Effective communication strategies for motivating employees in multicultural workplaces

Motivation in a Highly Multicultural Firm

Communications are Vital

Identifying Challenges and Confirming What Counts

Focusing on Can not Can't

Reminders to Help

Soliciting What's Valuable

Presenting Opportunities

Motivation in a Highly Multicultural Firm

Communications Are Vital

If you look for the worst in people and expect to find it, you surely will. (Lincoln, 2006)

What we have here... is the failure to communicate." When the warden spouted these words in reference to "Luke," the prisoner Paul Newman played in the 1967 movie, "Cool Hand Luke," he was, as Abraham Lincoln proposed in this paper's introductory quote, looking for the worst in Luke. Today, in our multicultural world, one can choose to either see the worst or best in others; to communicate in ways that help or hinder; to discourage or motive. How one communicates reveals their choice in each of these three areas. In today's world, miscommunication, caused by failure to communicate, or communicating too much, can lead to confusion, complicate problems or create crises. When there is little on no clear communication, an individual may lose his motivation to give his best efforts to his job or may as recently occurred with an individual from Germany, working in an American manufacturing plant, trigger thoughts of quitting his job. Points presented in the following except from this individual's supervisor illustrate several excellent motivational techniques. The email was addressed to the German individual after his failure to relate a problem to this supervisor:.".. The problem we were faced with yesterday is a lack of communications with the appropriate teams.... But the one lesson I think everyone can gain though this acknowledgement is that communications are vital. When faced with a situation similar I would suggest that a face-to-face conversation or phone call may be more effective than email communications. In doing so, it gives the receiving individual time to digest what you are saying and brings them into focus so the issue can be handled. If this had been done, I am sure that everyone involved would have understood what the problem was and insured appropriate measures were taken to resolve the issue. "Yesterday, I found we had a misunderstanding across the teams, of what the actual problem involved....My suggestion moving forward, this that this type of information should be discussed in our morning meeting, where I have a representative from all the support teams attending. If this had been done when you realized you had a problem, then we could of gotten the issue addressed and handled a lot quicker. The problem would have been hi-lighted as an issue and appropriate follow-up would have taken place. "The final point I would like to clarify is that you can always call me directly to help. In a situation like this, it would of help if you had called me. I do not expect you to handle everything in a silo. You have a support mechanism in place and it is important that issues like this are communicated immediately. If that had happened, then I would have had the opportunity to put corrective measures in place and insured everything was corrected. "One good point to remember, we all become a little wiser through our mistakes. So what I would suggest is that you and I start a daily conference call moving forward. This will give you and opportunity to advise me of any issues, concerns, or problems and allow me to gain a full understanding of these issues. "Is this agreeable?" (Sandbay, 2006). "Communications are vital," as the supervisor noted in his email, even though some may also perceive what Reis (1988) noted to be true: "Today, communication itself is the problem. We have become the world's first over communicated society." Along with the point that "Communications are vital," accompanying concepts stressed in the supervisor's motivational email could benefit other supervisors; educators; trainers; etc. responsible for motivating and teaching individuals in a multicultural firm. Positive practices presented include: Clarifying misunderstandings by identifying components of a problem of challenge. Identifying possible solutions, while also confirming positive aspects a person has demonstrated. Also, focusing on what can be learned instead of what was done or what might have gone wrong motivates an individual. Reminding the individual they are not alone in their situation or problem and offering to assist will help a person. Soliciting an individual's opinions will validate that their thoughts are valuable. Presenting the opportunity to express one's ideas will strengthen an individual, and in turn help a firm grow stronger.

II. Identifying Challenges and Confirming What Counts

Communication, between motivators and trainees; educators and students, occurs even when words are not verbalized, and may at times be challenging to identify.

Motivating and teaching.".. requires dialogue at a deeper level and respect for other values. Understanding how values operate in students' thoughts and feelings is difficult but terribly important, especially when molding artistic sensibilities" (Williams, 2002). Considering various cultures' teaching and learning implication spotlights Eastern and Western cultures' poignant differences. Confucius' philosophical traditions and teachings impact Eastern values.

