Insightful new article from ERIN MEYER from INSEAD on the pitfalls of giving feedback in a cross-cultural workplace and how to make it work.
Cultural differences play a pivotal role in feedback perception. What’s constructive in one culture might be destructive in another. A direct approach that’s welcomed in one place can be easily misinterpreted as aggressive elsewhere.
Feedback triggers alarm bells in the brain. I was triggered by the Erin’s experiment with over 3,000 executives at INSEAD which revealed that most would give feedback, but not expect it from their peers. The reason lies in the brain’s conflict between the logical cortex and emotional amygdala. Making feedback work requires overcoming this clash, a challenge amplified by workplace diversity.
Key Takeaway. In a cross-cultural feedback situations, it’s essential to tune into the communication norms of your counterparts. Listening to how others speak and being mindful of their cultural context can guide you in finding the right balance in feedback.
Discover more on INSEAD KNOWLEGDE
