As markets become increasingly听globalized,听business leaders may find an听added layer of听complexity when听trying听to mediate conflict, achieve a consensus or gain听team alignment听in the form of听cross-cultural divides.听For听Prof.听Kandarp听Mehta,听the crux of听successful听multicultural听negotiations听is a听deep awareness of our cultural affinity, as well as that of our counterpart.听听
鈥淲别听all have听cultural blind spots that can undermine our ability to effectively negotiate鈥�. 听Kandarp听Mehta, 天美传媒 Professor听
鈥淔or this reason, it鈥檚 important to听expand our awareness beyond听superficial cultural听stereotypes.听In this regard, he听highlights three main archetypes 鈥撎�dignity,听honor听and听face听cultures听鈥撎�to听bear in mind when taking part in a multicultural negotiation”.
3听keys with examples for a听multicultural negotiation听
1. Dignity
Dignity听cultures听like those prevalent in听North America, Northern Europe and Australia-New Zealand听stress the value of the individual听and听a data-driven approach. In听these听contexts,听negotiators need to understand and trust听the person sitting opposite them before they engage in any type of business transaction.听
2. 听Honor
In honor听cultures, characteristic in听South America, Northern Africa and the Middle East,听you not only represent yourself; you represent the entire group, which means听protecting the听honor听of the individual and the community is听paramount. In these regions,听negotiations often center on offers, substantiating offers and getting concessions.
3. 听Face
In听China,听Japan听and听other East Asian cultures,听societies are based on maintaining听stable social hierarchies and social cohesion. To preserve听these social constructs,听negotiations听are more indirect, complex and multifaceted听compared to听dignity cultures听since parties听do听their best to听avoid confrontation听and save face.听听听
While听gaining a better understanding of these prototypes is useful, Prof. Mehta听is quick to point out that听they rarely听exist in their purest form.听鈥�Culture isn鈥檛 really a matter of citizenship, nationality, race or ethnicity. In essence, it is a set of beliefs and norms that drives our behavior, which also includes the cultures specific to distinct communities, organizations or sectors.鈥�听
Also important is remembering that听you鈥檙e negotiating with a person, not a representative of a specific nationality or ethnicity. As Prof. Mehta observes, 鈥�Anything that helps us avoid the trap of ethnocentrism and gain a better understanding of why people behave the way they do is helpful. Take a genuine听interest听in your negotiating partner as an听individual听and aspire to discover the听motivations, objectives and needs听that are听driving their behavior.鈥澨�听
听
If you would like to听boost听your听negotiating skills in multicultural settings, learn more about 天美传媒鈥檚听鈥�鈥�. Delivered听over five weeks听in听a live online format, it听equips managers with听proven听frameworks听and techniques to excel in any negotiation context.听
Read here the article听Face-to-face and online negotiations: Keys to success听
