About my cross cultural experience

As I finish this subject, I really appreciate this class for thinking again about my communication skills. Especially preparation for final team project is most impressive to me. It is really impressive that meeting friends who have different cultures, languages, and ages but have a same purpose of doing the best. And through that process, the breadth of understanding can be expanded far more.

Since 1994, over 17 years of job career I really undergo various activities and positions, and have communicated with various people. In the course of work, I have met a lot of boss, colleagues and juniors as well as various types of customers, suppliers.
There were countless meetings and communication which have also varied the time and place.
But unfortunately, I don't have much experience with cross cultural communication.
I have traveled almost 10 abroad countries including US, Europe, even Egypt in Africa, but it was just travel.

All my cross cultural experience is this MBA course, I think.

I went to Shanghai one year ago for a new start at my middle-aged.

What I gained most valuable thing during the past one year is to make new friends.

There are 26 students in my class who come from many countries such as India, China, Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea. Of course, the official language is English. But I do not speak English very well. I had to practice many times when I had presentation.

Why? For the reason that I don’t want be an obstacle to my young friends.

I came this MBA program for the purpose of refreshment, but my young friends had different purpose.

They really study hard for good job, scholarship, and prosperous future.

So I participated eagerly not want to be interference to my lovely friends.

But sometimes, I want to put my experience into our discussion, practice, and analysis.

I succeed to share that experience with some Indian guys. Unfortunately, I did not have much opportunity with Chinese friends. Maybe I had a lack of effort to reach out.

When I worked in Korea, I heard many times that I am person who have difficulty to get in reach, but after getting acquainted, I am really funny and warm-hearted person. I always feel lack of effort to greet first. I should make an effort to reach out first a little more.

Anyway, at first, Indian’s pronunciation made me confuse. Even now, there are some parts I can’t understand, but it is getting far better than the first. In addition to class time, we often met with a beer in the evening to discuss about academic issues, to talk about the people’s life of their own country, and to share one’s experience, and culture etc. And I also can enjoy the young generation’s culture. They give me the feeling of youth. To the older person like me, I can’t imagine to access such a young generation culture.

I feel sometimes that increasing the communication skills such as writing, speaking, and communicating does not seem to be desperate. However, when my position goes higher and I am getting older, I feel that communication is more important and difficult. There are hundreds of thousands cases that after communicating at the same place then make different interpretations. We may have easily observed that such differences cause misunderstandings and bickering in the contract, even it causes severe destruction and war.

And I feel again even we have different appearance, culture, and nationality, whenever I talk to my friends about my 45 years experience frankly, listen with respect the other’s experience and values, then suddenly as we had become friends.
I dare to say that is cross cultural communication.

I never forget this valuable experience.

Dare to evaluate my classmates

It is so painful to assess someone especially who is acquaintance and more fluent than me.

1. Duke
  - Introduction is very good.
  - Topic is very interesting and blue print is clear
  - But main part is somewhat unclear.

2. Patrick
 - Voice is good and blue print is clear
 - Eye-contact is fixed at one-side.

3. Stellar
 - In the beginning part, she look at the window not the audience. Getting the attention is important.
 - Her voice is good and comfotable pace.
 - Topic is not clear - communication or social media?

4. Phill
 - Introduction part is somewhat long
 - Very good sense of humor.
 - Blue print is clear

5. Mark
 - Standing at one point. Need more gesture.
 - Eye-contact is good.
 - Points is clear.

6. Joy
 - I feel she makes a lot of effort.
 - But more eye-contact with audience is needed.

7. Jessica
 - She prepared a lot including costume.
 - Pronunciation and example is very good.
 - But I feel her speech seems not to be natural sometimes. Eumm, How can I say? sometimes seems to be too artificial?

8. Jeffrey
 - Eye-contact and gesture is very good.
 - Contents are not clear.

9. Leon
 - Pace is really good. His pace stimulates the curiosity of next step.
 - Example is good.
 - Need more efforts in pronounciation.

10. John Go
 - Used too short sentence.
 - Blue print and purpose are clear.

11. Jacky
 - He makes big progress.
 - But topic is not clear. (He looks so nervous.)

12. Li Hangbo
 - Natural gesture
 - Voice is very good.
 - He mentioned too many things.

13. Jade
 - Structure, pronounciation, and pace is very good.
 - A little bit nervous.
 - I don't know why she is nervous. She is almost perfect. I envy you.

14. Jee
 - Structure and example is very good.
 - Clear blue print
 - Need some progress in pronounciation. But I know it is impossible. He is too old and stubborn.
    Hehe. Sorry, Jee.

15. George.
 - I like his voice very much.
 - Structure and example is so good.
 - I feel he makes lots of practice.

to managers-3rd edition

Dear managers,

I always appreciate your dedication for the company.

As we all know that in recent times, we as a family have not been seeing good growth for our firm.

We, the senior management, do realize that we all have put our best of effort but due to economic

conditions and other factors we could not realize the potential that we were looking at.

In last year, Not only reduced the sales by 7% year-on-year but also reduced operating income by 12%

due to the increases in price of raw material ; pulp

As a way forward, after a three day discussion at the board level, we have decided not to cut any jobs.

We believe that we are a family and thus the company should support its contributors, which is you,

in bad economic times. But, having no job cuts puts more load on the company’s bottom line which is not a good indication in the long run.

Thus, I request you all to support the firm as well in the following decision (which is temporary) that

would be effective until further notice.

We foresee the following policies to change as soon as our performance improves over a period of

time.

