"cross cultural understanding with india" speech
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My speech for the Indian High Commissioner's event in Australia on "Doing Business with India". My task is to highlight cross cultural differences and help business be better prepared for India.TRANSCRIPT
Speech by Stephen Manallack
Author, “Soft Skills for a Flat World” (Tata McGraw-Hill India, 2012)
Managing Cross-Cultural Differences with India.
“The Great Gatsby” insight into India!
© Stephen Manallack 2012
F. Scott Fitzgerald –
“…the test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”
India Culture & Business TIP 1.
© Stephen Manallack 2012
Indian culture embraces paradox – two competing ideas often go together
Absolute or Relative.
The “Definite” and the “Maybe”
Universalism vs particularism
What is it to be trustworthy?
What’s in a contract?
© Stephen Manallack 2012
The West’s pursuit of certainty. India’s acceptance of change.
© Stephen Manallack 2012
You have to understand…
© Stephen Manallack 2012
© Stephen Manallack 2012
© Stephen Manallack 2012
The two views of time.
West has “straight line” view
Focus on one thing at a time
India is largely synchronic
Several things at once
© Stephen Manallack 2012
How do these views act out?
• Most westerners want to focus on one thing at a time – Indian counterpart deals with interruptions etc
• Western schedules are rigid – rush on• Indian schedules flexible – take time if needed• Westerners uncomfortable with long pauses• Indians comfortable with pauses and silence• Following things as they evolve is not natural to
westerners
© Stephen Manallack 2012
India Culture & Business TIP 2.
India is a smart,
innovative country
© Stephen Manallack 2012
The optimistic mind of the market.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chair and Managing Director, Biocon Ltd:
“My philosophy in life is that every failure can be converted into a success. As somebody said, defeat is temporary but giving up is permanent. The way I approached it was that I am going to be just not brainwashed by perceptions. I thought let me do it my way."
© Stephen Manallack 2012
India Culture & Business TIP 3.
Treat problems and setbacks as
a gift
It’s worth it…
© Stephen Manallack 2012
India Culture & Business TIP 4.
Go with an open mindMost diverse country on earth
Religions, beliefs, languages and culture Your host could have spent many years in the USA
or the UK, and have a global outlook - or never have left India and have a regional view
© Stephen Manallack 2012
Just some of the issues…
• Where to HQ?• Who to partner?• Constant travel (35
cities +)• Long hours• Slower, collective
decisions
© Stephen Manallack 2012
India Culture & Business TIP 5.
India will be hard
work, so be prepared
© Stephen Manallack 2012
Steve’s TIPS for success in India.
1. Be ready for paradox2. India is smart, innovative3. Treat problems as a gift4. Go with an open mind5. India will be hard work
© Stephen Manallack 2012
Conclusion.
Cultures are not “right” or “wrong”
Enjoy differences through understanding
Flat World = we are all “Multinationals”
Key is therefore soft skills and cultural awareness+ a curious and generous mind…
© Stephen Manallack 2012
Why not take action?
Indian thinker Rabindranath Tagore is the inspiration to action:
“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”