of your own plugins, themes or topics that you are interested in following. If you are wanting to help out with support in the forums and have a particular area of expertise, you might consider adding it as a search string. If there are new features that you’re hoping will be added to core, you can use alerts to follow discussions on those topics.</p>\n<p>Nobody has the time to read everything that happens on the WordPress.org ecosystem. Signing up for alerts is a strategic way to keep yourself in the conversation without having to dig for the references.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 05 Feb 2014 05:38:26 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:38;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:78:\"WPTavern: Moments: A Free Responsive WordPress Theme With Post Formats Support\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16147\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:198:\"http://wptavern.com/moments-a-free-responsive-wordpress-theme-with-post-formats-support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=moments-a-free-responsive-wordpress-theme-with-post-formats-support\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3035:\"<p>The folks at Site5 have just added a new theme to their growing collection of <a href=\"http://www.s5themes.com/themes/\" target=\"_blank\">free WordPress themes</a>. Moments is a new personal blogging theme that allows you to record your life with beautifully designed <a href=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/Post_Formats\" target=\"_blank\">post formats</a>. It also responds nicely to mobile devices.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/moments.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16147]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/moments.jpg\" alt=\"moments\" width=\"768\" height=\"567\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16150\" /></a></p>\n<p>Features included in the <a href=\"http://www.s5themes.com/theme/moments\" target=\"_blank\">Moments</a> theme are geared toward making it easy for you to personalize your site. A few of the highlights include:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Widget ready sidebar</li>\n<li>Support for all Post Formats</li>\n<li>Custom Logo and Favicon support</li>\n<li>Custom fonts via Google Webfont typography options</li>\n<li>Built-in Pagination</li>\n<li>Social icons</li>\n<li>jQuery PrettyPhoto Lightbox</li>\n<li>Built-in thumbnail regeneration</li>\n</ul>\n<p>View a <a href=\"http://demo.s5themes.com/?theme=moments\" target=\"_blank\">live demo</a> to see Moments in action.</p>\n<p>SIte5 offers the demo XML for download so that you can try the theme with the demo content in place. Moments, like all Site5 themes, comes with <a href=\"http://www.s5themes.com/documentation/moments/\" target=\"_blank\">excellent documentation</a>. As a hosting company, they probably understand the value of documentation in mitigating the number of support requests related to common problems. I’m guessing that’s also why they’ve built thumbnail regeneration into the theme, since that tends to be a frequent issue for users when activating new themes. Site5 also offers a <a href=\"http://www.s5themes.com/forums/discussion/moments/\" target=\"_blank\">support forum</a>, should you have any issues with the theme.</p>\n<p>If you decide to use this theme, I would not recommend using the Stat Code option in the theme settings. It’s better to <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/why-you-should-never-add-analytics-code-to-your-wordpress-theme\" target=\"_blank\">put Google analytics or other tracking codes in a plugin</a> for data portability. When you change themes it’s too easy to forget that your tracking code was in the theme settings.</p>\n<p>With all the discussion lately about <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/why-arent-post-formats-in-wordpress-more-popular\" target=\"_blank\">why more people don’t make use of post formats</a>, it’s refreshing to see themes showcase this feature in a beautiful way. Perhaps WordPress themes with well-designed post formats will inspire more users to learn how to use them in blogging. Moments does a nice job of spotlighting this feature. You can <a href=\"http://www.s5themes.com/theme/moments\" target=\"_blank\">download</a> the theme for free from Site5.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:12:04 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:39;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:71:\"WPTavern: Add These Subreddits To Your List Of WordPress Watering Holes\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16186\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:186:\"http://wptavern.com/add-these-subreddits-to-your-list-of-wordpress-watering-holes?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=add-these-subreddits-to-your-list-of-wordpress-watering-holes\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4998:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/RedditLogo.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16186]\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-16194\" alt=\"Reddit Logo\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/RedditLogo.jpg\" width=\"118\" height=\"44\" /></a>The WordPress community is a vast ecosystem of websites, forums, blogs, social media, and everything inbetween. WordPress.org is not yet suited to handle a large userbase of groups with varied interests. I call areas of the community where these groups congregate, <em>watering holes</em>. One example of such a place is Reddit.</p>\n<h3>Casual WordPress News and Support</h3>\n<p><a title=\"http://www.reddit.com/\" href=\"http://www.reddit.com/\">Reddit.com</a>, a popular news sharing website is more than just technology news. The site covers a number of topics called subreddits. One of those is <a title=\"http://www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress\" href=\"http://www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress\">dedicated to WordPress</a>. Over the past few months, I’ve noticed this is a popular hangout for WordPress developers and community members. I’ve seen everything from support questions answered to developers creating a plugin in their spare time because someone requested it. This watering hole is filled with helpful people. I’ve yet to see a WordPress thread filled with bashing or derogatory statements towards an individual.</p>\n<h3>Advanced WordPress Topics</h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_16201\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ProWordPressOnReddit.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16186]\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-16201\" alt=\"Pro WordPress Subreddit\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ProWordPressOnReddit-500x196.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"196\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Advanced WordPress Topics On Reddit</p></div>\n<p>If you’re interested in more advanced WordPress topics, Brad Williams created a subreddit called <a title=\"http://www.reddit.com/r/ProWordPress/\" href=\"http://www.reddit.com/r/ProWordPress/\">ProWordPress</a>. The list is moderated by <strong>Brad Williams, Travis Northcutt, and Michael Beckwith</strong>. All three are respected members of the WordPress community. Please don’t submit WordPress support questions to this subreddit. Instead, use the <a title=\"http://wordpress.org/support/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/support/\">WordPress.org support forum</a>.</p>\n<p>I asked Brad why he created a separate WordPress subreddit instead of using the existing one.</p>\n<blockquote><p>Because I wanted a smaller, focused subreddit for these advanced topics. Beginners won’t stumble into r/ProWordPress and if they do they will quickly realize it’s not the subreddit for them.</p></blockquote>\n<h3>Does Using Reddit Equal More Traffic?</h3>\n<p>I’ve rarely seen an increase in traffic due to Reddit with one exception. When Sarah Gooding published an article announcing <a title=\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-core-adopts-sass-css-preprocessor\" href=\"http://wptavern.com/wordpress-core-adopts-sass-css-preprocessor\">WordPress had adopted the Sass CSS Pre-processor</a> WPTavern experienced a large bump in traffic. There were over <a title=\"http://redd.it/1qo3bk\" href=\"http://redd.it/1qo3bk\">20 upvotes</a> on the WordPress subreddit along with a few comments. Because of the technical nature of the article and the technology focused users of Reddit the article did well. For the most part, content submitted to the site averages 1-5 upvotes amounting to very little traffic.</p>\n<h3>Subreddits Are Like Forums</h3>\n<p>Reddit is an enormous community of activity. Subreddits provide a place for like minded individuals to gather and discuss a particular subject without the crowd noise from the Reddit front page. I’ve never been a fan of Reddit but since I’ve discovered areas dedicated to WordPress, I’ve become an avid user. The thing I like most about subreddits is that they’re similar to forums. I love the community atmosphere of well run forums and I feel a similar vibe from the WordPress subreddit. If you’re going to participate on Reddit, I encourage you to read their <a title=\"http://www.reddit.com/wiki/reddiquette\" href=\"http://www.reddit.com/wiki/reddiquette\">reddiquette page</a>. This document outlines how to stay within the good graces of the community.</p>\n<h3>The Tavern As A Watering Hole</h3>\n<p>My hope is when the WPTavern forums make their return, they will once again be a friendly watering hole where people can relax and talk WordPress. The community surrounding WPTavern is one of the primary reasons the site has been so successful.</p>\n<p>If you’re looking for a good place to hang out and talk WordPress, consider both WordPress subreddits. Just make sure to follow the rules and don’t even think about using Reddit for self-promotion.</p>\n<p><strong>Where are your favorite places on the web to hangout and talk WordPress?</strong></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 04 Feb 2014 22:27:43 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:40;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"WPTavern: Sandbox Plugin Creates a WordPress Test Environment in Two Clicks\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16179\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:194:\"http://wptavern.com/sandbox-plugin-creates-a-wordpress-test-environment-in-two-clicks?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sandbox-plugin-creates-a-wordpress-test-environment-in-two-clicks\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6568:\"<div id=\"attachment_16183\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/large_3368937938.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16179]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/large_3368937938.jpg\" alt=\"photo credit: Blixt A. - cc\" width=\"1024\" height=\"509\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16183\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo credit: <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-blixt/3368937938/\">Blixt A.</a> – <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/\">cc</a></p></div>\n<p>A test environment for your WordPress site is an important part of being able to ensure smooth updates. It also allows you to test new plugins and themes without affecting visitors. However, creating an exact copy of your site in the same environment is no simple task. There are many commercial plugins and WordPress hosts who offer one click staging environments, but an easy-to-use free option has been somewhat elusive until now.</p>\n<p>Today I’d like to take you on a tour of the new <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/sandbox/\" target=\"_blank\">Sandbox</a> plugin, which is now available on WordPress.org. With just two clicks, this plugin creates an exact copy of your WordPress site on your existing hosting provider. The staging environment is completely independent of your site and is hidden from visitors and search engines. The Sandbox plugin also gives you the ability to create multiple sandboxes in order to test different iterations of your site and/or its extensions.</p>\n<h3>How Sandbox Works</h3>\n<p>I tested the plugin and can confirm that it does exactly what it says it will do. Here’s how it works:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>Sandbox copies your database tables into a new set of tables with a different prefix.</li>\n<li>Data within the new database tables are updated to reflect the sandbox prefix</li>\n<li>Sandbox copies all files a new folder under the sandbox directory.</li>\n<li>The plugin updates the configuration file within the sandbox to support the unique sandbox database prefix</li>\n</ol>\n<p>Let’s take a quick walkthrough of setting up Sandbox on a live site. Once you activate the plugin, a new Sandbox menu item is added to the admin where you can create your first test site. The plugin will warn you to backup your site before proceeding.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/add-new-sandbox.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16179]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/add-new-sandbox.jpg\" alt=\"add-new-sandbox\" width=\"822\" height=\"300\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16190\" /></a></p>\n<p>Next, you’ll be asked to fill in the details for your test site. Simple enough, right?</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/create-sandbox.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16179]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/create-sandbox.jpg\" alt=\"create-sandbox\" width=\"762\" height=\"341\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16192\" /></a></p>\n<p>The plugin gives you updates as it is creating your test site and will confirm its success at the end of the process. This may take a few minutes, depending on how large your site is.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/creating-sandbox.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16179]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/creating-sandbox.jpg\" alt=\"creating-sandbox\" width=\"485\" height=\"232\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16197\" /></a></p>\n<p>Once you activate your new sandbox, you’ll be navigating your test site within your browser. An alert box at the top will let you know which site you’re on and there’s a link that takes you back to your live site at any time.</p>\n<h3>Concerns and Feedback</h3>\n<p>Sandbox is not a perfect plugin, by any means, but I think it’s an excellent starting place that could develop into a solution for setting up quick test environments. My chief concern, however, is that it’s difficult to know when you’re in the sandbox, despite the notice at the top. The URL doesn’t change and your test site is virtually indistinguishable from the production site. One improvement I’d suggest is a larger, more prominent notice that makes it clear which site you’re navigating.</p>\n<p>Additionally, if you’re actively using the plugin, it will make your backups enormous, due to all the extra tables in your database. Each sandbox you add will add its own set of tables and this can really add up when testing multiple iterations of your site. The plugin does not remove the extra tables it created within your database when you deactivate and delete it. The good thing is that you can delete the extra tables be deleting your sandboxes when you have no further use for them.</p>\n<p>I tested a small blog site and it seemed to take a little while to set up a sandbox. This is understandable, given how much work it is doing behind the scenes. However, I have little hope of the plugin working on larger sites without timing out.</p>\n<p>What I love about Sandbox is that you don’t have to go through the process of copying files down to a local test environment that may not perfectly match your production server. I also appreciate the fact that it’s so easy to use and has a very low barrier for entry. WordPress users who otherwise might never explore a staging environment can easily handle the setup process of the Sandbox plugin.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/medium_2715060136.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16179]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/medium_2715060136-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"medium_2715060136\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-16207\" /></a>Stepping into your new WordPress sandbox does have a certain thrill akin to squishing your toes into sand. You know that if you break anything, it’s just sand after all. The Sandbox plugin makes it simple to test updates to your site’s plugins, themes and core. You can also use it to test plugin conflicts without turning off the lights on your production site. Simply create a new test site and go to town, disabling plugins one at a time. Testing conflicts wherein you are encouraged to disable all your plugins is much easier with a test environment that is an exact copy of your live site. The free <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/sandbox/\" target=\"_blank\">Sandbox</a> plugin makes it possible for WordPress users at any level to create their own staging environments.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 04 Feb 2014 21:15:55 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:41;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:68:\"Alex King: I’m pleased to be a guest on the Matt Report – rig…\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://alexking.org/?p=19414\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:41:\"http://alexking.org/blog/2014/02/04/19414\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:195:\"<div>\n<p>I’m pleased to be a guest on the <a href=\"http://mattreport.com/\">Matt Report</a> – right now! Check out the <a href=\"http://mattreport.com/live/\">Live Stream</a>.</p>\n</div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 04 Feb 2014 17:11:28 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Alex\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:42;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"WordPress.tv: Betsy Cohen: Before You Build: Content, Brand And UX Strategy\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wordpress.tv/?p=30477\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:90:\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/04/betsy-cohen-before-you-build-content-brand-and-ux-strategy/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:703:\"<div id=\"v-BDDFnThY-1\" class=\"video-player\">\n</div><br /> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/wptv.wordpress.com/30477/\"><img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/comments/wptv.wordpress.com/30477/\" /></a> <img alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src=\"http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=wordpress.tv&blog=5089392&post=30477&subd=wptv&ref=&feed=1\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" /><div><a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/2014/02/04/betsy-cohen-before-you-build-content-brand-and-ux-strategy/\"><img alt=\"Betsy Cohen: Before You Build: Content, Brand And UX Strategy\" src=\"http://videos.videopress.com/BDDFnThY/video-d64b56cbc8_scruberthumbnail_0.jpg\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" /></a></div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:45:39 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"WordPress.tv\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:43;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:81:\"WPTavern: Free BuddyPress Wallpapers Now Available For Desktop and Mobile Devices\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16151\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:206:\"http://wptavern.com/free-buddypress-wallpapers-now-available-for-desktop-and-mobile-devices?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-buddypress-wallpapers-now-available-for-desktop-and-mobile-devices\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1963:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/buddypress-wallpapers.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16151]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/buddypress-wallpapers.png\" alt=\"buddypress-wallpapers\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16152\" /></a></p>\n<p>Good news for BuddyPress fans: The project now has wallpapers available for desktop and mobile devices. While viewing the official <a href=\"http://codex.buddypress.org/developer/official-fonts-and-logos/\" target=\"_blank\">BuddyPress logos and fonts</a> page, I noticed that there were no wallpapers like those that you can find on the <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/about/logos/\" target=\"_blank\">WordPress Logos page</a>. I decided to reproduce a few of the wallpapers for BuddyPress, based on the backgrounds found on WordPress.org.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bpmobilewallpaper.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16151]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/bpmobilewallpaper-300x225.png\" alt=\"bpmobilewallpaper\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-16159\" /></a>In the new BuddyPress Wallpapers section you’ll find a light background and a pale blue background with the following sizes available for each:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>640×960 Smartphones</li>\n<li>1024×768</li>\n<li>1440×900</li>\n<li>2048×1536 iPad</li>\n<li>2560×1400</li>\n<li>2880×1800 for Retina display</li>\n</ul>\n<p>If you’re excited to show your enthusiasm for BuddyPress, grab a wallpaper for your mobile home/lock screen, tablet or desktop. You can view the different colors and download the size appropriate to your device from the <a href=\"http://codex.buddypress.org/developer/official-fonts-and-logos/#buddypress-wallpapers\" target=\"_blank\">BuddyPress codex</a>. Want more WordPress themed wallpapers? Check out the newly updated <a href=\"http://wp-wallpaper.com/\" target=\"_blank\">wp-wallpapers.com</a>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 04 Feb 2014 08:09:19 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:44;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"WPTavern: Daily Plugin for Monday 02-03-2014 – Is Your WP Grass Overgrown?\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16018\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:186:\"http://wptavern.com/daily-plugin-for-monday-02-03-2014-is-your-wp-grass-overgrown?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=daily-plugin-for-monday-02-03-2014-is-your-wp-grass-overgrown\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6691:\"<p>Happy Monday everyone! Many cool new plugins have found their way into the repository in the last few days. Today we check out plugins for PayPal donations, Admin notes in individual posts, User Profile Links, User Profile Meta and a fun motivational plugin called WP Grass.</p>\n<p>Remember to use a staging site if you choose to take these plugins for a test drive. Using brand new, untested plugins on a live site can have bad consequences. Make sure you create a backup before activating any of these plugins to a live site. You’ll be glad you did if things go bad. That being said, let’s get plugged in!</p>\n<h3>Everything but the car in the yard on cinder blocks.</h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_16120\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/wp-grass2.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16018]\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-16120\" alt=\"Infrequent Content = Overgrown grass!\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/wp-grass2-300x187.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"187\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Infrequent Content = Overgrown grass!</p></div>\n<p>It’s not difficult to spot the neighbor on your block that doesn’t take very good care of their lawn. With one glance, it’s quite clear who doesn’t maintain their property. <strong><a title=\"WP Grass\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-grass/\" target=\"_blank\">WP Grass</a></strong> uses the same “<strong>overgrown grass</strong>” concept to help motivate you to keep your home page filled with fresh content. When you frequently update the content on your site, the plugin shows a freshly cut lawn at the footer. The longer the time period between content, the higher the grass will get in the footer! This plugin is a good motivator that may help you to keep your blog properly maintained with fresh content.</p>\n<h3>Grant someone a key without sacrificing the castle.</h3>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/user-profile-meta.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16018]\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-16125 alignleft\" alt=\"User Profile Meta\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/user-profile-meta-300x226.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"226\" /></a>There are many times in which I would like to grant an individual user specific capabilities on my site, but don’t want to go through the hassle of creating a new user role. <strong><a title=\"User Profile Meta\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/user-profile-meta/\" target=\"_blank\">User Profile Meta</a></strong> goes deep into the capabilities of a user without having to change their overall role. It allows you to edit existing user fields, create new fields, delete fields without having to refresh the page. Easily change common items like toolbar appearance, default editors and specific plugin access. Overall, I found this to be a very handy plugin to go into the finer details of a specific user.</p>\n<h3>What about having too many fields on your User Profile page?</h3>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/profile-links.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16018]\"><img class=\"wp-image-16019 alignleft\" alt=\"Profile Links\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/profile-links-300x219.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"219\" /> </a><strong><a title=\"Profile Links\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/profile-links/\" target=\"_blank\">Profile Links</a></strong> provides easy to use functionality when it comes to the user profile page. If you’re like me and have a lot of different plugins that add to the user profile page, you know what a pain it can be to locate specific fields that need to be modified. Profile Links creates a quick jump list at the top of the user profile page for all of the different option groups in your profile. This plugin is probably overkill to those who have only a few users. However, I found this to be a convenience in navigating through the user profile pages on some of my more largely populated sites with over 30 users.</p>\n<h3>Leave a not-so-subtle note to your contributing users.</h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/user-note.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16018]\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-16127\" alt=\"Admin Page Notes\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/user-note-300x279.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"279\" /></a></strong>There are many plugins out there that allow the administrator to leave notes to a user. I’ve used everything from bbPress notification messages to sidebar notes, and nothing has had the capabilities of this plugin.<a title=\"Admin Page Notes\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/admin-page-notes/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Admin Page Notes</strong></a> lets the admin leave an HTML capable note to the user within the post or page editor on an individual post basis. Call it a poor man’s <a title=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/edit-flow/\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/edit-flow/\">Edit Flow</a>. For simple and effective placement of your message, this plugin is among the best I have seen. It works simply by adding a notation field in the post editor that only the administrator can see. No one but the administrator can edit or access the message. Because the area is also HTML capable, you are able to add research links or even further references to a story that your contributing user can use in their post.</p>\n<h3>Here’s a great plugin if you take PayPal donations.</h3>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/paypal-donation.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16018]\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-16130\" alt=\"PayPal Donation Plugin\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/paypal-donation-300x193.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"193\" /></a>If you accept donations on your site, <strong><a title=\"PayPal Donation\" href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/paypal-donation/\" target=\"_blank\">PayPal Donation</a> </strong>may be a good solution. I found this to be more unique than other PayPal donation plugins. It has the ability to change images based on the current percentage of the funding goal. This would allow one to create a rising thermometer, a moving gauge or a scoreboard. Another unique trait found in this plugin is the feature of adding individual expenses. For an average blogger this could be items such as hosting and development expenses. It would also be an outstanding plugin for charities and specific goal fundraising. This is one worth test driving if you want a dynamic, changing display of your donation drive.</p>\n<p><strong>Let me know your impressions and results of the plugins talked about here! How would you use these plugins?</strong></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 04 Feb 2014 01:55:58 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Marcus Couch\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:45;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:86:\"WPTavern: Matt Mullenweg Discusses Automattic’s Unique Work Culture on Hired Podcast\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=15999\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:210:\"http://wptavern.com/matt-mullenweg-discusses-automattics-unique-work-culture-on-hired-podcast?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=matt-mullenweg-discusses-automattics-unique-work-culture-on-hired-podcast\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2575:\"<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mw.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[15999]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mw-300x189.jpg\" alt=\"mw\" width=\"300\" height=\"189\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-16098\" /></a>Matt Mullenweg, WordPress co-founder and CEO of Automattic, was recently featured on the Hired Podcast, a show that focuses on exciting things in the world of work life and company culture. <a href=\"http://cameronmoll.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Cameron Moll</a>, founder of <a href=\"http://www.authenticjobs.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Authentic Jobs</a>, hosts this short <a href=\"http://hired.fm/episode/16\" target=\"_blank\">27 minute interview</a>, which many of you may enjoy.</p>\n<p>As Mullenweg tells the story of how Automattic was created, he said, <strong>“I wanted to create a place that I wanted to work…I wanted everything that I did in life professionally and personally to promote open source software.”</strong> Moll asks a lot of great questions to uncover the company culture at Automattic and find out how employees collaborate. His interview includes some interesting topics:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>A quick overview of how WordPress was born</li>\n<li>How Automattic was created</li>\n<li>Why Mullenweg recently switched roles with Toni Schneider</li>\n<li>Open communication and collaborative process for Automattic employees</li>\n<li>Why Automattic uses trials for hiring</li>\n<li>How company size impacts growth</li>\n<li>Establishing company culture with remote workers</li>\n</ul>\n<p>One particular part that I found to be interesting was how Mullenweg had initially kept Automattic artificially small during the early days, for fear of losing the efficiency and excitement the company had developed. During the interview he says that he was surprised by how Automattic has been able to maintain the same culture while expanding to offer more prompt attention to every aspect of its products and support. When discussing the organization’s growth, Mullenweg says,<strong> “Nothing great I’ve ever done has ever been alone. It’s always been with other people.”</strong> He offers an inside look at how Automattic is different, its unique hiring process and the preeminence of customer support.</p>\n<p>If you’re interested in WordPress or want to take a closer look at the principles that have driven Automattic’s success as a product organization, check out the <a href=\"http://hired.fm/episode/16\" target=\"_blank\">Hired Podcast interview with Matt Mullenweg</a>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 03 Feb 2014 23:47:59 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:46;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:65:\"WPTavern: Gust Plugin Brings the Ghost Admin Panel Into WordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16038\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:174:\"http://wptavern.com/gust-plugin-brings-the-ghost-admin-panel-into-wordpress?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gust-plugin-brings-the-ghost-admin-panel-into-wordpress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5955:\"<p>The <a href=\"https://ghost.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Ghost</a> open source blogging project had an interesting path to get to where it is today. John O’Nolan, the project’s creator, originally <a href=\"http://john.onolan.org/project-ghost/\" target=\"_blank\">introduced</a> the idea of his pure blogging platform as a “WordPress-lite fork.” After a great deal of deliberation, O’Nolan <a href=\"http://wptavern.com/what-wordpress-can-learn-from-the-ghost-project\" target=\"_blank\">decided not to fork WordPress</a> and instead opted to built his application on Node.js, powered by the Express framework.</p>\n<p>The Ghost tagline <em>“Just a Blogging Platform”</em> is essentially a reaction to WordPress’ <em>“Just another WordPress site,”</em> and a departure from what O’Nolan perceived to be an increasingly CMS-focused WordPress core. After a successful round of funding on <a href=\"https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johnonolan/ghost-just-a-blogging-platform\" target=\"_blank\">Kickstarter</a>, with more than $100,000 raised in the first 48 hours, Ghost was able to break out on its own. The project tapped into the growing demand for simplicity in blogging software. Ghost fans don’t want it to do everything; they simply want to publish blogs.</p>\n<h2>Introducing Gust: A Ghost Style Publishing Admin For WordPress</h2>\n<p>There were some in the WordPress camp who were disappointed that the project would not be continuing on as a fork, as Ghost would have been an appealing “flavor” of WordPress for users who don’t need a CMS. A few WordPress plugin developers were excited about some of Ghost concepts and have produced plugins that bring those into WordPress. <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/gust/\" target=\"_blank\">Gust</a> is one in particular that caught my eye.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ideag/\" target=\"_blank\">Arūnas Liuiza</a> has been slowly adding Ghost-style functionality to the Gust plugin ever since he released it on WordPress.org in mid-December of 2013. His objective for the plugin is to bring a Ghost-inspired, clean admin panel into WordPress for users who want to focus on blogging.</p>\n<p>Gust re-imagines the WordPress admin panel to feature posts.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-dashboard.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16038]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-dashboard.png\" alt=\"gust-dashboard\" width=\"1358\" height=\"653\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16057\" /></a></p>\n<p>The plugin adds markdown, a word count and live previews to the WordPress post editor. If the viewport is too small to display both panels, the live preview is then tabbed:</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-post-editor.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16038]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-post-editor.png\" alt=\"gust-post-editor\" width=\"1358\" height=\"653\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16065\" /></a></p>\n<p>The new post tagging interface is one of the recent additions to the plugin. Its unobtrusive place at the bottom of the screen keeps the focus on content creation in the main part of the viewport.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tagging-interface.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16038]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tagging-interface.png\" alt=\"tagging-interface\" width=\"466\" height=\"247\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16071\" /></a></p>\n<p>The post settings at the bottom of the editor allow you to easily edit the time published, post slug and delete, if necessary.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-delete.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16038]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-delete.jpg\" alt=\"gust-delete\" width=\"1096\" height=\"586\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16072\" /></a></p>\n<p>The Gust plugin also adds a themed login page that sports a Ghost-inspired design:</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-login.png\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16038]\"><img src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gust-login.png\" alt=\"gust-login\" width=\"855\" height=\"335\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16068\" /></a></p>\n<p>Gust is an unofficial port of Ghost features to WordPress, which is why it adopted the slightly modified name. Its capabilities currently include:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Posts/Pages Markdown editor</li>\n<li>Media upload integration</li>\n<li>Post tags support</li>\n<li>Post category support</li>\n<li>Post scheduling support</li>\n<li>Themed login page</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>Notes on Testing Gust</h3>\n<p>Gust requires PHP 5.3 or higher. After you install the plugin, it may seem like it’s not working. That’s because there’s not yet an intuitive way to take users to the Gust admin panel. You get there by visiting: <strong>yourdomain.com/gust</strong>. Adding a button to the admin area to launch the Gust editing panel would help to make the plugin easier to use. However, once inside the Gust panel, I found the current features easy to use and free from major bugs.</p>\n<p>Liusiza plans to add a category manager in the upcoming 0.4 version of the plugin. He cautions that this is an early release, so some features, such as categories and support for featured images, are not yet present. If Gust is able to gain enough interest, he will add these features in a future release.</p>\n<p>I would like to see Gust presented with a more unique design that isn’t a wholesale copy of the Ghost editor, but that’s a matter of preference, not function. Overall, I like what Arūnas Liuiza has done with <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/gust/\" target=\"_blank\">Gust</a>. If he continues to further develop and support it, the plugin will no doubt become a solid option for streamlining the WordPress admin for bloggers.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 03 Feb 2014 20:55:12 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:47;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"WPTavern: New Site Highlights Acts Of Kindness In The WordPress Community\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=16043\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:190:\"http://wptavern.com/new-site-highlights-acts-of-kindness-in-the-wordpress-community?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-site-highlights-acts-of-kindness-in-the-wordpress-community\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3978:\"<p><a title=\"http://wpkindness.com/\" href=\"http://wpkindness.com/\">WPKindness</a> is a site devoted to sharing acts of kindness that have taken place throughout the WordPress community. The site is powered by <a href=\"http://headwaythemes.com/\">Headway</a>, <a href=\"http://www.gravityforms.com/\">Gravity Forms</a>, <a href=\"http://wp-types.com/\">Toolset</a> and <a title=\"http://www.wordpress.org\" href=\"http://www.wordpress.org\">WordPress</a>. To report an act of kindness, visit <a title=\"http://wpkindness.com/submit-an-act-of-kindness/\" href=\"http://wpkindness.com/submit-an-act-of-kindness/\">their submission page</a> and fill out the necessary details. Near the end of the submission form is a radio button where users can sign up to an infrequent newsletter. I asked the sites creator Ryan Bell what information would in the newsletter: “<em>I would send out a newsletter once or twice a month with my favorite submissions</em>“.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WPKindnesslogo.jpg\" rel=\"prettyphoto[16043]\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16049\" alt=\"WP Kindness Logo\" src=\"http://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WPKindnesslogo.jpg\" width=\"542\" height=\"140\" /></a></p>\n<p>The site is a great idea but things become fuzzy once you read <a title=\"http://wpkindness.com/terms-of-service/\" href=\"http://wpkindness.com/terms-of-service/\">their terms of service</a>. The only problem I see is with number three “<em>You understand wpkindness.com might use an affiliate link to the company you are submitting about.</em>“. I am torn on whether this is good or bad.</p>\n<p>The way I see it, an affiliate link within an act of kindness report is almost the same as a great product review. Visitors that come across these links may make purchases based on those reports. If I report an act of kindness, I’m not sure I like the idea of someone else making money off my report. I have to admit, it’s an ingenious way of generating affiliate income if he can get a lot of people to submit acts of kindness that have occurred with companies. Ryan tells me that although there are no affiliate links on the site now, he wanted to cover his bases in case he wanted to use them to monetize the site in the future.</p>\n<blockquote><p>I would probably only do it for products I have used and feel are great products. If the site starts to be used a lot by the community and is an asset I don’t see why I shouldn’t be able to find a way to monetize it.</p></blockquote>\n<p>I’ve been on the receiving end of many acts of kindness but I’ve mostly used Twitter, forums, or a blog post to thank them. I appreciate Ryan’s goal for the site.</p>\n<blockquote><p>There is always someone willing to help you figure out how to make your site do what you want it to do with WordPress. I wanted to give those people recognition, whether it is a theme shop, hosting platform, plugin developer, or just a human who loves WordPress. My desire is for this to be a place where people can come and brag about the awesome people in the WordPress community and in turn build loyalty for that brand.</p></blockquote>\n<p>It will be interesting to see how many people share acts of kindness they have received from members of the WordPress community. It’s a great idea but the possible use of affiliate links on reports makes me uncomfortable. I’m not against Ryan making money, but I don’t think adding affiliate links into submitted content is the right way to go about it. I’d have a blog attached to the site and create content that correlates with the submissions. Then use affiliate links within those posts.</p>\n<h3>Help Ryan Out:</h3>\n<p>Ryan is seeking recommendations from the community on what they would like to see on the site. Also, if you have any ideas on how Ryan could monetize WPKindness without manipulating submissions, let us know in the comments.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 03 Feb 2014 20:33:42 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:48;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:37:\"WPTavern: Would You Attend A WooCamp?\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"http://wptavern.com/?p=15235\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:116:\"http://wptavern.com/would-you-attend-a-woocamp?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=would-you-attend-a-woocamp\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1898:\"<p>The WordPress Meetup group in San Francisco recently held their first WooCommerce meetup within the new Automattic Headquarters. The meetup focused on an <a href=\"http://www.meetup.com/WooCommerce-SF/events/152723732/\" title=\"http://www.meetup.com/WooCommerce-SF/events/152723732/\">introduction to WooCommerce</a> and provided time at the end for customers show and tell their WooCommerce projects. There was also an opportunity to have questions answered. As you can see from the following photo, the group had a great turnout.