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What intercultural training can teach us about cross-departmental collaboration
Multiple industry surveys have indicated that HR and global mobility teams are actively seeking greater integration, alignment and collaboration with other business functions within their organizations. There’s no question that intentional, frequent collaboration between mobility and talent acquisition, development and retention could really bolster an organization’s talent strategy. But fostering strong connections, understanding and cooperation across diverse groups and teams with different goals can be easier said than done. It requires a blend of strategic, technical, and communication skills, and a commitment to making it work.
All of this got us thinking…intercultural training helps prepare global assignees for working across diverse cultures, navigating other languages and appreciating business and societal norms that can be very different from the ones they’re used to. Are there lessons we can apply from those methods that can help us realize greater cross-functional awareness, understanding and empathy, too?
We sat down to have a conversation with Steffen Henkel, CEO of crossculture academy, to dig a little deeper into this idea.
Here’s what he had to say:
Steffen raises some great food for thought. There are many things that shape our views of the world and how we behave that go well beyond our geographic or regional cultural experiences. Certainly, the types of organizations we work for, the specific work that we do and the outcomes we are responsible for in our professional lives play a big part in how we see things.
Even within the same organization, we can all relate to the fact that different departments tend to speak different languages, at least figuratively. You only need to look at some of the acronyms used in marketing, IT, or legal, for example – and you can see fundamental differences.
HR professionals have a unique position, touching every business unit in some way. So they need to have an appreciation for how these different areas of the business operate to be successful in achieving meaningful collaboration. Understanding how different areas of the business work and communicate, what their goals are, how decisions are made, and what rules may dictate the hierarchy around those decisions can go a long way to achieving much more effective strategic alignment.
The good news is that everyone is capable of switching between cultures – we do it on a regular basis, whether we realize it or not. Again, here are some observations from Steffen Henkel:
Looking to build greater cross-functional collaboration in your own business? Consider how some of the same intercultural tools and resources you use to prepare your globally mobile workforce for greater understanding and empathy might just help you build better bridges right in your own company at home, too.
Interested in exploring this concept in more detail?
Get in touch with the experienced professionals at Sterling Lexicon or crossculture academy to get a conversation started.
