Effective communication lets you create shared meaning and understanding between you and your team. These 5 skills are must-haves for any middle manager looking to get their messages heard and create a productive work environment where employees can thrive. 1. Set the context Every employee comes into the work place with their own context and a mixture of culture and experiences. Part of the role of a manager is to create a shared vision for the entire team. Make sure employees understand the big picture and how they fit in. Constantly communicate the “why” behind the business plan: why the plan is important, the role your team plays and the critical role individual employees play. Every time you communicate with an employee, answer the questions: What’s in it for me? Why should I care? Link what’s happening at the larger organization to your department in real time, and make it a point to talk about how employees’ work relates to the company’s success. When you fail to set context and paint the larger picture, you contribute to the silo mentality, one in which employees can’t see why their individual contributions matter. In addition to this advice we explore the top 3 behaviors that lead to successful leaders. Click here to read. 2. Repeat, repeat, repeat One common communication mistake is the “check-the-box” mentality. They say things like, “I sent out an e-mail” or “I already communicated that.” Sound familiar? Research shows that many of us need to hear a message multiple times before we get it. Communication isn’t something you can check off a to-do list. Building trust and credibility is about communicating a message consistently across multiple touch points. When employees hear the same message repeated, they’re more likely to take notice, believe it, and most importantly, act on it. 3. Create dialogue and check for understanding Every time you communicate, there’s an opportunity to find out if your audience gets what you’re saying. The job isn’t done when the message is sent. Make sure the message is really heard and understood. Create opportunities for conversations that establish understanding and spread knowledge and expertise. Ask your audience to paraphrase what they heard. If you want to know if your audience understands the “what” and “why” behind a strategy, ask them “What challenges and opportunities do you see with what I’ve explained?” If you want to know whether they heard your key messages or need additional context or detail, ask them, “What are your key takeaways from the information I just shared?” Building opportunities for questions and dialogue into your communication helps you measure in real time how well employees receive your messages. Tip: Pre-select two additional points in your next PowerPoint presentation or staff meeting where you will stop and ask for additional input. Multicultural teams often experience greater levels of misunderstanding due to differences in cultural behaviors and language barriers. For advice on how to communicate across cultures click here. 4. Listen To make your communication effective, you need to learn what’s working well, what’s not, and most importantly, how things can be better. That involves listening—and listening some more. Ask broad, probing, open-ended questions, which allow the listener to take the conversation in a direction they choose, such as: “Help me understand…” “How do you envision…” “What other strategic alternative did you consider?” Ask employees for feedback: Think about in what environment employees would be most comfortable sharing input (feedback channels can be informal or formal) Share your motivation for getting feedback Engage people fully and listen to what they have to say Follow up on their ideas so they know their voice matters. What you do with feedback speaks volumes to employees: Let them know, “I like that idea…how might we put that into place?” If you’re not planning to implement their idea, it’s important to tell him or her why. No matter whether you plan to implement ideas or not, close the loop with employees. Showing appreciation for their feedback lets them know their thoughts are valued. 5. Use calls-to-action As you communicate, think about what actions you’re trying to drive. Your communications should help move your audience to action. What do you want employees to do as a result of your communication? Clearly communicate the actions you want them to take. Be specific and give examples. Without a call-to-action, your message is just information. If you’re still new to management click here for advice on how to fast track your success. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. International assignments can be one of the most rewarding and life-changing experiences in an individual’s career. Yet international assignments are expensive for the employer – and a surprisingly high number of them fail. There are various reasons for this, but culture shock, failure of the employee to perform in their new post and dissatisfaction with the assignment itself are cited as common causes. How can you best prepare employees for international assignments – and help them make the assignment a success? Here are some tips. 1. Make a business case for international assignments Sending an employee to live and work overseas is expensive. Is there a case for doing this? Would a local hire be better, or is there absolutely nobody else for the job? If there is nobody locally, does the individual have the right skills and mindset? Are they open to living and working in different cultures? What benefit will their overseas experience bring to the company when they return? 2. Consider the individual’s position Employers need to be sensitive to personal situations when considering sending someone overseas. Posting an LGBTQ individual to, say, a conservative Muslim country is not impossible, but requires serious consideration and extra support. The same applies to an employee’s partner and family; is there anything that might put them at risk in the new destination? 3. Manage expectations Employees need to be prepared for the fact that life during international assignments will be different, and not necessarily glamorous and exotic. There will be cultural barriers to overcome, as well as homesickness and culture shock to deal with. Families and spouses need to be prepared for the changes. New relationships will need to be built in the workplace and a new structure fitted into. Going with realistic expectations is better than plunging into international assignments unprepared, and having it turn out to be a disappointment. 4. Prepare for cultural immersion Embarking on a programme of cross-cultural training is invaluable before taking up international assignments; individuals learn to understand their own mindset and prejudices as well as what to expect in the new culture. There are less formal ways to prepare, too. Would-be assignees for international posts could should be encouraged to build up a picture of the new culture by reading literature, newspapers and blogs. They should listen to podcasts and even watch movies to put together the jigsaw of everyday life in the new place. 5. Arrange mentoring schemes A cross-cultural mentor might be a colleague in the new office, or a co-worker who is in the destination, or has experience of it. Ideally, new expat workers should have a mentor in the new destination and one at home; it is very easy for expatriates to feel cut adrift from the familiarity of their old office and colleagues. Typical discussion points with a mentor might include management style, hierarchy, gender issues, meeting etiquette, negotiating and decision making. Essentially, though, a mentor should be a sounding board on whom the expat can rely when problems crop up. 6. Encourage a positive attitude Even having a few simple memos and pointers can help newly landed expats through difficult times. Learning not to compare their old culture with the new one; remembering that the new culture is different but not necessarily wrong; understanding different approaches to time management; and starting out with the basic assumption that people in the new culture are friendly and welcoming, even if there are hiccups in communicating with them. This is all part of cross-cultural communication training. 7. Offer language training Even if English is the international language of business, and even if English is the language of the workplace in the new country, a basic conversational command of the destination language will go a long way towards integrating into society and overcoming culture shock. This is important for trailing spouses, too; culture shock can be even worse for a spouse who has less structure to their day and lacks the confidence to build a life of their own. 8. Keep communication focused Mentoring aside, a company should have a formal reporting scheme while the employee is abroad on assignment. Checking in regularly is the best way to stay appraised of how the assignment is progressing, what new ideas and useful information have been picked up, and dealing with any problems before they escalate. Companies should make the most of the assignee’s time abroad by encouraging them to share their experiences – by blogging, for example, or participating in video conferences. 