</p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" width=\"550\"><p>What a crowd at the first <a href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=%23WooCommerce&src=hash\">#WooCommerce</a> meet up in SF – <a href=\"http://t.co/ZZV2rAcdRo\">pic.twitter.com/ZZV2rAcdRo</a> Thanks to <a href=\"https://twitter.com/thenbrent\">@thenbrent</a> & <a href=\"https://twitter.com/msdesign21\">@msdesign21</a> for representing!</p>\n<p>— Mark Forrester (@mark_forrester) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/mark_forrester/statuses/426265459990999040\">January 23, 2014</a></p></blockquote>\n<p></p>\n<p>I asked Mark Forrester co-founder of <a href=\"http://www.woothemes.com\" title=\"http://www.woothemes.com\">WooThemes.com</a> if there would be some type of WooCamp event in the future.</p>\n<blockquote><p>On the subject of a “WooCamp” you might not be far off. We’re strongly considering a WooCommerce conference, hopefully in Q3 – stateside. We’re going through the logistics of it now and these mini meet ups are great way to gauge interest and plan for a particular target market.</p></blockquote>\n<p>Between WooThemes and WooCommerce, I think they have enough customers to sell out any venue for a conference focused on their products.</p>\n<div class=\"aligncenter\">Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post\'s poll.</div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 03 Feb 2014 17:55:05 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:49;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n 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For sites <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/background-update-tester/\">that support them</a>, of course.</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://wordpress.org/download/\">Download WordPress 3.8.1</a> or venture over to <strong>Dashboard → Updates</strong> and simply click “Update Now.”</p>\n<p>Thanks to all of these fine individuals for contributing to 3.8.1:</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin\">Aaron Jorbin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/collinsinternet\">Allan Collins</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nacin\">Andrew Nacin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/azaozz\">Andrew Ozz</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/aubreypwd\">Aubrey Portwood</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/empireoflight\">Ben Dunkle</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/cojennin\">Connor Jennings</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/dd32\">Dion Hulse</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ocean90\">Dominik Schilling</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/fboender\">fboender</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/avryl\">Janneke Van Dorpe</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/janrenn\">janrenn</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/joedolson\">Joe Dolson</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnbillion\">John Blackbourn</a>, <a href=\"#\">José Pino</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/kovshenin\">Konstantin Kovshenin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/matveb\">Matias Ventura</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mattheu\">Matthew Haines-Young</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/iammattthomas\">Matt Thomas</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/melchoyce\">Mel Choyce</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/batmoo\">Mohammad Jangda</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/morganestes\">Morgan Estes</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nivijah\">nivijah</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/wonderboymusic\">Scott Taylor</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/sergeybiryukov\">Sergey Biryukov</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/undergroundnetwork\">undergroundnetwork</a>, and <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/yurivictor\">Yuri Victor</a>.</p>\n<p><em>WordPress three eight one<br />\nWe heard you didn’t like bugs<br />\nSo we took them out</em></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:55:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2014/01/wordpress-3-8-1/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:42:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:26:\"WordPress 3.8 “Parker”\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:41:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/parker/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:50:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/parker/#comments\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 12 Dec 2013 17:00:06 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"http://wordpress.org/news/?p=2765\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:354:\"Version 3.8 of WordPress, named “Parker” in honor of Charlie Parker, bebop innovator, is available for download or update in your WordPress dashboard. We hope you’ll think this is the most beautiful update yet. Introducing a modern new design WordPress has gotten a facelift. 3.8 brings a fresh new look to the entire admin dashboard. […]\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"Matt Mullenweg\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:18739:\"<p>Version 3.8 of WordPress, named “Parker” in honor of <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker\">Charlie Parker</a>, bebop innovator, is available <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/download/\">for download</a> or update in your WordPress dashboard. We hope you’ll think this is the most beautiful update yet.</p>\n<div id=\"v-6wORgoGb-1\" class=\"video-player\"><embed id=\"v-6wORgoGb-1-video\" src=\"http://s0.videopress.com/player.swf?v=1.03&guid=6wORgoGb&isDynamicSeeking=true\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"692\" height=\"388\" wmode=\"direct\" seamlesstabbing=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" overstretch=\"true\"></embed></div>\n<h2 class=\"aligncenter\">Introducing a modern new design</h2>\n<p><img class=\"wp-image-2951 aligncenter\" alt=\"overview\" src=\"http://i0.wp.com/wpdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/overview.jpg?resize=623%2C193\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" /></p>\n<p>WordPress has gotten a facelift. 3.8 brings a fresh new look to the entire admin dashboard. Gone are overbearing gradients and dozens of shades of grey — bring on a bigger, bolder, more colorful design!</p>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2856\" style=\"margin-left: 0;margin-right: 0\" alt=\"about-modern-wordpress\" src=\"http://i2.wp.com/wpdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/design.png?resize=623%2C151\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" /></p>\n<h3>Modern aesthetic</h3>\n<p>The new WordPress dashboard has a fresh, uncluttered design that embraces clarity and simplicity.</p>\n<h3>Clean typography</h3>\n<p>The Open Sans typeface provides simple, friendly text that is optimized for both desktop and mobile viewing. It’s even open source, just like WordPress.</p>\n<h3>Refined contrast</h3>\n<p>We think beautiful design should never sacrifice legibility. With superior contrast and large, comfortable type, the new design is easy to read and a pleasure to navigate.</p>\n<hr />\n<h2 class=\"aligncenter\">WordPress on every device</h2>\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-2984\" alt=\"responsive\" src=\"http://i2.wp.com/wpdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/responsive.jpg?resize=255%2C255\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" />We all access the internet in different ways. Smartphone, tablet, notebook, desktop — no matter what you use, WordPress will adapt and you’ll feel right at home.</p>\n<h3>High definition at high speed</h3>\n<p>WordPress is sharper than ever with new vector-based icons that scale to your screen. By ditching pixels, pages load significantly faster, too.</p>\n<hr />\n<h2 class=\"aligncenter\">Admin color schemes to match your personality</h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2954\" alt=\"colors\" src=\"http://i0.wp.com/wpdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/colors.jpg?resize=623%2C339\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" /></p>\n<p>WordPress just got a colorful new update. We’ve included eight new admin color schemes so you can pick the one that suits you best.</p>\n<p>Color schemes can be previewed and changed from your Profile page.</p>\n<hr />\n<h2 class=\"aligncenter\">Refined theme management</h2>\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-2967\" alt=\"themes\" src=\"http://i0.wp.com/wpdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/themes.jpg?resize=360%2C344\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" />The new themes screen lets you survey your themes at a glance. Or want more information? Click to discover more. Then sit back and use your keyboard’s navigation arrows to flip through every theme you’ve got.</p>\n<h3>Smoother widget experience</h3>\n<p>Drag-drag-drag. Scroll-scroll-scroll. Widget management can be complicated. With the new design, we’ve worked to streamline the widgets screen.</p>\n<p>Have a large monitor? Multiple widget areas stack side-by-side to use the available space. Using a tablet? Just tap a widget to add it.</p>\n<hr />\n<h2 class=\"aligncenter\">Twenty Fourteen, a sleek new magazine theme</h2>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-2789\" alt=\"The new Twenty Fourteen theme displayed on a laptop. tablet and phone\" src=\"http://i0.wp.com/wpdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/twentyfourteen.jpg?resize=692%2C275\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" /></p>\n<h3>Turn your blog into a magazine</h3>\n<p>Create a beautiful magazine-style site with WordPress and Twenty Fourteen. Choose a grid or a slider to display featured content on your homepage. Customize your site with three widget areas or change your layout with two page templates.</p>\n<p>With a striking design that does not compromise our trademark simplicity, Twenty Fourteen is our most intrepid default theme yet.</p>\n<hr />\n<h2>Beginning of a new era</h2>\n<p>This release was led by Matt Mullenweg. This is our second release using the new plugin-first development process, with a much shorter timeframe than in the past. We think it’s been going great. You can check out the features currently in production on the <a title=\"Make WordPress Core\" href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/core/\" target=\"_blank\">make/core blog</a>.</p>\n<p>There are 188 contributors with props in this release:</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/aaronholbrook\">Aaron Holbrook</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin\">Aaron Jorbin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein\">adamsilverstein</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/admiralthrawn\">admiralthrawn</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ahoereth\">Alexander Hoereth</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/collinsinternet\">Allan Collins</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/sabreuse\">Amy Hendrix (sabreuse)</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nacin\">Andrew Nacin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/azaozz\">Andrew Ozz</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/aralbald\">Andrey Kabakchiev</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/apeatling\">Andy Peatling</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ankitgadertcampcom\">Ankit Gade</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/atimmer\">Anton Timmermans</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/fliespl\">Arkadiusz Rzadkowolski</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/aubreypwd\">Aubrey Portwood</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/bassgang\">bassgang</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/empireoflight\">Ben Dunkle</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/bananastalktome\">Billy (bananastalktome)</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/binarymoon\">binarymoon</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/bradyvercher\">Brady Vercher</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/kraftbj\">Brandon Kraft</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/rzen\">Brian Richards</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/bpetty\">Bryan Petty</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/calin\">Calin Don</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/carldanley\">Carl Danley</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/sixhours\">Caroline Moore</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/caspie\">Caspie</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/chrisbliss18\">Chris Jean</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/iblamefish\">Clinton Montague</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/cojennin\">cojennin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/corphi\">Corphi</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/dbernar1\">Dan Bernardic</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/danieldudzic\">Daniel Dudzic</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/koop\">Daryl Koopersmith</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/datafeedrcom\">datafeedr</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/lessbloat\">Dave Martin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/drw158\">Dave Whitley</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/dd32\">Dion Hulse</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ocean90\">Dominik Schilling</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/dougwollison\">Doug Wollison</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/drewapicture\">Drew Jaynes</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/dziudek\">dziudek</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ericlewis\">Eric Andrew Lewis</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ericmann\">Eric Mann</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ethitter\">Erick Hitter</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/evansolomon\">Evan Solomon</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/faison\">Faison</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/fboender\">fboender</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/frank-klein\">Frank Klein</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/garyj\">Gary Jones</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/pento\">Gary Pendergast</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/soulseekah\">Gennady Kovshenin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/georgestephanis\">George Stephanis</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/gnarf37\">gnarf37</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/tivnet\">Gregory Karpinsky</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/hanni\">hanni</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/helen\">Helen Hou-Sandi</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn\">iandunn</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ipstenu\">Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/isaackeyet\">Isaac Keyet</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jdgrimes\">J.D. Grimes</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jacklenox\">Jack Lenox</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/janhenckens\">janhenckens</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/avryl\">Janneke Van Dorpe</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/janrenn\">janrenn</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jblz\">Jeff Bowen</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jeffr0\">Jeff Chandler</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jenmylo\">Jen Mylo</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/buffler\">Jeremy Buller</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jeremyfelt\">Jeremy Felt</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jeherve\">Jeremy Herve</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jpry\">Jeremy Pry</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jayjdk\">Jesper Johansen (jayjdk)</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jhned\">jhned</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jim912\">jim912</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jartes\">Joan Artes</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/joedolson\">Joe Dolson</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/joen\">Joen Asmussen</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnbillion\">John Blackbourn</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnafish\">John Fish</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnjamesjacoby\">John James Jacoby</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/duck_\">Jon Cave</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/joostdevalk\">Joost de Valk</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/joshuaabenazer\">Joshua Abenazer</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nukaga\">Junko Nukaga</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/devesine\">Justin de Vesine</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/justinsainton\">Justin Sainton</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/kadamwhite\">K. Adam White</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/trepmal\">Kailey (trepmal)</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/codebykat\">Kat Hagan</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/littlethingsstudio\">Kate Whitley</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ryelle\">Kelly Dwan</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/kpdesign\">Kim Parsell</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/kwight\">Kirk Wight</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/koki4a\">Konstantin Dankov</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/kovshenin\">Konstantin Kovshenin</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/obenland\">Konstantin Obenland</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/drozdz\">Krzysiek Drozdz</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/lancewillett\">Lance Willett</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/leewillis77\">Lee Willis</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/lite3\">lite3</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/lucp\">Luc Princen</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/latz\">Lutz Schroer</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mako09\">Mako</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/markjaquith\">Mark Jaquith</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/markmcwilliams\">Mark McWilliams</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/markoheijnen\">Marko Heijnen</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/matt\">Matt Mullenweg</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/iammattthomas\">Matt Thomas</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mattwiebe\">Matt Wiebe</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mdbitz\">Matthew Denton</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mattheu\">Matthew Haines-Young</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/matveb\">Matías Ventura</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/megane9988\">megane9988</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/melchoyce\">Mel Choyce</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/micahwave\">micahwave</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/cainm\">Michael Cain</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mitchoyoshitaka\">Michael Erlewine</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/michelwppi\">Michel - xiligroup dev</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/chellycat\">Michelle Langston</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/gradyetc\">Mike Burns</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mikehansenme\">Mike Hansen</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mikelittle\">Mike Little</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/dh-shredder\">Mike Schroder</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/dimadin\">Milan Dinic</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/batmoo\">Mohammad Jangda</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/morganestes\">Morgan Estes</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/mt8biz\">moto hachi</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/Nao\">Naoko Takano</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/neil_pie\">Neil Pie</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nickdaugherty\">Nick Daugherty</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/celloexpressions\">Nick Halsey</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nbachiyski\">Nikolay Bachiyski</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ninio\">ninio</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/ninnypants\">ninnypants</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nivijah\">nivijah</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nofearinc\">nofearinc</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/nvwd\">Nowell VanHoesen</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/odysseygate\">odyssey</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/originalexe\">OriginalEXE</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/swissspidy\">Pascal Birchler</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/pauldewouters\">Paul de Wouters</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/pavelevap\">pavelevap</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/westi\">Peter Westwood</a>, <a 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Also thanks to <a href=\"http://benmorrison.org/\">Ben Morrison</a> and <a href=\"http://christineswebb.com/\">Christine Webb</a> for help with the video.</p>\n<p>Thanks for choosing WordPress. See you soon for version 3.9!</p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:46:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/parker/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:45:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"3.8 RC2\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:42:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/3-8-rc2/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:51:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/3-8-rc2/#comments\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 10 Dec 2013 01:08:38 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Development\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"http://wordpress.org/news/?p=2805\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:343:\"Release candidate 2 of WordPress 3.8 is now available for download. 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This is the last pre-release, and we expect it to be effectively identical to what’s officially released to the public on Thursday.</p>\n<p>This means if you are a plugin or theme developer, start your engines! (If they’re not going already.) Lots of admin code has changed so it’s especially important to see if your plugin works well within the new admin design and layout, and update <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/plugins/about/readme.txt\">the “Tested up to:” part of your plugin readme.txt</a>.</p>\n<p>If there is something in your plugin that you’re unable to fix, or if you think you’ve found a bug, join us <a href=\"http://codex.wordpress.org/IRC\">in #wordpress-dev in IRC</a>, especially if you’re able to join during the dev chat on Wednesday, or post in the <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta\">alpha/beta forum</a>. The developers and designers who worked on this release are happy to help anyone update their code before the 3.8 release.</p>\n<p>Happy hacking, everybody!</p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:47:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/3-8-rc2/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:3;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:45:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"WordPress 3.8 RC1\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:45:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/3-8-almost/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:54:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/12/3-8-almost/#comments\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:54:48 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Development\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"http://wordpress.org/news/?p=2760\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:345:\"We’re entering the quiet but busy part of a release, whittling down issues to bring you all of the new features you’re excited about with the stability you expect from WordPress. 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This maintenance release addresses 11 bugs in WordPress 3.7, including:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Images with captions no longer appear broken in the visual editor.</li>\n<li>Allow some sites running on old or poorly configured servers to continue to check for updates from WordPress.org.</li>\n<li>Avoid fatal errors with certain plugins that were incorrectly calling some WordPress functions too early.</li>\n<li>Fix hierarchical sorting in get_pages(), exclusions in wp_list_categories(), and in_category() when called with empty values.</li>\n<li>Fix a warning that may occur in certain setups while performing a search, and a few other notices.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>For a full list of changes, consult the <a href=\"http://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?milestone=3.7.1\">list of tickets</a> and <a href=\"http://core.trac.wordpress.org/log/branches/3.7?stop_rev=25914&rev=25986\">the changelog</a>.</p>\n<p>If you are one of the <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/download/counter/\">nearly two million</a> already running WordPress 3.7, we will start rolling out the all-new <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/10/basie/\">automatic background updates</a> for WordPress 3.7.1 in the next few hours. 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This release features some of the most important architectural updates we’ve made to date. Here are the big ones: Updates while you sleep: With WordPress 3.7, you don’t have to lift a finger to […]\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"Matt Mullenweg\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17229:\"<p>Version 3.7 of WordPress, named “Basie” in honor of <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_basie\">Count Basie</a>, is available <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/download/\">for download</a> or update in your WordPress dashboard. This release features some of the most important architectural updates we’ve made to date. 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Grimes</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jakubtyrcha\">jakub.tyrcha</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jamescollins\">James Collins</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jenmylo\">Jen Mylo</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/buffler\">Jeremy Buller</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jeremyfelt\">Jeremy Felt</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jayjdk\">Jesper Johansen (jayjdk)</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/joehoyle\">Joe Hoyle</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/jkudish\">Joey Kudish</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnnyb\">John Beales</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnbillion\">John Blackbourn (johnbillion)</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnafish\">John Fish</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnjamesjacoby\">John James Jacoby</a>, <a href=\"http://profiles.wordpress.org/johnpbloch\">John P. 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See you soon for version 3.8!</p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:45:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/10/basie/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:45:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"WordPress 3.7 Release Candidate 2\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:68:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/10/wordpress-3-7-release-candidate-2/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:77:\"http://wordpress.org/news/2013/10/wordpress-3-7-release-candidate-2/#comments\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 23 Oct 2013 00:05:30 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Development\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"http://wordpress.org/news/?p=2729\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:417:\"The second release candidate of WordPress 3.7 is now available for testing! Those of you already testing WordPress 3.7 will be updated automatically to RC2. (Nice.) If you’d like to start testing, there’s no time like the present! Try the WordPress Beta Tester plugin (you’ll want “bleeding edge nightlies”) or download the release candidate here (zip). Please post to the Alpha/Beta […]\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Andrew Nacin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1183:\"<p>The second release candidate of WordPress 3.7 is now available for testing!</p>\n<p>Those of you already testing WordPress 3.7 will be updated automatically to RC2. (<em>Nice.</em>) If you’d like to start testing, there’s no time like the present! Try the <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/\">WordPress Beta Tester</a> plugin (you’ll want “bleeding edge nightlies”) or <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/wordpress-3.7-RC2.zip\">download the release candidate here</a> (zip). Please post to the <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/\">Alpha/Beta area in the support forums</a> if you think you’ve found a bug, and if any known issues are raised, you’ll be able to <a href=\"http://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/5\">find them here</a>.</p>\n<p>Developers, please test your plugins and themes against WordPress 3.7. 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This has been a great year for WordCamps — there have been 56 so far in more than 20 countries, and there another 15 on the calendar before the year’s […]\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Jen Mylo\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3584:\"<p><a href=\"http://central.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamps</a> are casual, locally-organized conferences that celebrate everything related to WordPress, and are a great opportunity to meet other WordPress users and professionals in your community. This has been a great year for WordCamps — there have been 56 so far in more than 20 countries, and there another 15 on the calendar before the year’s over. If there’s one near you, check it out! In addition to getting to know your local WordPress community, most WordCamps attract some traveling visitors a well, giving you the chance to meet contributors to the WordPress open source project and <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/\">get involved</a> yourself.</p>\n<p>Here are the WordCamps on the schedule for the rest of this year.</p>\n<p>October 25-27: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.boston.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Boston</a></strong>, Boston, MA, USA<br />\nOctober 25-26: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.malaga.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Malaga</a></strong>, Spain<br />\nOctober 26: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.nepal.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Nepal</a></strong>, Kathmandu, Nepal<br />\nOctober 26: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.sofia.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Sofia</a></strong>, Bulgaria<br />\nNovember 7: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.capetown.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Cape Town</a></strong>, South Africa<br />\nNovember 9: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.porto.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Porto</a></strong>, Portugal<br />\nNovember 9-10: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.kenya.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Kenya</a></strong>, Nairobi, Kenya<br />\nNovember 15: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.edmonton.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Edmonton</a></strong>, AB, Canada<br />\nNovember 16-17: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.orlando.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Orlando</a></strong>, FL, USA<br />\nNovember 16: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.denver.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Denver</a></strong>, CO, USA<br />\nNovember 23-24: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.london.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp London</a></strong>, UK<br />\nNovember 23-24: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.raleigh.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Raleigh</a></strong>, NC, USA<br />\nNovember 23: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.saopaulo.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp São Paulo</a></strong>, Brazil<br />\nDecember 14: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.vegas.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Las Vegas</a></strong>, NV, USA<br />\nDecember 14-15: <strong><a href=\"http://2013.sevilla.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Sevilla</a></strong>, Spain</p>\n<p>No WordCamps on this list in your area? Not to worry! There are thriving <a href=\"http://wordpress.meetup.com/\">WordPress meetups</a> all over the world where you can meet like-minded people, and we maintain a library of <a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/category/wordcamptv/\">WordCamp videos</a> at <a href=\"http://wordpress.tv/\">WordPress.tv</a>.</p>\n<h3>Get Involved</h3>\n<ul>\n<li>If you’re interested in organizing a WordCamp in your area, check out our <a href=\"http://plan.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp planning</a> site.</li>\n<li>If you’re interested in <a href=\"http://make.wordpress.org/community/meetup-interest-form/\">starting a WordPress meetup</a> in your area, let us know and we can set up a group on meetup.com for you.</li>\n<li>And speaking of WordCamp videos, we’ve recently enabled volunteer-generated subtitles/closed captioning of the videos on WordPress.tv to make them more accessible. Interested in helping? 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If you haven’t tested 3.7 yet, there’s no time like the present. (Please, not on a production site, unless you’re adventurous.)</p>\n<p>WordPress 3.7 introduces <strong>automatic background updates</strong> for security and minor releases (like updating from 3.7 to 3.7.1). These are really easy to test — RC 1 will update every 12 hours or so to the latest development version, and then email you the results. (You may get two emails: one for debugging, and one all users of 3.7 will receive.) If something went wrong, you can report it.</p>\n<p><strong>Think you’ve found a bug? </strong>Please post to the <a href=\"http://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/\">Alpha/Beta area in the support forums</a>. 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class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','publish','open','open','','stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp','','','2011-04-15 18:33:35','2011-04-15 18:33:35','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=6',0,'post','',0),(9,2,'2011-03-16 22:48:19','2011-03-16 22:48:19','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\n\n <strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\n\n Many of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\n\n Enzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\n\n Soon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\n\n I would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\n\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\n\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\n</ul>\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\n</ul>\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\n\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\n\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.<span> </span>','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-3','','','2011-03-16 22:48:19','2011-03-16 22:48:19','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7,2,'2011-03-16 22:46:08','2011-03-16 22:46:08','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\n\n <strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\n\n Many of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\n\n Enzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\n\n Soon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\n\n I would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\n\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\n\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\n</ul>\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\n</ul>\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\n\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\n\n In the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.<span> </span>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Times New Roman\',\'serif\';font-size: 12pt\">RFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer? </span></p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Times New Roman\',\'serif\';font-size: 12pt\"> </span></p>\n<span style=\"font-family: \'Times New Roman\',\'serif\';font-size: 12pt\"><span> </span>In the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out.<span> </span>I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.</span>','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision','','','2011-03-16 22:46:08','2011-03-16 22:46:08','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(8,2,'2011-03-16 22:46:18','2011-03-16 22:46:18','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n <strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\n Many of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\n Enzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\n Soon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\n I would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\n In the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.<span> </span>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Times New Roman\',\'serif\';font-size: 12pt\">RFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer? </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in 0in 0pt\"><span style=\"font-family: \'Times New Roman\',\'serif\';font-size: 12pt\"> </span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: \'Times New Roman\',\'serif\';font-size: 12pt\"><span> </span>In the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out.<span> </span>I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.</span>','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-2','','','2011-03-16 22:46:18','2011-03-16 22:46:18','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(10,2,'2011-03-16 22:49:52','2011-03-16 22:49:52','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\n\n <strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\n\n Many of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\n\n Enzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\n\n Soon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\n\n I would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\n\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\n\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\n</ul>\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\n</ul>\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\n\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\n\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-4','','','2011-03-16 22:49:52','2011-03-16 22:49:52','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(11,2,'2011-03-16 22:50:41','2011-03-16 22:50:41','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n <strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\n Many of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\n Enzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\n Soon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\n I would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-5','','','2011-03-16 22:50:41','2011-03-16 22:50:41','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(17,14,'2011-03-16 23:07:24','2011-03-16 23:07:24','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>\r\nViewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','publish','closed','closed','','help-for-readers','','','2011-04-15 18:27:29','2011-04-15 18:27:29','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?page_id=17',0,'page','',0),(18,14,'2011-03-16 23:07:12','2011-03-16 23:07:12','','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision','','','2011-03-16 23:07:12','2011-03-16 23:07:12','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(19,14,'2011-03-16 23:07:24','2011-03-16 23:07:24','Page about Case Studies','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-2','','','2011-03-16 23:07:24','2011-03-16 23:07:24','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(20,14,'2011-03-16 23:07:29','2011-03-16 23:07:29','Page about Case Studies','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-3','','','2011-03-16 23:07:29','2011-03-16 23:07:29','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(21,14,'2011-03-16 23:07:51','2011-03-16 23:07:51','Page about Case Studies\r\n\r\nDescription','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-4','','','2011-03-16 23:07:51','2011-03-16 23:07:51','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(23,14,'2011-03-16 22:50:49','2011-03-16 22:50:49','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n <strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\n Many of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\n Enzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\n Soon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\n I would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-6','','','2011-03-16 22:50:49','2011-03-16 22:50:49','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(24,14,'2012-05-30 01:54:20','2012-05-30 01:54:20','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\n\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\n\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\n\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\n\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\n\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\n\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\n\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\n\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\n</ul>\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\n\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\n</ul>\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\n<ul>\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\n\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\n\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-autosave','','','2012-05-30 01:54:20','2012-05-30 01:54:20','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(27,14,'2011-03-17 05:12:44','2011-03-17 05:12:44','','Frangipani Flowers','','inherit','open','open','','frangipani-flowers','','','2011-03-17 05:12:44','2011-03-17 05:12:44','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Frangipani-Flowers.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(102,14,'2011-03-19 04:45:56','2011-03-19 04:45:56','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-27','','','2011-03-19 04:45:56','2011-03-19 04:45:56','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(33,14,'2011-03-17 05:35:34','2011-03-17 05:35:34','','Tree','','inherit','open','open','','tree','','','2011-03-17 05:35:34','2011-03-17 05:35:34','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Tree.