• When the cultural bridge spans a great deal of space, our expectations for adjusting are calibrated accordingly. If the new place is significantly different from where we came from, we expect most things to be different and therefore allot more emotional space and energy to our adjustment because it’s so obvious that things are different. Transition is still a challenge, but we are aware that there is a lot of ground to cover.
• When the cultural bridge is perceived to be shorter; when appearances lead us to believe that the gaps won’t be too difficult to cross, we don’t allot as much transitional time & space, believing we can hit the ground running in relatively good time! HOWEVER, this is often to our detriment as we then believe we won’t have as difficult a time adjusting, communicating or understanding. When cultural clashes do arise, we are surprised because we set ourselves up for a minimal amount of adjustment. Our expectations leap-frog reality.
When we moved to Indonesia in 1988, I went expecting everything to be different. I was a Canadian boy whose only ‘overseas’ experience was a 1 hour ferry to Vancouver Island! My wife on the other hand was born & raised in Malaysia until she was 12, then spent another 4 years in Hong Kong. She felt going to Indonesia would be easier for her because of that. Problem was, it wasn’t. Her expectations exceeded reality. The tools she previously used and expectations of life she had once experienced as a child/teen living in Asia now did not match. Her adjustment therefore was double mine – not only adjusting TO a new culture, but adjusting expectations AWAY from what she had experienced.
I have moved across cultures within the same organization. While I found that some of the processes & policies were familiar, often the stories and perspectives differed significantly. Walking in with the same assumptions because you are from the same organizational family usually won’t serve you well. Organizations essentially are people. They are not their assets or products. People in work units, departments or divisions form a type of family cohesiveness through shared stories, history and function. Knowing that ‘culture’ is essential to your success when crossing that shorter bridge.
The greater the gap, the more we expect it will take time to cross that bridge. However when you cross a seemingly shorter bridge, walk slowly. Near-cultures, be they ethnic or organizational, still have patterns and habits lying under the surface that only emerge if you have a curious spirit and deliberately take time to observe, assess and adjust. (Just ask Canadians working in America or Kiwis in Australia)
