Do you know the difference between postponing and preponing?
The first time I heard the term prepone it was during my induction for a new role. I was working for a multinational company and they took you through cultural diversity training so that you would understand the nuances of working with teams based all over the world. Most teams were a 50/50 mix of local hires and internationally seconded staff who would spend a few years in different countries building their skills.
I needed to understand why some male colleagues wouldn’t shake my hand or that the pub wasn't a good location for a chat or why I kept being invited to dinner at colleagues homes rather than to a restaurant for dinner.
It was a whole cultural awakening.
We live in a multicultural world and with the increase in remote working our employees and team members could be based ANYWHERE in the world. Do you take cultural nuances into consideration when you are hiring and managing your team?
For example in many countries publicly disagreeing with your boss can be regarded as disrespectful, while in other cultures giving your honest opinion when asked is a prerequisite for progressing your career.
I sat on an interview panel for a client and they asked candidates to give examples of how they have convinced their manager or stakeholder to change their mind. Some candidates had great examples but one candidate said she supported her manager to achieve their aims and kept them compliant by giving advice and highlighting the risks.
My client wanted a different type of response and didn’t want to take the candidate further, even though they had loved all of her other responses. I managed to convince them to get her back in for a second chat and it turned out that her boss regarded it as disrespectful to be told what to do and so she used different tactics to ensure compliance. She was hired and is still there 2 years later.
Do you ask why your candidates or team members respond differently to your expectations? It might not be a lack of knowledge or braveness, a person’s culture can have an affect on how they communicate in the workplace.
Remember:
There can be multiple right answers
Get the why behind the answer
Don’t judge a candidate based on one response
Gather the opinion of others
If you need help ensuring your recruitment process isn’t losing you quality candidates, schedule a call with us here.