Training Across Cultures: What to Expect

Training & Development, Jan, 2001 by William A. Weech

Compare a John Wayne shoot-'em-up to any Bergman film and you'll see what I mean.

A consultant from California is asked to conduct management training in Guatemala. A Chinese state enterprise hires a trainer from Illinois to conduct a train-the-trainer workshop. A wellknown subject matter expert from New York is asked to give a presentation on motivation to a Swedish audience. A Texas oil firm sends a professor to Saudi Arabia to teach a seminar in problem solving.

Even if they are new to the world of training across cultures, each of those people probably recognizes the need to make adjustments for a foreign audience. But how can they know which aspects of their content and training approach should be modified for the places they're going to?

Culture can be defined as the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that groups pass down from one generation to the next. Our cultures shape our expectations for most interactions, including training events. To maximize training effectiveness in other cultures, trainers need to understand how cultural differences may affect the expectations of their audiences. Though cultures vary in a number of ways, there are four critical dimensions that help explain the variation in cultural expectations.

Egalitarianism versus hierarchy (sometimes called power distance). Will the audience expect that more attention will be paid to what the class has in common? Or will they expect that more attention will be paid to how participants are different?

Individualism versus collectivism. Will participants expect that individual wants and needs will get priority over group needs, or the opposite?

Achievement versus relationship orientation (sometimes called cultural masculinity). Will learners expect that assertiveness, success, and task accomplishment will be valued? Or that compassion, nurturing, and harmonious relationships will be preferred?

Loose versus tight structure (sometimes called uncertainty avoidance). Will participants be comfortable agreeing to disagree? Or will they expect to find the one best answer for every problem?

Let's see how each of those dimensions of cultural difference can affect people's expectations for training.

Egalitarian/hierarchical

Egalitarian cultures minimize inequalities, while hierarchical cultures emphasize the importance of rank and status. Northern European and English-speaking countries are generally egalitarian; Austria, Israel, and Denmark are among the most egalitarian countries in the world. By contrast, Asian, Latin, and Middle Eastern countries are usually more hierarchical.

In egalitarian cultures, participants in training events tend to expect to learn from each other, and they expect dialogue. They typically see their instructors as peers and coaches, and they feel free to speak up in class. In addition, they're generally comfortable with self-directed activities.

In hierarchical cultures, participants expect to learn from the expert, the trainer. They expect more of an instructor-centered design. Learners expect the trainer to provide a clear structure, and they're unlikely to speak up unless called on. Trainees tend to see the instructor as an authority figure who should be respected.

The California consultant conducting management training in Guatemala is going from a relatively egalitarian culture in the United States to a very hierarchical one. What kinds of adjustments should she consider to maximize her effectiveness?

First, the consultant shouldn't hesitate to make her status and expertise known. In a hierarchical culture, participants like to be assured that the trainer really is an expert. The consultant should also make the goals and structure of the workshop clear. Participants from a hierarchical culture aren't likely to be comfortable with emergent designs. If the consultant wants dialogue in the session, she should create a structure for it because it's not likely to happen spontaneously.

When forming small groups, the consultant needs to pay attention to participants' status. Senior-level people are likely to dominate. Last, the consultant should consider whether her materials engender a participative management style that may appear counter-cultural in a hierarchical society.

Once when I was conducting training in a hierarchical country, I noticed that the participants didn't pay attention when I asked small groups to present the results of their group activities. It dawned on me that the participants didn't particularly value the ideas of their peers but only wanted to hear what the expert trainer had to say. To adjust to that difference, I asked each small group to report directly to me. Then I presented a summary of each group's work to the class, to rapt attention.

Individualism/collectivism

Individualist cultures value autonomy and seek self-actualization; collectivist cultures value belonging and seek group harmony. Northern European and English-speaking countries are generally individualist; the United State is the most individualist country in the world. Most Latin, Asian, and African countries are collectivist.