Before studying in Canada, I never have the idea that cultural values can have such a huge impact on the teamwork setting/workplace. Although we all want to success, the belief and values that we have long-held are so distinctive that it takes certain time to pass the storming stage of group formation.

According to the textbook, the Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness (Globe) identified “nine dimensions on which national cultures differ”(Langton, 82). The form has listed some examples of countries which demonstrate/ not demonstrate the cultural values. Generally, this form should not be surprising: European countries tend to be more future-orientated, more individualistic, and more humanely orientated; the United States value performance and quick decision(assertiveness); Asian countries, though different in several metrics, values contexts and preexisting backgrounds(gender, power…etc).

Given these information, how do we work with people from different cultural background better? As the textbook has stated, group cannot survive without communication, so communication should key to group functioning. Particularly, I have found the advices provided to be useful when reflecting on my multicultural teamwork experience:

1. Emphasize description rather than interpretation or evaluation

Although this might mean stating facts rather than one’s own interpretation to others, it can actually mean to think less negatively when one encounters unfamiliar, ambiguous expressions. I used to be very sensitive to the feelings of others, and when people express confusion or some emotion that I was unable to identify, I would feel insecure and anxious. Now, having more experience working with people from different background, I understand that thinking too much is unnecessary and I should only focus on facts.

2. Practise Empathy

In Grade 11, I was the key volunteer of a specific festival, working with other three students in our school to recruit volunteers. When I posted the information that the volunteer hours can be used as CAS credit in the IB Facebook group, one teacher was so angry that he scolded me in the group with capital letters. He mentioned that it was a wrong information and that I should have obtain his verification before posting this. I was extremely depressed at first, for I have never been publicly criticized in a group. Nevertheless, I thought that he might have been in trouble for similar issues so he was afraid that same things would happen again. I emphasized both myself and him: I did not intend to spread wrong information, and he did not intend to hurt my feelings.

Work Cited:

Langton, Organizational Behaviour, 4th edition, p. 82-83.

The most interesting concept that I have found so far in COMM 292 is the Type A and Type B personality theory. According to the textbook, Type A personality stands for people who are obsessed with achievements and instant recognition, and do not mind to step on others. Conversely, Type B personality represents people who rarely feel the urge to achieve more in less time; they have patience with themselves. To be more specific, below is a list of comparison:

Type As

• Always multitasking
• Cannot enjoy themselves or truly relax
• Frequently, if not always, using numbers to measure their success

Type Bs

• Feel no need to display or discuss their achievements or accomplishments unless such exposure is demanded by the situation
• Can relax without feeling bad about themselves
• Never suffer from a sense of time urgency with its accompanying impatience (Langton 51)

Generally speaking, Type B people would be more successful in the workplace. I completed the exercise at the end of the chapter and found that I am a relatively easy Type A. This result should not be surprising, given the fact that I could hardly relax or do one thing at a time. The only reason that I am not a hard-core Type A is because I would not base my achievements at the expense of others.

So how could a Type A person transform into Type B?

Personalities are not 100% inherited and it should be changeable. On one hand, I somehow know that my irritable, easily-anxious personality is inherited from my family. On the other hand, there are certain tactics to ease out the clouded emotions and moreover, be patient with oneself. Below are some of the possible ways to be a relaxed, satisfied individual:

• Know the key points of assignments/tasks.

One of the reason that Type A people is always rushing is because they want everything to be perfect. However, time and energy are inevitable constraints on humans and we can only focus on the most important goals. Hence, if people could get a better picture of assignments/tasks and know the criteria well, it should not be hard to find the key points and prioritize them.

• Give yourself sometime every day to plan and reflect.

As a busy university student, set aside sometime to examine long-term goals every day can be a challenging task. Nevertheless, haste makes waste and planning ahead is usually the best thing to do to reduce anxiety. Plans are not intended to be perfect, but having some general timelines in mind can make life smoother and more meaningful.

• Get enough sleep.

Inconsistent sleeping patterns lower productivity, and the lowered productivity causes more anxiety, and more anxiety disrupts sleep. Disrupted sleeping pattern usually begins with some unresolved stress during the day, so in order to sleep well, one should find some way release stress, such as exercising daily or hanging out with friends. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “7-9 hours of sleep” is suggested for young adults (National Sleep Foundation 16). Sleeping well is such a crucial factor to become the calm and intelligent Type B person that it should be the priority in our daily life.

See you in the Type B squad someday!

 

Work Cited:

Langton, Organizational Behaviour, 4th edition, p. 51

National Sleep Foundation. (n.d.). How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? Retrieved February 06, 2017, from https://sleepfoundation.org/excessivesleepiness/content/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need-0

 

Although it has been more than 10 years since Steve Jobs delivered the commencement speech at Stanford University, the “passion theory” has never stopped making an impact on people’s career choices. Jobs mentions to “follow your heart” and that the only way to do great work is to “love what you do” (Jobs 15-17). He encouraged college graduates to pursue their passion and not to settle until they found their destiny. As the CEO of Apple, he could not have been more persuasive on his stance.
But is that really the case?

Cal Newport, an associate professor in Georgetown University and the author of five career/academic related books, has made his case against passion. He believes that passion should not be the most important factor when choosing jobs. In his lately published book “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”, Newport suggested that most people gain job satisfaction after they master their work, and that trying to find a job with “preexisting passion” would most likely lead to anxiety and job hopping rather than success. Instead of putting more emphasis on passion, he values craftsmanship and deliberate practice.

“Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before.(Newport, 2012)”

As both parties have different standpoints regarding motivation, it reminds me of the McClelland’s Theory of Needs: Need for achievement, power, and affiliation. While Jobs believes that the drive to excel, the need for achievement comes from something deeper, Newport insists that achievement is what caused motivation.

I used to be a pious believer of the “true-calling” theory. Nevertheless, in Grade 12, I am interested in too many fields of knowledge to make a decision on college application. Eventually, I began another approach: Try to find what is missing in the world and choose something that could fill in the gaps. This method has surprisingly worked out: I noticed that there is a gap between arts and business, and as I have been an “art” person, I want to be familiar with various business models to sustain great organizations which support humanities and social innovations. Sometimes I still question myself whether I have made a good decision. Yet if I did not change the “passion approach”, I will never be in any of the post-secondary institutions and continue to sharpen my skills.

Work Cited:

University, S. (2016, September 16). Text of Steve Jobs’ Commencement address (2005). Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/

C., Newport. (2012). So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love. New York City, United States: Grand Central Publishing.

Langton, Organizational Behaviour, 4th edition, p. 123.