Following are the policy changes that will be effective from next month onwards.

1.      Abolition of paid vacation.

2.      No bonuses in this year

3.      Salary cut about 3-5%. The ratio will be determined according to the rank of position.

This policy will apply to all employees including president.

If we have chance to talk face to face, we can discuss more, but next meeting for all Southeast Asian managers will be held in three weeks, so I have to announce this bad news by e-mail.

After reading this mail, please tell your employees immediately to protect morale from rumor or gossip..

If you have any questions about these matters, please contact me by email.

I will respond in good faith.

I hope that as the company's situation has improved, so we can talk such a crisis as memories in the near future.

Sincerely yours,

E-mail to managers - 2nd ver.

Dear managers,

I always appreciate your dedication for the company.

Today, I am so sorry to tell you the bad news.

And I will let you know that this decision is very unfortunate, but unavoidable measures for the development of company.

Our company had bad performance last year.

The figures were the worst since our publisher was established.

Not only the revenue was reduced by 7% year-on-year but also the operating income was reduced by 12% due to the increases in price of raw material ; pulp.

What’s more, this bad situation maintained in the first quarter of this year, and seems no improvement in near future.

In the booming period, we provided a series of welfare system for the employees such as paid vacation, bonuses, health insurance, and so on.

However, the company's survival is threatened by the bad performance.

Our company does not want any one to be fired.

So headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany decided to reduce or abolish some welfare benefits(including salary) for a while after profound debate.

Reduced or abolished benefits are as like ;

1.      Abolition of paid vacation.

2.      No bonuses in this year

3.      Salary cut about 3-5%. The ratio will be determined according to the rank of position.

This policy will apply to all employees including president.

I am sure those decisions could be reconsidered if the performance is getting better and better.

As I know, we are planning some new product offerings and trying more aggressive promotional and marketing efforts. If one of them is successful, the situation will be turned around.

If we have chance to talk face to face, we can discuss more, but next meeting for all Southeast Asian managers will be held in three weeks, so I have to announce this bad news by e-mail.

After reading this mail, please tell your employees immediately to protect morale from rumor or gossip. I hope you will explain to employees sufficiently and satisfactory that this is inevitable decision considering the bad performance.

In addition, please notify that these decisions will be reconsidered at any time if the company's situation will be better.

If you have any questions about these matters, please contact me by email.

I will respond in good faith.

I really appreciate your hard working and I hope that as the company's situation has improved, so we can talk such a crisis as memories in the near future.

Sincerely yours,

First assignment : e-mail to managers

Dear managers,

I always appreciate your dedication for the company.

Today, I am so sorry to tell you the bad news.

And I will let you know that this decision is very unfortunate, but unavoidable measures for the development of company.

Our company has very bad performance in last year.

In last year, Not only reduced the sales by 7% year-on-year but also reduced operating income  by 12% due to the increases in price of raw material ; pulp.

Last year’s figures were the worst performance since establishment and more heartbreaking was that this bad performance will not seem to improve in near future.

Meanwhile, the company has provided various kinds of welfare system for the employees such as paid vacation and health insurance.

However, the company's survival is threatened by the bad performance. So headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany decided to reduce or abolish some welfare benefits(including salary) for a while at the end of a profound debate.

Reduced or abolished benefits are the abolition of paid vacation, no bonuses in this year and salary cut about 3-5%. This policy will apply to all employees, including president and salary cut will be determined according to the rank of position. More senior position, more reduction in salary.

This inevitable decision comes from that the company does not want no one fired.

And I am sure If some new product offerings and more aggressive promotional and marketing efforts are successful, these decisions will be reconsidered.

If we have chance to talk face to face, we can discuss in more depth but, next meeting for all Southeast Asian managers planned for three weeks away, I have to notify this bad news by e-mail.

After reading this mail, please communicate this news to the employees who you are in charge of.

I hope you will explain to employees sufficiently and satisfactory that this is inevitable decision considering the bad performance.

In addition, please notify that these decisions will be reconsidered at any time if the company's situation will be better.

If you have any curiosities about these matters, please contact me by email.

I will respond in good faith.

I really appreciate your hard work again and I hope that as the company's situation has improved, so we can talk such a crisis as memories in the near future.

Sincerely yours,

Leadership Communication-opinion of jjun's daddy

I have worked as a team head for 5 yrs.
My last job was team head of secretariat of Hana Financial Group which is one of the leading financial group in korea.
I supported my company's chairman as well as I was supported by co-workers.
While I have worked as team head, I felt that right communication is really important to build up team-spirit.
And the role of leader is also important to get the harmonized communication.

I think there are two factors in leadership communication.

One of them is to listen carefully.
People usually prefer talk to listen.
I used to prefer talk to listen and still now.
But when I managed some meetings and other works, I felt that listening is more important than talking.
If I listened to other's opinion carefully, the others gave me more focus and concentration.

And the other factor is time management.
Every meeting and presentation takes more time than expected.
Even in yesterday's class, everyone including me spend more than 1 min at one minute speech.
It always happen.
So the time management is very important for the efficient and productive results.
And the role of leader is time management. He or she has to control the limit of presentation or the speech not to be borning.

I think these two factors are important factors in leadership communication.

my first blog

This is my first and may be last blog.
After I made this blog, I feel that I am going to be younger and younger.
I have a lot of younger friends and even make my own blog.
I am not accustomed to have new one including this life.
But I will do my best. I don't want to be my frineds' obstacle.
They have bright future. I hope that I can help them.