Multi country mentoring programmes – cultural and logistics issues

International mentoring programmes are increasingly common as multinational companies attempt to gain greater consistency over the development of their international talent. In some cases, there are multiple local mentoring initiatives within a wider global umbrella programme; in others, usually at a more senior level, mentors and mentees may be in different continents. This introduces a variety of complexities, to say the least!

First among these is the influence of culture. Recent research indicates that perceptions of leadership competencies, for example, are highly culturally contingent. Cultural differences also exert subtle but very powerful influences over people’s ability to build rapport, to agree on how to tackle tasks (from project planning to simply holding a meeting) and to manage conflict. Hence it’s important to ensure that:

• Potential cultural impacts on the programme and on mentoring relationships are identified and addressed in the planning stage
• Local HR people have an opportunity to acculturise materials
• Some elements of cultural awareness are included in training for participants in cross-cultural mentoring relationships
• Mentors and mentees know how to discuss issues of cultural difference and use them to strengthen the relationship

Research by various academics suggests that cultural differences have many roots, of which the most important, in terms of values and perspective, are:

• Universalism v particularism: What is more important – rules or relationships
• Individualism v communitarianism: Do we function best collectively or on our own?
• Analysing v integrating: Do we focus on the detail or on the big picture?
• Affective v neutral: Do we let our emotions show?
• Achievement v ascription: Do we seek out status, or let it come to us?
• Sequential v synchronic: Do we like to do one thing at a time or lots of things at once?
• Internal or external locus of control: Are we in charge of what happens to us, or is fate in charge?
• Equality v hierarchy: Are we more comfortable with equality or do we prefer to know everyone’s place in the hierarchy?

Culture issues may also affect training design in the following ways:

• Pace – some cultures prefer a strong activist learning style, while others expect considerable time to be spent on establishing context and relationships between the facilitator and the participants

• Authority – some cultures tend to accept that the facilitator knows what they are talking about; others expect you to prove it
• Role plays v real plays – some cultures prefer to distance practise exercises from the real issues they face; others to apply what they have learned directly to those issues
• Participation – different cultures take longer to “warm up” and take an active part in the learning conversations with the facilitator. (A useful approach from BP (British Petroleum) in these circumstances is to ask every participant to nominate four others at the end of the workshop, for having contributed most to the event. The person, who receives the highest number of nominations, is rewarded — for example, with free attendance at another course of their choice.)
• Mixture of levels – in high power distance cultures, people at lower levels in the hierarchy may be reticent to speak openly in front of more senior participants. The senior participants may also be wary of making themselves look uninformed or incompetent in front of more junior colleagues. By contrast, in low power distance cultures, mixing mentors and mentees together will provide rapid and valuable understanding of each other’s perspectives.

The table below provides a suggested split between those programme elements that need to be consistent across all regions, and those, which may be varied locally

Programme manager training and support

The presence of an effective (i.e. well-trained and well-networked) mentoring programme manager in each major location is an essential element in an international programme. Working with the local line manager champion, the coordinator keeps the programme on course, ensures that the quality criteria are adhered to and provides continuous liaison with the centre. Options for developing this network include:

• Regional face to face train the trainer/ programme manager workshops
• Webinar series
• One to one train the trainer by the international programme manager, when they are in the country/ region

Access to on-line information

The more scattered the participants, the more important it is for them to be able to gain advice on how to make their mentoring relationship work, as and when they need it. At the very least, an intranet site of FAQs is needed.

© David Clutterbuck, 2016

Prof David Clutterbuck
Coaching and Mentoring International Ltd
Woodlands, Tollgate,
Maidenhead,
Berks, UK. SL6 4LJ

www.coachingandmentoringinternational.org
e-mail: info@coachingandmentoringinternational.org
Company registration number : 08158710