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Do you know what this statement means? “We may have some challenges here!” CLICK HERE for the answer
DO YOU REALLY KNOW THE COST OF UNADDRESSED CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS?
(wasted time and money…missed deadlines…inefficiency…poor results…lost opportunities…unnecessary risks…conflicts…miscommunication…etc.)
When Israelis and Americans interact, it is easy to recognize that there are cultural differences.
What is not apparent is the impact of those differences.
Cultural diversity can sabotage success if discounted, or be turned into a strength if correctly managed.
Examples of Israel-American culture gaps that can sabotage business success |
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Areas of Differences |
American Perceptions of Israelis |
Israeli Perceptions of Americans |
| Communication style (verbal and written) |
They are aggressive, offensive, pushy, don't listen. | They don't say what they mean; they're ‘pushovers'. |
| Teamwork | They don't see us as part of the same team and don't give us what we need. | They don't care about team goals, only their own individual performance. |
| Rules, process, procedures | Ignore rules, don't follow agreed process, chaotic, irresponsible, can't rely on them, don't keep their word. | “Square”, lack of original thinking, blindly ignoring better options, rigid, use plans / rules to not do what they don't want. |
| Negotiations | Have win-lose mentality instead of desired win-win - they never finish, keep reopening. | Naive, too much emphasis on formal agreements and not enough on real trust. |
| Conflict | Aggressive, fight all the time, unpleasant, uncomfortable. | Don't say what they really think or feel; overly fearful. |
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We believe that if one knows what to look for, one will find culture gaps in any organization with an Israel-US interface, spanning all management levels. |
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We have seen that letting things continue and hoping that in time cultural problems will be worked out without directly addressing them only makes things worse, and can seriously damage an organization's business success. |
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In our training, coaching and consulting we go beneath the surface of the typical needs and issues, and explain what are the underlying drivers for Israeli vs. American expectations, perceptions, and interactions. |
CLICK HERE for real-life examples of typical needs CLICK HERE for a news article about IAIA Consulting CLICK HERE for a study showing the business case for intercultural training CLICK HERE for research linking productivity to cross-cultural effectiveness CLICK HERE for an article in Hebrew on bridging Israel - US cultural gaps Contact us to find out how we can help you turn cultural diversity into a business advantage! |
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