Do we need to share the same values to innovate together?

One important change in the post-COVID-19 world is the ability of many of us to travel to other countries, whether for holidays or business. Many people are looking forward to seeing landmarks or heritage sites, which are perfectly valid reasons for visiting faraway places. I look forward to experiencing other cultures by eating street food, attending local events, or simply trying to create opportunities to speak with people living where I visit. Take Seoul, Korea, or Tokyo, Japan, where I recently visited. I have certainly spoken to hundreds of Japanese and Koreans during my visits in the past but still have not climbed up Tokyo Tower or visited the Lotte World Tower.

For me, understanding people’s diverse viewpoints about things we often believe are “facts” is fascinating. What is “right” and “wrong” is never carved in stone, but varies, whether it is how to behave in certain situations or a view of political events. Of course, our worldviews are influenced by the media we consume and the people around us, but our perspectives are also deeply influenced by our values, which are rooted within our respective cultural backgrounds.

I have the privilege of speaking regularly with students at universities in different countries. A few weeks ago, I was invited by Seoul National University to give a lecture about lessons we can learn from history about the economic development of the future. These students were predominantly computer science and data science majors who aim to become international experts in some common world languages—programming languages!

While talking to them about history and the developments and changes in the world economy, I could see in them an enthusiasm similar to young people from other parts of the world. Yet their questions were very different after the official lecture was over. They asked me about their future, whether I believe Korea can realistically avoid a recession, and how much hard work is required for their futures in this uncertain world. The questions were asked very indirectly, with much focus on not hurting my feelings or my “gibun,” a Korean term, which is best described as someone’s harmony of emotions, feelings, and well-being. I believe the way questions were asked and their content all related to their culture and upbringing.

Why is it so enjoyable to exchange ideas with people from different cultural backgrounds? First, it makes us question our own assumptions and beliefs about our lives. Second, we can learn about our own culture, because speaking openly about behaviors and values with people from other cultures is like a mirror. Third, cross-cultural communication often leads to unexpected sparks that result in creative ideas. Finally, I strongly believe that only in an intercultural context can powerful joint innovation happen, and global teams should develop it for global use.

It’s often said that culture consists of the ideas, beliefs, and values of a society. Naturally, we learn these values through our education and from the members of the society where we grow up, and they form an important part of what we believe is wrong and right.

During my first assignment to India, some young employees of our company said, “Hey, Clas, could you please stop beginning every second sentence with the phrase ‘In Germany, we believe’ or ‘In Germany, we do this or that?’ You’re in India now. Things work differently here, and we also come to excepted results.”

I am very thankful that some engineers had the guts then to give me, back then the managing director of the company, straightforward feedback. That’s when I understood that it’s important to embrace diverse values instead of expecting that everyone holds the same ones.

As I mentioned in my earlier post , realization is the first step to change. The exchanges with young people from disparate cultural backgrounds prompted me to look more closely at how I communicate or expect feedback. Of course, organizations do have corporate values they expect every employee to share, and it is important to agree on work ethics, customer focus, or striving for excellence. However, this doesn’t mean that we must throw away our core beliefs or renounce our culture of origin.

Indeed, the opposite is true. In a global innovation chain or collaboration, it is good to have an agreed-upon framework to work within, but the creativity comes from participants enjoying each other and their differences.

Young people play a specifically important role here: They connect much easier across global communities and share attitudes and perspectives openly. I aspire to play an active role in bridging cultural disparities and expediting cross-cultural information sharing. This is why interaction with students in other countries is so much fun for me. I receive unfiltered views, ideas, questions, and perspectives, so I learn at least as much from the students with me in India, Korea, or China as they do from me.

(Disclaimer: The ideas, views, and opinions expressed in my LinkedIn posts and profile represent my own views, not those of my current or previous employers or organizations with whom I am associated. Also, any and all comments on my posts from respondents/commenters to my postings belong to, and only to, the responder posting the comment(s).)

#culturalexchange #talent #korea