Language Diversity in International Management Teams - Essay Example

 Language Diversity in International Management Teams Part I Snow-skiing involves a wide variety of activities which can be easily compared to the human life cycle. During a person’s first ski lessons, the initial attempt to stand on the skis is quite awkward as the individual gets accustomed to slowly moving across the white sea of packed snow. A new skier is a baby with little sense of self-support and balance. A skier is a flower. A person who attempts bravery during this first assessment might attempt a hill with a 20 degree slant. A person who is more inherently safety-prone might choose a hill with only an eight degree vertical slant. Just like a delicate flower which has, for the first time, opened its brilliant petals in a show of defiance against the mundane, the skier illustrates their prowess for danger by their first hill selection. The individual also looks for potential obstacles which can block their path on the way down, making a mental map to avoid various trees or boulders on their decided path. A skier is a strategist, paying careful attention to potential roadblocks and then determining the most appropriate course of least resistance. A skier is a sea of troubles. All new skiers inevitably collide with others during their first trips down the mountain as they become familiar with their surroundings. Some laugh at their incompetence and others do not, much like in the real world where one cannot make everyone happy no matter how hard they attempt to do so. A skier is a carnival ride. The beloved Octopus ride, with this gyrating and spinning two-man cars, lurches side to side and vertically, rocking the carnival scene with a wild presentation of shaking and the provision of laughing riders. A new skier who has not yet mastered the art of balance will flail their arms wildly about, lurching down the hill in awkward frenzy, giggling at their own inefficiency as they gyrate down the slope. Part II Language plays a very important role in the critical thinking process, due largely to the fact that language is used to promote positive social interaction, improve interpersonal comprehension, and overcome certain social misunderstandings (Vogler, 2007). Critical thinking involves being able to assess the person’s environment or situation and look for an appropriate response or solution to the scenario by using logic, reasoning, persuasion, or simply good judgment based on social expectations. For example, a corporate strategist would require sound critical thinking skills in order to make assessments of long-term opportunities for the business, taking into consideration broader issues such as organizational performance, business culture, and the responsibility of managing people from a mentor or coach perspective. This would suggest that a business strategist should be able to effectively communicate with others in order to ensure that all members of the subordinate staff comprehend direction and build group cohesion toward the completion of corporate goals. It is often not what is said, but how it is being said which determines the level to which others respond. Consider a business organization which requires a new marketing focus. Language would be crucial in this environment in order to build trust and relationships with others in order to meet a goal which requires the efforts of multiple group members (Henderson, 2005). The critical thinking model would take the individual down a road of contingency planning, forward planning, project goal establishment, and the overall group dynamic. Without language, bridging misconceptions could not be accomplished effectively nor would individuals communicate positively in the work groups. Language can empower our thoughts depending on its usage in specific scenarios or situations. For example, having a diverse language-related skill-set would provide an individual with the ability to communicate in a wide variety of groups, regardless of the specific social dynamic. Language diversity significantly impacts the process of socialization (Henderson), therefore one must be able to speak fluently in certain situations while giving into slang or company speak, which involves the cultural aspects of how society communicates in group situations. This would be especially important when attempting to draw up a memorandum for a specific audience because the way in which words are being presented will provide the reader with a variety of sensations or emotions based on the language chosen. For example, in a scenario where improvements are being suggested to worker efficiency levels, choice of words, such as trying to balance professionalism with authoritarianism, will either create conflict in workers or make them willing to attempt a new course of action based on the respectful tone of voice offered in the memorandum. “Clear, concise writing is critical to almost any job” (McCleneghan, 2007, p.5). In terms of persuasion, which is attempting to get others on board with an idea or specific scenario, critical thinking is vital. Critical thinking paves the way for the creation of a multitude of potential solutions, the wisdom to recognize opportunities for potential failure, and the intelligence to consider how best to coerce others to join the new decision-making process or scenario. Persuading others involves being able to speak in a language which is both comfortable and familiar to the receiving audience in order to get their participation in a specific event or situation. Critical thinking might ask the question, Will this individual respond positively to an authoritarian attitude or will they take a defensive posture with this approach?. In this case, the person assesses their own capabilities toward positive socialization and also looks at their own deficiencies in language prior to approaching someone to persuade them into a desired action. This type of thinking may also consider potential responses from the person or group which is being persuaded in order to come up with the necessary objections to arguments as a means of staying in control of the situation. A person without critical thinking skills might use ineffective language in their communications, leaving the second party unwilling to adopt the principles being outlined through persuasive efforts. References Henderson, Jane K. (2005). “Language Diversity in International Management Teams”. International Studies of Management & Organization. White Plains. 35(1): 66. McCleneghan, J Sean. (2007). “PR Executives Rank 11 Communication Skills”. Public Relations Quarterly, Rhinebeck. 51(4): 42-47. Retrieved 7 Apr 2009 from ProQuest database. Vogler, Robert. (2007). “Siemens speaks several languages – despite what the management says; Multinational corporation remains a multilingual organization”. Human Resource Management International Digest, Bradford. 15(6): 16. 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