Greek and Roman sources, along with Judeo-Christian philosophies, influence Western values. Nevertheless, as diversity within these two cultures and the various subcultures evolved over the centuries, "these philosophical roots are the sources from which values emerge and more superficial manifestations of culture develop." Be that as it may, and although individuals from Eastern and Western cultures may wear identical clothes, speak the same language, and maybe even share similar spiritual beliefs, they will most likely encounter basic confusion during times they attempt to learn how to perform or act different culture (Williams, 2002). Although learning to live in a different culture presents challenges, the most difficult test an individual faces is to "see" the power his personal cultural imparts to him counts to counter the challenge. "Gardner cites the following proverb: 'The fish is the last to discover that it is in water.' The proverb offers an apt image... We are so immersed in our own cultural values that we do not know what separates us from those we teach. Effective communication across cultures does not require that we reject our own cultural values - only that we discover them"(Williams, 2002).

III. Focusing on Can not Can't

In her essay "First Muse," words Julia Alvarez wrote illustrate feelings many individuals in a highly multicultural firm may experience: "I lived in another country and in another language... "(Simon, 2002). Alvarez' personal experiences of being displaced and uprooted from her native culture contributed to her feeling she never belonged in the North American culture.

In a sense, a person's "Worldview," along with their personal experiences in multicultural environments or firms may color their perceptions of the business; the people they work with and for, as well as, their motivation in their daily role. Worldview is defined as "A frame of reference which consists of the unique assumptions, understandings, interpretations, and beliefs an individual holds about life, particularly about the individual's relationship to the people, institutions, and phenomena within his/her environment" (Mio, Trimble, Arredondo, Cheatham, & Sue, 1999, p. 272). Individuals from various countries, may also suffer, as Alvarez appeared to have lived though what is known as "culture shock." (Mio, Trimble, Arredondo, Cheatham, & Sue (1999, p. 89-90) cite Oberg (1960) to explain culture shock as "The difficulties associated with adaptation to a new culture."

Individuals experiencing culture shock are reported to, at times, experience anxiety; depression; helplessness, along with feeling a sense of loss when relocating to a new cultural environment. "Sojourner adjustment, cross-cultural adaptation or adjustment, and acculturative stress," are other terms used to define culture shock, although traumatic to some, is usually a short-term process. The cultural transition process involves psychological and socio-cultural adjustments. An individual's ability to adjust psychologically, studies show, is contingent on stress and coping processes, while socio-cultural adjustment, based on social cognition framework is subject to a person's orientation to the contiguous culture. Regarding psychological adjustments, research shows that those students who were more individually oriented and directly coped with issues, experienced less stress in adjusting to a new culture than group-oriented individuals who responded indirectly to concerns. In the socio-cultural adjustment realm, students with similar cultural values were able to more easily adjust than those individual from counties with dissimilar cultural values (Mio, Trimble, Arredondo, Cheatham, & Sue, 1999, p. 89-90). Richard Rodriguez, author of Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriquez, exemplifies asimilao as he portrays himself as an archetypal middle-class American male in a "rags to riches' tale. During the scenario, Rodriguez claims to assimilate into America's mainstream culture. The process of his transformation form a "socially disadvantaged" Mexican to gaining status as a "self-made" American, Rodriguez writes, alienated him from his Mexican parent, as well as fostered the loss of any connections to an ethnic past. Other cultures may approach problems or social scenarios in different ways. Each individual may accept or reject each other's cultures; ideas; habits; etc.. Moya (2002, p. 127; 134) states, have been able to consider the merits of their perspective, evaluate their arguments, and, by identifying the sources of their errors, work toward figuring out less reductive and more effective ways of approaching the problems of race-based (and other forms of) discrimination and inequality.... led me to suggest, as an alternative to assimilation, the value of being asimilao.

IV. Reminders to Help

Kim & Lyons (2003) report that games can be successfully used to instill and enhance individuals' abilities to succeed in a multicultural firm. Game playing possesses numerous characteristics which could enhance the learning of competencies areas of skills, attitudes and beliefs, and knowledge. Games which include low-risk potential can increase a sense of safety, reduce vulnerable feelings, while also, and enhancing multicultural awareness.

