“Trying to teach western ways to the folks in India, it’s, well… pointless.”
Our friend Chitra, a manager of offshore IT for a Silicon Valley chip manufacturer, vented to us one morning over her vente latte.
At first, Chitra’s comment gave us more of a chill than our $4 Frappucino®. After all, we MeltingSpot editors believe wholeheartedly in teaching western ways. Why else would we carry on about the subject?
We were ready to demand a formal apology from Chitra (or at least stick her with the tab) when she explained: “It takes a long time for people to change the habits they have had their entire lives, that have been ingrained by their culture. I realized it might take a while for India’s team to catch on to our customs here. I could stand by and wait, or I could effect change immediately by embracing aspects of their culture and adapting myself.”
As Chitra spoke, her true meaning came over us like a caffeine rush. She was saying something that ought not to have needed any reminder: multicultural acceptance in America is always a two-way street.
Chitra wasn’t just preaching the old adage about a two-way street, she was living it. As her India team was beefing up about America (they’re MeltingSpot readers, all), Chitra was developing some tricks of her own - and turning India’s cultural differences to her advantage.
Some managers have trouble establishing their authority within their teams. Chitra had the opposite problem. Out of deference to Chitra’s more senior rank and title, a practice deeply rooted in Indian culture, Chitra’s India team resisted challenging her - ever. She was told her instructions were always clear, even if they weren’t. People with better ideas held them back out of respect for her authority.
All this was taking a toll. Chitra didn’t just sit back and accept it. She started having regular roundtable meetings with her team. Everyone was required to propose an idea or alternative on a particular subject. No one got to pass on offering criticism. Instead of asking employees “did you understand” (to which the response was bound to be a rote “yes”) Chitra began asking “what did you understand?” If something was missed, she could close the loop right then and there.
Chitra continued, “Today, it’s different than when I immigrated to America from India. Just as many jobs are going overseas to India today as are coming back here to America. Why shouldn’t Americans start understanding how things are done in the East as well as asking easterners to adapt to the West?” “Touché,” Chitra (that’s western-speak for we certainly see your point).
At the end of the day, Chitra wasn’t rejecting cross-culture learning. She was turbo-charging it, making it work in both directions. And that’s an idea we want to let percolate.
