WHO HAS POWER, STATUS, AND AUTHORITY IN THE COMMUNITY?

How does this impact on teams in the workplace?

• How are decisions made, by whom and in what circumstances – authoritarian, consensus, joint, collaborative; individuals, men, women, groups, elders, superiors; societal class; work, formal, informal, family?
• Are there special ways of conducting meetings, greetings, doing business, negotiation, making agreements – changing agreements, admitting mistakes, “saving face”, making apologies?
• How are disputes resolved?
• Who do you need to approach and how when negotiating something, seeking a decision?

RESPECT –

How does one demonstrate respect?

• What helps you gain respect and lose respect?
• Are there dress codes?
• When visiting someone are there special ways of entering the house?
• Having a meal? Bringing gifts? Eating and drinking?

EDUCATION AND WORK PRACTICES –

What are the implications for recruitment, initiative, supervision, capacity building, making decisions, giving responsibility?

• What is the level of education in the local community (for men, women, boys, girls)?
• What attitudes exist regarding time?
• What is the understanding of punctuality?
• How is feedback given in the workplace (public, private, direct, indirect)?
• What is the attitude to supervision?
• Are employees supposed to use their own initiative?

COMMUNICATION

• What subjects do you NOT talk about in public?
• How are greetings and introductions handled? – use of names, physical greetings, eye contact (male-male, female-male, male-female)?
• Are there physical gestures and body language with special meaning (expressing approval, disapproval, getting someone"s attention)?
• Saying “no” – how do you say no? How is it interpreted?
• How do you communicate “possibly”, “we are looking at it”, planning for it” without promising or building up expectations that cannot be met?