Cross-Culture

World Cup at home

As most of us know, close to three-quarters of the world’s population will turn their attention to Brazil this summer. The mesmerizing fascination of football will be widely displayed as hundreds of athletes representing 32 different countries will arrive to play in the latest FIFA World Cup. The matches will be played in twelve different cities, next to dozens of strategically located training centres where delegations will be headquartered as the competition progresses. In short, Brazil will be living and breathing its most beloved sport from mid-June to mid-July.
 
From the hot and humid Amazon rain forest to the surprisingly freezing Porto Alegre in the South - a 7 hour non-stop flight away-, viewers from all over the planet will catch a first glimpse of our cultural diversity. Strikingly enough, most of them will see for the first time that Brazil has much more to offer than the hurly-burly lives of 'Cariocas' and 'Paulistas' - as we call people from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo respectively.
 
In the aftermath of the competition, local business communities hope to be shortlisted as favourite destinations for world travellers. Salvador, Recife and Fortaleza are only a few of the state capitals that expect to attract future tourists from Europe and North America as they present themselves as embodying a notion of deep-Brazil. On top of the beauty of white-sanded beaches and green coconut trees, it is a more convenient location for the Northern Hemisphere.     
 
As enthusiasm wins over hearts and minds in the most remote places of the globe on a daily basis, conservative types wonder whether Brazil will be able to organize things according to FIFA’s Swiss perspective on "Ordnung". And with full justification, they wonder if local authorities - and ordinary Brazilians like millions of us - will deliver the world something similar to recent tournaments such as in Germany, France, South Korea and Japan.
 
The debate is far from over. Even among locals, the argument is still raging. Some of us would bet our last pennies on the likelihood of giving the global audience its most beautiful Cup ever. Others are skeptical and say exactly the opposite. The former say our joyful nature will offset unavoidable troubles. The latter say we are just counting on pure luck. If it fails, and Murphy’s Law says it will, disaster will be the result.
 
Of course such questions will not surface during the time of competition. It is not in Brazilians’ nature and traditions to wash their dirty laundry in public. Brazilians are above all very proud of their country’s capabilities - which does not mean proud of their governors - and at such a stage it is useless to reflect on what happened behind the curtains between FIFA and local authorities. After all we did not have the World Cup imposed on us; we fought for it. If it was too expensive, that is a different matter.  
It is very hard even for an expert to predict how all of this will unfold during the event. But we can always highlight a few points taking into account that a whole generation of football fans view the World Cup as something very unique in our lives. All of us know of somebody who cherishes memories about similar events: Helsinki in 1952; Seoul in 1988 and so forth.    
 
As a native Brazilian - even though of long forgotten European origin - I would like to share with our overseas visitors a moderate optimism on our ability to charm the world both as football players and citizens, even if we have to rely on our 'jeitinho'- the Indian equivalent of ´jugat´, or the last minute fix.
 
Why? Well, Brazil as a country enjoys overall a great deal of sympathy. No matter how far you travel, you will always be greeted with a gentle smile whenever you say where you are from. It is such a privilege that I would wish more nationalities could enjoy this feeling when visiting other countries. I think the only other nationals that attract that sort of spontaneous cheering would be the Mexicans.
 
The most striking challenge we face however is represented by our poor infrastructure which is visibly insufficient to fulfil even local demand. How shall we face unheard of demands for IT, air and land transportation, and decent accommodation for millions of people in transit, as well as reliable security in major cities?
 
In addition to this, authorities should be prepared for power cuts and even water shortages in major centres due to the very dry summer we had earlier this year.
 
Being a cross-cultural observer, it is impossible not to admit that we lack some basic tools that are abundant in most emerging countries. So don’t be surprised if even in top-ranked hotels and restaurants the vast majority of waiters and housekeepers know almost no words in a foreign language. Also be prepared for many hours stuck in traffic jams.
 
Our ultimate wish is for everybody to have a good time and many of us think what happens with our national team is not really as important as what happens with organization itself. Spaniards and Germans could defeat Brazil on the field and the show would go on.
 