9. Provide support for sufferers of culture shock Culture shock is a serious condition; it can lead to depression, a sense of isolation and even illness. Almost everybody suffers from culture shock in some way. Most people get through it but some fail to adapt, feeling lonely, resenting the new culture, maintaining an illusion that everything back home is superior. Acknowledging culture shock and finding small ways to deal with it should all be part of preparation for life abroad, for example, working to establish a network of friends, both expats and people from the new culture; keeping busy; and making an effort as a family to explore the new culture; visiting markets, trying out restaurants and arranging enjoyable activities for weekends, like a trip to the beach. Craving the comforts of home is not wrong; it’s normal. 10. Remember that reintegrating is just as important Many of these issues apply to the end of international assignments. A posting abroad can be a life-changing experience and it’s not uncommon for individuals to return home with new skills and ambitions to find that they are different – and that their old friends, colleagues and workplace have changed, too. Some of the positives of an overseas posting are increased confidence, a broader world view, better empathy and more creativity when it comes to problem solving. Employers need to harness these new qualities, not just expect the individual to slot back in. Preparation should be made several months before an assignee returns. What new skills do they have? How do they see themselves fitting in? What opportunities might be available for them? Fail to prepare and the chances are, they’ll take their new skills elsewhere. Our blended learning solutions ensures your global travelers, international assignees and their families will be successful. Our learning process can be fully adapted to suit the needs of your organization. Our training is delivered across coaching sessions, instructor led training and online learning pathways. Click here to read our brochure for more information. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. Thanks to the ever-increasing deployment of virtual teams, the modern office is increasingly defined by time zones, rather than walls. According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 66% of multinationals, not to mention almost half of all organizations, use virtual teams, which can boost productivity and employee flexibility while reducing the time and cost of travel. When it comes to brainstorming, project planning and setting goals, SHRM research suggests that virtual teams can be more effective than in-person teams. Virtual teams, however, are still considered inferior in some key areas. Traditional teams, for example, receive higher marks when it comes to developing trust, maintaining morale, monitoring performance and managing conflict. Furthermore, as the SHRM survey illustrated, virtual managers have a harder time monitoring individual and team performance and the absence of visual cues can make developing a shared understanding more difficult than in a physical meeting. Different time zones and cultural and technology barriers can also make collaboration more difficult. These challenges, of course, can be addressed by promoting strong leadership behaviours and training virtual teams in skills to build relationships and trust while implementing processes and systems that allow them to collaborate more effectively. Simply put, best practices aren’t being implemented (or even clearly defined) enough. In fact, research indicates that less than 20 per cent of virtual teams receive training on how to work effectively as a virtual team, leaving most virtual leaders and their team members operating in unproductive ways. As a result, one-quarter of virtual teams fail to meet expectations. Here are four leadership tips that will vastly improve the effectiveness of your virtual teams. 1. RELATIONSHIPS Relationships are built upon mutual trust, shared goals and common interests. They develop over time, through various interactions, and these interactions happen more naturally within teams that are co-located. When co-workers work in the same physical location, for example, they can take note of family photos and other personal items on each other’s desks. They can chat about weekend adventures over morning coffee and gain insights into personal lives over lunch. Virtual co-workers lack these informal spontaneous opportunities to connect. As a result, virtual team leaders need to help build team member relationships, which can be done in a variety of ways. Here are some habits that virtual leaders shared with us, which you can implement at your own company: Host virtual birthday parties and baby showers using WebEx, Live Meeting or GoToMeeting Invite your team members to mail each other snacks or small tokens that represent their culture Schedule a “virtual coffee break” once a week to allow employees to have 10–15 minutes of free discussion Use FaceTime, Google Hangouts or other video chatting tools to stay in contact in a less formal way Make “care calls” that do not have a work related agenda to connect with team members on a personal level Partner team members from different locations to increase opportunities for them to connect and building trust Get to know your team members on social media 2. ACCOUNTABILITY Virtual employees need to take more individual responsibility to meet deadlines, so it is critical for someone to hold them accountable despite the fact that virtual managers have fewer opportunities to observe their employees. To address this dilemma, project management software is an effective tool. Software programs such as Basecamp, WorkZone and Wrike can make each project visible to the entire team so that everyone concerned understands where their job fits into the big picture. The ability to share files, assign tasks and check due dates also allows team members to easily communicate next steps, whether it’s providing data or passing along a document for review. Time-tracking software (such as TimeFox, Timesheet and Kronos) is also an effective tool for improving virtual team performance, allowing team leaders to track hours (especially helpful if you work with multiple clients and you’re trying to determine how much time you’re investing in each one). Other habits that help leaders manage accountability and improve decision-making in a virtual environment include: Develop metrics that focus on results, not number of hours worked Involve employees in the early project planning stages so realistic deadlines can be developed Give employees more autonomy by allowing them to determine the best way to organize their work Schedule check-ins at key milestones with individual team members in order to assess progress, provide feedback and coaching, and make required course corrections Share calendars and action plans with the entire team so that everyone is aware of the status of a project 3. MOTIVATION Virtual team members face frequent distractions and many unique challenges that can affect their motivation, especially if they work from home. Virtual workers often feel isolated and as a result can lose sight of why their individual contributions matter. Here are some practical ways to keep your virtual team motivated: Practice active listening; paraphrase what your employees say in order to confirm understanding, since there are more opportunities for misunderstandings without visual cues Don’t assume that your instructions are clear; have team members summarize the assigned task before taking it on Make yourself available outside normal business hours Minimize the use of email; encourage team members to schedule conversations with each other as they collaborate on a project Instant messaging tools like Google Hangouts, Google Talk, Microsoft Lync (now Skype for Business) and Cisco Jabber allow you to check in with team members in a way that’s less formal Make it easy for all employees to access the documents they need remotely. Using cloud-based file-sharing software, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, can help everyone easily share documents and stay organized Providing constructive feedback through virtual coaching sessions is another important way to keep team members motivated. We asked the virtual leaders we surveyed to share their best practices for coaching virtual employees. Here’s what they recommended: Use video conferencing so you can talk face to face Name behaviours rather than labeling. Don’t tell someone her lack of commitment caused the project to fail; you’re not making it clear what she did wrong. Point to specific behaviours instead, like a failure to meet an agreed-upon deadline Make the session consultative. Ask employees about their challenges and what you can do to address them together Pay attention to the tone and inflection of your voice Ask employees to repeat what you’ve said to confirm understanding Don’t assume they’ll remember the follow-up actions; put them in writing via email 4. PROCESS The way you share information and make decisions in a virtual team will be inherently different. There is a greater chance for misunderstandings due to time zone differences, difficulties