We live in an ever-changing world, where we coexist with people from all over the world. Some of them are at work, some are on TV, and others doing business, while old friends emigrate or new friends immigrate.
This is why today our point of reference is not only limited to our family, our neighbors, our school friends or work-mates. The influence we are receiving is global. Even if initially this may seem like a problem, due to the lack of understanding or trust (generated by the fear of the unknown or by labelling everything we don’t know as something bad), if well guided, can bring many benefits such as:
– being more open-minded,
– several ways of understanding and consequently solving one same problem,
– getting to know new cultures with their corresponding uses and habits.
This takes place at a personal level, but in organizations this is even stronger. If the company channels these different cultures properly, there are more benefits than the ones previously mentioned:
– greater competitiveness,
– greater adaptation to changes,
– more creativity,
– better internal and external relations.
Therefore:
– there is a better adaptation capability to market changes,
– productivity increases,
– reputation and corporate image improves,
– better innovations are achieved,
– strategies improve,
– there is a better adaptation to globalization and changing technologies
– there is a broader vision to develop in different markets and cultures.
To work properly, the organization must have the following policies in place:
– Flexibility when it comes to hiring talents: broadening the base of possible talents not only in the core business of the company, but also “importing” talent from other cities/states/countries
– Creating opportunities for less fortunate groups, encouraging social cohesion
– More understanding of the needs of usual and prospect clients.
To sum it up, if the organization or we, at a personal level, manage to lose the fear of the unknown and instead of pre-judging or separating those who are different, we accept them and embrace them to our favor, we are going to have a lot more of opportunities of succeeding than if we isolate ourselves.