In short: the World Cup is already helping us in the sense that we are becoming more mature on how to deal with our own feelings and how to respect other people’s right to fully enjoy a good moment. Just to wrap it up, let me give some advice on situations that tend to prevail in 2014 both in the papers and in the streets.
 
a) Brazilians love making friends and do not be surprised if they invite you to join them in their celebrations - family, working teams, bars and "churrascarias".
 
b) Brazilians, on average are very poor linguists so try to learn a few words in Portuguese and people will appreciate it dearly.
 
c) Brazilians tend to be good entrepreneurs and lots of them cherish this occasion as a gateway to make new friends and maybe to enlarge business perspectives.
 
d) Try to make your plans in advance in order to avoid abuses and very high prices. Don't forget Rio is squeezed between the sea and mountains so the space is as expensive as Manhattan.
 
e) Do not blame lousy local organization. Planning is not praised as a great advantage. Brazilians think that improvising solutions when problems arise is a indeed quite an accomplishment.
 
f) Do not be surprised if Brazilians forget about traditional rivalry against Argentina and support them during the World Cup. The love for the beautiful game may drive the youth to cheer for our neighbours. Moreover Buenos Aires is our favourite destination on the continent. African teams will however always be our second choice.
  
g) When eating a "churrasco" (some restaurants could serve as much as 20 varieties of meat) try to be moderate in the first 30 minutes of your meal. Fine beef cuts tend to be served when waiters notice you are full so you will eat less.

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By Fernando Dourado Filho

Fernando Dourado Filho, current Managing Director of Merken Consultants, is a well-known business advisor on overseas trading and corporate internationalisation. He has been travelling the world since 1973 and specialises in complex cross-cultural environments and negotiations and is a licensed partner of Richard Lewis Communications (RLC). Fernando has managed overseas business units and large multicultural teams both in Brazil and overseas, and has opened more than 80 markets for Brazilian manufactured goods and commodities. Author of: "Ao redor do mundo - Convivência e negociação com culturas estrangeiras para brasileiros" (Around the World - Living and Negotiating with Overseas Cultures for Brazilians), he has also written and published more than 200 articles on how to build international competence in a global environment.

Going for Gold – reasons for the UK to celebrate!

Expect the worst, hope for the best – while I would not go as far as calling this a national motto in the UK, nevertheless it accurately reflects a trait which seems to run deep in the national psyche. This almost cheery pessimism may help to explain many of the mysteries observed by overseas visitors. Why do British people not object to paying up to twice the European average for train tickets when they often end up sitting on the (not terribly clean) floor? Why is it that when the same road is dug up five times in a month by different utility companies, we respond with a shrug? Why do we not seem outraged or even particularly surprised when our airports grind to a halt after two inches of snow when other European cities seem to operate without trouble under two feet (or should that be 0.6m)?

And yet, ironically, in this country where strangers rarely speak to each other, it is when things go wrong that we begin to communicate. How many conversations have sprung up between strangers about the absence of summer or the lateness of a train or bus (I expect it is “leaves on the line” we say with wry humour, referring to a standard excuse used by train operators to explain delays, rivaled only in its ridiculousness by “the wrong kind of snow”)?

It is not that we don’t have high standards or hopes – it is more that we are resigned to the fact that they will rarely be met, and in the unlikely event that they are, we enjoy being pleasantly surprised.

So the prospect of London hosting the Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2012 was greeted by many Brits with cynical (sometimes verging on gleeful) predictions of shambolic organisation, security risks and traffic chaos. Rumours circulated that the opening ceremony would consist of “a bit of grass, a few sheep and some country dancing”; in stark contrast, it was feared, to the stunningly choreographed spectacle presented to the world by Beijing in 2008.

Even presidential hopeful Mitt Romney felt emboldened to question whether London would be able to run the Olympics smoothly, during his first foreign tour in July. His publically expressed doubts triggered a phenomenon not uncommon among the British – we tend to be modest and self-deprecating until challenged, at which point we may quickly rally around and counter-attack. David Cameron was quick to point out that the 2012 Olympics would be taking place in a busy city and not  “in the middle of nowhere” – widely seen as a reference to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, which Romney organised. It could be said that the tide of public opinion towards the Olympics began to turn at that moment.

Of course there were still doubters and causes for concern in the run up to the great event. Mere weeks before the Games began, it emerged that G4S – the official security provider – had failed to recruit enough staff, leaving a shortfall which meant having to draft in 18,000 military personnel at very short notice. Special lanes reserved for members of the ‘Olympic Family’ (dubbed ‘Zil lanes’ after the former Soviet Union habit of reserving lanes for senior officials) were also the fuel for much criticism. However, when it came down to it, Brits were confronted with facilities that were completed on time and on budget. Recently, the government has announced that in fact the cost of hosting the Games was £377m under budget.