with technology and other factors. Don’t assume new employees know how to use the programs that are common at your company or understand processes that may be unique to your company. Everyone should receive training on the programs you use to collaborate virtually, such as GoToMeeting, WebEx or file-sharing programs such as Google Drive. Virtual leaders should maintain process documents in a shared file so that all employees understand the protocol for setting up meetings, using project management software and interacting with the team. These documents need to be regularly updated, and changes must be communicated to the team. Other tips for virtual team process management include: Set expectations; everyone should be aware of the expected time frame for responding to emails and voicemails Reduce unnecessary emails whenever possible; quick chats or instant messages are more effective Before sending an email to the entire team, ask yourself if everyone on the team needs to be copied to avoid excess emails Make sure your team has the resources it needs to successfully collaborate. Thirty-nine per cent of the leaders we surveyed reported that they had challenges that stemmed from a lack of resources Ineffective virtual meetings are one of the biggest pitfalls for leaders. Virtual meetings often stray off topic and run long. In fact, they are often held when not needed simply because they are on the calendar. Virtual leaders need to always consider if a meeting is required, and if so, set clear objectives for what needs to be accomplished. FINAL TAKEAWAYS Virtual workplaces have transformed the traditional business landscape, and it’s clear that they are here to stay. Indeed, what was once an option for many companies is now required simply to keep pace with the global competition. But virtual teams often fail. And when that happens, productivity declines and that ultimately hurts the bottom line. The good news, as noted above, is that avoiding failure isn’t difficult. Organizations simply need to deploy the technology, tools and training required to ensure that virtual teams can deliver return on investment in terms of increased competitiveness and profitability. Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar, former vice president of talent management at Gap, perhaps said it best when he pointed out, “The things that are good for virtual teams are the same as with traditional teams, but they become even more important in virtual teams.” We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. TMA World specializes in developing the people skills needed to work effectively across borders through blended learning solutions. We deliver training programmes globally that focus on how to work effectively with colleagues who are geographically dispersed as part of a global virtual team. Click here to view our learning solutions. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. Employee learning and growth are an essential part of a business strategy. To fully leverage your staff, which are your number one asset, they need to be open to learning and growing in the workplace, while you as the manager need to be committed to motivating employees to learn. Incentives, recognition and a positive work culture that values learning are some of the ways to boost staff motivation to develop and grow. Here are a few examples of how to motivate staff to learn: 1. Incorporate employee development into strategic planning Make employee growth and learning part of your strategic planning. In practice, this could mean aligning your human resource planning with your company objectives for the next year and beyond. As you define what your organisation wants to achieve, work from a high level to ensure your human resource planning – incorporating employee learning and growth programs – aligns with your strategic goals. 2. Incentivise and recognise employee achievements Along with training and development, you can also involve employees in the learning and development program through performance reviews, along with regular discussions about their current responsibilities and future career paths. Regular performance reviews not only allow you to assess employees and give valuable feedback, they can encourage employees to learn and grow. See performance reviews as an opportunity to underscore any skills gaps and motivate employees to acquire additional skills. Provide the necessary training as well, and follow up with employees once they have completed their training to assess their performance. Remember to give positive feedback about training outcomes as this will also encourage them to view training and learning in a positive light. 3. Reward growth and upskilling Cultivating a culture of continuous learning in the workplace has become a business imperative for any organisations looking to future-proof their operations. To do this, ensure you recognise and reward not only employees who meet their work KPIs, but also those who demonstrate their thirst for continuous learning and upskilling. Your rewards can be financial or intrinsic, and if they are financial, note they don’t have to be costly. A £100 gift voucher for successful application of new skills can be all you need to show your employees that you value those who learn and grow in their jobs. Over time, these small measures can help you foster a culture of continuous learning at work. 4. Make education the reward Instead of emphasising training programs as compulsory for employees, position them as rewards for top performers. Free training at work can open up new work opportunities for you to motivate staff to learn, so it’s not difficult to offer learning and development opportunities as a reward rather than a mandate. Education and training opportunities can be presented as incentives to individuals, as well as teams. For teams, you could offer these as a reward for a team project that’s delivered well and on time. 5. Link employee growth to business outcomes Meaning and purpose can be highly effective intrinsic motivators for staff. If you can link an employee’s growth to organisational benefits and outcomes, employees can feel rewarded with this type of recognition. The sense of meaning and purpose can drive them to feel more enthusiastic about progressing in their role and learning the skills that will directly impact the organisation’s bottom line. One way to do this could be through regular communications highlighting how new skills contributed to KPIs like customer satisfaction or higher sales. You could publicise a ‘Learner of the Month’ in recognition of employees who undertook a training program and brought valuable skills and outcomes to the business. 6. Offer interesting and challenging work Whenever possible, be flexible about redefining job descriptions to motivate staff to learn and have an opportunity to do work that is novel and challenging. The right degree of challenge can encourage employees to go beyond their comfort zones. It can support higher motivation to learn and develop. Rather than boxing employees in rigid role descriptions, expose them to new tasks, and you could end up with employees who are keen to learn and develop their skills. 7. Offer customised training programs to motivate staff to learn Each employee in your team has a unique set of characteristics, skills and experience, so offering customised training programs is the best way to address any skills gaps you might have. Requiring employees to take uniform training programs – even when the training won’t enhance their job performance or career prospects – can result in frustration. On the other hand, if you evaluate skills gaps of your individual employees and give them an opportunity to learn the areas they need to, you can better motivate them and achieve the best training outcomes. 8. Take an interest in employees’ career paths You can raise employees’ motivation to learn if you take a genuine interest in their career path. Find out about their career aspirations and contribute to helping your employees to achieve them. Align your training programs, especially individualised training programs, to career aspirations and goals of your employees. If they are given opportunities for advancement and if what they are learning supports their career aspirations, employees are naturally motivated to learn. 9. Look for opportunities to empower and demonstrate trust As a supervisor, give individual team members the chance to lead and direct their work as and when it is appropriate. Look for avenues to empower them and allow them to feel like they are going beyond the confines of their job descriptions and the standard expectations. By allowing them to do more and go beyond their comfort zone, you support their growth on the job. In the process, employees can develop more confidence in their own abilities. You should incorporate a feedback loop into your efforts in motivating employees. This way, your staff can continue to learn and grow, perform well on the job, as well as receive the trust, positive feedback and empowerment they need to keep developing. 