New management skills needed for a new era
Thursday, 22 August 2013
The rise of Asia as an economic powerhouse continues inexorably. Meanwhile, Australian organisations carry on with the slow and steady work of connection and collaboration, in a neighbourhood that most Australian professionals experience as challenging, complex and endlessly diverse. Yet there is a gap in the public discourse. It concerns the practical questions of what exactly to do and how to do it – where ‘it’ refers to the need for greater cultural competence.
It requires professionals to develop a portfolio of quite sophisticated competencies that will help them tackle new areas of challenge. This includes high-level tasks such as managing post-merger integrations, building a high performance culture in virtual pan-Asian teams, or learning how to solve complex problems together, despite culture-based differences in thinking style.
Against this background, most management and leadership roles have also become much more demanding, as organisations in all sectors have streamlined their operations to secure the maximum efficiency possible in today’s increasingly competitive global economy. This means managers constantly feel time-poor and pressured.
But, all too often, people are figuring things out on the job, often in retrospect, after an endeavour has either failed or failed to deliver its anticipated full potential. It could be argued that this ‘learning on the go’ reflects a commendable resourcefulness and determination – attributes many Australians would like to feel belong to what is often termed an ‘Australian ethos’, or a ‘can-do’ attitude. Yet it also means that individuals are frequently learning alone and repeating missteps quite unnecessarily.
While this new Asian century is certain to present Australia with significant economic, strategic and social opportunities, it is already bringing challenge and risk as well. Cultural differences run deeper and are more pervasive than many realise. Australia urgently needs to build greater cultural competence: an integrated set of attributes, insight and skills for effective collaboration with Asian colleagues and counterparts. Such skills support both individuals and organisations in addressing the challenges and mitigating the risks that are the inevitable companions of opportunity. If we can succeed in this task, then Australia will possess a unique competitive advantage and a sound platform for future security and prosperity.
This is an edited version of a presentation to be given at the Australian Human Resources Institute’s National Convention in Sydney August 19-21 by Dr Margaret Byrne, principal consultant of UGM Consulting, author of ‘Business Success in the Asian Century: A Practical Guide for Working in Asia’.
MARGARET BYRNE
Source: Financial Review