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(39,14,'2011-03-16 23:07:59','2011-03-16 23:07:59','Page about Case Studies\r\n\r\nDescription','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-5','','','2011-03-16 23:07:59','2011-03-16 23:07:59','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(40,14,'2011-03-17 19:43:35','2011-03-17 19:43:35','Page about Case Studies\r\n\r\nDescription','Case_Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-6','','','2011-03-17 19:43:35','2011-03-17 19:43:35','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(43,14,'2011-03-17 19:43:42','2011-03-17 19:43:42','Page about Case Studies\r\n\r\nDescription','Case_Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-7','','','2011-03-17 19:43:42','2011-03-17 19:43:42','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(45,14,'2011-03-19 02:40:06','2011-03-19 02:40:06','','icon1','','inherit','open','open','','icon1','','','2011-03-19 02:40:06','2011-03-19 02:40:06','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(46,14,'2011-03-16 23:16:36','2011-03-16 23:16:36','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n <strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\n Soon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n Enzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-7','','','2011-03-16 23:16:36','2011-03-16 23:16:36','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(47,14,'2011-03-19 02:42:00','2011-03-19 02:42:00','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-8','','','2011-03-19 02:42:00','2011-03-19 02:42:00','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(48,14,'2011-03-19 02:44:54','2011-03-19 02:44:54','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n \r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-9','','','2011-03-19 02:44:54','2011-03-19 02:44:54','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(49,14,'2011-03-19 02:50:42','2011-03-19 02:50:42','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\"><img src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" title=\"icon1\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-10','','','2011-03-19 02:50:42','2011-03-19 02:50:42','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(50,2,'2011-03-19 02:50:42','2011-03-19 02:50:42','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\"><img src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-11','','','2011-03-19 02:50:42','2011-03-19 02:50:42','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(51,2,'2011-03-19 03:05:42','2011-03-19 03:05:42','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\"><img src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" /></a>\r\n<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-12','','','2011-03-19 03:05:42','2011-03-19 03:05:42','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(52,2,'2011-03-19 03:05:42','2011-03-19 03:05:42','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\"><img src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" /></a>\r\n<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-13','','','2011-03-19 03:05:42','2011-03-19 03:05:42','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(53,2,'2011-03-19 03:06:27','2011-03-19 03:06:27','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-14','','','2011-03-19 03:06:27','2011-03-19 03:06:27','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(54,2,'2011-03-19 03:10:51','2011-03-19 03:10:51','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download, click on the link below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','publish','open','open','','how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders','','','2011-04-08 20:44:37','2011-04-08 20:44:37','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=54',0,'post','',1),(94,2,'2011-03-20 04:32:13','2011-03-20 04:32:13','','Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust','','inherit','open','open','','lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust','','','2011-03-20 04:32:13','2011-03-20 04:32:13','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(56,2,'2011-03-19 03:10:39','2011-03-19 03:10:39','Trust in Business - Presentation\n\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=55\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision','','','2011-03-19 03:10:39','2011-03-19 03:10:39','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(57,2,'2011-03-19 03:10:51','2011-03-19 03:10:51','Trust and impact on Business - Presentation\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=55\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-2','','','2011-03-19 03:10:51','2011-03-19 03:10:51','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(58,2,'2011-03-19 03:12:41','2011-03-19 03:12:41','','pdf','','inherit','open','open','','pdf','','','2011-03-19 03:12:41','2011-03-19 03:12:41','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(59,2,'2011-03-20 04:21:08','2011-03-20 04:21:08','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\n\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\n\nTo download the click below.\n\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust1.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-autosave','','','2011-03-20 04:21:08','2011-03-20 04:21:08','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(60,2,'2011-03-19 03:10:52','2011-03-19 03:10:52','Trust and impact on Business - Presentation\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust/\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-3','','','2011-03-19 03:10:52','2011-03-19 03:10:52','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(61,2,'2011-03-19 03:13:13','2011-03-19 03:13:13','Trust and impact on Business - Presentation\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust/\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-4','','','2011-03-19 03:13:13','2011-03-19 03:13:13','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(72,2,'2011-03-19 04:33:11','2011-03-19 04:33:11','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-25','','','2011-03-19 04:33:11','2011-03-19 04:33:11','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(62,2,'2011-03-19 03:06:27','2011-03-19 03:06:27','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-15','','','2011-03-19 03:06:27','2011-03-19 03:06:27','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(63,2,'2011-03-19 04:19:24','2011-03-19 04:19:24','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-16','','','2011-03-19 04:19:24','2011-03-19 04:19:24','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(64,2,'2011-03-19 04:19:25','2011-03-19 04:19:25','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-17','','','2011-03-19 04:19:25','2011-03-19 04:19:25','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(65,2,'2011-03-19 04:21:19','2011-03-19 04:21:19','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-18','','','2011-03-19 04:21:19','2011-03-19 04:21:19','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(66,2,'2011-03-19 04:21:20','2011-03-19 04:21:20','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-19','','','2011-03-19 04:21:20','2011-03-19 04:21:20','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(67,2,'2011-03-19 04:23:30','2011-03-19 04:23:30','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-20','','','2011-03-19 04:23:30','2011-03-19 04:23:30','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(68,2,'2011-03-19 04:23:30','2011-03-19 04:23:30','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP ','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-21','','','2011-03-19 04:23:30','2011-03-19 04:23:30','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(69,2,'2011-03-19 04:31:35','2011-03-19 04:31:35','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-22','','','2011-03-19 04:31:35','2011-03-19 04:31:35','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(70,2,'2011-03-19 04:31:35','2011-03-19 04:31:35','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-23','','','2011-03-19 04:31:35','2011-03-19 04:31:35','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(71,2,'2011-03-19 04:33:11','2011-03-19 04:33:11','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering - Sales RFP','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-24','','','2011-03-19 04:33:11','2011-03-19 04:33:11','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(73,2,'2011-03-19 04:45:56','2011-03-19 04:45:56','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-26','','','2011-03-19 04:45:56','2011-03-19 04:45:56','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(74,14,'2011-04-15 18:25:50','2011-04-15 18:25:50','<span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"><strong>Case Studies</strong> </span>–business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\n\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \n\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\n\n<strong>\n<span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">Viewpoint</span></strong><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under </span><strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\n\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-autosave','','','2011-04-15 18:25:50','2011-04-15 18:25:50','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(75,2,'2011-03-19 04:52:14','2011-03-19 04:52:14','','passport','','inherit','open','open','','passport','','','2011-03-19 04:52:14','2011-03-19 04:52:14','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(76,2,'2011-03-19 02:34:25','2011-03-19 02:34:25','Page about Case Studies\r\n\r\nDescription','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-8','','','2011-03-19 02:34:25','2011-03-19 02:34:25','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(77,2,'2011-03-19 05:06:28','2011-03-19 05:06:28','Having trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY global business conflict stories, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract.</strong> If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study</strong> (about a page) to see how normal assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, \"How To\'s\" to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and <strong>Applications </strong>(recommended actions for success) are here. Want to know what finally happened? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see how things worked out.\r\n\r\nCheck back later as we add more case studies for different categories, and countries.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-9','','','2011-03-19 05:06:28','2011-03-19 05:06:28','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(78,2,'2011-03-19 05:06:28','2011-03-19 05:06:28','Having trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY global business conflict stories, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract.</strong> If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study</strong> (about a page) to see how normal assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, \"How To\'s\" to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and <strong>Applications </strong>(recommended actions for success) are here. Want to know what finally happened? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see how things worked out.\r\n\r\nCheck back later as we add more case studies for different categories, and countries.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-10','','','2011-03-19 05:06:28','2011-03-19 05:06:28','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(79,2,'2011-03-19 05:12:03','2011-03-19 05:12:03','Having trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract.</strong> If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study</strong> (about a page) to see how \"normal\" behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, \"How To\'s\" to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Attibutes </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and <strong>Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are here. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what finally happened? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see how things worked out.\r\n\r\nCheck back later as we add more case studies for different management categories and countries.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-11','','','2011-03-19 05:12:03','2011-03-19 05:12:03','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(80,2,'2011-03-19 05:12:03','2011-03-19 05:12:03','Having trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract.</strong> If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study</strong> (about a page) to see how \"normal\" behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, \"How To\'s\" to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Attibutes </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and <strong>Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are here. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what finally happened? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see how things worked out.\r\n\r\nCheck back later as we add more case studies for different management categories and countries.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-12','','','2011-03-19 05:12:03','2011-03-19 05:12:03','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(81,2,'2011-03-19 05:12:51','2011-03-19 05:12:51','Having trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract.</strong> If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study</strong> (about a page) to see how \"normal\" behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, \"How To\'s\" to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Attibutes </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and <strong>Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are here. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what finally happened? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see how things worked out.\r\n\r\nCheck back later as we add more case studies for different management categories and countries.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-13','','','2011-03-19 05:12:51','2011-03-19 05:12:51','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(82,2,'2011-03-19 03:13:14','2011-03-19 03:13:14','Trust and impact on Business - Presentation\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust/\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-5','','','2011-03-19 03:13:14','2011-03-19 03:13:14','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(91,2,'2011-03-20 04:24:12','2011-03-20 04:24:12','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-12','','','2011-03-20 04:24:12','2011-03-20 04:24:12','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(83,2,'2011-03-19 05:17:27','2011-03-19 05:17:27','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Woment in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust/\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-6','','','2011-03-19 05:17:27','2011-03-19 05:17:27','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(84,2,'2011-03-19 05:17:27','2011-03-19 05:17:27','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Woment in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust/\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-7','','','2011-03-19 05:17:27','2011-03-19 05:17:27','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(85,2,'2011-03-19 05:18:14','2011-03-19 05:18:14','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust/\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-8','','','2011-03-19 05:18:14','2011-03-19 05:18:14','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(92,2,'2011-03-20 04:24:12','2011-03-20 04:24:12','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-13','','','2011-03-20 04:24:12','2011-03-20 04:24:12','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(87,2,'2011-03-19 05:18:14','2011-03-19 05:18:14','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a rel=\"attachment wp-att-55\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/lead-breakthroughs-across-borders-trust/\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-9','','','2011-03-19 05:18:14','2011-03-19 05:18:14','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(88,2,'2011-03-20 04:20:04','2011-03-20 04:20:04','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust1.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-10','','','2011-03-20 04:20:04','2011-03-20 04:20:04','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(90,2,'2011-03-20 04:20:04','2011-03-20 04:20:04','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust1.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-11','','','2011-03-20 04:20:04','2011-03-20 04:20:04','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(93,2,'2011-03-20 04:27:32','2011-03-20 04:27:32','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-14','','','2011-03-20 04:27:32','2011-03-20 04:27:32','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(95,2,'2011-03-20 04:27:32','2011-03-20 04:27:32','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-15','','','2011-03-20 04:27:32','2011-03-20 04:27:32','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(96,2,'2011-03-20 04:32:25','2011-03-20 04:32:25','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-16','','','2011-03-20 04:32:25','2011-03-20 04:32:25','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(103,14,'2011-03-22 20:54:40','2011-03-22 20:54:40','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-28','','','2011-03-22 20:54:40','2011-03-22 20:54:40','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(104,14,'2011-03-22 20:54:40','2011-03-22 20:54:40','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-29','','','2011-03-22 20:54:40','2011-03-22 20:54:40','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(105,14,'2011-03-22 20:55:10','2011-03-22 20:55:10','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-30','','','2011-03-22 20:55:10','2011-03-22 20:55:10','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(106,14,'2011-03-22 20:55:10','2011-03-22 20:55:10','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-31','','','2011-03-22 20:55:10','2011-03-22 20:55:10','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(107,14,'2011-03-22 21:12:40','2011-03-22 21:12:40','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-32','','','2011-03-22 21:12:40','2011-03-22 21:12:40','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(109,14,'2011-03-22 21:12:40','2011-03-22 21:12:40','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-33','','','2011-03-22 21:12:40','2011-03-22 21:12:40','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0),(110,14,'2011-03-24 01:02:06','2011-03-24 01:02:06','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both <!--more-->to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-34','','','2011-03-24 01:02:06','2011-03-24 01:02:06','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(111,14,'2011-03-24 01:02:06','2011-03-24 01:02:06','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both <!--more-->to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices.\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-35','','','2011-03-24 01:02:06','2011-03-24 01:02:06','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(112,14,'2011-03-24 01:29:23','2011-03-24 01:29:23','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-36','','','2011-03-24 01:29:23','2011-03-24 01:29:23','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-36/',0,'revision','',0),(117,2,'2011-04-08 19:36:25','2011-04-08 19:36:25','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nThree engineers, an Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">We welcome your comments on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended for Rick, Dave and Teijinder, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy to Resolve the Situation</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','publish','open','open','','how-different-styles-saved-the-software','','','2011-04-15 18:33:16','2011-04-15 18:33:16','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=117',0,'post','',0),(118,2,'2011-04-08 18:24:24','2011-04-08 18:24:24','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision','','','2011-04-08 18:24:24','2011-04-08 18:24:24','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(119,2,'2011-04-08 18:28:57','2011-04-08 18:28:57','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\n\n<em>Lost in Limbo</em>\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.\n\n<em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.\n\n<em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.\n\nTejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.\n\n<em>Dave Accelerates</em>\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.\n\n<em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.\n\nI reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?[608]\n\nPlease comment on this Case Study.\n\n To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-2','','','2011-04-08 18:28:57','2011-04-08 18:28:57','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(120,2,'2011-04-08 18:29:57','2011-04-08 18:29:57','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\n\n<em>Lost in Limbo</em>\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.\n\n<em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.\n\n<em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.\n\nTejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.\n\n<em>Dave Accelerates</em>\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.\n\n<em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.\n\nI reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?[608]\n<ul>\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-3','','','2011-04-08 18:29:57','2011-04-08 18:29:57','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(121,2,'2011-04-08 18:30:43','2011-04-08 18:30:43','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>Lost in Limbo</em></span>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.\r\n\r\n<em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.\r\n\r\n<em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.\r\n\r\nTejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.\r\n\r\n<em>Dave Accelerates</em>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.\r\n\r\n<em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.\r\n\r\nI reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?[608]\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\r\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\r\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-4','','','2011-04-08 18:30:43','2011-04-08 18:30:43','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(122,2,'2011-04-08 18:32:25','2011-04-08 18:32:25','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Lost in Limbo</em></span></strong>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.\r\n\r\nTejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.\r\n\r\nI reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?[608]\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\r\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\r\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-5','','','2011-04-08 18:32:25','2011-04-08 18:32:25','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(123,2,'2011-04-08 18:34:14','2011-04-08 18:34:14','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Lost in Limbo</em></span>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Dave Accelerates</em>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> \r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\r\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-6','','','2011-04-08 18:34:14','2011-04-08 18:34:14','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(124,2,'2011-04-08 18:35:22','2011-04-08 18:35:22','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em>Lost in Limbo</em></span>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Dave Accelerates</em>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> \r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\r\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-7','','','2011-04-08 18:35:22','2011-04-08 18:35:22','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(125,2,'2011-04-08 18:35:44','2011-04-08 18:35:44','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Lost in Limbo</em></span></span>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Dave Accelerates</em>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> \r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\r\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-8','','','2011-04-08 18:35:44','2011-04-08 18:35:44','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(127,2,'2011-04-08 18:36:32','2011-04-08 18:36:32','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Dave Accelerates</em>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> \r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\r\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-10','','','2011-04-08 18:36:32','2011-04-08 18:36:32','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(126,2,'2011-04-08 18:36:10','2011-04-08 18:36:10','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></span></strong>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Dave Accelerates</em>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> \r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Please comment on this Case Study.</li>\r\n <li>To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-9','','','2011-04-08 18:36:10','2011-04-08 18:36:10','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(128,2,'2011-04-08 18:44:01','2011-04-08 18:44:01','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\n\n<ul>\n <li><span style=\"color: #000080;\"> Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\n <li><span style=\"color: #000080;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</span></li>\n<strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> </span></strong></ul>\n<strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Cultural Factors</span></strong>\n\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\n</ul>\n \n\nDave, European-American Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\n</ul>\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\n* Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success\n* Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings\n* Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections\n* Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-11','','','2011-04-08 18:44:01','2011-04-08 18:44:01','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(129,2,'2011-04-08 18:45:01','2011-04-08 18:45:01','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\n\n<ul>\n <li><span style=\"color: #000080;\"> Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\n <li><span style=\"color: #000080;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.</span></li>\n<strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> </span></strong></ul>\n<strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Cultural Factors</span></strong>\n\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\n</ul>\nDave, European-American Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\n</ul>\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\n<ul>\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\n</ul>','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-12','','','2011-04-08 18:45:01','2011-04-08 18:45:01','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(216,14,'2012-03-02 22:05:20','2012-03-02 22:05:20','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another.\r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. �\r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-autosave','','','2012-03-02 22:05:20','2012-03-02 22:05:20','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/207-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(220,2,'2012-03-02 22:08:43','2012-03-02 22:08:43','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\n\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision','','','2012-03-02 22:08:43','2012-03-02 22:08:43','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(221,2,'2012-03-02 22:09:12','2012-03-02 22:09:12','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n ','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-2','','','2012-03-02 22:09:12','2012-03-02 22:09:12','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(219,2,'2012-03-02 22:22:12','2012-03-02 22:22:12','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China. \r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li> <!--more-->\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','publish','open','open','','219','','','2012-05-30 05:00:57','2012-05-30 05:00:57','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=219',0,'post','',2),(291,14,'2012-05-30 01:40:40','2012-05-30 01:40:40','','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision','','','2012-05-30 01:40:40','2012-05-30 01:40:40','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(207,4,'2012-02-01 20:36:57','2012-02-01 20:36:57','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another.\r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. �\r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','publish','open','open','','mediation-in-multicultural-teams','','','2012-03-02 22:06:20','2012-03-02 22:06:20','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=207',0,'post','',2),(208,4,'2012-01-17 20:30:06','2012-01-17 20:30:06','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\n\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\n\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\n\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another. \n\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. \nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\n</ol>\n \nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision','','','2012-01-17 20:30:06','2012-01-17 20:30:06','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(211,4,'2012-01-17 20:32:18','2012-01-17 20:32:18','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\n\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\n\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\n\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another. \n\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. �\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\n</ol>\n�\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision-4','','','2012-01-17 20:32:18','2012-01-17 20:32:18','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(209,4,'2012-01-17 20:30:10','2012-01-17 20:30:10','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another. \r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. \r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n \r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision-2','','','2012-01-17 20:30:10','2012-01-17 20:30:10','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(210,4,'2012-01-17 20:30:20','2012-01-17 20:30:20','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another. \r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. \r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n \r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision-3','','','2012-01-17 20:30:20','2012-01-17 20:30:20','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(213,4,'2012-01-17 20:33:38','2012-01-17 20:33:38','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another. \r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. �\r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision-6','','','2012-01-17 20:33:38','2012-01-17 20:33:38','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(212,4,'2012-01-17 20:33:06','2012-01-17 20:33:06','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another. \r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. �\r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n�\r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision-5','','','2012-01-17 20:33:06','2012-01-17 20:33:06','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(214,14,'2012-01-17 20:34:01','2012-01-17 20:34:01','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another. \r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. �\r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision-7','','','2012-01-17 20:34:01','2012-01-17 20:34:01','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(222,2,'2012-03-02 22:09:50','2012-03-02 22:09:50','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-3','','','2012-03-02 22:09:50','2012-03-02 22:09:50','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(223,2,'2012-03-02 22:11:56','2012-03-02 22:11:56','','Balin_Hou','Baling how - China','inherit','open','open','','balin_hou','','','2012-03-02 22:11:56','2012-03-02 22:11:56','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Balin_Hou.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(225,2,'2012-03-02 22:17:44','2012-03-02 22:17:44','','Evelyn_Baling_hou','Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.','inherit','open','open','','evelyn_baling_hou','','','2012-03-02 22:17:44','2012-03-02 22:17:44','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(226,2,'2012-03-02 22:17:21','2012-03-02 22:17:21','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\n\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-5','','','2012-03-02 22:17:21','2012-03-02 22:17:21','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(224,2,'2012-03-02 22:14:54','2012-03-02 22:14:54','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_223\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Baling how - China\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Balin_Hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-223\" title=\"Balin_Hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Balin_Hou-150x150.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-4','','','2012-03-02 22:14:54','2012-03-02 22:14:54','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(141,2,'2011-04-08 19:13:24','2011-04-08 19:13:24','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\n\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p><!--more-->\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\n\n<ul>\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\n</ul>\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\n\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\n\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\n</ul>\nDave, European-American Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\n</ul>\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\n<ul>\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\n\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\n<ul>\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\n</ul>\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\n<ul>\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\n\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\n\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-16','','','2011-04-08 19:13:24','2011-04-08 19:13:24','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(137,2,'2011-04-08 19:09:19','2011-04-08 19:09:19','<strong>Abstract</strong>\n\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\n\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\n\n<ul>\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\n</ul>\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\n\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\n\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\n</ul>\nDave, European-American Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\n</ul>\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\n<ul>\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\n\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\n<ul>\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\n</ul>\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\n<ul>\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\n\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\n\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-13','','','2011-04-08 19:09:19','2011-04-08 19:09:19','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(139,2,'2011-04-08 19:11:27','2011-04-08 19:11:27','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-15','','','2011-04-08 19:11:27','2011-04-08 19:11:27','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(138,2,'2011-04-08 19:09:27','2011-04-08 19:09:27','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\" class=\"mcePaste\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;\"></div>\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-14','','','2011-04-08 19:09:27','2011-04-08 19:09:27','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(142,2,'2011-04-08 19:13:28','2011-04-08 19:13:28','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p><!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-17','','','2011-04-08 19:13:28','2011-04-08 19:13:28','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(143,2,'2011-04-08 19:14:33','2011-04-08 19:14:33','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.<!--more--></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-18','','','2011-04-08 19:14:33','2011-04-08 19:14:33','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(144,2,'2011-04-08 19:15:14','2011-04-08 19:15:14','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.<!--more--></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-19','','','2011-04-08 19:15:14','2011-04-08 19:15:14','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(145,2,'2011-04-08 19:16:13','2011-04-08 19:16:13','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more--><p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>Rick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-20','','','2011-04-08 19:16:13','2011-04-08 19:16:13','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(146,2,'2011-03-20 04:32:25','2011-03-20 04:32:25','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-17','','','2011-03-20 04:32:25','2011-03-20 04:32:25','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/54-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(147,2,'2011-04-08 19:28:15','2011-04-08 19:28:15','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-18','','','2011-04-08 19:28:15','2011-04-08 19:28:15','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/54-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(148,2,'2011-04-08 19:28:15','2011-04-08 19:28:15','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-19','','','2011-04-08 19:28:15','2011-04-08 19:28:15','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/54-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(149,2,'2011-04-08 19:29:17','2011-04-08 19:29:17','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-20','','','2011-04-08 19:29:17','2011-04-08 19:29:17','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/54-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(150,2,'2011-03-24 01:29:23','2011-03-24 01:29:23','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-37','','','2011-03-24 01:29:23','2011-03-24 01:29:23','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/6-revision-37/',0,'revision','',0),(151,2,'2011-04-08 19:29:49','2011-04-08 19:29:49','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-38','','','2011-04-08 19:29:49','2011-04-08 19:29:49','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/6-revision-38/',0,'revision','',0),(152,2,'2011-04-08 19:17:21','2011-04-08 19:17:21','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-21','','','2011-04-08 19:17:21','2011-04-08 19:17:21','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(153,2,'2011-04-08 19:31:00','2011-04-08 19:31:00','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-22','','','2011-04-08 19:31:00','2011-04-08 19:31:00','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(154,2,'2011-04-08 19:38:02','2011-04-08 19:38:02','','icon2','','inherit','open','open','','icon2','','','2011-04-08 19:38:02','2011-04-08 19:38:02','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(155,14,'2012-04-16 04:44:29','2012-04-16 04:44:29','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\n\nThree engineers, an Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\n\n<strong>Case Study </strong>\n\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\n\n<ul>\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">We welcome your comments on this Case Study.</span></li>\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended for Rick, Dave and Teijinder, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\n</ul>\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\n\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\n\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\n<ul>\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\n</ul>\nDave, European-American Manager\n<ul>\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\n</ul>\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\n<ul>\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy to Resolve the Situation</strong>\n\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together? </em>\n\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\n<ul>\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability.</li>\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\n</ul>\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\n<ul>\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\n\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\n\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\n\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-autosave','','','2012-04-16 04:44:29','2012-04-16 04:44:29','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(156,2,'2011-04-08 19:36:25','2011-04-08 19:36:25','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-23','','','2011-04-08 19:36:25','2011-04-08 19:36:25','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(157,2,'2011-04-08 19:40:20','2011-04-08 19:40:20','<strong><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"></a><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-24','','','2011-04-08 19:40:20','2011-04-08 19:40:20','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(161,2,'2011-04-08 20:20:53','2011-04-08 20:20:53','<strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-27','','','2011-04-08 20:20:53','2011-04-08 20:20:53','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(160,2,'2011-04-08 20:18:59','2011-04-08 20:18:59','<strong><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"></a><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"></a><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"></a><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon21.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-158\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon21.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-26','','','2011-04-08 20:18:59','2011-04-08 20:18:59','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(159,2,'2011-04-08 20:15:53','2011-04-08 20:15:53','<strong><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"></a><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"></a><a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-25','','','2011-04-08 20:15:53','2011-04-08 20:15:53','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(162,2,'2011-04-08 20:23:13','2011-04-08 20:23:13','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" title=\"icon2\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-28','','','2011-04-08 20:23:13','2011-04-08 20:23:13','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(163,2,'2011-04-08 20:24:29','2011-04-08 20:24:29','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p><!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-29','','','2011-04-08 20:24:29','2011-04-08 20:24:29','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(164,2,'2011-04-08 19:29:49','2011-04-08 19:29:49','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-39','','','2011-04-08 19:29:49','2011-04-08 19:29:49','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/6-revision-39/',0,'revision','',0),(165,2,'2011-04-08 20:27:39','2011-04-08 20:27:39','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-40','','','2011-04-08 20:27:39','2011-04-08 20:27:39','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/6-revision-40/',0,'revision','',0),(166,14,'2011-04-08 20:26:29','2011-04-08 20:26:29','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\n Trust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-30','','','2011-04-08 20:26:29','2011-04-08 20:26:29','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(167,2,'2011-04-08 20:35:40','2011-04-08 20:35:40','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\n Three engineers, a Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-31','','','2011-04-08 20:35:40','2011-04-08 20:35:40','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(168,2,'2011-04-08 20:39:44','2011-04-08 20:39:44','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nThree engineers, an Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-32','','','2011-04-08 20:39:44','2011-04-08 20:39:44','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(169,2,'2011-04-08 19:29:17','2011-04-08 19:29:17','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download the click below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-21','','','2011-04-08 19:29:17','2011-04-08 19:29:17','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/54-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(170,2,'2011-04-08 20:44:37','2011-04-08 20:44:37','<strong>How Trust can Lead to Breakthroughs Across Borders</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Presentation at Asian Professional Women in Technology, Silicon Valley</em>\r\nby Anjali Rao and Marian Stetson-Rodriguez\r\n\r\nTo download, click on the link below.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-lead-breakthroughs-across-borders/pdf/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-58\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/pdf.