10. Take employees’ feedback into account Regularly seek feedback from your staff about training and development initiatives, and use this feedback to inform your training decisions. For example, if your team members question the relevance of a specific training module, be receptive to their feedback and adjust your approach if necessary. Encourage a culture of openness where employees feel comfortable about talking about what they experience with training and development programs. Make it clear it’s fine for employees to approach you about their desired areas of learning and their ideas about training and development at work. This way, your employees will feel involved in their training program and not feel frustrated that you’re not listening to their perspective. 11. Provide mentorship opportunities when Coaching and mentoring offer your team members invaluable opportunities for growth on the job. They are also excellent ways to engage employees, build a trusting and respectful company culture, and avoid high turnover. One-on-one coaching and mentoring can provide a trusting, safe space for employees. Regular contact with a mentor can give them a place where they feel they can speak openly about challenges in their learning and growth. Mentors can provide informal guidance on learning and development. Matching the right mentor or coach to the employee is probably the biggest challenge, so make sure the mentor you have in mind has the right experience and insights to guide employees. 12. Encouraging employee growth benefits your business Providing future career paths and training opportunities at your organisation is the best way to encourage employees to learn. However, a strong culture of achievement and reward is also conducive to motivating employees to develop and grow. By working on both culture and multifaceted incentive structures, managers and leaders can drive employees’ motivation to learn, grow in the workplace, and ultimately become valuable contributors in the organisation. At TMA World we deliver training tools, workshops and coaching to develop diverse teams to achieve breakthrough collaboration. Contact us today to learn more about our training offering. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. Do you work with a colleague, client or supplier from a different cultural background to your own? You may think that cultural intelligence is something that only expatriates and multi-nationals need to think about, but there are at least half a dozen ways in which becoming more culturally intelligent (more CQ) can help you to grow your business. First of all, let’s clarify what cultural intelligence is. I see it as a combination of emotional intelligence and cultural knowledge and there is no doubt that being more CQ gives you a real advantage when it comes to working with people from other cultures, whether you are wanting to communicate, negotiate, buy or sell, lead or follow. CQ boosts product innovation & problem solving For a start, better CQ can help maximize innovation and productivity, because manufacturers realize that they can expand their service lines to appeal to other markets. Nestle’s Kit Kat was only ever a layered wafer biscuit covered in milk chocolate until someone thought to appeal to the Japanese people’s liking for unusual flavors. Many years later, there are over 200 varieties of Kit Kat on sale in Japan, in flavors as diverse as Blueberry, Bubblegum and Banana. Seagram’s Gin now makes a blend flavored with Ginseng for the very lucrative Chinese market and Ernst & Young have a range of audit and consulting services to help clients manage their risk in countries where potential exposure to corruption and fraud is high. As well as product development, better CQ also boosts problem solving and specifically, finding a solution which is culturally appropriate. We all know that two heads are better than one, but two very different heads are much better than two heads of the same variety. (see Juliet Bourke’s great book on this subject, Which Two Heads are Better than One?) Having a diverse perspective on things enables you to offer a greater array of solutions to a wider audience. As suppliers we often come up with a solution that would work for us, but what if your clients’ world is different to yours? I tell a story in my book of a culturally inappropriate solution, devised by an American PR guru who thought he could get some great publicity for his client by giving free ice-cream to the children’s hospital. The trouble was, while in America that might have been a nice good-news story, in China it’s considered very unhealthy to give cold food to sick children, so his client would not have got the kind of publicity he wanted at all. Similarly, a Dutch business consultant I know of advised his Bangladeshi client to fire his very inept CFO. Sounds reasonable, right? Except that the CFO was the nephew of the CEO and in Bangladesh, there is frequently an obligation to provide for other members of the family. The CEO was, if you like, ‘culturally unable’ to fire his nephew – but he did fire the Dutch consultant! How can better CQ improve your client relationships? For a start, people like to do business with people they LIKE and whom they feel comfortable with, so knowing how to make a good first impression and build rapport will get you off on the right foot. It may be met with embarrassed laughter when you offer your hand and your client bows, but do either of you want to be the odd one out? How would that make your or him feel? It’s worth remembering too that people develop business relationships in different ways. In ‘Anglo’ countries, good relationships follow on from the delivery of good service. In many Asian countries, however, a good relationship has to be established before you can be trusted with any of their business. And business is not always done around the meeting table, but often around the dining table, where knowledge of dining etiquette can make or break your relationship. Using CQ to maximize innovation and productivity Low levels of employee engagement and a talent shortage seem to be the two key concerns of CEO’s today and research proves that better cultural intelligence can help in both of these areas. There is a Persian proverb that states “If you are leading and nobody is following, you are just taking a walk” and this is exactly what is happening in offices all over the world. Cultural differences mean different expectations of how a boss behaves, how employees should be motivated and rewarded, how a client must be treated, how many hours must be spent at the office every day and even who pays for the cakes when it’s YOUR birthday! Going about things the ’wrong way’ will only be tolerated for so long, before tempers fray. But imagine turning up to work every day and recognizing that you weren’t getting the results you hoped for or didn’t have the friendship of your colleagues – but you didn’t know why or what to do about it? You can see how understanding your employees’ needs in situations like that can not only help them to maximize innovation and productivity more quickly, but also helps to build your reputation as a company that looks after its people – and that is a company whom people want to work for. Diversity & Inclusion are the words on everyone’s lips now, but while we see increasing diversity, there is not nearly as much inclusion and frankly one without the other is of limited benefit. In order to really be able to profit and grow from a diversity of perspective, companies have to not just tolerate diversity but go out of their way to WELCOME it. They have to accept that people have not only different strengths and abilities, but different operating systems too, depending on their cultural backgrounds. Perhaps think of it this way; many cars look just the same, but under the bonnet some run on diesel and some run on petrol. Both great cars, both great fuels, but try putting diesel into your petrol car and you have a very expensive repair on your hands… We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. How does culture affect levels of productivity in diverse teams? In today’s global environment people are increasingly working together across cultures, often without truly understanding the underlying differences that may be unintentionally sabotaging them. In too many cases, people assume that if they work for the same organization or speak the same language then they will have the same objectives and goals. However, while the end goals may be the same, the path to reach them often takes many hazardous twists and turns. In some cases, this may result in increased levels of frustration and stress, lack of motivation and productivity and misunderstandings that ultimately affect the bottom line. In worst case scenarios, it can also sever a professional relationship or partnership where one of the parties is left feeling perplexed as to what happened. There are however antidotes to this problem. While it is clear that most people will not change their core values and behavioral patterns overnight, building cultural awareness skills will decrease some of the issues that can damage business relationships and allow for a smoother transition when working across cultures. The following tips are effective not only in increasing productivity levels but also in enhancing communication skills in cross-cultural settings. Here are 10 tips on improving productivity in diverse teams: 1) Always ask for clarification in both verbal and non-verbal language. What you may consider a forthright and honest way of bringing up an issue might cause your colleague to lose face because of your direct approach, thereby creating distrust and a strain in future interactions. Be aware of how you are presenting the subject and watch for body language, which represents 55% of all communication. Also, don’t assume you understand gestures. What may be acceptable in one culture can often be an insult in another. Use verbal expressions to explain any non-verbal gestures you use. 2) Don’t take others’ mistakes personally. Even if you are working together on a multicultural project and one of your team members makes what you perceive to be an egregious mistake, remember that each individual will bring his or her own work style and perspective to the team. Use this as an opportunity to get to know your foreign colleagues better by asking them for an explanation and trying to understand their reasoning. 