Influence: interrupt the flow

Summary: [You might view the earlier post “Influence: the global tilt” before this.] Asian reactions to diversity are strongly tied up with history and traditions. The flow pattern needs to be interrupted.


Other demographic groups in the global organization tend to relate less to one another, than to the ‘dominant’ group. This stems from their socio-cultural learning.

Legacies

For example, in much of Asia, colonial legacies remain. Asians generally know more about research, business, politics, styles and showbiz in USA, UK and Canada than say, Indians know about the Chinese - and vice versa.

They’ve been taught over centuries of exploitation to follow the West. Situational cues are meant to emphasize that their intellect, their business practices, their economy, and, despite several centuries of usage, even their communication skills in the ‘universal’ language of English is yet only developing.

Divergent views

Asian diversity is formidable. For instance, in India alone there are 23 official languages and dialects in thousands! A vast mix of races, cultures, religions, nationalities and socio-political structures across the continent ensures that homogeneity can’t happen.

But divergent views are perceived as conflict producing. Asian nations have learned to believe that differences are a threat. Integrating perspectives is rarely contemplated. So each is aggressively competitive instead.

History and traditions

Reactions to the continent’s diversity are strongly tied up with history and traditions. They communicate polarized, nationalistic positions. They may even seek mediations in mutual interactions.

Thence the mutual mistrust, and the pro-’white’ bias, persists.

Asians in Asia become aware of the regional positives last - after the West approves. One seldom adopts the developmental principles and practices of neighbours, for fear of being perceived ‘inferior’! So relationships between representative groups anywhere in the continent remain minimal.

Sharing strength

Traditional mindsets constrain positive thinking within groups. There’s much traditional strength in the continent’s diversity often forgotten or neglected.

Like, collectivism, cooperation, non-violence, assertiveness, scholastic abilities, and creativity that have lasted civilizations. These brought change, elsewhere in the world as well.

Unafraid of competition

A story from rural India may illustrate the point in collective improvement:

A farmer wins awards year after year because of the excellent quality of his crop. When asked the secret of his success he says it is sharing his expertise with all his neighbours. Isn’t he afraid of competition? No, he says, it ensures that cross-pollination doesn’t occur with inferior stock.

Asians need to discard age-old assumptions and unafraid of competition, redesign strategies for new outcomes of mutual collaboration and cooperation.

Review assumptions

In relating positively with others of the region, they interrupt the global flow pattern and create a more balanced influence.

They also break the archaic dependence on erstwhile colonizers to develop a self-reliant, independent thinking Asia that comes through in representative groups.

Then perhaps, the research finding would make sense across the globe, that even in diversity, organizational influence comes from personality characteristics, and the fit between person and organizational culture.

Comments/Opinions Anyone??