For example, the use of games can balance out the inherent hierarchy between the trainees and the instructor (i.e., it levels the playing field) and potentially lead to an increased sense of safety on the part of the trainees" (Kim & Lyons, 2003). Increasing an individual's sense of safety can work tom eliminate prejudices and allow students and trainees to more readily examine their personal norms; cultural values; attitudes and beliefs that influence them. During the process, as confrontation likely decreases, they may improve their multicultural understanding and decrease limitations that constrain them. In playing games, trainees may become more willing to try new actives, as their fear of making mistakes decreases. In addition, trainees' may begin to feel less vulnerable, and in behavioral encourage them to begin to more openly share their emotions, in turn, helping them to become more "real." Playing games can also strengthen a group of individuals' camaraderie.

For the knowledge dimension of multicultural counseling competencies, games can provide an interesting and perhaps enjoyable way to gain multicultural knowledge about various ethnic groups. Culture-specific information can be incorporated into games, and the trainee's accurate and inaccurate perceptions about the culture can be explored without fear of negative retribution " (Kim & Lyons, 2003). During the course of playing a game, discussing common stereotypes, along with their possible origins, can encourage participants to share personal experiences and perhaps talk about sensitive topics. Difficult concerns can be more easily be openly explored and discussed.

Employing activities that stimulate individuals, such as games, help develop competence. Many training programs are knowledge and skills-based but neglect to focus nurturing self-awareness' changes.

Personal awareness development deserves as much focus as skills and knowledge. Learning activities based on experience provide options for achieving this goal. Research showed that utilizing "The Empathy Game," to teach empathy to individuals resulted in participants increasing their empathy skills. (Kim & Lyons, 2003)

Games can be used to stimulate learning, utilized as a tool in training and also can be employed to motivate positive interactions between individuals from different cultures. "Research also supports the use of games as a useful training tool in education. In a review of research, Bredemeir and Greenblat (1981) noted that advocates of this use of games emphasized that participants typically experience motivation, interest, enjoyment, involvement, and satisfaction" (Kim & Lyons, 2003). Games are reported to be particularly helpful in promoting positive attitudes. As participants become involved in a game, they are more likely to retain information perhaps because games, compared to cognitive learning via spoken or written words allow instruction. Moreover, Varenhorst (1973) noted that games are useful because they permit experiential learning. Advocates using game to enhance learning emphasize "that participants typically experience motivation, interest, enjoyment, involvement, and satisfaction" Kim & Lyons, 2003). Games facilitate the participants' learning and help them retain information they learn. Numerous familiar games can be adapted to use in motivational exercises and activities. Leaders, as well as, trainees can also develop games to assess, instill, enhance and/or address knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and/or skills.

Games focusing on awareness have to be balanced with "safe" feelings, so that while participants confront their prejudices, biases and limitations, they also can focus on increasing the awareness of their own and other participants' cultures and privileges. In addition to initiating games to motivate trainees and others in a firm, leaders, supervisors and trainers may use the following common techniques (used to train trainers) to stimulate individuals to effectively work with others:

Role playing, with observer feedback.

Role playing, with video feedback and observer feedback.

Participating in organization development (OD) projects with goals related to the participant's specific skill needs.

Receiving coaching and counseling from an OD consultant.

A case analyses with other program participants.

Rotating jobs that entail managerial tasks, with frequent feedback.

Being mentored.

Receiving special assignments that require high levels of interpersonal interaction.

Shadowing executives.

Being evaluated by an assessment center, an outside observer.

Attending interpersonal skill workshops, for example, through the National Training

Laboratory's Human Interaction Program or the federal government's Federal Executive

Institute or Management Development Centers under the direction of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Maintaining a learning journal.

Providing coaching and counseling to peers within the program.

Attending "interpersonal forums" with other program, participants to discuss progress and problems. * Attending feedback-intensive programs... * Writing position descriptions...

Providing balanced feedback on a routine basis.

Providing frequent and timely reinforcement of desired behavior.