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" /></a> <a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Lead-Breakthroughs-Across-Borders-Trust.pdf\">Lead Breakthroughs Across Borders-Trust</a>','How to Lead Breakthroughs across Borders','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision-22','','','2011-04-08 20:44:37','2011-04-08 20:44:37','',54,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/54-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(171,2,'2011-04-08 20:42:26','2011-04-08 20:42:26','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nThree engineers, an Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together to resolve the situation? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-33','','','2011-04-08 20:42:26','2011-04-08 20:42:26','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0),(172,2,'2011-04-08 20:55:06','2011-04-08 20:55:06','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nThree engineers, an Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Please comment on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy to Resolve the Situation</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-34','','','2011-04-08 20:55:06','2011-04-08 20:55:06','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(173,2,'2011-04-08 20:57:36','2011-04-08 20:57:36','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nThree engineers, an Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">We welcome your comments on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended for Rick, Dave and Teijinder, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy to Resolve the Situation</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-35','','','2011-04-08 20:57:36','2011-04-08 20:57:36','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(174,14,'2011-03-19 05:12:51','2011-03-19 05:12:51','Having trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract.</strong> If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study</strong> (about a page) to see how \"normal\" behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, \"How To\'s\" to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Attibutes </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and <strong>Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are here. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what finally happened? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see how things worked out.\r\n\r\nCheck back later as we add more case studies for different management categories and countries.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Case Studies','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-14','','','2011-03-19 05:12:51','2011-03-19 05:12:51','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/17-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(175,14,'2011-04-15 18:21:41','2011-04-15 18:21:41','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>Viewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-15','','','2011-04-15 18:21:41','2011-04-15 18:21:41','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(176,14,'2011-04-15 18:21:41','2011-04-15 18:21:41','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>Viewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-16','','','2011-04-15 18:21:41','2011-04-15 18:21:41','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(177,14,'2011-04-15 18:22:54','2011-04-15 18:22:54','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>Viewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/case-studies/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-17','','','2011-04-15 18:22:54','2011-04-15 18:22:54','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(178,14,'2011-04-15 18:22:54','2011-04-15 18:22:54','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>Viewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-18','','','2011-04-15 18:22:54','2011-04-15 18:22:54','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(179,14,'2011-04-15 18:23:18','2011-04-15 18:23:18','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>Viewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-19','','','2011-04-15 18:23:18','2011-04-15 18:23:18','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(180,14,'2011-04-15 18:23:18','2011-04-15 18:23:18','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>Viewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-20','','','2011-04-15 18:23:18','2011-04-15 18:23:18','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(181,14,'2011-04-15 18:24:18','2011-04-15 18:24:18','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>\r\nViewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-21','','','2011-04-15 18:24:18','2011-04-15 18:24:18','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(182,14,'2011-04-15 18:24:18','2011-04-15 18:24:18','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>\r\nViewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-22','','','2011-04-15 18:24:18','2011-04-15 18:24:18','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(183,14,'2011-04-15 18:27:29','2011-04-15 18:27:29','<strong>Case Studies</strong> –business stories of the global team members, as told from their perspective in the real working environments.\r\n\r\nHaving trained over 14,000 people, we at Charis have heard MANY stories of global business conflicts and challenges, and it\'s time to share some of the best. Charis Case Studies are told from the perspective of one of the real people in the situation, with their permission, and with the names changed. \r\n\r\nAs you peruse, check out the succinct <strong>Abstract</strong>. If it looks interesting, read the whole <strong>Case Study </strong>(about a page) to see how “normal” behaviors, assumptions, good intentions, missing cues, business pressures, etc. create havoc. Of course you want to take away some short, sweet, “How To’s” to prevent or repair these cross-cultural conundrums, so the synthesis of <strong>Cultural Factors </strong>(reading the minds of the players) and<strong> Intercultural Strategies </strong>(recommended actions for success) are provided. They may look similar to a situation you are in! Want to know what happened in the end? Jump to <strong>Epilog</strong>, to see the conclusion – the real stuff.\r\n\r\n<strong>\r\nViewpoint</strong> – Our global business consultants share their viewpoint , evaluate today’s cross-cultural issues, recommend best practices for challenges. They can speak above the noise of information overload to keep you in touch with trends and future developments. Check our tags under <strong>Viewpoint </strong>to select your area of interest, learn and comment on global team interactions.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-75\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/help-for-readers/passport/\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-75\" title=\"passport\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/passport.gif\" alt=\"Case Study picture\" width=\"220\" height=\"94\" /></a>','Help for Readers','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-23','','','2011-04-15 18:27:29','2011-04-15 18:27:29','',17,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/17-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(184,14,'2011-04-08 20:59:17','2011-04-08 20:59:17','<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-154\" title=\"icon2\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon2.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nThree engineers, an Asian-American, an Indian and a European-American manager rescue a web programming application, but almost fail in the process. It takes the combination of each culture’s approach to assemble diverse engineering knowledge in the organization and create a breakthrough in time to launch the high priority software.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m Rick, an Asian-American software engineer, who was asked to work on and take over a web programming application that had not launched. Over chat and email, my manager, Dave (a White American), said that this was an important project to start right away, and I trusted that he would give me the project scope, requirements, and necessary resources from the previous owner.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lost in Limbo</span></strong></em>\r\nA month passed without an official meeting to pass on the project from its previous owners. Requirements remained very vague, so I continued to work on my other projects. After two months, pressure came from Dave’s manager to release the web application with some new project requirements and an aggressive date. Now I was under pressure, but didn’t have the capability or experience to deliver the project on my own. I brought my concerns to Dave, but he could not get additional resources. His response was to finish it as soon as possible, with a “get it done!” attitude. Tejinder, an Indian engineer also reporting to Dave, noted the situation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Rick Plays it Safe</em></strong>\r\nI’m a quiet, reserved kind of person. I dedicate hours of my own time to gather data, test new methods, and prepare recommendations to fellow team members. <!--more-->I don\'t take many risks; better to get consensus among the team before investing time in a new process or before heading in a completely new direction. I like to work in smaller teams, or alone. I would stick up for friends and save face, never put them on the spot by announcing something to a larger audience when it wasn’t finished. I dreaded the loss of face if I disappointed everybody.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Teijinder’s Plugged-in Style</em></strong>\r\nTejinder offered to help me, and his extensive network went into action. He knows what’s going on in the organization, gets information from friends, family and colleagues during a discussion on another project or at a team off site. He takes risks to discover new opportunities, which have appeared to me as meddling in areas that didn’t concern him. He tends to start working on new tasks as soon as possible, and may be involved in multiple projects at once, often doing favors for others to strengthen relationships.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Tejinder helped to get things moving by advocating the value of my project to a wider audience, scheduling meetings with engineers in other teams he’d worked with in the past. He was having lunch with the intern coordinator and they discussed my programming project, and Tejinder discovered that two interns were available to help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Dave Accelerates</em></strong>\r\nDave had been at the company many years, and tended to focus on each project in isolation. As pressure rose, Dave decided to email other managers, requesting volunteers and a design mentor for me, and while a bit late in the game, successfully recruited these resources.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Multicultural Teamwork</em></strong>\r\nIt was challenging for me to work with the ideas and new approaches a troupe of volunteers, interns, and a mentor, but their input was what I needed. My initial design was rejected by management. Back to my resources, we reworked it, persistence paid off, and I found an existing program (used for another project) that contained a core piece of code that could be adapted to this project.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I reevaluated my earlier impressions of Dave and Teijinder. Was Dave such a successful project manager, when he accepted this project without the talent or time to accomplish it? Was Teijinder over-extended with multiple projects, when he could leverage these resources so skillfully during my high pressure project? Should I have been more assertive with Dave, managing him to get clearer requirements at the beginning?</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">We welcome your comments on this Case Study.</span></li>\r\n <li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To see how this case study ended for Rick, Dave and Teijinder, go to Epilogue.<strong> </strong></span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> Cultural Factors</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What are the cultural factors operating in this case?</em></strong>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Careful to take well calculated risks, willing to work very hard</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is indirect, expects others will see his needs</li>\r\n <li>Team player, prefers to work with small circle of known friends</li>\r\n <li>Will defend his friends to save face, would like the same done for him</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Believes in working your way up the corporate ladder</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, challenges others to support their points</li>\r\n <li>Results-oriented, competitive, very time conscious</li>\r\n <li>Patriotic, respects authority</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTeijinder, Indian Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li> Believes hard work and ingenuity will bring success</li>\r\n <li>Communication style is direct, debates and gives opinion in meetings</li>\r\n <li>Respects elders, often does favors, has many social connections</li>\r\n <li>Can be involved in multiple projects and tasks at once</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy to Resolve the Situation</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><strong><strong><strong> </strong></strong></strong>How could they work more effectively together? </em>\r\n\r\nRick, Asian-American Engineer, to work more effectively with Dave:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Initiative: Take more leadership, request a formal project hand-off from Dave. Build alliances to generate future support and influence.</li>\r\n <li>Analysis: Pro-actively identify and gather your requirements; use data to “speak Dave’s language.”</li>\r\n <li>Planning: Show the amount of resources (skills, man-hours) needed beyond Rick’s capability. </li>\r\n <li>Communication: Be direct, let Dave know what factors were slowing down progress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDave, European-American Manager, to work more effectively with Rick:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Trust: Create transparency, reduce ambiguity and anticipate requirements by creating a detailed plan that they both can agree on. This will eliminate surprises, and build Rick’s confidence in himself and in his manager.</li>\r\n <li>Leading: Generate enthusiasm for your group, influence peer and higher level stakeholders earlier.</li>\r\n <li>Career Development for Rick: Encourage Rick to expand his network for broader contribution and visibility across the organization. Recommend training to build his skills in the direction the company is going.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilogue</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>What happened in the end? Did this situation get resolved?</em> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Prototype Released, Happier Team </strong>\r\n\r\nTrust within Dave’s team strengthened, and Rick felt a lot more confident with a consensus on the goals of the project and transparency on what the deliverables were. With Tejinder’s help, insight, and active discussion to bring more attention to the project, Rick’s concerns decreased. Dave found Rick a mentor with experience building similar web applications. The project moved along much better than it started, and a prototype application was released by the target date. With this team composed of three different cultures, the perception of the project and the happiness of team greatly improved.','How Different Styles Saved the Software','','inherit','open','open','','117-revision-36','','','2011-04-08 20:59:17','2011-04-08 20:59:17','',117,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/117-revision-36/',0,'revision','',0),(185,14,'2011-04-08 20:27:39','2011-04-08 20:27:39','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-41','','','2011-04-08 20:27:39','2011-04-08 20:27:39','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/6-revision-41/',0,'revision','',0),(186,14,'2011-04-15 18:33:35','2011-04-15 18:33:35','<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-45\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/stressed-out-over-deadlines-for-engineering-sales-rfp/icon1/\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-45\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/icon1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" /></a><strong>Abstract</strong>\r\n\r\nBoth ethnic (Italian and US) and functional (Sales vs. Engineering) cultures clash when trying to construct a winning proposal for a client’s photovoltaic system. With meetings running long, deadlines shifting, and procedures changing, there are challenges and cultural misunderstandings for this technical - business team to get the proposal finished by the deadline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Case Study</strong>\r\n\r\nWe were creating a proposal for a photovoltaic system for a client. I, John, was working on the technical portion of it with an Italian business development manager named Enzo who was working the sales/financial portion. My boss assigned the proposal to me and interacts on a regular basis with Enzo’s boss. He gave us one deadline and didn’t assign who was the lead on the proposal. This caused us both to share the lead on our own parts, however each of our parts relied on the other’s to complete. Often I’d be waiting on him to get his part to me, like when he needed to get the costs from our suppliers so I could decide which equipment to use on the project. He would promise to give the supplier a call, but didn’t give me a timeframe of when I could expect those prices. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMany of the problems that arose during our work were based on culture. Since Enzo is Italian, I could see how he values reason, family ties, charisma, and freedom. I noticed right away the importance of his family when he showed me pictures during our first meeting, and his emotional style with gestures is very charismatic. As an American engineer, I value time (quicker the better), work-life balance, competition, and challenges. I like keeping my work and social life separate so I don’t think Enzo appreciated it when I didn’t really open up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so closed off, but I found Enzo’s style intrusive.\r\n\r\nEnzo was very social which really helps in sales, but didn’t help him keep on time to meetings. In meetings he was constantly answering his cell or stepping out to talk to a colleague. The meeting could be scheduled for just an hour, but by the time we got through everything with the interruptions it would last a couple hours. In meetings with clients, Enzo was all business and would take control of the meeting. I wished I got the same respect in our meetings as he gave to the clients. I constantly had to reschedule other meetings and apologize to other coworkers for my tardiness.\r\n\r\nSoon Enzo and I were having heated discussions over deadlines. I wasn’t given much notice on any of the deadlines because he would discuss timelines with the client without informing me. He would then ask me for things when he got around to it which would put me in a pinch for time. His attitude was always carefree, as if there were endless amounts of time, even if a deadline was approaching.\r\n\r\nI would put all my information that Enzo needed in a report or email, but he still felt the need to come by and discuss it with me. Sales are always “running” around, traveling, working long hours, and multitasking as if everything they are doing is highly important and has to be finished right now. As an engineer I like procedures, agendas, and working on one task at a time which wasn’t a good fit with Enzo’s seat of the pants style.\r\n\r\nTo see how this case study ended, go to Epilogue\r\n\r\n<strong>Cultural Attributes</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Linear organization of time, punctuality and deadlines are valued</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by focusing on the work that they share</li>\r\n <li>Respect is felt when his time is used within expected boundaries (punctual start times, enough time to meet deadlines)</li>\r\n <li>Roles are assumed to by same level on the project “different by equal”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Fluid and overlapping (multi-tasking) organization of time with team mates, but punctual for clients</li>\r\n <li>Builds rapport by blending social and personal with work</li>\r\n <li>Assumes higher rank (due to manager title and relationship with client), so he leads the project and John</li>\r\n <li>Agility is valued, enabling one to respond to people and situations creatively with excitement rather than stress.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Intercultural Strategy</strong>\r\n\r\nJohn, U.S. Engineer, to work more effectively with Enzo:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Be more open, personally, so Enzo can get to know me and feel comfortable with who he is working with.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: In meetings, I will have a mental idea of what I want to cover, but expect him to jump around on topics. To reduce my stress level, I will leave more time after our meetings to account for them running long, and bring my computer so I can work while he is on the phone or running late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Give him a paper/email, not assume he will read it, and expect to discuss it. The paper trail will be my way of tracking that I completed my portion.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: I will try to get a commitment from him, and remind him whenever I pass him in the hall. If this doesn’t work, then I can go to my boss and ask him to lay down some milestones (although this would be a last resort.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEnzo, Italian Sales Manager, to work more effectively with John:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Rapport: Talk about the roles we have, and how I expect to lead this project. Let John know about other projects I’m working, their importance, and how that can impact our project.</li>\r\n <li>Meetings: Set up a calendar of project meetings, and notify John if I will be late.</li>\r\n <li>Email: Let John know whether you prefer phone calls to email.</li>\r\n <li>Deadlines: Set milestones and discuss them with John as they approach, inform him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ahead of time</span> if deadlines need to change.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Epilog</strong>\r\n\r\nRFP Deadline Met, How about a Beer?\r\n\r\nIn the end, we got the RFP completed and submitted on time, although I was a little stressed by the end of it all. However, Enzo seemed completely at ease and satisfied with how it turned out. I asked him if we could discuss it. He agreed but said it had to be over beers because we had to celebrate the completion. Over beers I explained how I needed more guidelines for tasks, and he laughed a bit and said “You need to roll with it more!” He made me realize how everything did work out without sticking to straight path. By understanding his Italian culture and multi-active personality I know what to expect and feel better prepared to work with him again in the future. I hope that I can keep learning from his style because it will be great asset when I move into a management position at work.','Stressed Out over Deadlines for Engineering / Sales Team','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-42','','','2011-04-15 18:33:35','2011-04-15 18:33:35','',6,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/6-revision-42/',0,'revision','',0),(217,14,'2012-01-17 20:36:57','2012-01-17 20:36:57','If you manage a multicultural team, and you’ve had to mediate a conflict between two or more team members from different cultures (and what supervisor or manager hasn’t had to do this, right?), you may have experienced the same situation that I’ve experienced as an intercultural mediator. You start off the mediation by asking, “What would a perfect resolution to this challenge look like for you?” and you get two similar yet different answers. One party says, “I want this to stop AND I want him (or her) off the team!” and the other party says, “I want this to stop and I want to be acknowledged for my contributions to the team.” Both parties want the behavior to stop but they want two different resolutions to make it stop.\r\n\r\nAs an interculturalist, it is always interesting to me to see the cultural aspects to these responses. The first response – I want to end this untenable situation by removing the offending party – is focusing on ending the problem immediately. It is “present-oriented” and resolves the problem quickly. The second response – I want to end this untenable situation through acknowledging contributions – requires much more energy and communication than the first. This response is “future-oriented” and suggests that all team members remain, but work be done to ensure the future of the team through communication and acknowledging resulting hardships from the conflict.\r\n\r\nMost interculturalists would bet that the first response comes from someone from an individualistic culture, one that focuses on personal rights and immediate consequences that might even end the relationship. They would probably bet that the second response comes from someone of a collectivist culture, one that focuses on harmony within the team and solving issues so that the relationship will grow. This is a critical difference: some cultures focus on the individual and some cultures focus on the group.\r\n\r\nOh, and one more thing. As the mediator, don’t forget your own cultural filters. You will be seeing the “facts” through your cultural filters which might cause you to unconsciously favor one side over another.\r\n\r\nWhen you manage a multicultural team or group, consider these simple suggestions for mediating a conflict:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework before the mediation meeting</strong><strong>. </strong><strong> </strong><strong>\r\n</strong>Research each cultures\' orientation with regard to \"individualism\" and \"collectivism\" (including your own culture) so that you will have prior knowledge of some cultural values of each culture. A web tool to compare countries on this cultural dimension at <a href=\"http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html\">http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html</a>. <strong><em>GOAL</em></strong><em>: increase your understanding of, and sensitivity to, the influence of culture in a conflict</em><em>.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>Start the meeting by asking each party to describe the resolution that they want</strong>. �\r\nEngage the parties in a discussion about the differences, focusing on the value that drives the expectation. You may find that each party has the same value (respect, for instance) but the behavior that each party associates with respect may be different. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> find cultural commonalities as a way to connect the parties at a deep leve</em><em>l.</em></li>\r\n <li><strong>If the parties have the same or a similar value, facilitate the mediation by periodically referring back </strong><strong>to it.\r\n</strong>When both parties have the same value, even though the behavior associated with the value is different, use that \"value connection\" as a way to encourage discussion about differences in behavior. <strong><em>GOAL:</em></strong><em> take the focus off the behaviors that drove the conflict and </em><em>o</em><em>nto the realm of understanding where the conflict began. </em> Here is where potential resolution will begin.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nJacqueline Oliveira, M.A., is Director of Global Teams Practice at Charis and can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a>','Mediation in Multicultural Teams','','inherit','open','open','','207-revision-8','','','2012-01-17 20:36:57','2012-01-17 20:36:57','',207,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/207-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(189,3,'2011-04-15 18:46:35','2011-04-15 18:46:35','<blockquote><em>A \'No\' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a \'Yes\' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. - </em><em>Mohandas Gandhi</em></blockquote>\r\nIts 9:00 p.m in Mountain View, California (USA) and you are on what feels like a never ending teleconference call with your team in Chennai, India. After the presentation, you ask, so do we all agree to this deadline? Chances are you may get silence, and then again, chances are that you may just get a Yes. Does that mean Yes-I-agree? Maybe, then again, maybe not!\r\n\r\nIn almost 90% of the Working with India training sessions I conduct, this question/issue poses problems of mistrust and miscommunication in the team. A lot of the trainees feel frustration and confusion when they hear a Yes but don\'t see the required action and follow-through. There could be a variety of reasons why this is happening like prevalent organizational hierarchy, propensity to please, insecurity regarding one\'s role in the team etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>The 3 Cs</strong>: Talking with Indian managers over the years, I\'ve gleaned these 3C\'s recommendations and best practices for you when working with Indians:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Clarify</strong>, clarify, and clarify roles and responsibilities, available resources of headcount, access to tools, and dates for milestones and deliverables.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate</strong> expectations and give the Big Picture i.e., what happens when they miss a deadline and how that can impact the team and other stakeholders\' goals.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Create </strong>a \"safe\" environment where risk-averse employees can \"think outside the box\", provide ingenious solutions and feel protected even they make mistakes.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn a country full of paradoxes, Gandhi\'s quote above is the inspirational ideal sparking millions of people to say No during the Independence movement. But deep set hierarchical values can give rise to Yes still producing misunderstanding. By being truly open to the cultural diversity impacting communication, and using the 3Cs, you can earn trust and a solid <strong>YES!</strong> commitment from Indian employees.','Is that a Yes that I hear??','','publish','open','open','','is-that-a-yes-that-i-hear','','','2011-04-15 18:46:58','2011-04-15 18:46:58','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=189',0,'post','',1),(190,14,'2011-04-15 18:44:03','2011-04-15 18:44:03','<blockquote><em>A \'No\' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a \'Yes\' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.</em>\n<em>- Mohandas Gandhi</em></blockquote>\nIts 9:00 p.m in Mountain View, California (USA) and you are on what feels like a never ending teleconference call with your team in Chennai, India. After the presentation, you ask, so do we all agree to this deadline? Chances are you may get silence, and then again, chances are that you may just get a Yes. Does that mean Yes-I-agree? Maybe, then again, maybe not!\n\nIn almost 90% of the Working with India training sessions I conduct, this question/issue poses problems of mistrust and miscommunication in the team. A lot of the trainees feel frustration and confusion when they hear a Yes but don\'t see the required action and follow-through. There could be a variety of reasons why this is happening like prevalent organizational hierarchy, propensity to please, insecurity regarding one\'s role in the team etc.\n\n<strong>The 3 Cs</strong>: Talking with Indian managers over the years, I\'ve gleaned these 3C\'s recommendations and best practices for you when working with Indians:\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Clarify</strong>, clarify, and clarify roles and responsibilities, available resources of headcount, access to tools, and dates for milestones and deliverables.</li>\n <li><strong>Communicate</strong> expectations and give the Big Picture i.e., what happens when they miss a deadline and how that can impact the team and other stakeholders\' goals.</li>\n <li><strong>Create </strong>a \"safe\" environment where risk-averse employees can \"think outside the box\", provide ingenious solutions and feel protected even they make mistakes.</li>\n</ol>\nIn a country full of paradoxes, Gandhi\'s quote above is the inspirational ideal sparking millions of people to say No during the Independence movement. But deep set hierarchical values can give rise to Yes still producing misunderstanding. By being truly open to the cultural diversity impacting communication, and using the 3Cs, you can earn trust and a solid <strong>YES!</strong> commitment from Indian employees.','Is that a Yes that I hear??','','inherit','open','open','','189-revision','','','2011-04-15 18:44:03','2011-04-15 18:44:03','',189,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/189-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(191,14,'2011-04-15 18:44:06','2011-04-15 18:44:06','<blockquote><em>A \'No\' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a \'Yes\' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.</em>\r\n<em>- Mohandas Gandhi</em></blockquote>\r\nIts 9:00 p.m in Mountain View, California (USA) and you are on what feels like a never ending teleconference call with your team in Chennai, India. After the presentation, you ask, so do we all agree to this deadline? Chances are you may get silence, and then again, chances are that you may just get a Yes. Does that mean Yes-I-agree? Maybe, then again, maybe not!\r\n\r\nIn almost 90% of the Working with India training sessions I conduct, this question/issue poses problems of mistrust and miscommunication in the team. A lot of the trainees feel frustration and confusion when they hear a Yes but don\'t see the required action and follow-through. There could be a variety of reasons why this is happening like prevalent organizational hierarchy, propensity to please, insecurity regarding one\'s role in the team etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>The 3 Cs</strong>: Talking with Indian managers over the years, I\'ve gleaned these 3C\'s recommendations and best practices for you when working with Indians:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Clarify</strong>, clarify, and clarify roles and responsibilities, available resources of headcount, access to tools, and dates for milestones and deliverables.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate</strong> expectations and give the Big Picture i.e., what happens when they miss a deadline and how that can impact the team and other stakeholders\' goals.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Create </strong>a \"safe\" environment where risk-averse employees can \"think outside the box\", provide ingenious solutions and feel protected even they make mistakes.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn a country full of paradoxes, Gandhi\'s quote above is the inspirational ideal sparking millions of people to say No during the Independence movement. But deep set hierarchical values can give rise to Yes still producing misunderstanding. By being truly open to the cultural diversity impacting communication, and using the 3Cs, you can earn trust and a solid <strong>YES!</strong> commitment from Indian employees.','Is that a Yes that I hear??','','inherit','open','open','','189-revision-2','','','2011-04-15 18:44:06','2011-04-15 18:44:06','',189,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/189-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(192,14,'2011-04-15 18:44:39','2011-04-15 18:44:39','<blockquote><em>A \'No\' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a \'Yes\' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.</em>\r\n<em>- Mohandas Gandhi</em></blockquote>\r\nIts 9:00 p.m in Mountain View, California (USA) and you are on what feels like a never ending teleconference call with your team in Chennai, India. After the presentation, you ask, so do we all agree to this deadline? Chances are you may get silence, and then again, chances are that you may just get a Yes. Does that mean Yes-I-agree? Maybe, then again, maybe not!\r\n\r\nIn almost 90% of the Working with India training sessions I conduct, this question/issue poses problems of mistrust and miscommunication in the team. A lot of the trainees feel frustration and confusion when they hear a Yes but don\'t see the required action and follow-through. There could be a variety of reasons why this is happening like prevalent organizational hierarchy, propensity to please, insecurity regarding one\'s role in the team etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>The 3 Cs</strong>: Talking with Indian managers over the years, I\'ve gleaned these 3C\'s recommendations and best practices for you when working with Indians:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Clarify</strong>, clarify, and clarify roles and responsibilities, available resources of headcount, access to tools, and dates for milestones and deliverables.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate</strong> expectations and give the Big Picture i.e., what happens when they miss a deadline and how that can impact the team and other stakeholders\' goals.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Create </strong>a \"safe\" environment where risk-averse employees can \"think outside the box\", provide ingenious solutions and feel protected even they make mistakes.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn a country full of paradoxes, Gandhi\'s quote above is the inspirational ideal sparking millions of people to say No during the Independence movement. But deep set hierarchical values can give rise to Yes still producing misunderstanding. By being truly open to the cultural diversity impacting communication, and using the 3Cs, you can earn trust and a solid <strong>YES!</strong> commitment from Indian employees.','Is that a Yes that I hear??','','inherit','open','open','','189-revision-3','','','2011-04-15 18:44:39','2011-04-15 18:44:39','',189,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/189-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(193,14,'2011-04-15 18:44:51','2011-04-15 18:44:51','<blockquote><em>A \'No\' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a \'Yes\' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.</em>\r\n<em>- Mohandas Gandhi</em></blockquote>\r\nIts 9:00 p.m in Mountain View, California (USA) and you are on what feels like a never ending teleconference call with your team in Chennai, India. After the presentation, you ask, so do we all agree to this deadline? Chances are you may get silence, and then again, chances are that you may just get a Yes. Does that mean Yes-I-agree? Maybe, then again, maybe not!\r\n\r\nIn almost 90% of the Working with India training sessions I conduct, this question/issue poses problems of mistrust and miscommunication in the team. A lot of the trainees feel frustration and confusion when they hear a Yes but don\'t see the required action and follow-through. There could be a variety of reasons why this is happening like prevalent organizational hierarchy, propensity to please, insecurity regarding one\'s role in the team etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>The 3 Cs</strong>: Talking with Indian managers over the years, I\'ve gleaned these 3C\'s recommendations and best practices for you when working with Indians:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Clarify</strong>, clarify, and clarify roles and responsibilities, available resources of headcount, access to tools, and dates for milestones and deliverables.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate</strong> expectations and give the Big Picture i.e., what happens when they miss a deadline and how that can impact the team and other stakeholders\' goals.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Create </strong>a \"safe\" environment where risk-averse employees can \"think outside the box\", provide ingenious solutions and feel protected even they make mistakes.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn a country full of paradoxes, Gandhi\'s quote above is the inspirational ideal sparking millions of people to say No during the Independence movement. But deep set hierarchical values can give rise to Yes still producing misunderstanding. By being truly open to the cultural diversity impacting communication, and using the 3Cs, you can earn trust and a solid <strong>YES!</strong> commitment from Indian employees.','Is that a Yes that I hear??','','inherit','open','open','','189-revision-4','','','2011-04-15 18:44:51','2011-04-15 18:44:51','',189,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/189-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(194,14,'2011-04-15 18:45:50','2011-04-15 18:45:50','<blockquote><em>A \'No\' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a \'Yes\' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. - </em><em>Mohandas Gandhi</em></blockquote>\r\nIts 9:00 p.m in Mountain View, California (USA) and you are on what feels like a never ending teleconference call with your team in Chennai, India. After the presentation, you ask, so do we all agree to this deadline? Chances are you may get silence, and then again, chances are that you may just get a Yes. Does that mean Yes-I-agree? Maybe, then again, maybe not!\r\n\r\nIn almost 90% of the Working with India training sessions I conduct, this question/issue poses problems of mistrust and miscommunication in the team. A lot of the trainees feel frustration and confusion when they hear a Yes but don\'t see the required action and follow-through. There could be a variety of reasons why this is happening like prevalent organizational hierarchy, propensity to please, insecurity regarding one\'s role in the team etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>The 3 Cs</strong>: Talking with Indian managers over the years, I\'ve gleaned these 3C\'s recommendations and best practices for you when working with Indians:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Clarify</strong>, clarify, and clarify roles and responsibilities, available resources of headcount, access to tools, and dates for milestones and deliverables.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate</strong> expectations and give the Big Picture i.e., what happens when they miss a deadline and how that can impact the team and other stakeholders\' goals.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Create </strong>a \"safe\" environment where risk-averse employees can \"think outside the box\", provide ingenious solutions and feel protected even they make mistakes.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn a country full of paradoxes, Gandhi\'s quote above is the inspirational ideal sparking millions of people to say No during the Independence movement. But deep set hierarchical values can give rise to Yes still producing misunderstanding. By being truly open to the cultural diversity impacting communication, and using the 3Cs, you can earn trust and a solid <strong>YES!</strong> commitment from Indian employees.','Is that a Yes that I hear??','','inherit','open','open','','189-revision-5','','','2011-04-15 18:45:50','2011-04-15 18:45:50','',189,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/189-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(195,14,'2011-04-15 18:46:35','2011-04-15 18:46:35','<blockquote><em>A \'No\' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a \'Yes\' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. - </em><em>Mohandas Gandhi</em></blockquote>\r\nIts 9:00 p.m in Mountain View, California (USA) and you are on what feels like a never ending teleconference call with your team in Chennai, India. After the presentation, you ask, so do we all agree to this deadline? Chances are you may get silence, and then again, chances are that you may just get a Yes. Does that mean Yes-I-agree? Maybe, then again, maybe not!\r\n\r\nIn almost 90% of the Working with India training sessions I conduct, this question/issue poses problems of mistrust and miscommunication in the team. A lot of the trainees feel frustration and confusion when they hear a Yes but don\'t see the required action and follow-through. There could be a variety of reasons why this is happening like prevalent organizational hierarchy, propensity to please, insecurity regarding one\'s role in the team etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>The 3 Cs</strong>: Talking with Indian managers over the years, I\'ve gleaned these 3C\'s recommendations and best practices for you when working with Indians:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Clarify</strong>, clarify, and clarify roles and responsibilities, available resources of headcount, access to tools, and dates for milestones and deliverables.