Body language is a type of nonverbal communication that uses our facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, and gestures to convey our (hidden) feelings and motives. Were you aware, though, that nonverbal cues commonly used in some cultures can be offensive in others? Consider the following examples: While maintaining healthy eye contact often signify […]
4 Aspects of Body Language – What They May Mean in Your Culture Read More »
“I prefer hiring candidates from ethnicity A because those from ethnicity B are generally lazy and unproductive.” “Ladies do not make good bosses because they’re typically mean, controlling and moody all the time.” “Oh no, I’ve got a Millennial on my project team. These Millennials always feel they are so entitled!” Whether we like to
Cultural Intelligence – The Cure to Stereotyping Read More »
When you notice two people speaking very loudly and gesturing animatedly, would you assume they are arguing or just having a normal conversation? Or when someone comments negatively on the work you produce, does that affect you emotionally as a person? Do you welcome disagreements or challenges to your idea in front of your fellow
When Is Conflict not a Conflict? Read More »
During a regional management meeting several years ago, Donald (an Australian manager working in Singapore) delivered his progress update and unashamedly claimed full credit for the data gathering and completion of a particular project. The irony was that the actual contributors (Malaysians and Singaporeans) to the project of whom he was taking credit away from
Dealing with Conflict Across Cultures Read More »
After a month of waiting, my car is finally back in commission following a replacement of a defective automotive part. My customer service experience was fraught with long waiting periods, lack of progress updates, unanswered calls and the general we-can’t-help-you-much-and-you-will-just-have-to-wait attitude. Even though my car was finally ready for collection, I had to personally follow
Leveraging Our Treasured Malaysian Cultural Values to Elevate Customer Service Standards Read More »
Ronald requires a third-party reviewer to provide feedback on his recent evaluation report for a construction project. He sent the documents via email to his peer, Thomas, two weeks ago but has not received a response. He decides to send a reminder email to Thomas. When Ronald returns to the office the next day, there
Are You Known for Responding in a Timely Manner? Read More »
Let us imagine that you work as a senior finance personnel in the Kuala Lumpur branch of a multinational pharmaceutical organization. Recently, a decision was made to standardize your finance processes across all regions so as to create a One Finance Team rather than individual silos that operate with varying reporting systems. A change management
3 Keys to Developing Critical Thinking for Malaysians – From Local to Global Read More »
Brian, a British expat living in Malaysia, receives an early morning email and walks over to one of his subordinates. Brian: Zul, Nadia is on leave but one of her clients has just called up and requested for some information about their account. Can you help to do some research into the
Overcoming ‘Not My Job’ Mindset in Malaysian Work Culture Read More »
Martha: “Everyone, I’m throwing a birthday party for my daughter this Saturday at my house. Would you be able to come and join the celebration?” Wai Ling: “I might have something to do on that day. If I can, I’ll try to make it.” Martha: “OK sure,
Differing Concepts of How to Show Respect When Working in Malaysia Read More »
“Thanks for the wonderfully written report, Mark! Your summary of the project gave us a really good insight about its progress and what we can expect in the coming months.” “Lina, great job with your presentation this morning! You got all your facts right and you delivered with such poise and confidence. Keep it up!”
Want to Get the Best Out of Your Malaysian Team? Try This! Read More »