3) Accept that you don’t understand what you don’t know. We all want to believe that we are competent in all areas and highly skilled at our jobs. However, no matter how culturally savvy we may be, there are always nuances that will trip us. If someone is behaving in a way that seems inappropriate, take the time to ask him or her to explain the action instead of making assumptions based on your own cultural filters. 4) Increase awareness of your own preconceptions. We all carry cultural baggage that prescribes our behavior, certain values and how we perceive the world and others. It also allows us to categorize situations and people. The more we become aware of our biases, the easier it will be to accept and understand others’ differences. This will ultimately help break stereotypes and false generalizations about people and their culture. 5) Reinterpret behaviors from others’ cultural perspectives. Try to put situations in context. Ask for clarification on what motivates them. 6) Be willing to test, adapt and change as needed. A key component to creating cross-cultural competency is the ability to observe how our own actions and behaviors impact the environment. While it can be dangerous to throw ourselves into a situation and “do as the Romans when in Rome” because we are still blinded by our own cultural filters, through astute observation we can determine certain rules of how we should or should not be behaving. 7) Don’t judge others by your own cultural values. Remember that they belong to you and may not be shared by all cultures. There is no right or wrong—only different. Learn to respect those differences. 8) Keep communication simple. Try to minimize and customize correspondence as much as possible and always confirm that there is an understanding. Avoid using words that have more than one meaning. Steer away from slang and industry specific jargon that could get lost in the translation. 9) Recognize and accept that lifestyle priorities differ across cultures. You may be a workaholic who adheres strictly to deadlines, sometimes to the point of sacrificing your personal life, however your colleague overseas may give preference to his 50-member family above all else. While you may each be motivated by different things, it is important to respect the boundaries of the other and to modify your expectations accordingly. Ultimately this will ensure a more harmonious relationship. 10) ADAPT to your new environment by examining your surroundings. ADJUST your thinking and behavior to the circumstances or situation in order to be successful and ACCOMMODATE your style to meet others’ expectations. Applying these principles may help divert a crisis situation that will anger your boss back at the home office. At the same time, it will also provide you with more insight into who you are and what makes you tick. Keep in mind that gaining cross-cultural knowledge will in most cases facilitate building stronger and longer-lasting relationships, help you redefine who you are and understand what motivates you, increase your capacity for communicating—and allow you to sleep more peacefully at night. Article published on Intercultural Alliances. If you enjoyed reading this article click here to sign up to our newsletter and receive all future articles direct to your inbox. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. Why is cultural intelligence a skill needed in the banking and finance industry? Banking and finance is a global industry. It follows, therefore, that anybody working in this sector should be able to communicate effectively across cultures. Cultural intelligence skills in finance are as important as one’s IQ or emotional intelligence. Technology means different markets communicate and work together without ever having to meet – but this does not take away the need to know why decisions are made, and why people react to situations the way they do. Cultural intelligence skills in finance don’t just apply to working with offices and clients in other countries. There are different cultures within a company – sales, technical, R&D, compliance, marketing – and usually, within any given team, given the multicultural nature of banking and finance today. Customers, too, whether corporate or individual, are multicultural – and the company that can talk to these customers in their own language and style should have an advantage over competitors with a one-size-fits-all approach. 12 reasons why cultural intelligence skills in finance are vital: Cultural intelligence helps develop an in-depth understanding of working styles in other cultures. A culturally intelligent workforce will demonstrate better tolerance, trust and understanding of global colleagues. Cultural differences become strengths in problem solving, rather than obstacles, while improved collaboration drives the ability to respond quicker to market changes. Local partners, customers and outsourced divisions will become colleagues and friends, with cultural intelligence, rather than an obstacle to success because of their differences. Cultural understanding will develop the sense that one method doesn’t work for everybody. In the west, for example, performance-based pay is common in the financial sector. In Asia, reward is seniority-based. Cultural intelligence is even more important when working with emerging markets, as management style and expectations may be different. These markets, successful in their own right, do not necessarily consider the head office way of doing things to be the right way. English may be the global language of finance, but the importance of emerging markets mean important points could be lost in translation when using a different language. Cultural competence will help individuals understand tone, body language and context when working in another language. Culturally intelligent individual gains trust. By assimilating into a local culture, immersing yourself in its ways and mannerisms and mirroring the gestures of those around you, you will appear more empathetic – provided you are genuine. You are unlikely ever to become just like the locals and think exactly like them but with an open and enquiring mind, learning to cooperate internationally can be learned. In an industry where corporate entertaining plays a big role, local culture should never be underestimated. Whether you are throwing a banquet in Dubai, taking clients to a rugby match in Hong Kong or playing golf in Japan, cultural intelligence will go a long way and help you avoid social gaffes. Culturally sensitive leaders make better managers. They are able to better understand the dynamics of a multicultural group in a meeting, for example. They are better at negotiating with other cultures, and at conflict resolution between cultures. Cross-cultural training is essential for globally mobile employees and their families; it will reduce culture shock and make the individual more effective and better poised to integrate with their new workplace. Multicultural marketing is an important element of banking and finance. Understanding the individual consumer or the corporate client and meeting their needs is all part of cultural intelligence, whether dealing with customers who are LGBT, Hispanic, Asian, mature or millennial. Finance is an emotive issue and every culture has its own approach to the topic. Being culturally aware helps individuals to recognise areas of their own communication that could be improved, to make their daily interaction with international colleagues more effective, and more enjoyable. How emails and memos are worded, for example, and whether and why, with some cultures, face-to-face brainstorming is preferable to a WhatsApp group. Attracting top talent is essential in a competitive marketplace. Companies that celebrate diversity, inclusivity and cultural sensitivity are likely to be more appealing than businesses that are perceived as inflexible and old-fashioned in their outlook. The diversity of a company’s workplace should reflect the diversity of its market – or consumers may not take that company seriously. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. Today’s workplace is a complex environment Large scale, global organizations bring together a diverse mix of people, who are expected to work across multiple projects and various reporting lines and must rely on virtual technologies to communicate and collaborate. This is what we call the ‘Borderless Workplace Challenge’. Organizations that proactively manage the Borderless Workplace Challenge are winning in today’s marketplace. Their agility and efficiency enables them, to thrive through change and uncertainty. Enabling a globally connected business to thrive for the future, today Our learning programs arm your people with the knowledge, skills and mindset to manage the challenges of the modern-day workplace and collaborate with confidence. TMA World work with the world’s leading organizations, developing inclusive cultures of empowered individuals, all working together in harmony to achieve one common goal. Our clients experience enhanced communication and collaboration, leading to greater efficiency, productivity and more harmonious working environments. The Challenges of the Borderless Workplace For senior leaders: Effective leadership and collaboration across distance where face to face contact is limited Delivering business results faster in a complex environment Communicating and creating engagement through technology – including effective virtual meetings Creating a sense of community without physical presence and with divided loyalties Finding the balance between trust and control For team workers and individual contributors: Working on multiple teams with competing goals and priorities Exercising influence without authority Staying visible when working remotely Working remotely across different national cultures Managing and organizing work around time zones Our learning curriculum Our curriculum forms the foundation for learning in any large global organization. We develop the essential skills required to successfully work and communicate across diverse and complex organizational structures. Borderless Collaboration: Developing the skills and mindset to work together across borders to innovate and create value. Cultural Intelligence: Developing the adaptability to bridge and leverage differences between individuals and groups. Matrix Working: Developing the thinking and behavioral agility to produce high levels of performance in complex environments. Digital Fluency: Developing the ability to make the most effective use of new communications and collaboration technologies. The benefits of our learning solutions 1. Improved leadership and effective development and implementation of global strategies 2. Faster responsiveness in pursuing growth opportunities and managing risks 3. Improvements in the reputation and the representation of the organization as culturally intelligent 4. Increased collaboration, problem solving and innovation through the cross-pollination of diverse perspectives and styles 5. Enhanced decision making through increased sharing of knowledge, skills, and experience 6. Increased productivity through more seamless cross-border communication 7. Greater efficiency through clarity of roles, cooperation and collaboration 8. Increased effectiveness in virtual working through understanding and responsiveness to cultural difference 9. Reduction of misunderstandings and conflict with others from different countries and cultures 10. Faster workplace learning and application of best practices How we work Our blended learning curriculum is delivered in a variety of ways to suit the organization and learner needs. Choose from instructor led workshops, delivered face to face or through live virtual classroom sessions, or our elearning software which offers accessible continuous learning and development. Each topic area will provide learners access to: Learning assets driven by our ‘Borderless Workplace’ competency framework Interactive, multi-media learning paths Articles and eBooks to further enhance skills and understanding Topics covered: Borderless Collaboration Virtual Teamwork – Collaborate better with members of your virtual team Leading Virtual Teams – Enable and boost the performance of your virtual teams Managing Remote Workers – Maximize the engagement and contribution of remote workers Successful Collaboration – Create new value through effective collaborative processes Cultural Intelligence Managing Across Cultures – Leverage cultural differences to create team and organizational success Developing Cultural Intelligence – Maximize the quality and productivity of your international relationships Developing Country Intelligence – Gain expert advice on working better with people from over 100 countries Matrix Working Matrix Leadership – Harness global collaboration in ambiguous matrixed environments Thriving in a Matrix Organization – Network, communicate and negotiate across multiple reporting lines Influencing Without Authority – Master your influencing skills to push through your own ideas Managing in Turbulent Times – Succeed under conditions of increased uncertainty and stress Digital Fluency Communicating Virtually – Acquire the techniques to communicate more effectively through technology Effective Virtual Meetings – Master the skills required to perform better in virtual meetings Instructor led workshops TMA World delivers workshops all over the world through over network of over 200 global associates. Our global faculty offer the flexibility and sensitivity to adapt training delivery to meet local needs and expectations. Benefits Subject matter experts are on hand to give on the spot practical help and answer questions Immediate help and support with correcting mistakes and getting it right Networking with other learners, sharing experiences and social interaction Expert trainers who make the learning experience engaging, interesting and enjoyable Learning can be instantly adapted to suit the needs of the delegates Quiet, dedicated time out of the office to really focus on learner needs Multi-sensory experience that appeals to multiple intelligences Valuable feedback from the trainer and others in the group Our audience Our learning solutions support all levels of hierarchy, from leaders, managers, global team workers and individual contributors. We work with the world’s largest organizations to support their people in building the skills to work across cultures and virtual technologies Organizations Leaders Managers Team workers Individual contributors What makes us different? Our learning curriculum is unique and tailored to the challenges of the global worker. Our solutions are focused on developing the skills and mindset required to thrive when working across complex organization structures, cultures and virtual technologies. Contact our team to discuss your organization’s learning needs. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. Cultural intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most powerful in the world. But does it represent the diverse populations whose lives it affects? The days when leading pharmaceutical companies were run by mainly Caucasian males, and sales strategies and marketing campaigns were directed at a white, one-size-fits-all audience are long gone. In today’s diverse climate, cultural intelligence is everything. Why? There are several reasons. Consumers are better informed about healthcare and are more demanding; they want to feel understood and spoken to. Personalised medication in the US means individuals expect more closely targeted messages. Better understanding globally of healthcare decision making means marketing can be tailored to specific groups and mindsets. Improved knowledge of how different population groups perceive health and illness is another way that pharmaceutical companies can tailor their communication.All of these factors are elements of cultural intelligence, which can sometimes be overlooked in a highly regulated field like the pharmaceutical industry. Cultural intelligence in the workplace is just as important as in the marketplace. The pharmaceutical industry needs to innovate and disrupt, which can only be done by creating a more diverse, forward-thinking workplace. Workforces should represent the company’s customers and patients, too – otherwise, how can the company concerned be perceived as being in touch with different consumer groups? 