Recommended Book: Global Dexterity - Andy Molinsky
Much of the literature on cross-cultural management focuses on the differences between various cultures around the world. Indeed, our own cross-cultural workshops, within the G2 Experience program, addresses this first critical step of awareness and understanding. Many people who are thrown into cross-cultural situations are simply not aware of any differences and assume that their own values, approach, perceptions and expectations are the same than those of people from other countries. This can lead to serious misunderstandings which are particularly damaging if you are attempting to expand your company globally. So naturally the first step is to uncover these differences and provide a basic "orientation" into what to expect in various regions of the world, including some background on what drives these differences and how they evolved so that they seem less "strange".
Although this is a critical starting point, it is not enough to help individuals who are faced with these differences on a day to day basis. This is where Andy Molinsky's book comes in. In "Global Dexterity - How to adapt your behavior across cultures without losing yourself in the process" Andy drills down into specific situations that may occur and provides tools for the reader to build a personal path for how to manage these situations successfully. Blending his well-researched recommendations with a multitude of examples from the many interviews he has conducted and his years of teaching, Andy leads you step by step to build your own Global Dexterity.
The Harvard Business Review says, "Managing and communicating with people from other cultures is an essential skill today. Practical, engaging, and refreshing, Global Dexterity will help you reach across cultures--and succeed in today's global business environment."