Not only that, but it transpired that the startlingly original Opening Ceremony ‘Isles of Wonder’, designed by film director Danny Boyle, managed to pull off that most elusive of ambitions – appealing to almost all sections of the diverse population that makes up the UK. With its seamless juxtaposition of high-brow and low-brow, vivid story-telling and inspiring music, it provided a dramatic showcase for many British achievements, including the Industrial Revolution and the much-maligned but secretly treasured NHS. The event, which became the most-viewed Olympic opening ceremony in both the UK and the US, included moments of quirky hilarity, as Mr Bean joined the London Symphony Orchestra in a rendition of Chariots of Fire and an unforgettable cameo appearance by the Queen herself, escorted to the venue by our very own James Bond (aka Daniel Craig), before apparently parachuting out of a helicopter into the stadium.

It is reported that, when asked for permission to use her image in the film, Her Majesty not only said that she would like to play the part herself, but questioned whether the type of helicopter the director planned to use would actually be able to fly under Tower Bridge. Whether you support the Royal Family or not, it is hard to avoid a frisson of pride at being reigned by a monarch, who was not only ‘game’ enough to star in such a film but was also able to offer expert advice on helicopters.

The other notable feature of the Opening Ceremony was the way in which it involved young people, from dancers and choirs to the seven promising young athletes who were given the role of lighting the spectacular Olympic cauldron, created by the coming together of 204 individual copper ‘petals’ (one to represent each of the competing nations).

And then suddenly, it felt as if the whole country was united behind this noble sporting endeavour; those who had decried the waste of public money at a time of economic crisis were scrambling on the internet to find tickets for any event they could get their hands on.

As if this wasn’t enough, we were then treated to outstanding performances by Team GB athletes – among them Jessica Ennis, Bradley Wiggins, Sir Chris Hoy, Laura Trott, Ben Ainslie, Andy Murray and Mo Farah. And the medals kept coming, leading to a final tally of 65 medals, with the UK finishing in third place after the US and China – and of these a staggering 29 were gold.

Winning all these medals felt like a bonus, and it reminded us that we are – and always have been – a nation passionate about sport. As IOC President Jacques Rogge said in his speech at the opening ceremony, “In a sense, the Olympic Games are coming home tonight. This great sports-loving country is widely recognized as the birthplace of modern sport. It was here that the concepts of sportsmanship and fair play were first codified into clear rules and regulations.”

Other British traditions in evidence during the games included support for the underdog, as witnessed by the crowd of 20,000 cheering on Djibo Issaka from land-locked Niger who had only taken up rowing three months earlier; even the announcer cried, “You can do it!” as he crossed the finishing line a full minute and 40 seconds behind the winner.

Our ‘volunteer spirit’ was also strikingly demonstrated by the army of 70,000 Olympic and Paralympic Games Makers – unpaid helpers who made an invaluable contribution to the success of the event. Easily distinguishable in deep purple uniforms, they always seemed to be on hand to guide people, answer questions and even give first aid.

The Paralympics were as high profile and well-attended as the Olympics, another achievement for a country that is sometimes attacked for being overly ‘politically correct’ but that has slowly and patiently introduced policies to combat discrimination in many different areas to the point where we take the expectation of equality for granted in most aspects of life.

So in the end, we not only “muddled through” but really did “carry it off quite well.” Far from being crowded and chaotic, some parts of London were virtually empty, the public transport system worked flawlessly and in spite of that complete strangers could be seen speaking to each other – there was nothing to moan about, they were simply caught up in the sheer exhilaration of our golden summer.

London 2012 showed that the British people, when they put their mind to something, can still deliver. It was our moment in the sunshine, a chance for us to rediscover a pride and patriotism that is not about power, elitism and empire but energy, innovation and diversity.

by Caroline Lewis

Caroline Lewis is a Trainer and Coach in Cross Culture at Richard Lewis Communications. Email [email protected]

Letter from Aotearoa New Zealand

Kia Ora and warm greetings from the South Pacific.

Welcome to Aotearoa New Zealand. Let us introduce you to our country, the land of the long white cloud, the land of milk and honey and the quarter acre section, land of the Māori people, the anchor of the Polynesian triangle in the South Pacific and part of the Pacific rim’s ring of fire.

Ours is a modern and relatively isolated country; approximately 3 hours 15 mins flying time from Australia, 10 hours 40 mins from Singapore, 11 hours 36 mins from Hong Kong, 12 hours from Los Angeles and 28 hours from London.

New Zealand is a land of great natural beauty with a land area similar to the UK but with a population of almost 4.5 million people.  Our people, from all cultures, share a common pioneering spirit that brought our forebears to this young land with the desire to build a new way of life and a brighter future for their children. This process continues today with newcomers to our airports and shores.