10 reasons why cultural intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry is vital: The pharmaceutical and biotech industries affect all populations worldwide. Reputation and ethics are everything. Embracing diversity and demonstrating intelligent cultural understanding are two important factors in any corporate social responsibility programme. The diversity of a company’s workplace should reflect the diversity of its market – or consumers may not take that company seriously. In order to attract top talent and be competitive, pharmaceutical companies need to demonstrate their understanding of diversity. This talent needs to be retained; if different ethnic groups or LGBTQ employees do not see representation at all levels of the company, they may leave for a more enlightened employer. Cultural intelligence helps develop an in-depth understanding of working styles in other cultures – and in the pharmaceutical business, the supply chain and distribution network cross many cultures. A culturally intelligent workforce will demonstrate better tolerance, trust and understanding of global colleagues. Cultural differences become strengths in problem solving, rather than obstacles, while improved collaboration drives the ability to respond quicker to market changes. Developing a strategy across the whole company of improving cultural intelligence can encourage closer integration across offices worldwide. A culturally aware workforce is able to work effectively in virtual teams when everybody, metaphorically speaking, understands the same language. Creating a common language and understanding is both effective in business and unifying for employees. It also encourages the sharing across the company of best practices. Being culturally aware helps individuals to recognise areas of their own communication that could be improved, to make their daily interaction with international colleagues more effective, and more enjoyable. How emails and memos are worded, for example, and whether and why, with some cultures, face-to-face brainstorming is preferable to a WhatsApp group. Culturally sensitive leaders make better managers. They are able to better understand the dynamics of a multicultural group at a meeting, for example. They are better at negotiating with other cultures, and at conflict resolution between cultures. Cross-cultural training is essential for globally mobile employees and their families; it will reduce culture shock and make the individual more effective and better poised to integrate with their new workplace. Individuals with cultural sensitivity make better collaborators – essential when working in development teams across cultures. Sharing successes and failures is essential for driving innovation and building trust. Understanding the behaviour of diverse markets is essential for the cultural intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry in order to target messages that appeal to the cultural values of these markets, whether they are LGBT, Hispanic, Asian, mature or millennial. Better cultural understanding helps individuals come across as more authentic. Playing lip service to cross-cultural working, marketing and sales is not enough. A genuine appreciation of other cultures is essential, for example, understanding how different cultures view health issues, aging and death will impact how Pharma companies approach sales and marketing in specific regions. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. The Problem – Quiet Team Members: “I was recently put in charge of a team of 13 people, with the goal of finding new ways to appeal to diverse consumer markets, including people ages 18 to 30 and different ethnic groups. Everyone on this “cross-functional” team was picked because they excel in their various areas, so I know they each have a lot to contribute. The trouble is that, at every meeting we’ve had so far, a few very confident team members always seem to suck up all the oxygen in the room, while others rarely utter a peep. One is very young, so I think she’s intimidated by the more experienced people who do most of the talking. A couple of others, for whom English is a second language, are even quieter. Any suggestions about how to encourage them to speak up?” Why Your Team Won’t Speak Up Sound familiar? No doubt, plenty of other team leaders are wondering, too. Since roughly half the population is made up of introverts, who tend to mull things over carefully before they open their mouths, most teams include at least one or two members who don’t say much. On diverse teams, when people come from cultures where offering ideas or opinions isn’t encouraged, the challenges are multiplied. First, you may have to redefine what you mean by “speaking up,” because the phrase may strike some of your team members as uncomfortably assertive. Team leaders need to clarify what they want, which is usually not to have everyone talking all the time. Be sure to explain clearly, especially to a culturally diverse team, that your goal is to gather ideas from everyone. Remind them of it regularly. How to Make Sure Everyone in Your Team Has a Voice These tips will ensure that you get everyone’s thoughts and opinions, even if some team members don’t like to voice their ideas in a public forum. 1. Make it a homework assignment. Ask each person to write down his or her ideas on a given topic in advance. Then ask them to bring their written thoughts to the meeting for a systematic discussion where everyone at the table gets a turn. This allows the less vocal members of the group to have their ideas considered alongside those of the people who’ve been quicker to speak. 2. Gather everyone’s ideas and write up a formal agenda. This approach takes a bit more effort on your part as the team leader, but it works. Ask everyone to send you his or her thoughts via email or text. Once you have each person’s contribution in hand, you can decide how to order the discussion, and send out a full agenda far enough ahead of time so that everyone has chance to think about everyone else’s ideas. Consider making all suggestions anonymous, so no one is swayed (pro or con) by whose idea it was. 3. Make a few phone calls before the group meets. You already know who “sucks up all the oxygen in the room,” as you put it, and who’s been trying to fade into the wallpaper. Have a brief, private chat with each of them. Thank the most vocal people for their enthusiasm, which you genuinely do appreciate (right?). But, since you’re concerned with making sure everyone’s ideas are heard, could they do you a favor at the next meeting and wait until you call on them before they speak? As for the quiet ones, let them know you’re looking forward to hearing what they think. It’s no coincidence that each of these methods involves making your expectations clear before the whole team gets together. Not only does advance warning reduce the anxiety of participants who don’t like to be put on the spot, but all team members are likely to have better input if they spend some time thinking about it beforehand. That may be especially true for your team members whose first language isn’t English. Even if someone is very fluent, the person might be mentally translating what’s being said into his or her native tongue, and then back into English again, before offering a comment. It takes a little longer, which often means the discussion has moved on to a new topic before that person gets a chance to speak. This is one reason why, when it comes to gathering ideas from team members who bring with them very different personalities and backgrounds, meetings are overrated. If you haven’t already done so, encourage people to share their ideas with you one-on-one. You can say something like, ‘I’d like to hear back from everyone by the end of this week. You can either offer your input at our meeting this afternoon, or talk with me afterwards, or send me an e-mail.’ You might be pleasantly surprised at who suddenly has a lot to say. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. Any industry working globally needs to take cultural intelligence seriously. The automotive industry is a case in point, as in most cases, a company’s reach is often global. Parts are sourced globally, which requires relationship building with overseas suppliers. Vehicles are sold worldwide, which means being culturally aware when creating sales and marketing campaigns and strategies.Sales teams have to work together across cultures. Employee bases, from the factory floor to sales forces and dealerships are multicultural, which requires cross-cultural understanding. What’s more, the automotive industry is in a state of change, with increased competition to car ownership from companies like Uber and Lyft, as well as car-sharing schemes and the prospect of driverless vehicles. The ability to recognise trends and respond quickly in different markets is essential. 