What are the greatest challenges in creating a multicultural organization, and what can be done to address these challenges?
Getting a group of people (be it large or small) to work as a team can be complicated. People’s personalities and differences can sometimes get in the way of productive teamwork. Creating multicultural organizations can be an even more difficult task. In addition to everyday personality differences, we have to consider all of factors that come with the territory. Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1998, p.13) state that “culture is a shared system of meanings.” Different cultures can vary in regards to so many things. Beliefs, behaviors, ways of thinking, and one’s approach to business can all come into play here. The challenge can present itself when creating an effective team that works well together, and one that also celebrates the strengths and differences found in a multicultural organization. It’s almost like attempting assimilation without giving up the individuality and differences – two opposite forces working in unison. In addition to all that, we have to somehow get people to work well together, regardless of who their teammates are. Finding ways to overcome personal prejudices can be a daunting task. If not addressed properly, multicultural issues can result in unhappy employees, poor performance, and lost time and money.
Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1998, p.4) point out the importance of recognizing the multi-dimensional character of a company. Effectively addressing multicultural issues starts at the top. Managers have to model the behaviors that they expect from their employees. Diversity can’t be only words on paper. It has to be real and visible. Furthermore, managers have to create an environment that promotes the kind of company culture that fosters desired outcomes. To effectively address such issues we must begin with understanding and acceptance – first of self and then of other. It’s important to understand that we can approach business in more than one way, effectively tailoring our methods to different situations. In the same way, we have to remain flexible when building our multicultural organization. It’s important to remember that cookie-cutter solutions don’t effectively fit all situations.
Trompenaars, F., & Hampden-Turner, C. (1998). Riding the waves of culture (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
