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Value
of International Work Experience Today in Wall Street Journal, there was in interesting
piece on Indian exports in Cars, steel, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, auto
components, software etc... The initial success in software is now being
replicated in other sectors as well. As companies in India expand globally,
the importance of global managers is felt in the organizations. To be
successful abroad, Indian companies need managers who have international
experience; While this fact is accepted by all, one needs to really know what
are the special skills which managers with international experience can
provide. Managerial Skills with a strong technical background For businesses today, managers who have
strong technical knowledge and a good understanding of underlying technical
issues are not enough to succeed. Often the ability to work with different
cultures (American, European, Chinese, Russian, Latin American, African etc..)
, to know when to compromise and when to hold ground while dealing with other
cultures, To know the right questions to ask, To be more open minded to deal
with a wide range of people, to accept different points of view and to be
sensitive to other cultures is very important in global business. People
working in high tech business in US have a unique advantage of interacting
with people from other cultures. On one project, I have worked with people in 3
continents, one was in Costa Rica, the other in Israel & with my base in
US. Inside US team, there were people from Russia, Italy, China, Japan, Korea,
India, France, Germany, Israel, Arabia etc... Working at Intel R&D was
like working at UN where one gets to interact with people from all over the
world. Tolerance for Ambiguity Indians in general are uncomfortable while facing
uncertain conditions. Hofstede noted that several Asian cultures are high in
uncertainty avoidance. In global business, no one can fully understand what is
going on abroad. Utmost one can say “I understand a fraction of what’s
going on abroad, maybe 50%” However the work demands managers to make
decisions all the time. These managers must have a high tolerance for
ambiguity; that is ability to take decisions based on partial information and
under uncertain conditions. Working in US, which is low on uncertain avoidance
scale, I have learned to live in an uncertain environment. Here is US, job
security is nonexistent, therefore everyone has to deal with the uncertainty
of losing their jobs. In R&D, by the nature of the work, people have to
deal with uncertainty. The outcome of an experiment or the effects of a design
enhancement are all uncertain, yet one has to invest time, energy and high
enthusiasm in face of a possible failure all the time. In one project while
developing a complex communication processor, the project demanded a new
manufacturing technique which was still being developed and I knew very little
about it, yet I had to make design decisions which will have a huge impact on
the project schedule if I am wrong in my decision. It is this kind of work
environment and work culture which I value as a key for future success of
Indian companies on a global level. Multiple Perspectives Often times working in a singular culture
makes one blind to other ways of thinking. This is called as parochial view.
Managers who have worked in India (or one country) all their career will
exhibit a strong parochial attitude. Often time this is expressed as “I
know the best way to do it” While
it may be true that the manager’s method would work, but it may not be the
best method. Going global involves learning new things and new ways of doing.
A parochial attitude destroys the learning process. In addition, it will often
annoy the foreign partners to the point of breaking of relationships. Indian
companies are now going abroad and they cannot afford to lose, it is in this
situation, managers with multiple perspectives are required. Managers who has
an open mind and can say “I see things in their perspective .... This
is also a good way of doing it ... I understand your point of view” will
be more successful. In US, companies often have a parochial attitude, but
in R&D and in high tech industries, this is often discouraged and people
are more open to new ideas and new methods. At Intel and at IDT, I have grown
accustomed to accept new ways, new methods. It is this open minded approach to
things which makes companies successful in the global market place. Ability to work with other cultures When an Indian manager goes abroad, often times
he will find himself to be a minority and this makes him/her to enter into
a shell, i.e., they are often hesitant to speak out. For companies to be
successful, one must learn to work with other cultures, know when to express
their point of view, when to raise their voice. The ability to work in other
cultures and be effective will be highly valued. People who have worked abroad for many years know how
to work with other cultures, manage others, how to communicate effectively
etc... Indian companies should have managers with global experience to succeed
abroad. Closing thoughts Indian companies are aiming to become global companies,
to succeed in the global marketplace, they need people who have foreign
experience and have the ability to work under uncertain conditions with people
from other cultures. India has a huge supply of technically qualified
engineers but these technical skills alone are not enough.
Hiring the right kind of managers will make a difference between
success & failure.
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