10 reasons why cultural intelligence in the automotive industry is vital: Cultural intelligence in the automotive industry helps develop an in-depth understanding of working styles in other cultures. A culturally intelligent workforce will demonstrate better tolerance, trust and understanding of global colleagues. Cultural differences become strengths in problem solving, rather than obstacles, while improved collaboration drives the ability to respond quicker to market changes. Developing a strategy across the whole company of improving cultural intelligence can encourage closer integration across offices worldwide. A culturally aware workforce is able to work effectively in virtual teams when everybody, metaphorically speaking, understands the same language. Creating a common language and understanding is both effective in business and unifying for employees. It also encourages the sharing across the company of best practices. Being culturally aware helps individuals to recognise areas of their own communication that could be improved, to make their daily interaction with international colleagues more effective, and more enjoyable. How emails and memos are worded, for example, and whether and why, with some cultures, face-to-face brainstorming is preferable to a WhatsApp group. Culturally sensitive leaders make better managers. They are able to better understand the dynamics of multicultural group at a meeting, for example. They are better at negotiating with other cultures, and at conflict resolution between cultures. Cross-cultural training is essential for business travellers, global assignees and expats; it will reduce culture shock and make the individual more effective and better poised to integrate with their new workplace. Individuals with cultural sensitivity make better collaborators – essential when working in development teams across cultures. Sharing successes and failures is essential for driving innovation. Understanding the behaviour of local markets is essential for the automotive industry; how they research and buy, how they perceive the brand, their use of digital and social media, how they expect to be treated in their local dealership, how they might negotiate, their expectations of aftercare and so on. Multicultural marketing is an important element of automotive sales. Understanding the individual consumer and meeting their needs is all part of cultural intelligence, whether dealing with customers who are LGBT, Hispanic, Asian, mature or millennial. The customer’s buying experience is more important than ever and automotive dealers need to be able to adapt to the needs of different buyers. Attracting top talent is essential in a competitive marketplace. Companies that celebrate diversity, inclusivity and cultural sensitivity are likely to be more appealing than businesses that are perceived as inflexible and old-fashioned in their outlook. The diversity of a company’s workplace should reflect the diversity of its market – or consumers may not take that company seriously. Better cultural understanding helps individuals come across as more authentic. Playing lip service to cross-cultural working, marketing and sales is not enough. A genuine appreciation of other cultures is essential, for example, understanding what car ownership means to individuals in these cultures, whether as a means of transport or a status symbol. Authenticity and curiosity will win over consumers and co-workers. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform. I’ve read countless articles about what successful people do on their weekends. Do you want to know the secret? It’s the same thing that they do every other day. As Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Here are 12 weekend habits of highly successful people: 1. Robert Iger: Get up early This Disney CEO is not the only executive claiming to rise at 4:30am every morning. Successful people do not stay in bed until 2 p.m. on a Sunday. Or even 11 a.m. Research shows that our brains are sharpest two and a half to four hours after waking. Get up early on a weekend and you’ve got a head start on the rest of the world. 2. Benjamin Franklin: Have a plan Apparently, this founding father asked himself every morning, “What good shall I do today?” Successful people know the importance of even daily goals — the weekends are no exception. Sure, they can be a time for (planned and purposeful) rejuvenation, but you don’t have to be President to know that general slacking off is not an option. 3. Timothy Ferris: Don’t multi-task Multi-tasking is so 2005. It may be tempting to maximize your weekend productivity by running on the treadmill while calling your mother and trolling your newsfeed, but successful people know that this just reduces efficiency and effectiveness. Instead, be present for each single activity. Ferris recommends a maximum of two goals or tasks per day to ensure productivity and accomplishments align. 4. Anna Wintour: Stay active Vogue’s editor-in-chief commits to playing tennis for one hour every day. And she’s not the only big shot making time for exercise. Richard Branson stays active with kite surfing and India’s fourth-richest billionaire is a serial marathon runner. Successful people know the importance of an active body for an active mind — weekends included. If nothing else, it will also counteract that glass of wine and cheese platter from Saturday night. 5. Steve Jobs: Prioritize what’s important “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.” Weekends are the time to remind yourself of the forgotten little things — to keep your work-life harmony (the new ‘balance’) in check and reset if needed. Spending time with your friends, children or partner might not directly increase profits that day or propel you into the limelight, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Even the Donald Trump makes time to sit down for dinner with his family. 6. Warren Buffett: Make time for hobbies He may be considered the most successful investor of the 20th century, but in his “spare” time Buffett likes to play the ukulele. Successful people are often interesting people — and their hobbies have a lot to do with that. Sure, golfing on Saturdays can be a great way to network and source business opportunities. But, even solo hobbies — knitting like Meryl Streep or oil painting like George W. Bush — can aid success through fostering creativity and relieving stress. 7. Oprah: Practice stillness Oprah prioritizes time to sit in stillness for 20 minutes — twice a day! This once-best-kept secret of the yogis is now common knowledge. Even the corporate world is acknowledging the benefits of meditation and mindfulness for reducing stress, improving productivity, facilitating creativity and maintaining general well-being. The weekends can often be busier than weekdays with attempting to cram in chores, exercise, family commitments, social engagements and more into a 48-hour period. The most successful people take daily time out for stillness, weekends included. They don’t call it a meditation “practice” for nothing. 8. Randi Zuckerberg: Forget FOMO, Embrace JOMO We’ve all done it — posted a tastefully filtered snap of our weekend antics or checked in on social media to elicit “likes” and envy from our friends/followers (#bragging). Enter, the era of FOMO (fear of missing out). On weekends, we’re even more prone to FOMO. But the founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media (and, you guessed it, the sister to Facebook’s creator) says people should be focusing on JOMO (the joy of missing out) — the mantra that “there is nowhere I’d rather be than exactly where I am.” Successful people are often competitive, high achievers by nature — practicing an attitude of gratitude and resisting social-media-induced FOMO is key for a happy weekend. And isn’t happiness the real marker of success? 9. Bill Gates: Take time to reflect The founder of Microsoft famously said, “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” Reflection should be a daily practice, but the weekends are a perfect opportunity to step back and reflect on the lessons of the previous week and to make improvements for the next. Author of “The Happiness Project,” Gretchen Rubin, suggests starting a “one sentence journal” to encourage daily reflection. Make Saturday or Sunday your day to flick back through the week’s entries! 10. Richard Branson: Give back This billionaire entrepreneur says that “it is amazing how focusing your mind on issues like health, poverty, conservation and climate change can help to re-energize your thinking in other areas.” Successful people agree with Anne Frank: “No one has ever become poor from giving.” Tom Corley studied the rich for five years before writing his book “Wealthy Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals.” He found that 73% of wealthy people volunteer for five or more hours per month. Nothing helps put things in perspective and reduce stress more than helping those less fortunate. Weekends are a great time to get involved in local and community volunteer events. 11. Jack Dorsey: Get ready for the rest of the week The Twitter and Square co-founder is notorious for 16-hour work days from Monday to Friday but says, “Saturday I take off. I hike. And then Sunday is reflections, feedback, strategy and getting ready for the rest of the week.” Forget Sunday blues, let’s call it “Sort-Your-Life-Out Sunday.” Laura Vanderkam, author of “What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend,” says successful people know that weekends are actually the secret weapon in professional success: “You need to hit Monday ready to go.” 12. Jay Z: Keep up the momentum He’s made an empire as a highly successful rap artist and entrepreneur, and the secret is right there in his lyrics: “You can want success all you want, but to get it, you can’t falter. You can’t slip. You can’t sleep. One eye open, for real, and forever.” Jay Z didn’t become worth $520 million by only wanting it five out of seven days of the week. If you want to eventually spend your weekends on a luxury yacht in the Caribbean with Beyoncé, unrelenting grit and persistence might just get you there. Well, we can always dream, right? It’s settled then. Success is a 24/7 lifestyle choice — weekends included! We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our article. Why not sign up to receive our newsletter direct to your inbox? Click here to subscribe. We regularly share articles from industry leaders on how to perform in the global workplace as well as the latest news and trends affecting the L&D industry. Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform.