1.

Cross Cultural Training for Expats/Employees Point of View on how organizations are investing in training programs for expats who come onboard, so that they understand the cultural sentiments of India and the Indian way of doing business

Cross cultural capability building for employees or expats is getting a lot of attention from global organizations. While there are standard cross cultural trainings that are imparted to employees by organizations in the IT and ITES sector where there are a lot of people who travel abroad and are taken through cultural sensitization trainings which could be very broad based starting from basic etiquettes to understanding non verbal communication, responding to behaviors etc. Some organizations specifically have focus on Cultural Sensitization where leadership is from across geographies to ensure that leaders are able to collaborate and work well even in a virtual environment. We have programs that we conduct for middle to senior level leaders in MNCs to help leaders across geographies appreciate cultural differences in various geographies, sensitize them to acceptable and non acceptable behaviors and also to perform effectively as a group across various cultures. The sensitization is also around working across geographies in a virtual environment since the challenges get multifold over there. Right Management has delivered for its clients workshops using International facilitators where the context of working across cultures virtually in a multi-cultural environment have been one of the key leadership development requirements. Cross cultural sensitization is very important when leaders are being sent to other geographies in leadership role, and at the leadership level, the capability building is more individualized. For a few clients Right Management has partnered with the organizations in building capability of leaders moving to larger roles in other geographies through a New Leader Coaching intervention, where in the coaching requirements of the leaders is defined around the new geography and the role and then a Seasoned Coach who has exposure in dealing with Business across cultures works closely with the Incumbent 3 -4 months prior to his /her getting into the new role and thereafter continues the coaching for another 3 4 month after s/he has taken up the new role in the new geography. This particular coaching is not just about the new geography but also about being successful in a new role in a new geography. We always advise clients that this is a very proactive way of ensuring that critical leaders dont fail in their new roles. The ideal way that Right suggests to its clients is to define what competencies are expected from the Leader from a Leadership POV (common to organization

Right Management 2011. All Rights Reserved.

across geographies) and cultural anchors (specific to the organization in each of its geographies) and create a success profile around these two for each of the critical roles for which incumbents across geographies and cultures are being considered. Thereafter, assess the leaders under consideration using the right set of tools from a competency and cultural fitment point of view, identify the gaps that coachable and are not potential de-railers and work on those gaps in an individualized manner through coaching to help him / her succeed in the new role.

Right Management 2009. All Rights Reserved.