We are uniquely placed in the world. Ours is a bi-cultural country based around the Treaty of Waitangi signed by the British Crown with the Māori, New Zealand’s tāngata whenua, the people of the land, or indigenous people, in 1840.  And we have a growing culturally diverse population from all parts of the globe.

Ours is a strongly egalitarian society that values independence, self-reliance, hard work, resourcefulness, a “can do” attitude and individualism.  We pride ourselves on ‘Kiwi’ ingenuity and an ability to ‘punch above our weight,’ especially in the sports arena.

This is derived from our distance from the rest of the world and relatively low population which has forced us to become more resourceful and multi-skilled. Our low population density, temperate climate, spectacular scenery and topography give us a relaxed outdoor lifestyle with easy access to beaches, rivers, mountains and the bush.

In small societies, you make your own fun. We have high participation rates in many sports and a wide range of outdoor recreation activities including hiking, mountaineering, skiing, boating, fishing, diving and kayaking, rowing, equestrian, golf, cricket, football, rugby, tennis and netball, to name a few.

Our egalitarianism is reflected in New Zealand’s relatively flat social structure and low power-distance relationship with our social, political and business leaders.  We have a reputation for being friendly and have an ability to form relationships with a wide cross-section of people when living and working in other countries.

Recently, as a family, we hosted visitors from a French cooking school with which we had helped to establish a sister-school relationship with a NZ cooking school. We invited the group around for our usual relaxed Friday night meal with other friends, i.e. Chinese takeaways, Fish and Chips and a bottle of wine or two.  It was a Kiwi family experience for them. Our French friend who was part of the group later shared with us how much they had enjoyed the evening as it was not usual for the CEO and his staff to socialise together like this in someone’s home, whereas in New Zealand it is reasonably common.

It is experiences like this that the ‘New Zealand 2011’ organisers are aiming to facilitate around the country as part of building business connections for visitors coming to New Zealand to enjoy the Rugby World Cup in September.

As a people, we believe New Zealanders are generally confident, tolerant, welcoming and friendly. These traits may also be contributing factors to the number of our countrymen and women in leadership and management positions in businesses and organisations around the globe.

We are a well-educated society with world-class expertise in a wide variety of fields including the sciences, agriculture and horticulture (our main export earners), the performing arts and creative industries - computer software builders, film-makers (Lord of the Rings), opera (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa), yachting (America’s Cup) and fashion design.

We are generally flexible and adaptable and like to get things done. We have a strong work ethic.

As a relatively new nation, our country has always been a mixing pot of people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. Early settlers came from European countries and in particular, Great Britain, Ireland as well as Germany and Dalmatia then following World War II, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Poland, the former Yugoslavia and other European countries.

However our cultural make-up is changing. In recent years there has been increased migration from Asia, the Pacific region, parts of Africa, South Africa and the UK. This is partly a reflection of an increasingly mobile international workforce, assisted migration and humanitarian considerations. Intercultural marriage is common and is adding a new dimension to our evolving cultural identity.

This is evident in population statistics.  The official government 2011 census was cancelled as a consequence of the disastrous earthquake which hit Christchurch on 22 February 2011; however there is interesting data from the 2006 national census which show that the largest ethnic group is European, comprising some 67.6% of the population, Māori 14.6%, Asian 9.2% and Pacific 6.5%.  The five largest European groups were New Zealand European, English, Dutch, British and Australian. Within the Asian communities, the main groups are Chinese, Indian, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Sri Lankan and Cambodian. As for Pacific communities, the main island groups are Samoan, Cook Islands Māori, Tongan, Niuean, Fijian, Tokelauan and Tuvaluan. Middle Eastern, Latin and American and African groups make up just under 1% of the population.

Cultural and ethnic identity for census purposes is self-identified. Most of us tend to identify ourselves as New Zealanders and by our cultural heritage.  For example as a New Zealand-born Niuean and a New Zealander with Irish-Scottish ancestry.

By 2021, current population projections suggest that Māori will comprise 17% of our population, Pacific 9%, 18% Asian and other cultures with the remainder made up of the many European cultures.

Part of the exciting challenge that we face as a country is how we tap into the richness and talent that our increasingly culturally diverse population offers and how we welcome newcomers to our shores. This is a relatively new and growing conversation in New Zealand. We have a unique opportunity as a country to incorporate managing cultural diversity as a conscious strategy and as an integral part of New Zealand society and New Zealand business management practices.

Ngā mihinui – Best wishes

by Holona and Trish Lui