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate</strong> expectations and give the Big Picture i.e., what happens when they miss a deadline and how that can impact the team and other stakeholders\' goals.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Create </strong>a \"safe\" environment where risk-averse employees can \"think outside the box\", provide ingenious solutions and feel protected even they make mistakes.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn a country full of paradoxes, Gandhi\'s quote above is the inspirational ideal sparking millions of people to say No during the Independence movement. But deep set hierarchical values can give rise to Yes still producing misunderstanding. By being truly open to the cultural diversity impacting communication, and using the 3Cs, you can earn trust and a solid <strong>YES!</strong> commitment from Indian employees.','Is that a Yes that I hear??','','inherit','open','open','','189-revision-6','','','2011-04-15 18:46:35','2011-04-15 18:46:35','',189,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/189-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(227,2,'2012-03-02 22:18:17','2012-03-02 22:18:17','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>Growing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-6','','','2012-03-02 22:18:17','2012-03-02 22:18:17','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(228,2,'2012-03-02 22:21:32','2012-03-02 22:21:32','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker one day.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-7','','','2012-03-02 22:21:32','2012-03-02 22:21:32','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(229,2,'2012-03-02 22:22:12','2012-03-02 22:22:12','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker one day.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-8','','','2012-03-02 22:22:12','2012-03-02 22:22:12','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(230,2,'2012-03-02 22:22:56','2012-03-02 22:22:56','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker one day.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-9','','','2012-03-02 22:22:56','2012-03-02 22:22:56','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(231,14,'2012-08-31 18:41:01','2012-08-31 18:41:01','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\n<!--more-->\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-autosave','','','2012-08-31 18:41:01','2012-08-31 18:41:01','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(233,14,'2012-03-02 22:24:07','2012-03-02 22:24:07','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-10','','','2012-03-02 22:24:07','2012-03-02 22:24:07','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(234,14,'2012-03-02 22:40:57','2012-03-02 22:40:57','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-11','','','2012-03-02 22:40:57','2012-03-02 22:40:57','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(235,14,'2012-03-03 00:07:02','2012-03-03 00:07:02','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-12','','','2012-03-03 00:07:02','2012-03-03 00:07:02','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(236,14,'2012-03-03 00:10:20','2012-03-03 00:10:20','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-13','','','2012-03-03 00:10:20','2012-03-03 00:10:20','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(238,14,'2012-03-03 00:12:35','2012-03-03 00:12:35','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-15','','','2012-03-03 00:12:35','2012-03-03 00:12:35','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(237,14,'2012-03-03 00:10:43','2012-03-03 00:10:43','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-14','','','2012-03-03 00:10:43','2012-03-03 00:10:43','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(290,7,'2012-06-04 03:43:08','2012-06-04 03:43:08','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, who had been working with Samsung for a several months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” His co-worker at the Seoul office had a different perspective, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to a resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and as a result, they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heirarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','publish','open','open','','do-you-know-your-team-in-korea','','','2012-06-05 23:33:54','2012-06-05 23:33:54','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=290',0,'post','',0),(242,6,'2012-04-16 04:17:37','2012-04-16 04:17:37','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. <!--more-->\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be an unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','publish','open','open','','motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india','','','2012-05-30 04:59:02','2012-05-30 04:59:02','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=242',0,'post','',0),(243,14,'2012-04-16 03:59:44','2012-04-16 03:59:44','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\n\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager\n\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\n\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\n <li><strong>8. </strong><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\n <li><strong>9. </strong><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong></strong></li>\n</ol>\n10. <strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.\n\n \n\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision','','','2012-04-16 03:59:44','2012-04-16 03:59:44','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(278,14,'2012-04-16 04:51:05','2012-04-16 04:51:05','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-23','','','2012-04-16 04:51:05','2012-04-16 04:51:05','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(245,14,'2012-04-16 04:02:23','2012-04-16 04:02:23','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>8. </strong><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>9. </strong><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong></strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n10. <strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-2','','','2012-04-16 04:02:23','2012-04-16 04:02:23','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(247,14,'2012-04-16 04:12:11','2012-04-16 04:12:11','','Indian Team Meeting','Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.','inherit','open','open','','indian_meeting-2','','','2012-04-16 04:12:11','2012-04-16 04:12:11','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(248,14,'2012-04-16 04:16:06','2012-04-16 04:16:06','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\n\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=247\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\n\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\n <li><strong>8. </strong><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\n <li><strong>9. </strong><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\n</ol>\n10. <strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.\n\n \n\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-3','','','2012-04-16 04:16:06','2012-04-16 04:16:06','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(250,14,'2012-04-16 04:17:06','2012-04-16 04:17:06','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\n\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=247\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\n\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\n <li><strong>8. </strong><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\n <li><strong>9. </strong><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\n</ol>\n10. <strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.\n\n \n\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-5','','','2012-04-16 04:17:06','2012-04-16 04:17:06','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(249,14,'2012-04-16 04:17:03','2012-04-16 04:17:03','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=247\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>8. </strong><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>9. </strong><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n10. <strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-4','','','2012-04-16 04:17:03','2012-04-16 04:17:03','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(251,14,'2012-04-16 04:17:37','2012-04-16 04:17:37','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=247\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>8. </strong><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>9. </strong><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n10. <strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-6','','','2012-04-16 04:17:37','2012-04-16 04:17:37','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(253,14,'2012-04-16 04:19:39','2012-04-16 04:19:39','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-india-2/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-8','','','2012-04-16 04:19:39','2012-04-16 04:19:39','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(252,14,'2012-04-16 04:17:37','2012-04-16 04:17:37','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-india-2/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>8. </strong><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>9. </strong><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n10. <strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-7','','','2012-04-16 04:17:37','2012-04-16 04:17:37','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(254,14,'2012-04-18 00:40:41','2012-04-18 00:40:41','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be an unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-autosave','','','2012-04-18 00:40:41','2012-04-18 00:40:41','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(255,14,'2012-04-16 04:19:39','2012-04-16 04:19:39','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-india-2/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-9','','','2012-04-16 04:19:39','2012-04-16 04:19:39','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(256,14,'2012-04-16 04:23:01','2012-04-16 04:23:01','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-india-2/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-10','','','2012-04-16 04:23:01','2012-04-16 04:23:01','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(257,14,'2012-04-16 04:23:01','2012-04-16 04:23:01','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-india-2/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-11','','','2012-04-16 04:23:01','2012-04-16 04:23:01','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(258,14,'2012-04-16 04:26:20','2012-04-16 04:26:20','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-india-2/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-12','','','2012-04-16 04:26:20','2012-04-16 04:26:20','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(259,14,'2012-04-16 04:26:20','2012-04-16 04:26:20','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-13','','','2012-04-16 04:26:20','2012-04-16 04:26:20','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(260,14,'2012-04-16 04:29:45','2012-04-16 04:29:45','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-14','','','2012-04-16 04:29:45','2012-04-16 04:29:45','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(287,14,'2012-04-16 04:55:50','2012-04-16 04:55:50','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-31','','','2012-04-16 04:55:50','2012-04-16 04:55:50','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(261,2,'2012-04-16 04:16:56','2012-04-16 04:16:56','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Interest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','publish','open','open','','leading-ethical-practices-across-cultures','','','2012-05-30 04:59:33','2012-05-30 04:59:33','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=261',0,'post','',0),(262,14,'2012-04-16 04:32:05','2012-04-16 04:32:05','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\n\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\n\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\n\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\n\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\n\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\n\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\n\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\n<ul>\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\n</ul>\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\n\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision','','','2012-04-16 04:32:05','2012-04-16 04:32:05','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(263,14,'2012-04-16 04:32:13','2012-04-16 04:32:13','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-2','','','2012-04-16 04:32:13','2012-04-16 04:32:13','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(264,14,'2012-04-16 04:40:56','2012-04-16 04:40:56','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-3','','','2012-04-16 04:40:56','2012-04-16 04:40:56','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(265,14,'2012-04-16 04:41:10','2012-04-16 04:41:10','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-4','','','2012-04-16 04:41:10','2012-04-16 04:41:10','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(266,14,'2012-04-16 04:42:33','2012-04-16 04:42:33','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\n\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\n\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\n\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\n\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\n\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\n\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\n\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\n<ul>\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\n</ul>\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\n\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-autosave','','','2012-04-16 04:42:33','2012-04-16 04:42:33','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(267,14,'2012-04-16 04:41:29','2012-04-16 04:41:29','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-5','','','2012-04-16 04:41:29','2012-04-16 04:41:29','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(268,14,'2012-04-16 04:47:16','2012-04-16 04:47:16','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-6','','','2012-04-16 04:47:16','2012-04-16 04:47:16','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(269,14,'2012-04-16 04:29:45','2012-04-16 04:29:45','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-15','','','2012-04-16 04:29:45','2012-04-16 04:29:45','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(272,14,'2012-04-16 04:49:57','2012-04-16 04:49:57','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. \r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-18','','','2012-04-16 04:49:57','2012-04-16 04:49:57','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(270,14,'2012-04-16 04:48:37','2012-04-16 04:48:37','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. <!--more-->\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-16','','','2012-04-16 04:48:37','2012-04-16 04:48:37','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(271,14,'2012-04-16 04:48:37','2012-04-16 04:48:37','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. <!--more-->\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-17','','','2012-04-16 04:48:37','2012-04-16 04:48:37','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(273,14,'2012-04-16 04:49:57','2012-04-16 04:49:57','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. \r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-19','','','2012-04-16 04:49:57','2012-04-16 04:49:57','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(276,14,'2012-04-16 04:51:05','2012-04-16 04:51:05','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-22','','','2012-04-16 04:51:05','2012-04-16 04:51:05','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(274,14,'2012-04-16 04:50:17','2012-04-16 04:50:17','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. <!--more-->\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-20','','','2012-04-16 04:50:17','2012-04-16 04:50:17','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0); INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (275,14,'2012-04-16 04:50:17','2012-04-16 04:50:17','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. <!--more-->\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-21','','','2012-04-16 04:50:17','2012-04-16 04:50:17','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(277,14,'2012-04-16 04:48:09','2012-04-16 04:48:09','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-7','','','2012-04-16 04:48:09','2012-04-16 04:48:09','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(279,14,'2012-04-16 04:54:02','2012-04-16 04:54:02','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-24','','','2012-04-16 04:54:02','2012-04-16 04:54:02','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(280,14,'2012-04-16 04:54:02','2012-04-16 04:54:02','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-25','','','2012-04-16 04:54:02','2012-04-16 04:54:02','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(281,14,'2012-04-16 04:54:30','2012-04-16 04:54:30','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-26','','','2012-04-16 04:54:30','2012-04-16 04:54:30','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(282,14,'2012-04-16 04:54:30','2012-04-16 04:54:30','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-27','','','2012-04-16 04:54:30','2012-04-16 04:54:30','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(283,14,'2012-04-16 04:54:37','2012-04-16 04:54:37','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-28','','','2012-04-16 04:54:37','2012-04-16 04:54:37','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(284,14,'2012-04-16 04:54:37','2012-04-16 04:54:37','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-29','','','2012-04-16 04:54:37','2012-04-16 04:54:37','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(285,14,'2012-04-16 04:55:50','2012-04-16 04:55:50','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they are may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-30','','','2012-04-16 04:55:50','2012-04-16 04:55:50','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(286,14,'2012-04-16 04:52:11','2012-04-16 04:52:11','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-8','','','2012-04-16 04:52:11','2012-04-16 04:52:11','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(288,14,'2012-04-18 00:40:28','2012-04-18 00:40:28','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be an unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-32','','','2012-04-18 00:40:28','2012-04-18 00:40:28','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(289,14,'2012-04-16 04:56:35','2012-04-16 04:56:35','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Intest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-9','','','2012-04-16 04:56:35','2012-04-16 04:56:35','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(293,14,'2012-04-18 00:40:28','2012-04-18 00:40:28','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be an unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-33','','','2012-04-18 00:40:28','2012-04-18 00:40:28','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/242-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0),(294,14,'2012-05-30 01:43:57','2012-05-30 01:43:57','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be an unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-34','','','2012-05-30 01:43:57','2012-05-30 01:43:57','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/242-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(295,14,'2012-04-22 07:49:07','2012-04-22 07:49:07','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Interest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-10','','','2012-04-22 07:49:07','2012-04-22 07:49:07','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/261-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(296,14,'2012-03-05 18:57:43','2012-03-05 18:57:43','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" border=\"0\"/></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-16','','','2012-03-05 18:57:43','2012-03-05 18:57:43','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/219-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(297,14,'2012-05-30 01:41:17','2012-05-30 01:41:17','','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-2','','','2012-05-30 01:41:17','2012-05-30 01:41:17','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(298,14,'2012-05-30 01:52:15','2012-05-30 01:52:15','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if...\n\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-3','','','2012-05-30 01:52:15','2012-05-30 01:52:15','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(299,14,'2012-05-30 01:52:28','2012-05-30 01:52:28','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if...\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-4','','','2012-05-30 01:52:28','2012-05-30 01:52:28','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(300,14,'2012-05-30 01:54:05','2012-05-30 01:54:05','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\n</ol>\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-5','','','2012-05-30 01:54:05','2012-05-30 01:54:05','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(301,14,'2012-05-30 01:54:08','2012-05-30 01:54:08','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-6','','','2012-05-30 01:54:08','2012-05-30 01:54:08','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(302,14,'2012-05-30 01:54:32','2012-05-30 01:54:32','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-7','','','2012-05-30 01:54:32','2012-05-30 01:54:32','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(303,14,'2012-05-30 01:54:45','2012-05-30 01:54:45','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-8','','','2012-05-30 01:54:45','2012-05-30 01:54:45','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(376,14,'2012-05-31 17:35:24','2012-05-31 17:35:24','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_373\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-49','','','2012-05-31 17:35:24','2012-05-31 17:35:24','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-49/',0,'revision','',0),(313,14,'2012-05-30 02:07:12','2012-05-30 02:07:12','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-16','','','2012-05-30 02:07:12','2012-05-30 02:07:12','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(305,14,'2012-05-30 02:02:05','2012-05-30 02:02:05','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\n</ol>\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-9','','','2012-05-30 02:02:05','2012-05-30 02:02:05','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(309,14,'2012-05-30 02:03:58','2012-05-30 02:03:58','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\n</ol>\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-13','','','2012-05-30 02:03:58','2012-05-30 02:03:58','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(306,14,'2012-05-30 02:02:05','2012-05-30 02:02:05','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-10','','','2012-05-30 02:02:05','2012-05-30 02:02:05','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(307,14,'2012-05-30 02:02:05','2012-05-30 02:02:05','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-11','','','2012-05-30 02:02:05','2012-05-30 02:02:05','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(308,14,'2012-05-30 02:02:43','2012-05-30 02:02:43','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-12','','','2012-05-30 02:02:43','2012-05-30 02:02:43','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(312,14,'2012-05-30 02:05:56','2012-05-30 02:05:56','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\n</ol>\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-15','','','2012-05-30 02:05:56','2012-05-30 02:05:56','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(310,14,'2012-05-30 02:04:12','2012-05-30 02:04:12','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-14','','','2012-05-30 02:04:12','2012-05-30 02:04:12','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(394,9,'2012-09-03 11:00:07','2012-09-03 11:00:07','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415 \" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','publish','open','open','','germany-the-post-wall-generation','','','2012-09-21 18:35:12','2012-09-21 18:35:12','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=394',0,'post','',1),(315,14,'2012-05-30 02:08:35','2012-05-30 02:08:35','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n\r\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-18','','','2012-05-30 02:08:35','2012-05-30 02:08:35','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(314,14,'2012-05-30 02:08:15','2012-05-30 02:08:15','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n\n \n\n \n<ol>\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence: </strong><strong><em>Kibun</em></strong><strong> and </strong><strong><em>nunchi</em></strong> <strong>– </strong>For Koreans, the concept of <em>kibun</em> is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect <em>kibun</em> when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using <em>nunchi</em>). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\n <li><strong>Get Introductions </strong><strong>– </strong>You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\n <li><strong>Build Rapport – </strong>Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation – </strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals</span><strong>. </strong>To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back</strong>-<strong>up Person Early</strong> – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a <em>chaebol</em> (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph!</strong> – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\n</ol>\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc.</strong> – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard<strong><em>.</em></strong> They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\n\n ','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-17','','','2012-05-30 02:08:15','2012-05-30 02:08:15','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(316,14,'2012-05-30 02:17:28','2012-05-30 02:17:28','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Who’s Who? - </strong>Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc. </strong>– There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li>Negotiations - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n <li></li>\n</ol>','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-19','','','2012-05-30 02:17:28','2012-05-30 02:17:28','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(317,14,'2012-05-30 02:20:49','2012-05-30 02:20:49','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n\r\n \r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Who’s Who? - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol type=\"1\">\r\n <li>Korea, Inc. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li>Negotiations - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li>Use Cultural Intelligence: Kibun and nunchi – For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li>Get Introductions – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li>Build Rapport – Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li>Build Affiliation – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li>Technology is your Friend – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li>Introduce your Back-up Person Early – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li>From 0 to 90 mph! – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-20','','','2012-05-30 02:20:49','2012-05-30 02:20:49','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(318,14,'2012-05-30 02:21:30','2012-05-30 02:21:30','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n\n \n<ol>\n <li>Who’s Who? - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n</ol>\n<ol type=\"1\">\n <li>Korea, Inc. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li>Negotiations - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n <li>Use Cultural Intelligence: Kibun and nunchi – For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\n <li>Get Introductions – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\n <li>Build Rapport – Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\n <li>Build Affiliation – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\n <li>Technology is your Friend – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\n <li>Introduce your Back-up Person Early – Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\n <li>From 0 to 90 mph! – Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-21','','','2012-05-30 02:21:30','2012-05-30 02:21:30','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(319,14,'2012-05-30 02:23:23','2012-05-30 02:23:23','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-22','','','2012-05-30 02:23:23','2012-05-30 02:23:23','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(320,14,'2012-05-30 02:23:23','2012-05-30 02:23:23','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-23','','','2012-05-30 02:23:23','2012-05-30 02:23:23','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(321,14,'2012-05-30 02:23:29','2012-05-30 02:23:29','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-24','','','2012-05-30 02:23:29','2012-05-30 02:23:29','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(322,14,'2012-05-30 02:23:29','2012-05-30 02:23:29','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-25','','','2012-05-30 02:23:29','2012-05-30 02:23:29','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(323,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:18','2012-05-30 02:24:18','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-26','','','2012-05-30 02:24:18','2012-05-30 02:24:18','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(324,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:18','2012-05-30 02:24:18','<em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-27','','','2012-05-30 02:24:18','2012-05-30 02:24:18','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(325,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:39','2012-05-30 02:24:39','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-28','','','2012-05-30 02:24:39','2012-05-30 02:24:39','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(326,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:39','2012-05-30 02:24:39','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-29','','','2012-05-30 02:24:39','2012-05-30 02:24:39','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(327,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:50','2012-05-30 02:24:50','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-30','','','2012-05-30 02:24:50','2012-05-30 02:24:50','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(328,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:50','2012-05-30 02:24:50','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-31','','','2012-05-30 02:24:50','2012-05-30 02:24:50','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(329,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:55','2012-05-30 02:24:55','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-32','','','2012-05-30 02:24:55','2012-05-30 02:24:55','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(330,14,'2012-05-30 02:24:55','2012-05-30 02:24:55','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-33','','','2012-05-30 02:24:55','2012-05-30 02:24:55','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0),(331,14,'2012-05-30 02:25:10','2012-05-30 02:25:10','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-34','','','2012-05-30 02:25:10','2012-05-30 02:25:10','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(332,14,'2012-05-30 02:25:10','2012-05-30 02:25:10','<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-35','','','2012-05-30 02:25:10','2012-05-30 02:25:10','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(333,14,'2012-05-30 02:25:46','2012-05-30 02:25:46','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-36','','','2012-05-30 02:25:46','2012-05-30 02:25:46','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-36/',0,'revision','',0),(334,14,'2012-05-30 02:25:46','2012-05-30 02:25:46','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-37','','','2012-05-30 02:25:46','2012-05-30 02:25:46','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-37/',0,'revision','',0),(335,14,'2012-05-30 02:51:07','2012-05-30 02:51:07','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-38','','','2012-05-30 02:51:07','2012-05-30 02:51:07','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-38/',0,'revision','',0),(336,14,'2012-05-30 02:51:07','2012-05-30 02:51:07','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ...<!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-39','','','2012-05-30 02:51:07','2012-05-30 02:51:07','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-39/',0,'revision','',0),(337,14,'2012-05-30 02:55:05','2012-05-30 02:55:05','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-40','','','2012-05-30 02:55:05','2012-05-30 02:55:05','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-40/',0,'revision','',0),(338,14,'2012-05-30 02:55:05','2012-05-30 02:55:05','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-41','','','2012-05-30 02:55:05','2012-05-30 02:55:05','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-41/',0,'revision','',0),(339,14,'2012-05-30 02:55:35','2012-05-30 02:55:35','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-42','','','2012-05-30 02:55:35','2012-05-30 02:55:35','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-42/',0,'revision','',0),(340,14,'2012-06-04 03:42:23','2012-06-04 03:42:23','<span style=\"color: #000000;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how:\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','publish','open','open','','wakeup-virtual-meetings','','','2014-02-03 18:13:46','2014-02-03 18:13:46','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=340',0,'post','',3),(342,14,'2012-05-30 02:57:12','2012-05-30 02:57:12','','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 02:57:12','2012-05-30 02:57:12','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(343,14,'2012-05-30 03:04:16','2012-05-30 03:04:16','“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”\n\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\n<ul>\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\n</ul>\n \n\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <strong>Continue….</strong>\n\n \n\n ','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:04:16','2012-05-30 03:04:16','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(344,14,'2012-05-30 03:04:48','2012-05-30 03:04:48','“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:04:48','2012-05-30 03:04:48','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(345,14,'2012-05-30 03:05:36','2012-05-30 03:05:36','“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:05:36','2012-05-30 03:05:36','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(346,14,'2012-05-30 03:05:50','2012-05-30 03:05:50','“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:05:50','2012-05-30 03:05:50','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(347,14,'2012-05-30 03:06:21','2012-05-30 03:06:21','“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\nWake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques\r\n\r\n \r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:06:21','2012-05-30 03:06:21','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(348,14,'2012-05-30 03:06:57','2012-05-30 03:06:57','“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:06:57','2012-05-30 03:06:57','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(349,14,'2012-05-30 03:34:23','2012-05-30 03:34:23','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\n\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\n<ul>\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\n</ul>\n \n\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\n\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<strong> </strong>\n\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!\n','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:34:23','2012-05-30 03:34:23','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(359,14,'2012-05-30 03:41:46','2012-05-30 03:41:46','<span style=\"color: #000000;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\n\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\n<ul>\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\n</ul>\n \n\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\n\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<strong> </strong>\n\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:41:46','2012-05-30 03:41:46','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(350,14,'2012-05-30 03:34:41','2012-05-30 03:34:41','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table style=\"border: #e5b68e 1px solid;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:34:41','2012-05-30 03:34:41','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(351,14,'2012-05-30 03:34:53','2012-05-30 03:34:53','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table style=\"border: #e5b68e 1px solid;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:34:53','2012-05-30 03:34:53','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(352,14,'2012-05-30 03:35:03','2012-05-30 03:35:03','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table style=\"border: #e5b68e 1px solid;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:35:03','2012-05-30 03:35:03','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(353,14,'2012-05-30 03:35:18','2012-05-30 03:35:18','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table style=\"border: #e5b68e 1px solid;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"3\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:35:18','2012-05-30 03:35:18','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(356,14,'2012-05-30 03:39:45','2012-05-30 03:39:45','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table width=\"200\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:39:45','2012-05-30 03:39:45','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(354,14,'2012-05-30 03:37:02','2012-05-30 03:37:02','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"3\" style=\"BORDER-RIGHT: #e5b68e 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #e5b68e 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #e5b68e 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e5b68e 1px solid\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:37:02','2012-05-30 03:37:02','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(355,14,'2012-05-30 03:37:09','2012-05-30 03:37:09','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"3\" style=\"BORDER-RIGHT: #e5b68e 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #e5b68e 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #e5b68e 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e5b68e 1px solid\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:37:09','2012-05-30 03:37:09','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(357,14,'2012-05-30 03:40:32','2012-05-30 03:40:32','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:40:32','2012-05-30 03:40:32','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(358,14,'2012-05-30 03:40:34','2012-05-30 03:40:34','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:40:34','2012-05-30 03:40:34','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(360,14,'2012-05-30 03:42:00','2012-05-30 03:42:00','<span style=\"color: #000000;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:42:00','2012-05-30 03:42:00','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(361,14,'2012-05-30 02:55:35','2012-05-30 02:55:35','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-43','','','2012-05-30 02:55:35','2012-05-30 02:55:35','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-43/',0,'revision','',0),(362,14,'2012-05-30 03:43:08','2012-05-30 03:43:08','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=304\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-44','','','2012-05-30 03:43:08','2012-05-30 03:43:08','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-44/',0,'revision','',0),(363,14,'2012-05-30 03:47:00','2012-05-30 03:47:00','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span> Au contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\n<ul>\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\n</ul>\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more--> <strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"200\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\n<ol>\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\n</ol>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<strong> </strong> These points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-autosave-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:47:00','2012-05-30 03:47:00','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(364,14,'2012-05-30 03:42:23','2012-05-30 03:42:23','<span style=\"color: #000000;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how: <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 03:42:23','2012-05-30 03:42:23','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(365,14,'2012-05-30 01:43:57','2012-05-30 01:43:57','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be an unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-35','','','2012-05-30 01:43:57','2012-05-30 01:43:57','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/242-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(366,14,'2012-05-30 04:59:01','2012-05-30 04:59:01','“We all work for the same (US) company, why aren’t the guys in Bangalore more open with us?”\r\n\r\nThe frustrated manager who said this…was Indian! But he had worked his whole career in the US and was not in touch with what motivated Indian team members to share the good, bad and the ugly with their remote manager.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_247\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Walk the talk! Give them time to analyze before committing.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-247\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/04/motivators-do-you-know-your-team-in-india/indian_meeting-2/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-247\" title=\"Indian Team Meeting\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/indian_meeting1-300x228.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn Charis <strong><em>Working with India</em></strong> programs, Western team leaders ask how to get their India team members to take more individual initiative, make clear commitments (does ‘yes’ mean yes?), and be willing to admit problems early.\r\n\r\nCharis recommends these gold nuggets Westerners can apply to build trust and motivate more collaboration across the distance and difference with Indian teams. <!--more-->\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>“Analyze before Commit” </strong>– This golden rule for Indian engineers prioritizes being accurate, first and foremost. Pressuring them to estimate a distant delivery date can be an unsuccessful exercise for everyone, as they may indulge in people pleasing behavior and state a delivery date they are not able to meet. Give the Indian team members time to analyze the task or project and come back with their commitment and requirements. Have frequent check-ins per week, to be sure the project is on track, and there is no deadline slippage.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Harmony is crucial; avoid embarrassment, anger, confrontation</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive and talkative, while others may be quite reserved; whatever the personality, respect in this collectivist culture is crucial. Even if you feel frustration or anger, don’t show it outwardly. Maintain your composure, Indians will continue communicating with you and increase their respect for you.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Identify decision-makers</strong>. – Generally, authority and decision-making is retained at high levels in the organization. If you’re not getting action from your Indian counterpart, escalating can get results.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check “yes”, understanding, or buy-in.</strong> – Indian conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to add more info, clarify, read between the lines, insist a bit to get an agreement. Particularly in a culture where it is rude to say “no”, circling back is the best way to clarify a hesitant yes into a clear commitment or a verified negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork with explicit instruction. </strong>– A common complaint from Indian team members is that Americans “throw instructions over the wall”, meaning cryptic directions are emailed at the end of the US work day, and are not substantive enough for Indians to know what needs to be done. Often Indians will avoid the risk of inaccurate actions, and delays ensue. Give clear, detailed, step-by-step procedures.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be conscious of rank in the room. </strong>– Junior staff will usually not disagree or speak up in a meeting with higher ranking members present. It is useful to ask individual team members what they think on a particular issue. This tactic encourages them to speak up, and let them know that their opinions matter. If you still need the junior staff’s input, follow up with a one-on-one communication.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Give the “big picture”</strong>. – Spending the time up front to discuss the context in which the work will be done gives Indians the logical framework in which their tasks make sense. Share the strategy, project goal, client relationship, inter-departmental dependencies or other “big picture” context, and you may save a lot of time clarifying why and how later on.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be friendly, flexible, and have a network of Indian contacts (work & social).</strong> – In interviews and training with over 400 Indian engineers, software and IT professionals, Charis finds that “Career opportunity, open communication, direct approach to solving problems, and friendly relationships” are most highly valued, consistently, among Indians in high tech. Indian culture, cuisine, cricket, education, entrepreneurship, and democracy are points of pride that you can explore when motivating Indian team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Role Model: Walk the talk! </strong>– If the team values risk-taking, be explicit about your expectations for initiative and risk taking. Be a risk taker, and praise openly the risk taking that has been exhibited by team members.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Story telling works wonders. </strong>– Share personal work experiences of any problem solving methods you employed. Let your team members know of any projects/situations that are similar to the one you are working on and some of the key learning you have gleaned from experience.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Indians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Anjali Rao, Manager India Practice or Ashok Mathur, Manager India Strategy at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n ','Motivators – Do You Know Your Team in India? ','','inherit','open','open','','242-revision-36','','','2012-05-30 04:59:01','2012-05-30 04:59:01','',242,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/242-revision-36/',0,'revision','',0),(367,14,'2012-05-30 01:44:53','2012-05-30 01:44:53','“Local sales people say clients are accustomed to expensive gifts and entertainment, beyond our policies and potentially bribery.”\r\n\r\n“We’ve encountered ‘elastic truth’ in this project. Can we trust them?”\r\n\r\n“We’re hiring in Country X, are there specific COI (Conflict of Interest) issues to include in employee orientation?”\r\n\r\nEthical dilemmas occur for us all, but when crossing cultures the “right behavior” can be fraught with ambiguity, differing legal systems, loyalty and duty to friends/family, fears, and ignorance or misunderstanding of concepts that are challenging to translate. “Open communications and a willingness to raise difficult issues are more critical ethics determinants than knowing whether there is a helpline,” says behavioral ethics specialist David Gebler. Leading ethical practices globally can be done with a formula of Understanding + Application + Monitoring.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understanding</strong>: Ethics is based on values, and knowing the values and context shared among employees is the right starting place for common understanding. For example, employees in Vietnam may experience strong family pressure to hire relatives, a norm in business. In India, have you heard of “off the record compensation”?\r\n\r\nAshok Mathur shares an illustrative example in India. Prior to the economic liberalization that occurred in 1991, India had punitively high income taxes and low ceilings on managerial income. As a consequence, many organizations compensated management by giving them tax free perquisites and sometimes “off the record compensation”. These practices, from an American perspective, would be unethical and even illegal. Even though the business environment in India has changed, and it is not necessary to compensate management using dubious compensation practices, the <em>tradition</em> continues in many organizations, and is not regarded as unethical. It would be prudent for multinational organizations to discuss all aspects and limits of compensation, have leaders role model company ethics, and be vigilant to ensure that traditional compensation practices do not creep into their India organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>Application:</strong> After “understanding” policies, even taking tests in online training on compliance, employees don’t always make the connection to real ethical dilemmas, and may continue unethical practices (copying intellectual property, asking for kickbacks from suppliers, falsifying receipts, etc.) At Charis we have found employees “get it” when trained with realistic scenarios, specific to their country and job role, then engaged in discussions to examine the ethical dilemma from a different points of view, including the organization’s stance. The legal (local and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and company consequences are made explicit. Areas we have helped clients with include Conflict of Interest*, Intellectual Property, Financial or Expense Reporting, Kickbacks, Falsifying Records, Hiring of Relatives, and Discrimination – from various cultural aspects. Once unethical behavior has occurred, there are benefits to having an outside 3<sup>rd</sup> party consultant who can gain the trust and respect of the group, conduct interviews with confidentiality, deliver ethics training in the local language, and report the suggestions of the employees back to leadership to build more open communication and avoid future infractions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Monitoring</strong>: Support ethical behaviors with channels of communication, and monitoring systems that show leaders are serious about ethics. Some best practices for leaders include:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Lead with personal commitment, and share stories of how you have dealt with ethical dilemmas</li>\r\n <li>Be fully informed of the local laws and traditions where you are operating</li>\r\n <li>Investigate and address unethical behavior swiftly and fairly</li>\r\n <li>Use written tests for hiring positions(avoid hiring based on loyalty) and change tests frequently</li>\r\n <li>Per Diems instead of reimbursed receipts</li>\r\n <li>Help line to report anonymously</li>\r\n <li>Consistent expense reporting practices, with questionable receipts non-reimbursed</li>\r\n <li> Discuss ethics regularly with subordinates, explore team members’ challenges, don’t wait for a crisis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWe do our employees, colleagues and business partners a service by discussing how we will “do the right thing” from a culturally informed position. While it helps to get things in writing, most cultures want to hear what you believe, and watch how you operate in challenging situations. Listen with openness, check assumptions, and be aware of the limitations to your flexibility. Leaders can support success by their commitment to personal responsibility, honesty and fairness, and convey this in clear policies in the local language with consistent fair monitoring.\r\n\r\n ','Leading Ethical Practices Across Cultures','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision-11','','','2012-05-30 01:44:53','2012-05-30 01:44:53','',261,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/261-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(368,14,'2012-05-30 01:45:38','2012-05-30 01:45:38','Ruben and I were finishing our visit to the impressive 3 Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, when Evelyn, our Chinese tour guide impressed me some more. Without any shyness, she asked me to read an economics term paper she’d written in English, and give her feedback. She told me her goal was to be a stock broker! She is like many of China’s top talent in marketing, engineering, IT, under 32 years old and having characteristics global employers should pay attention to. The 240 million member “<em>Baling hou” (</em>After 80’s generation) are shaping consumer patterns and corporate cultures, and giving Western managers interesting challenges to build teamwork. Here are the 10 “Must Know” strategies for your tool kit, when leading a project with young professionals in China.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Evelyn, a Baling hou, aspires to be a stock broker.\"]<a href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou.gif\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"Evelyn_Baling_hou\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Evelyn_Baling_hou-300x224.gif\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGrowing up in modern China, China’s <em>Baling hou</em> are characterized by their optimism for the future, excitement for consumerism and entrepreneurship, openness to the West, and acceptance of their historic role in transforming China into an economic superpower. Broadly speaking, these young people from mostly one-child families are known to be independent, competitive, ambitious, brand-conscious, eager learners, tech-savvy, and enjoying the comforts they earn…now! Companies are experiencing turnover and wage compression when Baling hou seek higher salaries (wages increased 34% in the last 3 years), bonuses, promotions and perqs. How to motivate and retain Chinese young talent in your team? Charis recommends 10 Points to lead your team in China.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Listen, socialize, get to know Chinese employees individually</strong>. – Some will be quite assertive, want opportunities to demo their work in front of others, and ask you personal questions. Others may be quite reserved, and you will need to draw them into conversation. Used to a lot of attention from adults, <em>Baling hou</em> say a close relationship with their manager is a big motivator. When visiting China, go to lunch, dinner or karaoke – great settings to build relationships.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Communicate clearly, slowly, simply</strong>. – Remember this rule of thumb (for speaking or email) - <em>One major point per sentence.</em> If you have more than 3 related points, number them. Proofread and remove business or sports jargon (e.g., Let’s ramp up the roll out!) or slang. If you’re a fast talker, just think, “If this conversation were in Chinese, how fast would I want THEM to talk to ME?”</li>\r\n <li><strong>Circle back 3x to check understanding or buy-in.</strong> – Chinese conversation style is often circular, revisiting a topic to give the opportunity to add or perceive information. Never ask, “Do you understand?” (it is insulting; besides, you’ll probably get a “yes” no matter what). If you ask for clarification or commitment 3 different ways on the same point, Chinese will know it is a priority for you, and increasingly disclose their understanding or commitment.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build teamwork through assignments and explicit instruction. Beware of their competitiveness and “connecting the dots.”</strong> – A common experience among these young people is not having shared with siblings, and needing to excel at extremely competitive national exams (<em>gao kao</em>). While older generations of Chinese are “collectivist”, many Baling hou do not find teamwork so natural. Avoid intra-team competition with very clear, structured role assignments, accountability to the manager, explicit assignment for task/project leadership, while giving guidance for steps and limits to taking initiative. Structure carefully who is “To” and who is “Cc” in emails; that is part of the message <em>Baling hou</em> will infer.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Earn respect, with predictable behavior.</strong> – Send agendas, plans, slide decks ahead of meetings, so they can prepare questions and contributions, check the English, and gain confidence to speak up. Don’t surprise them by calling on them in a meeting, when they are not expecting to report project status or findings.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Find a Chinese mentor, a senior engineer to guide you</strong>. – David Wan says, “China is not another country, it’s another world!” Spending a few hours a month with a Chinese mentor, one who can explain the challenges, hopes, pressures and assumptions operating in your team, can save you hours of repairing communication, rework, or new recruiting.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Start projects small, build with patience</strong>. - A Chinese value that has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not</span> changed is <em>mian-zi</em> “face”. Building success patiently, in small steps, is critical for Baling hou who want to succeed but are still learning the job, business practices, etc.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Plan more F2F time for coaching, accountability and guidance.</strong> – A “hands on” management style (some U.S. would call it micro-managing) is the norm for Chinese managers, and I’ve experienced being managed this way by Chinese clients. The message to Chinese reports is a) show me deliverables step by step (I’ll trust you after you deliver); b) I care about your work and you (relationship); and c) you and I will be held accountable, let’s avoid mistakes (don’t lose face).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be careful what you ask for – they may be too compliant.</strong> – Many <em>Baling hou</em> have taken big risks to follow their dreams, and obeyed their parents to study and work hard. Some fresh college graduates assume that a manager knows best, want to please him/her, and will say “yes” to a project, deadline, or a teambuilding activity beyond their ability. Remember #3, circle back with specific questions. One client had a swimming event, only to find that two people jumped into the water and did not know how to swim!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Role model your Corporate Culture values; they aspire to lead by your example.</strong> – In interviews and training with over 600 <em>Baling hou</em> at software and semiconductor companies, Charis associate Amy Miao reports that “Open communication, direct and assertive style, quick reaction to solving problems, and fair/equal opportunity” are highly valued consistently among young Chinese high tech professionals. They are watching how their managers handle technological, ethical and human relations situations, to become good leaders one day themselves.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Chinese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','China’s Millenials – Do You Know Your Team in China? ','','inherit','open','open','','219-revision-17','','','2012-05-30 01:45:38','2012-05-30 01:45:38','',219,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/219-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(369,14,'2012-06-04 22:58:29','2012-06-04 22:58:29','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\n\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\n\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\n\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-autosave','','','2012-06-04 22:58:29','2012-06-04 22:58:29','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(374,14,'2012-05-31 17:25:25','2012-05-31 17:25:25','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_370\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-370\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavieoconf/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-370 \" title=\"Korean_Video_Conference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavieoconf-300x211.png\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more--></p>\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-47','','','2012-05-31 17:25:25','2012-05-31 17:25:25','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-47/',0,'revision','',0),(371,14,'2012-05-30 03:43:08','2012-05-30 03:43:08','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_304\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"268\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-304\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreachamp/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"koreachamp\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreachamp-268x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-45','','','2012-05-30 03:43:08','2012-05-30 03:43:08','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-45/',0,'revision','',0),(372,14,'2012-05-31 17:25:25','2012-05-31 17:25:25','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_370\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-370\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavieoconf/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-370 \" title=\"Korean_Video_Conference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavieoconf-300x211.png\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more--></p>\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-46','','','2012-05-31 17:25:25','2012-05-31 17:25:25','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-46/',0,'revision','',0),(373,14,'2012-05-31 17:32:38','2012-05-31 17:32:38','','koreavideoconference','Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.','inherit','open','open','','koreavideoconference','','','2012-05-31 17:32:38','2012-05-31 17:32:38','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(375,14,'2012-05-31 17:35:24','2012-05-31 17:35:24','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_373\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-48','','','2012-05-31 17:35:24','2012-05-31 17:35:24','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-48/',0,'revision','',0),(377,14,'2012-05-31 17:40:35','2012-05-31 17:40:35','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"><dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.</dd></dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-50','','','2012-05-31 17:40:35','2012-05-31 17:40:35','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-50/',0,'revision','',0),(378,14,'2012-05-31 17:40:35','2012-05-31 17:40:35','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"><dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.</dd></dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-51','','','2012-05-31 17:40:35','2012-05-31 17:40:35','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/290-revision-51/',0,'revision','',0),(379,14,'2012-06-04 22:16:36','2012-06-04 22:16:36','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-52','','','2012-06-04 22:16:36','2012-06-04 22:16:36','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-52/',0,'revision','',0),(380,14,'2012-05-30 04:56:44','2012-05-30 04:56:44','<span style=\"color: #000000;\">“We don’t DO Webex meetings,” the Worldwide Purchasing Director told us, “they’re boring.”</span>\r\n\r\nAu contraire, for global multi-lingual teams, webconferencing is a terrific tool to engage AND equalize participation. With the tools and features in web-conferencing (Webex, Live Meeting, GoToMeeting) teams get more interaction in meetings when they:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Get opinions and feedback, quickly and visually; save in PDF for later reference</li>\r\n <li>Prepare the readiness of more quiet members so they speak up, chat, or write on screen (especially if they are more adept at writing than speaking)</li>\r\n <li>Appeal to multiple modes and styles of learning (personal, cultural, generational)</li>\r\n <li>Meeting documents aren’t lost! Upload the agenda, minutes, slides, etc. for real-time (even last minute) access.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWith a document on your desktop, or a “shared” PowerPoint get your global meetings AWAKE and ALIVE! Here’s how:\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>Wake up Virtual Meetings with these Webconferencing Techniques</strong>\r\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Poll Your Audience</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Insert a Poll you’ve prepared in advance, get votes, show results – in seconds!</li>\r\n <li>Conduct a Yes/No Poll (Checkmark under Yes or No icon) or Agree (Green check) or Disagree (Red X) Poll</li>\r\n <li>Create a Relevance or Priority Poll (is this High to Low relevance for you)</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Compare Positions or Priorities</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>With a line across the page, attendees place themselves (Pointer, check mark) on their position. <em>Example: Place yourself on the range from Not Supporting to Fully Supporting the initiative.</em> Build discussion by hearing points of view from the various positions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Brainstorm with Text</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Brainstorm with the Text tool on a blank Whiteboard or PPT. Encourage creativity with color. If crowded, divide the whiteboard into sections.</li>\r\n <li>Use Chat (Webex, GoToMeeting) for brainstorming. This can be downloaded and saved.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Get Questions or Comments</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Attendees can post a question to be answered later – use Chat (Webex, GotToMeeting), or Question (Live Meeting, GoToMeeting)</li>\r\n <li>Raise Hand (Webex) to indicate wanting to speak up</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Interact with Graphics</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Graph, map, schematic – with annotation tools attendees can highlight, circle, point, emphasize, etc. to focus discussions.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"138\" valign=\"top\">Build Rapport</td>\r\n<td width=\"451\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Share video of meeting participants, share photos as uploads, chat to support a point, share emoticons – all these build relationships in the team.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\nThese points will get high participation, decrease multi-tasking, and improve retention of material in your meetings or training. Everyone can be involved: visually, audibly and kinetically. Next meeting, give webconferencing a try!','Wakeup Virtual Meetings','','inherit','open','open','','340-revision-v1','','','2012-05-30 04:56:44','2012-05-30 04:56:44','',340,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/340-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(381,14,'2012-06-04 22:16:36','2012-06-04 22:16:36','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-53','','','2012-06-04 22:16:36','2012-06-04 22:16:36','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-53/',0,'revision','',0),(382,14,'2012-06-04 22:54:04','2012-06-04 22:54:04','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-54','','','2012-06-04 22:54:04','2012-06-04 22:54:04','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-54/',0,'revision','',0),(383,14,'2012-06-04 22:54:04','2012-06-04 22:54:04','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-55','','','2012-06-04 22:54:04','2012-06-04 22:54:04','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-55/',0,'revision','',0),(384,14,'2012-06-04 22:58:55','2012-06-04 22:58:55','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-56','','','2012-06-04 22:58:55','2012-06-04 22:58:55','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-56/',0,'revision','',0),(385,14,'2012-06-04 22:58:55','2012-06-04 22:58:55','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-57','','','2012-06-04 22:58:55','2012-06-04 22:58:55','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-57/',0,'revision','',0),(386,14,'2012-06-04 23:00:46','2012-06-04 23:00:46','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-58','','','2012-06-04 23:00:46','2012-06-04 23:00:46','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-58/',0,'revision','',0),(387,14,'2012-06-04 23:00:46','2012-06-04 23:00:46','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-59','','','2012-06-04 23:00:46','2012-06-04 23:00:46','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-59/',0,'revision','',0),(388,14,'2012-06-04 23:01:48','2012-06-04 23:01:48','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-60','','','2012-06-04 23:01:48','2012-06-04 23:01:48','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-60/',0,'revision','',0),(389,14,'2012-06-04 23:01:48','2012-06-04 23:01:48','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, had been working with Samsung for a few months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” There was a different perspective for his coworker at the Seoul office, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to the resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-61','','','2012-06-04 23:01:48','2012-06-04 23:01:48','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-61/',0,'revision','',0),(390,14,'2012-06-04 23:02:46','2012-06-04 23:02:46','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, who had been working with Samsung for a several months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” His co-worker at the Seoul office had a different perspective, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to a resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and as a result, they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-62','','','2012-06-04 23:02:46','2012-06-04 23:02:46','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-62/',0,'revision','',0),(391,14,'2012-06-04 23:02:46','2012-06-04 23:02:46','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, who had been working with Samsung for a several months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” His co-worker at the Seoul office had a different perspective, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to a resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and as a result, they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heiarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-63','','','2012-06-04 23:02:46','2012-06-04 23:02:46','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-63/',0,'revision','',0),(392,14,'2012-06-05 23:33:54','2012-06-05 23:33:54','<span style=\"color: #4169e1;\"><em>“Samsung was in another crunch and as usual expecting us to do miracles to make their requests happen -- no matter what!”</em></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-373\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/do-you-know-your-team-in-korea/koreavideoconference/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-373\" title=\"koreavideoconference\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/koreavideoconference-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"US-Korea Video Conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" /></a></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mceTemp mceIEcenter\"><dl id=\"attachment_373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 310px;\"> <dd class=\"wp-caption-dd\">Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, with the government’s goal of 1 Gbps in 2012. Koreans are accustomed to high speed internet and mobile communication.</dd> </dl></div>\r\nDavid, a U.S. manager, who had been working with Samsung for a several months, continued, “We cannot jump bridges for this customer. We should do all that we can do, but when we hit a wall there is not much else we can do.” His co-worker at the Seoul office had a different perspective, “Call me Friday night---your time --, we must have the 100 circuit boards.” Despite it being 6:00am on a Saturday morning for Mina Cho, she was at her office and dedicated to a resolution of this situation With only a minimal acquaintance, neither employee understood the other’s resistance, and as a result, they were headed for a communication breakdown. Collaboration is possible if ... <!--more-->\r\n\r\nCollaboration is possible if David understands that today’s South Korea, is an economic powerhouse and his counterpart works in a highly accelerated export-fueled economy that demands employee dedication and overcoming insurmountable odds. Sometimes called <strong>“Miracle on the Han River”,</strong> Seoul has experienced rapid industrialization, technological achievement, rapid urbanization and exponential rise in living standards, Korea has miraculously transformed itself from the ashes of the Korean War to a wealthy globally influential trillion-dollar economy. Multinational conglomerates, <em>chaebol</em>, wield great power, and Samsung is #1 among these giants.\r\n\r\nWith cultural insight, David will understand Korean business, see how his Korean counterpart is receiving pressure from management to show results (no excuses!) and the role he can play from the U.S. The following are practical tips that can help you work virtually or face-to-face with Koreans to achieve successful project outcomes.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Who’s Who?</strong> - Confirming organizational structure, the need for ‘heirarchy’. Provide names and titles of those attending the meeting. It’s helpful to match organizational structure (assistant manager, manager, section manager, director, VP) to the Korean side. Send your list of team members, and request that the Koreans fill in their counterparts. Be aware of the relationships among the Koreans you’re dealing with, as age and position are highly respected.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Korea, Inc</strong>. – There is a collective \"will\" of Korea to win, a sense that “it’s our turn now” and ambitious national sacrifices are made for progress. Profit motive and national pride are critical outcomes for Koreans. Demonstrating that you care about Korea’s success, are aligned with the government and client’s strategic plans, and are willing to give them the best “bottom line” deal will factor into building trust with Koreans.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Negotiations</strong> - In negotiations, Koreans will bargain long and hard. They will expect concessions on your part.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Use Cultural Intelligence:</strong> <em>Kibun </em>and <em>nunchi </em>– For Koreans, the concept of kibun is his or her pride, mood, or state of mind. It is sometimes related to the Asian concept of “face” and interpersonal harmony. You protect kibun when you avoid public disagreement, confrontation, and embarassment. Koreans tend to communicate indirectly, in a high context style, so it’s often necessary to read between the lines (using nunchi). To keep good kibun, a Korean may use the “elastic truth”, relaying only good news, saying what they think you want to hear, or conveying “no” with a hesitant ‘yes’. Clarify using open questions to probe what they will do next. Talk 1-on-1 (vs. group) and use break-out sessions in meetings to gather opinions.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Get Introductions</strong> – You must be properly introduced by a respected mutual friend before communication can take place. Seek university allumi connecitons, shared professional accreditations, and professional networking (such as LinkedIn, though it is not as widely used in Korea as in the U.S.).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Rapport </strong>– Before meeting, check that you are sending the right person: experience and rank should match the Korean counterpart. Introductions start with the exchange of business cards. Next, a good track record and credentials will build their trust in your competence. Koreans respect higher education, universities with name value, and professional accreditations, so mentioning these builds credibility. Next, during after-hours eating and drinking (and karaoke), find commonalities to cement the bond: food, soju, family, children’s education, technology, interest in Korea ….</li>\r\n <li><strong>Build Affiliation</strong> – Build strong relationships that result in achieving common goals. To be viewed as “insiders” (on the same team) by the highly collectivist Koreans requires that you invest time and effort, on and off the clock, building connections with the Korean team. Create a shared identity, team name, project logo, color, t-shirt, pin, etc.; or identify a common adversary to rally behind to build affiliation.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Technology is your Friend</strong> – Korea is the bandwidth capital of the world, and with the government’s 2012 objective of 1 Gbps bandwidth, Koreans are used to fast internet and mobile communication. Use IM/SMS texting for quick exchanges. Use frequent short phone calls and video calls.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Introduce your Back-up Person Early </strong>– Korea leads OECD countries in refusing to take time off! They may become irritated at the holidays and vacations taken by their foreign counterparts. Especially when working with a customer that is a chaebol (Samsung, Hyundai, LG, SK, etc.), have a back-up or alternate contact person to continue the project in your absence, and avoid surprises by introducing them well before your time off.</li>\r\n <li><strong>From 0 to 90 mph! </strong>– Foreigners can experience ambiguous starts, frustrating delays and unexplained stalemates followed by “I want it yesterday!” from Korean customers. Typically the slow periods mean higher-ups have not reached a decision, but once the decision is made, they want to make up for lost time and will pressure the supplier to meet very short deadlines. Be prepared for this pacing shift in your negotiations and staffing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Koreans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do you know your team in Korea?','','inherit','open','open','','290-revision-64','','','2012-06-05 23:33:54','2012-06-05 23:33:54','',290,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/290-revision-64/',0,'revision','',0),(395,9,'2012-08-31 18:04:14','2012-08-31 18:04:14','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\n\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\n\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\n\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> –</li>\n <li>. Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\n</ol>\n<strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches\n\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision','','','2012-08-31 18:04:14','2012-08-31 18:04:14','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(396,9,'2012-08-31 18:04:25','2012-08-31 18:04:25','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> –</li>\r\n <li>. Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-2','','','2012-08-31 18:04:25','2012-08-31 18:04:25','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(397,9,'2012-08-31 18:07:36','2012-08-31 18:07:36','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-3','','','2012-08-31 18:07:36','2012-08-31 18:07:36','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(398,9,'2012-08-31 18:08:56','2012-08-31 18:08:56','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-4','','','2012-08-31 18:08:56','2012-08-31 18:08:56','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(399,9,'2012-08-31 18:09:07','2012-08-31 18:09:07','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-5','','','2012-08-31 18:09:07','2012-08-31 18:09:07','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(401,4,'2012-09-03 10:30:04','2012-09-03 10:30:04','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35 [1] out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[1] The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','publish','open','open','','problem-or-challenge-your-mindset','','','2012-09-03 20:25:45','2012-09-03 20:25:45','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=401',0,'post','',0),(402,4,'2012-08-31 18:16:54','2012-08-31 18:16:54','','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision','','','2012-08-31 18:16:54','2012-08-31 18:16:54','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(403,4,'2012-08-31 18:17:32','2012-08-31 18:17:32','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how our different approaches…\r\n\r\nMy German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-2','','','2012-08-31 18:17:32','2012-08-31 18:17:32','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(405,4,'2012-08-31 18:17:45','2012-08-31 18:17:45','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how our different approaches…\r\n\r\nMy German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-3','','','2012-08-31 18:17:45','2012-08-31 18:17:45','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(424,14,'2012-08-31 19:12:55','2012-08-31 19:12:55','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-9','','','2012-08-31 19:12:55','2012-08-31 19:12:55','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(406,4,'2012-08-31 18:19:54','2012-08-31 18:19:54','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how our different approaches…\r\n\r\nMy German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-4','','','2012-08-31 18:19:54','2012-08-31 18:19:54','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(468,10,'2012-12-05 22:41:14','2012-12-05 22:41:14','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay, with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','publish','open','closed','','do-you-know-your-team-in-russia','','','2012-12-05 23:18:57','2012-12-05 23:18:57','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=468',0,'post','',0),(408,14,'2012-08-31 18:20:08','2012-08-31 18:20:08','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how our different approaches…\r\n\r\nMy German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-5','','','2012-08-31 18:20:08','2012-08-31 18:20:08','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(409,14,'2012-08-31 18:24:39','2012-08-31 18:24:39','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how our different approaches…\r\n\r\nMy German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-6','','','2012-08-31 18:24:39','2012-08-31 18:24:39','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(410,14,'2012-08-31 18:09:18','2012-08-31 18:09:18','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-6','','','2012-08-31 18:09:18','2012-08-31 18:09:18','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(411,14,'2012-08-31 18:25:09','2012-08-31 18:25:09','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how our different approaches…\r\n\r\nMy German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-7','','','2012-08-31 18:25:09','2012-08-31 18:25:09','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(423,14,'2012-08-31 19:15:09','2012-08-31 19:15:09','','German Team','German Team','inherit','open','open','','germans_computes','','','2012-08-31 19:15:09','2012-08-31 19:15:09','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(415,14,'2012-08-31 18:48:43','2012-08-31 18:48:43','','Berlin Wall','Berlin Wall','inherit','open','open','','berliner_mauer','','','2012-08-31 18:48:43','2012-08-31 18:48:43','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(413,14,'2012-08-31 18:28:50','2012-08-31 18:28:50','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-7','','','2012-08-31 18:28:50','2012-08-31 18:28:50','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(414,14,'2012-08-31 18:47:03','2012-08-31 18:47:03','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_412\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-412\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=412\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-412\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-8','','','2012-08-31 18:47:03','2012-08-31 18:47:03','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(420,14,'2012-08-31 18:49:35','2012-08-31 18:49:35','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berliner Mauer\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-13','','','2012-08-31 18:49:35','2012-08-31 18:49:35','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(416,14,'2012-08-31 18:47:03','2012-08-31 18:47:03','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_412\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-412\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=412\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-412\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-9','','','2012-08-31 18:47:03','2012-08-31 18:47:03','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(417,14,'2012-08-31 18:49:25','2012-08-31 18:49:25','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berliner Mauer\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-10','','','2012-08-31 18:49:25','2012-08-31 18:49:25','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(418,14,'2012-08-31 18:49:25','2012-08-31 18:49:25','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berliner Mauer\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-11','','','2012-08-31 18:49:25','2012-08-31 18:49:25','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(419,14,'2012-08-31 18:49:35','2012-08-31 18:49:35','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berliner Mauer\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-12','','','2012-08-31 18:49:35','2012-08-31 18:49:35','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(421,14,'2012-08-31 18:59:39','2012-08-31 18:59:39','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-14','','','2012-08-31 18:59:39','2012-08-31 18:59:39','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(422,14,'2012-08-31 18:30:31','2012-08-31 18:30:31','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how our different approaches…\r\n\r\nMy German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-8','','','2012-08-31 18:30:31','2012-08-31 18:30:31','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(459,14,'2012-09-03 20:25:45','2012-09-03 20:25:45','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35 [1] out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[1] The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-24','','','2012-09-03 20:25:45','2012-09-03 20:25:45','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(425,14,'2012-08-31 19:17:16','2012-08-31 19:17:16','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=423\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-10','','','2012-08-31 19:17:16','2012-08-31 19:17:16','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(426,14,'2012-08-31 18:59:39','2012-08-31 18:59:39','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-15','','','2012-08-31 18:59:39','2012-08-31 18:59:39','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(427,14,'2012-08-31 19:28:26','2012-08-31 19:28:26','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-16','','','2012-08-31 19:28:26','2012-08-31 19:28:26','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(428,14,'2012-08-31 19:28:26','2012-08-31 19:28:26','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-17','','','2012-08-31 19:28:26','2012-08-31 19:28:26','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(429,14,'2012-08-31 19:29:06','2012-08-31 19:29:06','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-18','','','2012-08-31 19:29:06','2012-08-31 19:29:06','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(430,14,'2012-08-31 19:29:06','2012-08-31 19:29:06','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-19','','','2012-08-31 19:29:06','2012-08-31 19:29:06','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(431,14,'2012-08-31 19:46:24','2012-08-31 19:46:24','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-20','','','2012-08-31 19:46:24','2012-08-31 19:46:24','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(432,14,'2012-08-31 19:46:24','2012-08-31 19:46:24','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-21','','','2012-08-31 19:46:24','2012-08-31 19:46:24','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/394-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(433,14,'2012-09-03 19:18:10','2012-09-03 19:18:10','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=415\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-22','','','2012-09-03 19:18:10','2012-09-03 19:18:10','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(439,14,'2012-09-03 19:19:47','2012-09-03 19:19:47','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-27','','','2012-09-03 19:19:47','2012-09-03 19:19:47','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(438,14,'2012-09-03 19:19:47','2012-09-03 19:19:47','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/the-post-wall-generation-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-germany/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-26','','','2012-09-03 19:19:47','2012-09-03 19:19:47','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(434,14,'2012-09-03 19:18:10','2012-09-03 19:18:10','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/the-post-wall-generation-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-germany/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-23','','','2012-09-03 19:18:10','2012-09-03 19:18:10','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(435,14,'2012-09-03 19:18:46','2012-09-03 19:18:46','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/the-post-wall-generation-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-germany/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-24','','','2012-09-03 19:18:46','2012-09-03 19:18:46','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(436,14,'2012-09-21 18:33:13','2012-09-21 18:33:13','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"“Solide” to a German means solid, sturdy, built to last, when applied to products. “Solide” applied to persons connotes reliability and upstanding character. - Edward T. Hall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415 \" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-autosave','','','2012-09-21 18:33:13','2012-09-21 18:33:13','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(437,14,'2012-09-03 19:18:46','2012-09-03 19:18:46','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/the-post-wall-generation-%e2%80%93-do-you-know-your-team-in-germany/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-25','','','2012-09-03 19:18:46','2012-09-03 19:18:46','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(440,14,'2012-09-03 19:20:51','2012-09-03 19:20:51','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-28','','','2012-09-03 19:20:51','2012-09-03 19:20:51','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(441,14,'2012-09-03 19:20:51','2012-09-03 19:20:51','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germanythe-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-29','','','2012-09-03 19:20:51','2012-09-03 19:20:51','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(442,14,'2012-09-03 19:21:22','2012-09-03 19:21:22','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germanythe-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-30','','','2012-09-03 19:21:22','2012-09-03 19:21:22','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(443,14,'2012-09-03 19:21:22','2012-09-03 19:21:22','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-31','','','2012-09-03 19:21:22','2012-09-03 19:21:22','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(444,14,'2012-09-03 19:21:40','2012-09-03 19:21:40','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-32','','','2012-09-03 19:21:40','2012-09-03 19:21:40','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(445,14,'2012-08-31 19:17:16','2012-08-31 19:17:16','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=423\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-11','','','2012-08-31 19:17:16','2012-08-31 19:17:16','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/08/401-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(446,14,'2012-09-03 19:28:51','2012-09-03 19:28:51','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=423\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-12','','','2012-09-03 19:28:51','2012-09-03 19:28:51','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(457,14,'2012-09-03 19:38:41','2012-09-03 19:38:41','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[1] The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-22','','','2012-09-03 19:38:41','2012-09-03 19:38:41','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(447,14,'2012-09-03 20:25:58','2012-09-03 20:25:58','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35 [1] out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[1] The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-autosave','','','2012-09-03 20:25:58','2012-09-03 20:25:58','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(458,14,'2012-09-03 19:38:41','2012-09-03 19:38:41','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[1] The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-23','','','2012-09-03 19:38:41','2012-09-03 19:38:41','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(454,14,'2012-09-03 19:30:48','2012-09-03 19:30:48','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-19','','','2012-09-03 19:30:48','2012-09-03 19:30:48','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(448,14,'2012-09-03 19:28:51','2012-09-03 19:28:51','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/%e2%80%9cproblem%e2%80%a6or-challenge-depends-on-your-mindset%e2%80%9d/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-13','','','2012-09-03 19:28:51','2012-09-03 19:28:51','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(449,14,'2012-09-03 19:29:46','2012-09-03 19:29:46','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/%e2%80%9cproblem%e2%80%a6or-challenge-depends-on-your-mindset%e2%80%9d/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-14','','','2012-09-03 19:29:46','2012-09-03 19:29:46','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(450,14,'2012-09-03 19:29:46','2012-09-03 19:29:46','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/%e2%80%9cproblem%e2%80%a6or-challenge-depends-on-your-mindset%e2%80%9d/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-15','','','2012-09-03 19:29:46','2012-09-03 19:29:46','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(451,14,'2012-09-03 19:29:57','2012-09-03 19:29:57','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/%e2%80%9cproblem%e2%80%a6or-challenge-depends-on-your-mindset%e2%80%9d/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-16','','','2012-09-03 19:29:57','2012-09-03 19:29:57','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(452,14,'2012-09-03 19:29:57','2012-09-03 19:29:57','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/%e2%80%9cproblem%e2%80%a6or-challenge-depends-on-your-mindset%e2%80%9d/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-17','','','2012-09-03 19:29:57','2012-09-03 19:29:57','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(453,14,'2012-09-03 19:30:48','2012-09-03 19:30:48','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/%e2%80%9cproblem%e2%80%a6or-challenge-depends-on-your-mindset%e2%80%9d/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-18','','','2012-09-03 19:30:48','2012-09-03 19:30:48','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(455,14,'2012-09-03 19:36:53','2012-09-03 19:36:53','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-20','','','2012-09-03 19:36:53','2012-09-03 19:36:53','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(456,14,'2012-09-03 19:36:54','2012-09-03 19:36:54','My German colleague, Katrin, once said during a cultural orientation program, “Americans never have problems; they only have challenges.” It was such an interesting comment (accurate or not) that started a provocative discussion about how culture creates a lens through which one makes sense of the world around them. In essence, culture creates a mindset.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_423\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"German Team\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-423\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/problem-or-challenge-your-mindset/germans_computes/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-423\" title=\"German Team\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Germans_computes-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nCulture is a conglomeration of behaviors, perspectives, values, and attitudes. Combined together, it creates a mindset of “how things should be.” It colors the way we see the world. Interculturalists break down this mindset into component parts, and we analyze these parts when we work with our clients, providing insights and recommendations for business improvements.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty Avoidance,” is one of those parts. Uncertainty Avoidance is, “the degree to which a culture is willing to take a risk when confronted with uncertainty.” Cultures that have a high degree of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) prefer to have a lot of data, may ask many questions, and may spend a great deal of time analyzing before taking the risk. Other cultures that have a lower degree of UA might be content with less information, taking the risk sooner and learning (and perhaps making changes) along the way. We would call the first example a “High Uncertainty Avoidance” (HUA) culture and the second a “Low Uncertainty Avoidance” (LUA) culture.\r\n\r\nAccording to the GLOBE Study, Germany is a High Uncertainty Avoidance culture. It rates 5.35<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftn1\">[1]</a> out of a 7.0. The US rates 3.99 on the same scale. The difference is significant. Comparatively, Germans tend to be more calculating, will take longer to analyze and tend to conduct extensive research before they make a decision. Americans will do the same, but they will make the decision quicker.\r\n\r\nFrom a business perspective, UA is evident in the system of “checkpoints” required to go through when reaching a decision. Higher UA cultures tend to have many checkpoints, often requiring approval from those higher up. Lower UA cultures tend to have fewer checkpoints because individual contributors have the authority and are empowered to make decisions within the bounds of their job description.\r\n\r\nThe German way of deep analysis, due diligence, historical discovery, and multiple checkpoints takes time and patience. The process is more compartmentalized requiring multiple layers to go through before a decision is reached. The American way of rapidity and agility involves fewer checkpoints as individual contributors make decisions along the way. This takes less time and the process is more fluid.\r\n\r\nLooking at UA as a mindset, Germans are cautious when they approach a dilemma. It is a “problem” that has a solution. Americans are competitive when they approach a dilemma. It is a “puzzle” that poses a challenge.\r\n\r\nFor Lower Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures (Venezuela, Spain, India and the USA, for example) that are working with Germans, consider the following actions:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Do your homework:</strong> Be sure you can accurately define all aspects of the dilemma before you present it to your German colleagues.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take note of point 7 in Lothar Katz’ article, “The Post-Wall Generation – Do You Know your Team in Germany”:</strong> Explain any risk in clear detail, incorporating as much supportive data as possible into your argument.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be prepared for a debate:</strong> Germans will want to discuss your data so be prepared for debates and the need to defend your work. (Don’t take this as a personal attack. They are dissecting the data, not you!)</li>\r\n <li><strong>Understand the process:</strong> Remember the checkpoints. Note Mr. Katz’ point 9 and find out who is responsible for what aspect of a decision so that you can understand the process.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr size=\"1\" />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"/ARuben/Work/Folio/newsletter/Documents/September%202012%20-%20Charis%20Currents.doc#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> The 5.35 score is for the former West Germany. The former East Germany rated a 5.19 score.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','“Problem…or Challenge? Depends on your Mindset”','','inherit','open','open','','401-revision-21','','','2012-09-03 19:36:54','2012-09-03 19:36:54','',401,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/401-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(460,14,'2012-09-03 19:21:41','2012-09-03 19:21:41','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-33','','','2012-09-03 19:21:41','2012-09-03 19:21:41','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0); INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (461,14,'2012-09-21 18:22:50','2012-09-21 18:22:50','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-34','','','2012-09-21 18:22:50','2012-09-21 18:22:50','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(462,14,'2012-09-21 18:22:50','2012-09-21 18:22:50','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-35','','','2012-09-21 18:22:50','2012-09-21 18:22:50','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(463,14,'2012-09-21 18:31:44','2012-09-21 18:31:44','<p>These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.</p>\r\n<p>[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>Dealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.</p>\r\n<p>These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand</p>\r\n<p>ards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.</p>\r\n<p>While clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:</p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n<li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n<li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n<li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>Next! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.</p>\r\n<p> </p>\r\n','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-36','','','2012-09-21 18:31:44','2012-09-21 18:31:44','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-36/',0,'revision','',0),(464,14,'2012-09-21 18:31:44','2012-09-21 18:31:44','<p>These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.</p>\r\n<p>[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415\" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>Dealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.</p>\r\n<p>These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand</p>\r\n<p>ards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.</p>\r\n<p>While clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:</p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n<li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n<li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n<li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n<li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>Next! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.</p>\r\n<p> </p>\r\n','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-37','','','2012-09-21 18:31:44','2012-09-21 18:31:44','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-37/',0,'revision','',0),(467,14,'2012-09-21 18:35:12','2012-09-21 18:35:12','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Berlin Wall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415 \" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-40','','','2012-09-21 18:35:12','2012-09-21 18:35:12','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-40/',0,'revision','',0),(465,14,'2012-09-21 18:33:19','2012-09-21 18:33:19','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"“Solide” to a German means solid, sturdy, built to last, when applied to products. “Solide” applied to persons connotes reliability and upstanding character. - Edward T. Hall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415 \" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-38','','','2012-09-21 18:33:19','2012-09-21 18:33:19','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-38/',0,'revision','',0),(466,14,'2012-09-21 18:33:19','2012-09-21 18:33:19','These days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High productivity, strong work commitment, solid education standards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_415\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"“Solide” to a German means solid, sturdy, built to last, when applied to products. “Solide” applied to persons connotes reliability and upstanding character. - Edward T. Hall\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-415\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/germany-the-post-wall-generation/berliner_mauer/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-415 \" title=\"Berlin Wall\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Berliner_Mauer-300x179.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDealing with “Post-Wall Generation” German teams and winning their trust can nevertheless be a delicate balancing act. Here are 10 tips to lead and motivate.\r\n\r\nThese days, Germany leads Europe as an economic powerhouse. Why? High work productivity, strong work commitment, solid education stand\r\n\r\nards, and low absenteeism are but some of the reasons foreign companies seek teamwork with German employees and partners. Almost twenty-five years after the Wall came down, younger Germans in all parts of the country are more adaptable, flexible, and team-oriented than any generation before them. Many think of themselves as cosmopolitan, and view the country’s strong focus on conservation and environmental protection as exemplary for the rest of the world.\r\n\r\nWhile clearly \'Western\', this country\'s culture imposes its own, sometimes distinctly different ways in which people communicate and collaborate, how teams are led effectively, and what motivates employees. You may find these ten hints useful when getting ready to work with a “Post-Wall Generation” team in Germany:\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Send clear messages</strong>. – German communication can seem brutally frank to Americans, Asians, Africans…well, almost everybody! Using polite language (\"I\'m not sure I agree\") could actually cause confusion here, as statements are commonly taken literally. Your team members will appreciate it when you are as clear and direct as possible.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite open feedback and work through negativity. </strong>– While some may be shy, most Germans like being asked for their opinion. What comes back can sound quite negative, though. People here tend to analyze the weaknesses in a statement or proposal before agreeing with it, and aren\'t shy to voice their reservations. Don\'t take that as rejection; it simply means you\'ll need to work through their concerns until they reach the point where things make sense to them.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Walk the talk.</strong> –Teams here are not easily impressed with grand speeches. To most local folks, Doing matters much more than Talking. In order to win the respect and trust of your German team, make sure to do what you said you will do, keep your promises, and generally prove reliable and dependable.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Respect competence. </strong>– Job competence is greatly admired in Germany, and those with solid experience and judgment enjoy much respect from their peers, regardless of age. Local teams often complain that Americans pay more attention to the most talkative team members than to the most competent ones. Don\'t make that mistake. Look for indicators such as whom others on the team respect most!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Admit mistakes you made.</strong> – Before asking your local team to support a risky project or decision, admit Whose \"Schuld\" (fault) it was, when something did not quite go right, is an important question in German culture. Paradoxically, most people here won\'t admit it when they screw up – but they admire others when they admit mistakes. Unless you think doing so could seriously affect how competent your team views you, you\'ll want to be candid and factual about mistakes you make.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Explain risks and their consequences.</strong> – Risk taking is not exactly a popular activity in Germany. The aversion to risk becomes even stronger when the consequences of failure are unclearit\'s risky and spend some time talking about what happens if it does not succeed. Don\'t worry – doing so will not be perceived as being negative.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Invite team members to be proactive</strong>. – Especially when they don\'t know you well yet, Germans can seem reserved and reactive. If they are inexperienced in their job, this may not change soon. With all others, however, it is best to encourage them to take initiative whenever they deem it appropriate to do so. Competent employees here work most effectively when given a fair degree of control over their work. Contrary to popular (mis)perception, micro management won\'t get you far with a German team!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Pay attention to hierarchies when it comes to decision making. </strong>– While a certain degree of self-organization is common among work teams, decision making authority is usually clearly defined. Invest the time and energy to find out who is supposed to decide what. Stepping over this line can jeopardize relationships and trigger harsh responses.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Don\'t hype. </strong>– \"Übertreibung\" (hyperbole/exaggeration) rarely helps in this country. Telling your team that a colleague is ‘amazing’, an idea is the \'greatest ever\' or that the company is the \'best in the world\' is unlikely to trigger more than skepticism. People might even start ridiculing you behind your back for it. Sober, factual statements about what is impressive tend to work far better.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be sincere at work </strong><strong>– <strong>and socialize afterwards. </strong></strong>– Many Germans like socializing and partying with their colleagues – but not while working. Lunches and other breaks are great opportunities to get to know your team better, as are after-work parties and other such gatherings. Don\'t miss them!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Germans and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call U.S. 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','The \"Post-Wall Generation\" – Do You Know Your Team in Germany? ','','inherit','open','open','','394-revision-39','','','2012-09-21 18:33:19','2012-09-21 18:33:19','',394,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/09/394-revision-39/',0,'revision','',0),(469,14,'2012-12-05 21:58:53','2012-12-05 21:58:53','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any inostrantsy (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\n\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision','','','2012-12-05 21:58:53','2012-12-05 21:58:53','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(470,14,'2012-12-05 21:59:12','2012-12-05 21:59:12','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-2','','','2012-12-05 21:59:12','2012-12-05 21:59:12','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(473,14,'2012-12-05 22:04:37','2012-12-05 22:04:37','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.\r\n<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<ol></ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-5','','','2012-12-05 22:04:37','2012-12-05 22:04:37','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(471,14,'2012-12-05 21:59:53','2012-12-05 21:59:53','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>1. </strong><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em>\r\n\r\n \r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand. <strong></strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-3','','','2012-12-05 21:59:53','2012-12-05 21:59:53','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(472,14,'2012-12-05 22:00:45','2012-12-05 22:00:45','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>1. </strong><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em>\r\n\r\n \r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand. <strong></strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-4','','','2012-12-05 22:00:45','2012-12-05 22:00:45','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(474,14,'2012-12-05 22:09:37','2012-12-05 22:09:37','','Moscow_at_Christmas','','inherit','closed','closed','','moscow_at_christmas','','','2012-12-05 22:09:37','2012-12-05 22:09:37','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(475,14,'2012-12-05 22:10:14','2012-12-05 22:10:14','','Moscow_at_Christmas','','inherit','closed','closed','','moscow_at_christmas-2','','','2012-12-05 22:10:14','2012-12-05 22:10:14','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(476,14,'2012-12-05 22:11:11','2012-12-05 22:11:11','','Moscow_at_Christmas','','inherit','closed','closed','','moscow_at_christmas-3','','','2012-12-05 22:11:11','2012-12-05 22:11:11','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(477,14,'2012-12-05 22:04:42','2012-12-05 22:04:42','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.\r\n<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-6','','','2012-12-05 22:04:42','2012-12-05 22:04:42','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(478,14,'2012-12-05 22:12:27','2012-12-05 22:12:27','Moscow at Christmas\r\nPhotos by Olga Ivanova-Nuss','Moscow at Christmas','Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss','inherit','closed','closed','','moscow_at_christmas_web','','','2012-12-05 22:12:27','2012-12-05 22:12:27','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(479,14,'2012-12-05 22:12:10','2012-12-05 22:12:10','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-7','','','2012-12-05 22:12:10','2012-12-05 22:12:10','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(480,14,'2012-12-05 22:13:47','2012-12-05 22:13:47','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-8','','','2012-12-05 22:13:47','2012-12-05 22:13:47','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(481,14,'2012-12-05 22:13:47','2012-12-05 22:13:47','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-9','','','2012-12-05 22:13:47','2012-12-05 22:13:47','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(482,14,'2012-12-05 22:17:29','2012-12-05 22:17:29','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-10','','','2012-12-05 22:17:29','2012-12-05 22:17:29','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(483,14,'2012-12-05 22:17:29','2012-12-05 22:17:29','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-11','','','2012-12-05 22:17:29','2012-12-05 22:17:29','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(484,14,'2012-12-05 22:17:34','2012-12-05 22:17:34','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-12','','','2012-12-05 22:17:34','2012-12-05 22:17:34','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(485,14,'2012-12-05 22:17:34','2012-12-05 22:17:34','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-13','','','2012-12-05 22:17:34','2012-12-05 22:17:34','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(486,14,'2012-12-05 22:18:11','2012-12-05 22:18:11','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-14','','','2012-12-05 22:18:11','2012-12-05 22:18:11','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(487,14,'2012-12-05 22:18:11','2012-12-05 22:18:11','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-15','','','2012-12-05 22:18:11','2012-12-05 22:18:11','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(488,14,'2012-12-05 22:18:27','2012-12-05 22:18:27','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-16','','','2012-12-05 22:18:27','2012-12-05 22:18:27','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(489,14,'2012-12-05 22:18:27','2012-12-05 22:18:27','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-17','','','2012-12-05 22:18:27','2012-12-05 22:18:27','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(490,14,'2012-12-05 22:22:02','2012-12-05 22:22:02','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-18','','','2012-12-05 22:22:02','2012-12-05 22:22:02','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(491,14,'2012-12-05 22:22:02','2012-12-05 22:22:02','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-19','','','2012-12-05 22:22:02','2012-12-05 22:22:02','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(492,14,'2012-12-05 22:22:06','2012-12-05 22:22:06','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-20','','','2012-12-05 22:22:06','2012-12-05 22:22:06','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(493,14,'2012-12-05 22:22:06','2012-12-05 22:22:06','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-21','','','2012-12-05 22:22:06','2012-12-05 22:22:06','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(494,14,'2012-12-05 22:24:36','2012-12-05 22:24:36','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-22','','','2012-12-05 22:24:36','2012-12-05 22:24:36','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(495,14,'2012-12-05 22:24:36','2012-12-05 22:24:36','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-23','','','2012-12-05 22:24:36','2012-12-05 22:24:36','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(496,14,'2012-12-05 22:24:40','2012-12-05 22:24:40','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-24','','','2012-12-05 22:24:40','2012-12-05 22:24:40','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(497,14,'2012-12-05 22:24:40','2012-12-05 22:24:40','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-25','','','2012-12-05 22:24:40','2012-12-05 22:24:40','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(498,14,'2012-12-05 22:26:03','2012-12-05 22:26:03','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','closed','closed','','468-revision-26','','','2012-12-05 22:26:03','2012-12-05 22:26:03','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(499,14,'2012-12-05 22:26:03','2012-12-05 22:26:03','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-27','','','2012-12-05 22:26:03','2012-12-05 22:26:03','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(500,14,'2012-12-05 22:27:04','2012-12-05 22:27:04','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-28','','','2012-12-05 22:27:04','2012-12-05 22:27:04','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(501,14,'2012-12-05 22:27:05','2012-12-05 22:27:05','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-29','','','2012-12-05 22:27:05','2012-12-05 22:27:05','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(502,14,'2012-12-05 22:27:12','2012-12-05 22:27:12','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-30','','','2012-12-05 22:27:12','2012-12-05 22:27:12','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(537,12,'2013-02-01 22:50:05','2013-02-01 22:50:05','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','publish','closed','closed','','the-year-of-the-snake','','','2013-02-01 23:39:55','2013-02-01 23:39:55','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=537',0,'post','',0),(504,14,'2012-12-05 22:27:12','2012-12-05 22:27:12','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-31','','','2012-12-05 22:27:12','2012-12-05 22:27:12','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(505,14,'2012-12-05 22:28:57','2012-12-05 22:28:57','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-32','','','2012-12-05 22:28:57','2012-12-05 22:28:57','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(506,14,'2012-12-05 22:28:57','2012-12-05 22:28:57','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-33','','','2012-12-05 22:28:57','2012-12-05 22:28:57','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0),(507,14,'2012-12-05 22:29:38','2012-12-05 22:29:38','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-34','','','2012-12-05 22:29:38','2012-12-05 22:29:38','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(508,14,'2012-12-05 22:29:38','2012-12-05 22:29:38','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-35','','','2012-12-05 22:29:38','2012-12-05 22:29:38','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(509,14,'2012-12-05 22:29:43','2012-12-05 22:29:43','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-36','','','2012-12-05 22:29:43','2012-12-05 22:29:43','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-36/',0,'revision','',0),(510,14,'2012-12-05 22:29:43','2012-12-05 22:29:43','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-37','','','2012-12-05 22:29:43','2012-12-05 22:29:43','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-37/',0,'revision','',0),(511,14,'2012-12-05 22:30:14','2012-12-05 22:30:14','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=478\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-38','','','2012-12-05 22:30:14','2012-12-05 22:30:14','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-38/',0,'revision','',0),(523,14,'2012-12-05 22:50:30','2012-12-05 22:50:30','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...”\r\n– Russian engineering manager\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-40','','','2012-12-05 22:50:30','2012-12-05 22:50:30','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-40/',0,'revision','',0),(512,2,'2012-12-05 22:39:56','2012-12-05 22:39:56','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','publish','open','closed','','time-zones-making-it-work','','','2012-12-05 23:43:49','2012-12-05 23:43:49','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=512',0,'post','',0),(538,14,'2013-02-01 22:37:58','2013-02-01 22:37:58','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake; more factoids here.\n\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision','','','2013-02-01 22:37:58','2013-02-01 22:37:58','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(513,14,'2012-12-05 22:37:01','2012-12-05 22:37:01','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\n\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\n\n<strong> </strong>\n\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\n<ul>\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision','','','2012-12-05 22:37:01','2012-12-05 22:37:01','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(515,14,'2012-12-05 22:38:21','2012-12-05 22:38:21','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision-3','','','2012-12-05 22:38:21','2012-12-05 22:38:21','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(514,14,'2012-12-05 22:37:26','2012-12-05 22:37:26','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision-2','','','2012-12-05 22:37:26','2012-12-05 22:37:26','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(516,14,'2012-12-05 22:38:34','2012-12-05 22:38:34','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision-4','','','2012-12-05 22:38:34','2012-12-05 22:38:34','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(517,14,'2012-12-05 22:38:50','2012-12-05 22:38:50','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision-5','','','2012-12-05 22:38:50','2012-12-05 22:38:50','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(518,14,'2012-12-05 22:38:54','2012-12-05 22:38:54','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision-6','','','2012-12-05 22:38:54','2012-12-05 22:38:54','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(519,14,'2012-12-05 23:43:46','2012-12-05 23:43:46','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\n\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\n<ul>\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','inherit','open','closed','','512-autosave','','','2012-12-05 23:43:46','2012-12-05 23:43:46','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(536,14,'2012-12-05 22:43:38','2012-12-05 22:43:38','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision-8','','','2012-12-05 22:43:38','2012-12-05 22:43:38','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(520,14,'2012-12-05 22:39:56','2012-12-05 22:39:56','<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>“How do we handle time zone differences?”</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as TimeandDate.com can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.</span></span>\r\n\r\nMany a bleary eyed late-night or early-morning manager has sought a better way to collaborate with coworkers, customers and suppliers around the world. While tools such as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">TimeandDate.com</span> can help identify overlapping times for meetings, the real question is how to share the “pain”, be most effective, and curtail the complaints when working across time zones. Here are the best ideas and “tried and true” strategies I’ve collected from clients working as remote managers, and my experience working with Charis associates who currently occupy 11 time zones.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Best Practices for Working Across Time Zones</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Discuss the team norms for meetings (frequency, agendas, punctuality, etc.) and reach agreement for everybody. Start and end meetings on time, so everyone feels his/her time is valued.</li>\r\n <li>Consider team members who cannot attend meetings from home (lacking phone/internet capability) and try to accommodate their attending from the office.</li>\r\n <li>“Share the pain” by rotating every 4 to 6 weeks for regular late night or early morning meetings.</li>\r\n <li>Limit global meetings to 1 or 2 days per week; plan for employees to come to work late in the day and stay late into the evening. All other days are normal schedule.</li>\r\n <li>Use an electronic calendar to calculate times and create meeting invitations.</li>\r\n <li>If full participation is not required, send one-way information to others later.</li>\r\n <li>Have a “buddy” system to cover for someone who cannot attend</li>\r\n <li>Do two sessions - early morning and late at night, or record them (this is the least desirable, but is an option). For all-hands communications (mostly executives) do two or three sessions to get employees at a \"normal\" work time.</li>\r\n <li>Acknowledge the very early or late attendees, “Thank you, Claus, we realize it’s very early for you.”</li>\r\n <li>Most important – really prepare for the meetings so they are valuable and enjoyable, thus motivating team members to look forward to your next meeting (and not complain about time zones!)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\r\n</span></span>','Time Zones, Making it Work!','','inherit','open','closed','','512-revision-7','','','2012-12-05 22:39:56','2012-12-05 22:39:56','',512,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/512-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(521,14,'2012-12-05 23:20:07','2012-12-05 23:20:07','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n \n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\n<ol>\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay, with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\n</ol>\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\n\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-autosave','','','2012-12-05 23:20:07','2012-12-05 23:20:07','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(522,14,'2012-12-05 22:30:14','2012-12-05 22:30:14','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n\r\nRussia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, plus the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-39','','','2012-12-05 22:30:14','2012-12-05 22:30:14','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-39/',0,'revision','',0),(524,14,'2012-12-05 22:50:30','2012-12-05 22:50:30','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...”\r\n– Russian engineering manager\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-41','','','2012-12-05 22:50:30','2012-12-05 22:50:30','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-41/',0,'revision','',0),(525,14,'2012-12-05 22:51:42','2012-12-05 22:51:42','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em>\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-42','','','2012-12-05 22:51:42','2012-12-05 22:51:42','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-42/',0,'revision','',0),(526,14,'2012-12-05 22:51:42','2012-12-05 22:51:42','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em>\r\n\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-43','','','2012-12-05 22:51:42','2012-12-05 22:51:42','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-43/',0,'revision','',0),(527,14,'2012-12-05 22:52:30','2012-12-05 22:52:30','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-44','','','2012-12-05 22:52:30','2012-12-05 22:52:30','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-44/',0,'revision','',0),(528,14,'2012-12-05 22:52:30','2012-12-05 22:52:30','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better then sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-45','','','2012-12-05 22:52:30','2012-12-05 22:52:30','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-45/',0,'revision','',0),(529,14,'2012-12-05 22:53:05','2012-12-05 22:53:05','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-46','','','2012-12-05 22:53:05','2012-12-05 22:53:05','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-46/',0,'revision','',0),(530,14,'2012-12-05 22:53:05','2012-12-05 22:53:05','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-47','','','2012-12-05 22:53:05','2012-12-05 22:53:05','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-47/',0,'revision','',0),(531,14,'2012-12-05 22:54:36','2012-12-05 22:54:36','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay, with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-48','','','2012-12-05 22:54:36','2012-12-05 22:54:36','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-48/',0,'revision','',0),(532,14,'2012-12-05 22:54:36','2012-12-05 22:54:36','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay, with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-49','','','2012-12-05 22:54:36','2012-12-05 22:54:36','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-49/',0,'revision','',0),(533,14,'2012-12-05 23:00:26','2012-12-05 23:00:26','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay, with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-50','','','2012-12-05 23:00:26','2012-12-05 23:00:26','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-50/',0,'revision','',0),(534,14,'2012-12-05 23:00:26','2012-12-05 23:00:26','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay, with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-51','','','2012-12-05 23:00:26','2012-12-05 23:00:26','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-51/',0,'revision','',0),(535,14,'2012-12-05 23:18:57','2012-12-05 23:18:57','Russia’s rigorous standards and leadership in math and science produce top talent engineers, software developers, scientists, R&D researchers and business analysts – so how many Russians are you working with these days? With Russia’s accession in August 2012 to the WTO (the 156th member), global companies will have opportunities as Russian leadership liberalizes trade, encourages investment, and diversifies the economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter. For any <em>inostrantsy</em> (foreigners) working with Russians, there are ways to build trust, clarify understandings, and persuade Russian colleagues to achieve compatible goals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_478\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"640\" caption=\"Moscow at Christmas - Photo by Olga Ivanova-Nuss\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-478\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/do-you-know-your-team-in-russia/moscow_at_christmas_web/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-478\" title=\"Moscow at Christmas\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Moscow_at_Christmas_web-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n<blockquote><em>“Russians desire to “live during work”; I mean, they will never choose a company with huge opportunity for the career if they don’t like the people there...” – Russian engineering manager</em></blockquote>\r\nYou may find these ten tips useful when working with Russians.\r\n<ol>\r\n <li><strong>Build chemistry.</strong><strong> – </strong>Good work relationships require strong respect and trust, leading to open up the Russian hearts. Participate in give-and-take about each other’s country. Russians will make the effort to be informed about the country of their counterpart, and they have the same expectation of you. Be informed and sensitive to Russian national pride, traditions, and ideals. Try and speak a few words in Russian, such as daily greetings or giving a toast. The effort will not go unnoticed.<strong> </strong></li>\r\n <li><strong>Focus your meetings. </strong>– Hold highly focused meetings, as needed. Invite only the “core team” who are directly involved in the agenda items (which, of course, you have focused and prioritized), will bring information, and will ask specific questions. Russians say Americans often have too many meetings, with a lot of people who don’t relate directly to the topics discussed, ask too many general questions, wasting everybody’s time. Some Russians even avoid attending team meetings when they don’t view them as productive.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Persuade with logic.</strong> – Though Russians may be impressed by American presentation skills and confidence, they are not always persuaded. Using logic and intellectual give-and-take, theoretical background and facts, the speaker’s credibility (experience, credentials), plus intensity of emotion will lead to persuading the Russian colleague. Where logic fails to persuade Russian colleagues, remember to be sensitive to their pride. An indirect offer of help, “Perhaps you could test our method, let us know what you think” can move past obstacles.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Take breaks for language chats. </strong>– English language challenges during teleconferences or face-to-face meetings can be alleviated by allowing time for chats among the Russians during the meeting. Conferring in their first language, <strong>русский,</strong> can speed the analysis, and produce responses or clarifying questions. They need time to think in order to give the best answer or offer a solution.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Power is respected, but don’t micromanage.</strong> – Decisions and goal setting in Russia are usually made by senior management and handed down to subordinates. However, once that is in place, the employee has a great deal of “lateral” range to decide on processes. Hierarchies are respected and followed, but it is still rare to see a subordinate openly disagree with a superior.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Trust, but verify</strong>. – Russians are used to excessive rules and procedures, and sometimes resent and even disregard them. A person’s own sense of what is “right” may prevail over “rules.” Offer detailed explanations of why Russians should carry out the instructions, rules or procedures; later verify if the procedures or deadlines are being followed or been modified.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Nyet! may be a starting place. </strong>– Russians are an emotive, passionate people and can be blunt and direct when they disagree. Prepare yourself for this candor, sometimes accompanied by raised voices or fist-banging on the table. They may be showing what they are feeling when trust is built, or testing whether you have taken a firm stand.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Be realistic and direct. </strong>– Giving a “rosy, optimistic” picture will not inspire trust among Russian colleagues. You can present a positive outlook but combined with any negative aspects or consequences that the team can incur. Answer questions directly. The Russians say: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lie”.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Time zones are challenging. </strong>– Most Russians care deeply about family and friends, and when leaving work don’t expect to continue working at night on a regular basis (such as attending virtual meetings and checking email). Be fair and alternate early and late virtual meetings based on the time difference.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Motivate with meaningful work.</strong> - How quickly one moves up the corporate ladder is a sign of success for many Russians. However, many engineers may avoid management positions, seeing them as added responsibility at the same pay, with less interesting work that they are not trained for.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Russians and other cultures in global teams, request more resources and contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call +01 925.931.0555.\r\n\r\n ','Do You Know Your Team in Russia? ','','inherit','open','closed','','468-revision-52','','','2012-12-05 23:18:57','2012-12-05 23:18:57','',468,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/468-revision-52/',0,'revision','',0),(539,14,'2013-02-01 22:38:37','2013-02-01 22:38:37','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n<strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.\r\n\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-2','','','2013-02-01 22:38:37','2013-02-01 22:38:37','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(540,14,'2013-02-01 22:45:09','2013-02-01 22:45:09','','Chinese_Zodiac','','inherit','closed','closed','','chinese_zodiac','','','2013-02-01 22:45:09','2013-02-01 22:45:09','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(541,14,'2013-02-01 22:46:00','2013-02-01 22:46:00','The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)\r\n','Chinese_Zodiac','Chinese Zodiac','inherit','closed','closed','','chinese_zodiac-2','','','2013-02-01 22:46:00','2013-02-01 22:46:00','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(542,14,'2013-02-01 22:38:48','2013-02-01 22:38:48','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n<strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.\r\n\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-3','','','2013-02-01 22:38:48','2013-02-01 22:38:48','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(594,14,'2013-02-01 23:16:13','2013-02-01 23:16:13','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-23','','','2013-02-01 23:16:13','2013-02-01 23:16:13','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(543,14,'2013-02-01 22:48:14','2013-02-01 22:48:14','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-4','','','2013-02-01 22:48:14','2013-02-01 22:48:14','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(544,14,'2013-02-01 22:48:14','2013-02-01 22:48:14','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-5','','','2013-02-01 22:48:14','2013-02-01 22:48:14','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(545,14,'2013-02-01 22:48:20','2013-02-01 22:48:20','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-6','','','2013-02-01 22:48:20','2013-02-01 22:48:20','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(546,14,'2013-02-01 22:48:20','2013-02-01 22:48:20','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-7','','','2013-02-01 22:48:20','2013-02-01 22:48:20','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(547,14,'2013-02-01 22:49:10','2013-02-01 22:49:10','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-8','','','2013-02-01 22:49:10','2013-02-01 22:49:10','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(548,14,'2013-02-01 22:49:10','2013-02-01 22:49:10','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-9','','','2013-02-01 22:49:10','2013-02-01 22:49:10','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(549,14,'2013-02-01 22:49:14','2013-02-01 22:49:14','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-10','','','2013-02-01 22:49:14','2013-02-01 22:49:14','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(550,14,'2013-02-01 22:49:14','2013-02-01 22:49:14','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-11','','','2013-02-01 22:49:14','2013-02-01 22:49:14','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(555,14,'2013-02-01 22:51:35','2013-02-01 22:51:35','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\n\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\n<ul>\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\n</ul>\n \n\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\n\n<strong> </strong>\n\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\n\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-15','','','2013-02-01 22:51:35','2013-02-01 22:51:35','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(551,14,'2013-02-01 22:50:09','2013-02-01 22:50:09','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-12','','','2013-02-01 22:50:09','2013-02-01 22:50:09','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(552,14,'2013-02-01 22:50:09','2013-02-01 22:50:09','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-13','','','2013-02-01 22:50:09','2013-02-01 22:50:09','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(553,14,'2013-02-01 22:50:10','2013-02-01 22:50:10','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_541\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-541\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=541\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-541 \" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-14','','','2013-02-01 22:50:10','2013-02-01 22:50:10','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(554,14,'2013-02-01 22:50:53','2013-02-01 22:50:53','The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)','Chinese_Zodiac','','inherit','closed','closed','','chinese_zodiac-3','','','2013-02-01 22:50:53','2013-02-01 22:50:53','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(591,14,'2013-02-01 23:17:32','2013-02-01 23:17:32','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-24','','','2013-02-01 23:17:32','2013-02-01 23:17:32','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(556,14,'2013-02-01 22:51:46','2013-02-01 22:51:46','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-16','','','2013-02-01 22:51:46','2013-02-01 22:51:46','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(557,14,'2013-02-01 22:51:46','2013-02-01 22:51:46','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-17','','','2013-02-01 22:51:46','2013-02-01 22:51:46','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(558,14,'2013-02-01 22:53:10','2013-02-01 22:53:10','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-18','','','2013-02-01 22:53:10','2013-02-01 22:53:10','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(559,11,'2013-02-01 23:09:37','2013-02-01 23:09:37','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-615\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year-3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-615\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"534\" height=\"67\" border=\"0\"/></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">New Year is arriving in China,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','publish','closed','closed','','say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake','','','2013-02-05 21:48:05','2013-02-05 21:48:05','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=559',0,'post','',0),(560,14,'2013-02-01 22:58:05','2013-02-01 22:58:05','','Chinese_New_Year','','inherit','closed','closed','','chinese_new_year','','','2013-02-01 22:58:05','2013-02-01 22:58:05','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(561,14,'2013-02-01 22:58:51','2013-02-01 22:58:51','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\n\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\n\nChinese New Year is arriving,\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\nGreetings coming across the snow,\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\nWishing that you meet good people, and\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.\n\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake! 送龙迎蛇.','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision','','','2013-02-01 22:58:51','2013-02-01 22:58:51','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(562,14,'2013-02-01 22:58:53','2013-02-01 22:58:53','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.\r\n\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake! 送龙迎蛇.','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-2','','','2013-02-01 22:58:53','2013-02-01 22:58:53','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(563,14,'2013-02-01 23:04:23','2013-02-01 23:04:23','','yellow_mountain1','Huangshan Yellow Mountain','inherit','closed','closed','','yellow_mountain1','','','2013-02-01 23:04:23','2013-02-01 23:04:23','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(564,14,'2013-02-01 23:09:17','2013-02-01 23:09:17','','yellow_mountain3','','inherit','closed','closed','','yellow_mountain3','','','2013-02-01 23:09:17','2013-02-01 23:09:17','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(565,14,'2013-02-01 23:05:06','2013-02-01 23:05:06','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\n\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\nChinese New Year is arriving,\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\nGreetings coming across the snow,\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\nWishing that you meet good people, and\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake! 送龙迎蛇.','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-3','','','2013-02-01 23:05:06','2013-02-01 23:05:06','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(581,14,'2013-02-01 23:13:54','2013-02-01 23:13:54','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-18','','','2013-02-01 23:13:54','2013-02-01 23:13:54','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(566,14,'2013-02-01 23:09:36','2013-02-01 23:09:36','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=564\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake! 送龙迎蛇.','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-4','','','2013-02-01 23:09:36','2013-02-01 23:09:36','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(567,14,'2013-02-01 23:09:36','2013-02-01 23:09:36','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=564\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake! 送龙迎蛇.','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-5','','','2013-02-01 23:09:36','2013-02-01 23:09:36','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(579,14,'2013-02-01 23:13:05','2013-02-01 23:13:05','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-16','','','2013-02-01 23:13:05','2013-02-01 23:13:05','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(577,14,'2013-02-01 23:12:35','2013-02-01 23:12:35','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=564\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-14','','','2013-02-01 23:12:35','2013-02-01 23:12:35','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(568,14,'2013-02-01 23:09:37','2013-02-01 23:09:37','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=564\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake! 送龙迎蛇.','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-6','','','2013-02-01 23:09:37','2013-02-01 23:09:37','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(569,14,'2013-02-05 21:47:34','2013-02-05 21:47:34','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\n\n \n\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-615\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year-3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-615\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"534\" height=\"67\" /></a>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">New Year is arriving in China,\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\nGreetings coming across the snow,\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\nWishing that you meet good people, and\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-autosave','','','2013-02-05 21:47:34','2013-02-05 21:47:34','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(580,14,'2013-02-01 23:13:05','2013-02-01 23:13:05','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-17','','','2013-02-01 23:13:05','2013-02-01 23:13:05','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(576,14,'2013-02-01 23:11:21','2013-02-01 23:11:21','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=564\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-13','','','2013-02-01 23:11:21','2013-02-01 23:11:21','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(570,14,'2013-02-01 23:09:37','2013-02-01 23:09:37','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake! 送龙迎蛇.','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-7','','','2013-02-01 23:09:37','2013-02-01 23:09:37','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(571,14,'2013-02-01 23:10:22','2013-02-01 23:10:22','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-8','','','2013-02-01 23:10:22','2013-02-01 23:10:22','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(572,14,'2013-02-01 23:10:22','2013-02-01 23:10:22','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-9','','','2013-02-01 23:10:22','2013-02-01 23:10:22','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(573,14,'2013-02-01 23:11:04','2013-02-01 23:11:04','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-10','','','2013-02-01 23:11:04','2013-02-01 23:11:04','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(574,14,'2013-02-01 23:11:04','2013-02-01 23:11:04','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-11','','','2013-02-01 23:11:04','2013-02-01 23:11:04','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(575,14,'2013-02-01 23:11:21','2013-02-01 23:11:21','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake-%e9%80%81%e9%be%99%e8%bf%8e%e8%9b%87/yellow_mountain3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-12','','','2013-02-01 23:11:21','2013-02-01 23:11:21','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(578,14,'2013-02-01 23:12:35','2013-02-01 23:12:35','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"> </p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-564\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=564\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" title=\"yellow_mountain3\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" /></a>','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-15','','','2013-02-01 23:12:35','2013-02-01 23:12:35','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(582,14,'2013-02-01 23:13:54','2013-02-01 23:13:54','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\nChinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-19','','','2013-02-01 23:13:54','2013-02-01 23:13:54','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(583,14,'2013-02-01 23:14:59','2013-02-01 23:14:59','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-20','','','2013-02-01 23:14:59','2013-02-01 23:14:59','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(584,14,'2013-02-01 23:14:59','2013-02-01 23:14:59','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-21','','','2013-02-01 23:14:59','2013-02-01 23:14:59','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(585,14,'2013-02-01 23:16:13','2013-02-01 23:16:13','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-22','','','2013-02-01 23:16:13','2013-02-01 23:16:13','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(586,14,'2013-02-01 22:53:10','2013-02-01 22:53:10','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-19','','','2013-02-01 22:53:10','2013-02-01 22:53:10','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(587,14,'2013-02-01 23:16:51','2013-02-01 23:16:51','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-20','','','2013-02-01 23:16:51','2013-02-01 23:16:51','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(588,14,'2013-02-01 23:16:51','2013-02-01 23:16:51','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-21','','','2013-02-01 23:16:51','2013-02-01 23:16:51','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(589,14,'2013-02-01 23:17:00','2013-02-01 23:17:00','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-22','','','2013-02-01 23:17:00','2013-02-01 23:17:00','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(590,14,'2013-02-01 23:17:00','2013-02-01 23:17:00','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct. Visit: <strong><a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac</a> (Calendar/Years)</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-23','','','2013-02-01 23:17:00','2013-02-01 23:17:00','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(592,14,'2013-02-01 23:17:32','2013-02-01 23:17:32','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-25','','','2013-02-01 23:17:32','2013-02-01 23:17:32','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(593,14,'2013-02-01 23:17:37','2013-02-01 23:17:37','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>The</strong></em> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-26','','','2013-02-01 23:17:37','2013-02-01 23:17:37','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(595,14,'2013-02-01 23:19:18','2013-02-01 23:19:18','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=560\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=563\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-24','','','2013-02-01 23:19:18','2013-02-01 23:19:18','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(596,14,'2013-02-01 23:18:29','2013-02-01 23:18:29','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\n\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\n<ul>\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\n\n<strong> </strong>\n\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\n\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-27','','','2013-02-01 23:18:29','2013-02-01 23:18:29','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(597,14,'2013-02-01 23:20:05','2013-02-01 23:20:05','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/?attachment_id=554\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-28','','','2013-02-01 23:20:05','2013-02-01 23:20:05','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(612,14,'2013-02-01 23:39:55','2013-02-01 23:39:55','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-36','','','2013-02-01 23:39:55','2013-02-01 23:39:55','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-36/',0,'revision','',0),(598,14,'2013-02-01 23:20:06','2013-02-01 23:20:06','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-29','','','2013-02-01 23:20:06','2013-02-01 23:20:06','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(599,14,'2013-02-01 23:20:15','2013-02-01 23:20:15','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-30','','','2013-02-01 23:20:15','2013-02-01 23:20:15','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(600,14,'2013-02-01 23:20:15','2013-02-01 23:20:15','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-31','','','2013-02-01 23:20:15','2013-02-01 23:20:15','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(601,14,'2013-02-01 23:21:05','2013-02-01 23:21:05','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-32','','','2013-02-01 23:21:05','2013-02-01 23:21:05','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(602,14,'2013-02-01 23:21:05','2013-02-01 23:21:05','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-33','','','2013-02-01 23:21:05','2013-02-01 23:21:05','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0),(603,14,'2013-02-01 23:21:49','2013-02-01 23:21:49','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-34','','','2013-02-01 23:21:49','2013-02-01 23:21:49','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(614,14,'2013-02-05 21:39:54','2013-02-05 21:39:54','','Chinese_New_Year','','inherit','closed','closed','','chinese_new_year-2','','','2013-02-05 21:39:54','2013-02-05 21:39:54','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(604,14,'2013-02-01 23:19:18','2013-02-01 23:19:18','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563\" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-25','','','2013-02-01 23:19:18','2013-02-01 23:19:18','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(605,14,'2013-02-01 23:24:03','2013-02-01 23:24:03','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-26','','','2013-02-01 23:24:03','2013-02-01 23:24:03','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(606,14,'2013-02-01 23:24:03','2013-02-01 23:24:03','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-27','','','2013-02-01 23:24:03','2013-02-01 23:24:03','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(607,14,'2013-02-01 23:24:35','2013-02-01 23:24:35','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-28','','','2013-02-01 23:24:35','2013-02-01 23:24:35','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(608,14,'2013-02-01 23:24:35','2013-02-01 23:24:35','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Chinese New Year is arriving,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-29','','','2013-02-01 23:24:35','2013-02-01 23:24:35','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(609,14,'2013-02-01 23:26:56','2013-02-01 23:26:56','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">New Year is arriving in China,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-30','','','2013-02-01 23:26:56','2013-02-01 23:26:56','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(610,14,'2013-02-01 23:41:06','2013-02-01 23:41:06','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\n\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\n<ul>\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\n\n<strong> </strong>\n\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\n\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-autosave','','','2013-02-01 23:41:06','2013-02-01 23:41:06','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(611,14,'2013-02-01 23:21:49','2013-02-01 23:21:49','<strong>Feb. 10<sup>th</sup></strong> begins the lunar new year in Asia: Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea. As the biggest holiday of the year, it is a time for families to reunite, and many of our colleagues in Asia will take several days to two weeks holiday. JFK, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Pablo Picasso, and Oprah Winfrey were born in the year of the snake.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_554\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"283\" caption=\"Chinese Zodiac\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-554\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/the-12-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac-%e2%80%93-2013-the-year-of-the-snake/chinese_zodiac-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-554\" title=\"Chinese_Zodiac\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_Zodiac.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"283\" height=\"280\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The 2013 Snake year actually begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014 (Chinese Year 4711)</em></span></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Chinese Zodiac: Shēngxiào, </strong><strong>生肖</strong> in Chinese characters, is an ancient and intriguing 12-year cycle that relates the characteristics of an animal to each specific (Chinese) year. The cycle begins with the rat and ends with the pig. The order was determined by how fast each animal arrived in the “Great Race” called by the Jade Emperor (玉皇), the ruler of heaven and all realms of existence, according to a popular folk story. The snake was the sixth animal to arrive.</p>\r\n<strong>Finding Your Animal Sign: </strong>You can tell what your animal sign is by looking up your birth year in the chart. But since a Chinese (lunar) year typically ends and begins in January and February on the Western calendar, you may be off by one year! If you were born during January and February, confirm the exact Chinese year to ensure your animal sign is correct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Personality Traits</strong> <strong>of Snake People:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>Highly intelligent and talented</li>\r\n <li>Original thinker, good communicator, persuasive</li>\r\n <li>Ambitious, progressive, enjoys challenges</li>\r\n <li>Charming and appealing, but could be elusive</li>\r\n <li>Calm and swift; thoughtful and flexible</li>\r\n <li>Intuitive though somewhat private and reticent</li>\r\n <li>Agile, powerful; commitment-driven and perseverant</li>\r\n <li>Possessive and jealous in relationships</li>\r\n <li>Good at business, lucky with money matters but bad at gambling</li>\r\n <li>Enjoys life, loves beauty and luxury</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Compatibility: </strong>Snakes are compatible with the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster in forming relationships.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Some Famous Snake People:</strong><strong> </strong>JFK, FDR, Chairman Mao, Tony Blair, Mohammad Ali, Pablo Picasso, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Carol King, Simon and Garfunkel, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan.\r\n\r\n ','The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac – 2013: The Year of the Snake','','inherit','closed','closed','','537-revision-35','','','2013-02-01 23:21:49','2013-02-01 23:21:49','',537,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/537-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(615,14,'2013-02-05 21:47:06','2013-02-05 21:47:06','','Chinese_New_Year','','inherit','closed','closed','','chinese_new_year-3','','','2013-02-05 21:47:06','2013-02-05 21:47:06','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(616,14,'2013-02-01 23:26:56','2013-02-01 23:26:56','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-560\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-560\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"469\" height=\"37\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">New Year is arriving in China,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-31','','','2013-02-01 23:26:56','2013-02-01 23:26:56','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(617,14,'2013-02-05 21:48:05','2013-02-05 21:48:05','Each year Chinese from all over the world plan to reunite the family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In the world’s largest annual migration, at least 200 million Chinese travel home. On New Year\'s eve, families watch CCTV (Chinese television) for the biggest party for the new year. Fish and dumplings are traditional foods, and the party and dinner continue past midnight. As midnight arrives, the most powerful fireworks light up the sky to welcome the new year. New Year’s Day everyone dresses up and shares best wishes to everyone. Here is a Chinese New Year greeting, giving insight to what makes the Chinese hopeful for the coming year, and their connection with nature.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-615\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/chinese_new_year-3/\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-615\" title=\"Chinese_New_Year\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Chinese_New_Year1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"534\" height=\"67\" border=\"0\"/></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_563\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Huangshan Yellow Mountain - by R. Rodriguez\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-563\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/say-good-bye-to-the-dragon-welcome-snake/yellow_mountain1/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-563 \" title=\"yellow_mountain1\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/yellow_mountain1-300x225.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> </p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">New Year is arriving in China,\r\nAll the world feels happiness coming,\r\nTumbling joy from the mountains and rivers,\r\nGreetings coming across the snow,\r\nBringing blessings of peace on the wind,\r\nWishing that you meet good people, and\r\nMay good fortune come your way as you step outside your door.</p>\r\n ','Say Good-bye to the Dragon, Welcome Snake!','','inherit','closed','closed','','559-revision-32','','','2013-02-05 21:48:05','2013-02-05 21:48:05','',559,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/559-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(619,13,'2013-07-26 12:00:23','2013-07-26 12:00:23','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical feedback – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','publish','closed','closed','','do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2','','','2013-07-29 18:53:40','2013-07-29 18:53:40','',0,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/?p=619',0,'post','',0),(620,14,'2013-07-25 22:24:12','2013-07-25 22:24:12','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction. \n\n','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision','','','2013-07-25 22:24:12','2013-07-25 22:24:12','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(621,14,'2013-07-25 22:24:14','2013-07-25 22:24:14','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction. \r\n\r\n','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-2','','','2013-07-25 22:24:14','2013-07-25 22:24:14','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(622,14,'2013-07-25 22:24:26','2013-07-25 22:24:26','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction. \r\n\r\n','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-3','','','2013-07-25 22:24:26','2013-07-25 22:24:26','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(625,14,'2013-07-25 22:53:52','2013-07-25 22:53:52','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction. \r\n\r\n','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-4','','','2013-07-25 22:53:52','2013-07-25 22:53:52','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(626,14,'2013-07-26 18:54:27','2013-07-26 18:54:27','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction. \r\n\r\nHere are 10 points for working effectively with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n• Relationships are the driver – Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team. \r\n• Japanese expect quality… – ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection. \r\n• And work very hard to get it – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player. \r\n• Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners. \r\n• Patience and persistence will lead to consensus. Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.\r\nWorking with the Younger Generation in Japan \r\n\r\n• The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and very connected!\r\n• Value their contributions - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset. \r\n• In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards). \r\n• Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers. Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important. \r\n• Right place & time for feedback - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!\r\n\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at info@chariscorp.com or call 925.931.0555\r\n','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-5','','','2013-07-26 18:54:27','2013-07-26 18:54:27','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(627,14,'2013-07-26 18:56:55','2013-07-26 18:56:55','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\nHere are 10 points for working effectively with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n \r\n\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-6','','','2013-07-26 18:56:55','2013-07-26 18:56:55','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(628,14,'2013-07-26 18:57:13','2013-07-26 18:57:13','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\nHere are 10 points for working effectively with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-7','','','2013-07-26 18:57:13','2013-07-26 18:57:13','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(629,14,'2013-07-26 18:58:05','2013-07-26 18:58:05','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\nHere are 10 points for working effectively with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-8','','','2013-07-26 18:58:05','2013-07-26 18:58:05','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(630,14,'2013-07-26 18:58:28','2013-07-26 18:58:28','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\nHere are 10 points for working effectively with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-9','','','2013-07-26 18:58:28','2013-07-26 18:58:28','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(631,14,'2013-07-26 19:00:19','2013-07-26 19:00:19','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-10','','','2013-07-26 19:00:19','2013-07-26 19:00:19','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(632,14,'2013-07-26 19:15:06','2013-07-26 19:15:06','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/08/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-autosave','','','2013-07-26 19:15:06','2013-07-26 19:15:06','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(636,14,'2013-07-26 19:10:42','2013-07-26 19:10:42','Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya','Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya','Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya','inherit','closed','closed','','younggeneration','','','2013-07-26 19:10:42','2013-07-26 19:10:42','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(637,14,'2013-07-26 19:00:23','2013-07-26 19:00:23','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-11','','','2013-07-26 19:00:23','2013-07-26 19:00:23','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(638,14,'2013-07-26 19:11:27','2013-07-26 19:11:27','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-12','','','2013-07-26 19:11:27','2013-07-26 19:11:27','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(639,14,'2013-07-26 19:11:27','2013-07-26 19:11:27','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-13','','','2013-07-26 19:11:27','2013-07-26 19:11:27','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(640,14,'2013-07-26 19:12:16','2013-07-26 19:12:16','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-14','','','2013-07-26 19:12:16','2013-07-26 19:12:16','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(641,14,'2013-07-26 19:12:16','2013-07-26 19:12:16','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-15','','','2013-07-26 19:12:16','2013-07-26 19:12:16','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(642,14,'2013-07-26 19:15:00','2013-07-26 19:15:00','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-16','','','2013-07-26 19:15:00','2013-07-26 19:15:00','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(643,14,'2013-07-26 19:15:00','2013-07-26 19:15:00','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/08/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-17','','','2013-07-26 19:15:00','2013-07-26 19:15:00','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(644,14,'2013-07-26 19:17:00','2013-07-26 19:17:00','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/08/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-18','','','2013-07-26 19:17:00','2013-07-26 19:17:00','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(645,14,'2013-07-26 19:17:00','2013-07-26 19:17:00','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-19','','','2013-07-26 19:17:00','2013-07-26 19:17:00','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(646,14,'2013-07-26 19:17:16','2013-07-26 19:17:16','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-20','','','2013-07-26 19:17:16','2013-07-26 19:17:16','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(647,14,'2013-07-26 19:17:16','2013-07-26 19:17:16','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-21','','','2013-07-26 19:17:16','2013-07-26 19:17:16','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(648,14,'2013-07-26 20:36:07','2013-07-26 20:36:07','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-22','','','2013-07-26 20:36:07','2013-07-26 20:36:07','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(649,14,'2013-07-26 20:36:07','2013-07-26 20:36:07','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the Younger Generation in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-23','','','2013-07-26 20:36:07','2013-07-26 20:36:07','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(650,14,'2013-07-26 20:48:46','2013-07-26 20:48:46','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-24','','','2013-07-26 20:48:46','2013-07-26 20:48:46','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(651,14,'2013-07-26 20:48:47','2013-07-26 20:48:47','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-25','','','2013-07-26 20:48:47','2013-07-26 20:48:47','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(652,14,'2013-07-26 20:49:21','2013-07-26 20:49:21','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-26','','','2013-07-26 20:49:21','2013-07-26 20:49:21','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(653,14,'2013-07-26 20:49:22','2013-07-26 20:49:22','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-27','','','2013-07-26 20:49:22','2013-07-26 20:49:22','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(654,14,'2013-07-26 20:49:22','2013-07-26 20:49:22','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-28','','','2013-07-26 20:49:22','2013-07-26 20:49:22','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(655,14,'2013-07-26 20:49:22','2013-07-26 20:49:22','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. If you expect them to take initiative and ownership, you’ll need to be very clear on what that means, what the process is, and why it is important.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Right place & time for feedback</strong> - Whatever you do, don’t embarrass them in front of their peers by catching them unprepared or uninformed. Avoid giving individual critical – your reputation for causing loss of face will live much longer than you like!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNext! To expand your knowledge and skills in working with Japanese of all generations, or request more resources, contact Charis at <a href=\"mailto:info@chariscorp.com\">info@chariscorp.com</a> or call 925.931.0555','Do You Know your Team in Japan?','','inherit','closed','closed','','619-revision-29','','','2013-07-26 20:49:22','2013-07-26 20:49:22','',619,'http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/619-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(656,14,'2013-07-29 18:53:40','2013-07-29 18:53:40','Japan is on the rise again – or is it? Since the beginning of 2013, Japan has seen a nearly 50% gain in its stock market, the yen is down, and consumer spending is up. In the world economy “<em>gaiatsu</em>”, or pressure from the outside, can be seen as both a threat and a motivation to inspire progress in Japan in great leaps forward. As a non-Japanese working with Japanese team members, my strategy is to become less threat and more inspiration by establishing good human connections or “<em>ningenkankei</em>”. Here’s how “<em>gaikokujin</em>” or “<em>gaijin</em>” (for short) non-Japanese or “outside country’s person” can build that connection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_636\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Japan's Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-636\" href=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/do-you-know-your-team-in-japan-2/younggeneration/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-636\" title=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" src=\"http://chariscorp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/YoungGeneration.jpg\" alt=\"Young Generation – Photo by Sue Shinomiya\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFind a mutual connection, no matter how distant, then work together patiently and socialize often to build a relationship of shared trust and respect. Think of it as peeling back the layers of an onion, moving from the outside to the inside over time, sharing common goals, processes, tasks and social interaction.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>Here are 10 points for working effectively</strong></span> with your team in Japan, including the young generation.\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>Relationships are the driver </strong>– Ask yourself: Who am I in relation to others, how will I be seen by others? How can I ensure saving face? Show your genuine concern for the well-being of team members, give face instead of causing it to be lost, and you will gain the respect and trust of your team.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Japanese expect quality… </strong>– ‘Zero defects’ is a reasonable goal. Japanese consumers and companies want to have the latest and the greatest, and will pay the highest price for the best quality. They need to see that there is a willingness on your part to do what it takes to work towards that goal of perfection.</li>\r\n <li><strong>And work very hard to get it</strong> – If you need to leave the office or a meeting early, talk about work-life balance issues and give team members plenty of advance notice. For the demanding Japanese, this helps reframe their perspective to still see you as a team player.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Appreciate Japan’s sense of uniqueness</strong> – Learn as much as you can about the culture, history, geology, economy and language. Be willing to exchange ideas and perspectives on Japan and your own culture in mutual conversation. Build bridges and further the “ningenkankei” (human connections) between global partners.</li>\r\n <li><strong>Patience and persistence will lead to consensus.</strong> Take the time to build understanding and agreement. In fact, consensus isn’t a ‘nice to have’, but a necessary business and development strategy.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Working with the <span style=\"color: #993300;\">Younger Generation</span> in Japan</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n <li><strong>The energy and vitality of Japan’s young people cannot be underestimated</strong> – they are the drivers of Japan’s “cool” fashions and next generation gadgets, and are savvy about technology, sustainability, social responsibility and social media. Think young, hip, green, high-tech and <em>very</em> connected!</li>\r\n <li><strong>Value their</strong> <strong>contributions</strong> - Like younger people everywhere, Japanese Millenials would like to feel that they are valued contributors, that their ideas count, and that you will listen to them. That said, it doesn’t mean they will automatically speak up, especially in front of the group. Young Japanese may be independent thinkers, may be better at English than the older generation and have really cool hair styles, but they are still fundamentally Japanese in their communication style and mindset.</li>\r\n <li><strong>In advance, give them time to prepare their answers and solutions</strong>. Better yet, ask if they’d prefer to work out their ideas in a group or with a colleague before speaking up. Instead of vocal brainstorming, try written brainstorming (ideas on cards).</li>\r\n <li><strong>Early career team members expect “Hands On” managers.</strong> Especially early in their careers, young Japanese might assume that the leader knows best, and should provide clear direction. It’s very important to let them know what your expectations are. 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