Withholding rewards... not performing or are demonstrating little motivation" (Pernick, 2002).

Williams (2002) states that "Hofstede identifies language as the most superficial manifestation of culture. Like visual icons, flags and modes of dress, language is an outward symbol that conveys meaning. More important than language are nonverbal communication patterns -- modes of greeting, social customs and religious rituals. Still more important than verbal and nonverbal communication are values, the essential manifestation of culture."

Cultural values embrace perception of beautiful; ugly; good; bad; right; wrong; appropriate; not acceptable. Preferences such as these are learned from and individual's society, as well as, form their. To understanding individuals from differing countries requires seeing more than surface; seeing what's valuable inside a person and assessing values that influence them, along with their perceptions, judgments and actions.

Being awareness of oneself, as well as knowing about one's culture is said to be as vital as knowing about other individuals and their cultures. When one learns about people from a group differing from his own, he receives the gift of an opportunity to gain knowledge; to learn not only how others reason but how they ultimately became influenced by their experiences. Gaining this knowledge builds a foundation of understanding of an individual's personal heritage. (Fuller, 2003, p. 4) Fuller (2003, p. 11) writes that no systematic collection of data recording numbers of multiracial individuals in the U.S. existed until the 2000 census. Prior to this time, estimates had reported the population of multiracial people to range from 2 to 10 million (Morrissey, 1996; Poston, 1990). The 2000 census presented."..the first set of tangible data about multiracial people. For the first time on the census questionnaire, respondents were permitted to choose more than one racial category to describe themselves. Results revealed that previous estimates had been fairly accurate. According to the 2000 census (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2001), nearly 7 million people, or 2.4% of the total U.S. population, reported membership in more than one racial group. Among those reporting more than one race, the overwhelming majority (93%) reported exactly two races" (Fuller, 2003, p. 11).

Planning for change constitutes one of the primary "people -- and process aspects of doing business" (Cunningham, 2001, p. 158). Planning for changes, and preparing to put changes into practice, however, are not the same. "At some point, the raft has to be ready to go down the river. If the river is the market the water can be smooth, wild, or downright treacherous depending on the circumstances. If the company can control and steer the boat, this is as good as it gets. Every organization has to make the choices, weigh the risks and rewards, decide how much to change and how quickly, all the time keeping a careful eye on the moving marketplace. The willingness of an operation to make the necessary commitment to embrace the current industry climate is an ongoing management challenge. There is a reason e-commerce strategists and managers are well compensated. This is a challenging ride. (Cunningham, 2001, p. 151)

VI. Presenting Opportunities

In addition to business firms and other organizations, schools, as they impart knowledge to youth, also serve as major transmitters of cultural images. As teachers daily experience the opportunity to motivate richly culturally diversified student populations are richly culturally diversified, they will hopefully note the multicultural.".. diversity, and foster respect for differences by inculcating knowledge of the contributions of women and different racial and ethnic groups to history and social development" (Webster, 1997, p. 22). Unfortunately, due a dominant mono-cultural school ethos, some teachers continue to present stereotypes, and ignore multicultural students' needs; failing not only the students, but society. "Too many teachers enter the classroom with old school misconceptions about racial minorities, an unawareness of different learning styles, and a misunderstanding of the behavioral and linguistic codes used by black students, who are thus deemed "failures." Hence it is the teachers' biased perceptions and attitudes that are fatal to the realization of equal educational outcomes. This line of reasoning surfaces in Geneva Gay's advocacy of multicultural education, as she offers the following reasons for educational underachievement among "ethnic minority groups" (Webster, 1997, p. 22)

Webster (1997, p. 21) cites Donna Gollnick and Philip Chinn to argue that multicultural education students will: "learn basic academic skills; acquire a knowledge of the historical and social realities of U.S. society in order to understand racism, sexism, and poverty; overcome their fear of differences that leads to cultural misunderstandings and intercultural conflicts; function effectively in their own and other cultural situations; value cultural differences among people and view differences in an egalitarian mode rather than in an inferior-superior mode; and understand the multicultural nation and interdependent world in which they live. Culture does not determine behavior, however, it is deemed to serve as a guide to behavior. No matter what their country of origin, people can choose how they think; interpret; feel. They are free to "be" different than others in their national country. Some individuals specifically determine, however, to present themselves as someone of a different ethnic background.

Individuals from a lower class may pass themselves as one from a higher class to obtain better opportunities. Some Jewish professionals Anglicized their names during the1940s and 1950s, to appear to be Christians. Light-skinned blacks have at times passed as white. (Fine, 1995, p. 94) During 1990, Hudson Institute and Towers Perrin (international management consulting firm) researched businesses' responses to Workforce 2000. Questions solicited information from senior human resource executives at 645 U.S. institutions.

Workforce 2000: Competing in a Seller's Market: Is Corporate America Prepared?, the title of the survey, implied businesses basically knew about issues, yet they were not ready to address the concerns. "The managers' responses revealed the following conclusions:

The workforce was already diverse. Of the organizations in the sample, 60% reported that workers of color represent up to 20% of their workforce, and close to 25% said that they represent over 26% of their workforce.

Cultural diversity was a paramount concern to these organizations. Their diversity concerns focused on the hiring and promotion of people of color and what the human resource executives defined as the special needs of women (e.g., child care, family leave, and flexible work schedules).

Although some companies were responding to the particular issues raised in the Workforce 2000 report, they were implementing very traditional solutions (Fine, 1995, p. 113). Sibson & Co. spotlighted benefits of a "total rewards" strategy encompassing compensation, workplace environment, benefits, and other related factors to motivate workforces in today's multicultural firms, through study for World at Work, a leading trade organization. Recognition programs and other formal motivating strategies, such as incentive are vital techniques used to draw attention to a firm's values. These methods drive and nurture valuable behaviors, foster loyalty and commitment, while they motivate participation in communication and trainings. "Stowell outlines the full range of recognition, saying, "Besides giving employees feedback on how well they are doing their jobs, leaders also recognize and reward people for their accomplishments. This recognition can be as informal as a pat on the back, a thank-you note, or a commendation at a sales or team meeting. It can also include rewards, such as a night on the town, a cash bonus, a merchandise prize, or a trip to a company recognition event" ("Rewards...," 2006). Positive recognition, Stowell insists, reinforces desired behaviors because an individual is likely to repeat behaviors they think will gain a reward.

VII. Conclusion

Remembering the "Communications are vital," could remind motivators that many who work in a multicultural firm may need reminding that communication involves more than words.

Concepts on how to clarifying misunderstandings and various way to identify components of a problem of challenge, along with conflict resolution are additional group exercises that could possibly be created into games for motivational growth. Identifying possible solutions, while also confirming positive aspects a person needs to be noted not only by motivators but also by those being trained.

Also, focusing on what can be learned when the worst happens, instead of belaboring what was done or what might have gone wrong will help motivate an individual. Reminding the individual they are not alone in their situation or problem and offering to assist will help a person become and stay motivated in a multicultural firm. Soliciting an individual's opinions will validate those being trained that their thoughts are valuable. Presenting the opportunity to express one's ideas will strengthen an individual, and in turn help a firm grow stronger.

In the process of motivating employees, the way concepts are communicated will determine how well they are received. Hopefully, motivational words will be presented with/in a positive spirit and in the end, the firm can say: "What we don' here... "is the failure to communicate." As firms actively seek to encourage and motivate those they employ in ways to enhance multicultural understanding, this will be heard more often then the counterpart blurted out by the prison warden in "Cool Hand Luke." As communications will remain vital in and outside of business plans, hopefully, individuals of more cultures will learn how to better identifying challenges and confirming what counts most - the person inside, not just what one sees on the outside. Also, when more attention is focused on what can, and less focus on what can't be done to remedy problems, individuals, as well as their firm, will grow stronger. These and other reminders to help, along with remembering to soliciting what's valuable, will present opportunities for better communication. In turn, day by day, firms employing individuals from a myriad of cultures who live in a multicultural world will individually and corporately make a point to choose not just the best but the very best... To help above and beyond what is expected...to not just merely motivate but to challenge others to challenge and motivate themselves.