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This video talks about quality control and quality assurance. These roles make sure their product is great and the production is being done right and overseen. They are smoothing our bumbs in any area.

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Learn all about the career of a quality assurance associate -- including how much money they typically make and how much education you need to become one. Read a full career profile at http://www.aboutbioscience.org/quality_assurance_associate.html

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This video portrays a farmer who is selling apples and he is learning how to break even with less apples by raising his prices of his apples and lowering variable costs.

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Here are some characteristics of JIT (Just-In-Time)
1. Long-Term Perspective
2. Automated Purchasing
3.Strong Relationships
4. Efficiency
5.Constant Improvements

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Just in time (JIT) inventory system depends on good communications and harmonization with suppliers to bring production materials in time for production to take place. JIT scheme reduces the need to store supplies and increases reliance on the suppliers, quality control as well as error-free process. This system provides an excellent inventory and production process. Below are some features of JIT system.

Long-Term Perspective
The system needs a long-term concentration on production growth and supply requirements. Changes in raw materials specifications, products levels and products offers should be instituted and synchronized with suppliers. Getting supplies, good shipping and enrollment requirements should be performed on time to ensure production is not hindered by resource constraints. Benefits like cost savings, lower production costs and customer satisfaction can be achieved in the long run.

Automated Purchasing
Automated purchasing method supports strong coordination to ensure steady stream of raw materials. Established leads time, existing inventory levels and Production levels are calculated automatically. If supplies are required, the supplier receives an electronic message to deliver them.

Strong Relationships
JIT system display strong relations between suppliers and producer. Suppliers are always seen as a wing of the business. Communications and information flow are open to assist in supporting strong supply coordination. These relationships are enhanced by long-term contracts.

Efficiency Efficiency in supply operation is necessary for the JIT system. These efficiencies always spread to production as well as supply process. There is less chances for errors to occur hence raw materials and finished products conform to strict standards. Workers are usually educated to identify errors in the manufacturing process and take corrective measures. Several quality checks leads to efficient production.

Constant Improvements
JIT production inventory processes depend on constant improvements in eradicating production problems and aid move simplistic procedures. The improvements can be done by developing foolproof production steps and setting up systems to spot errors in production. They can as well remove steps which add no value to products.

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Characteristics of a Just-in-Time Inventory System - Knowledge Base

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Just in time (JIT) inventory system depends on good communications and harmonization with suppliers to bring production materials in time for production to take place. JIT scheme reduces the need to store supplies and increases reliance on the suppliers, quality ... Continue reading →

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This is a role play of what correction action is like and the correct steps. You do not want to yell or seem belligerent because the employee could see there is no problem when you see a huge one coming. Always act professional and humble in teaching situations.

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Hardee's Supervisory Skills: On the Spot Corrective Action

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1. Physiological
2. Safety and security
3. Social
4. Esteem
5. Self-actualization

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Great article describing an authentic leader and steps to becoming one too. It also lists some of the most well-known leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr and  Eleanor Roosevelt

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How many times have you heard or said this about leadership communications at your company: "It's just the party line" or "It's all just corporate double talk" or "Why bother going to the meeting; they won't tell us what's really going on"?

Why is authenticity important? Authenticity can differentiate good leaders from bad ones. Authenticity can motivate employees to perform and be loyal to the organization. Authenticity can also solidify trust in relationships well beyond the organization. Authenticity is more than just being open or telling the truth. It requires an awareness of yourself and your values.

What Is Authenticity?

Authenticity is:

Being true to yourself.

Being open with others.

Being honest, doing the right thing.

Defining authenticity is one thing, but how do you know what authenticity looks like? How do you know if someone is truly open and honest? What behaviors demonstrate authenticity? Think about leaders you know personally or from the news and history. Which ones do you think are authentic? How does their authenticity show through?

Here are a few examples of authentic leaders to get you started:

* Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of the Civil Rights Movement
* Sam Palmisano, former CEO of IBM
* Oprah Winfrey, actress, former television show host
* Jack Welch, former CEO of GE
* Anne Mulcahy, former CEO of Xerox
* Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple
* Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady
* Warren Buffett, investor, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

All of these people exemplify authenticity by being in touch with themselves and speaking openly to others. For example, Steve Jobs said at his commencement address at Stanford University: "Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation." He proceeded to explain why he dropped out of college. One of the students who helped choose Steve Jobs as the commencement speaker said they had expected him to talk about his successes, not his failures.

Authentic leaders are not afraid to talk about their failures. They are willing to share their mistakes and shortcomings. Warren Buffet said his biggest mistake was buying Berkshire Hathaway -"a 200-billion-dollar mistake." Authentic leaders also talk about hardships they have overcome. Oprah Winfrey, for example, has been extremely open about her traumatic childhood.

And finally, authentic leaders speak candidly, as Ann Mulcahy did when she told her team members, "Hey, no games. Let's just talk." Eleanor Roosevelt also exemplified this in her notoriously candid autobiography.

Steps to Authenticity

Now that you know what authenticity is and what it looks like, you may be wondering, how do you become authentic? Most of us have been taught to "never show your weaknesses" and "put your best foot forward." How do you take off the mask and speak from the heart instead? Before you can speak from your heart, you have to know who you are and what you stand for. This means increasing your self-awareness.

Self-Awareness: This is the first step to authentic leadership. You have to know who you are and what is important to you to be true to yourself. This may sound easy, but it really isn't. Let me put on my psychologist hat for a moment and talk to you about self deception. We all know at least a little bit about denial, rationalization, repression, and narcissism. Yes, we all do it. The question is, to what extent?

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Authentic Leaders Are Great Leaders -- Are You? | AllBusiness.com

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How many times have you heard or said this about leadership communications at your company: "It's just the party line" or "It's all just corporate double talk" or "Why bother going to the meeting; they won't tell us what's really going on"? Why is authenticity important? Authenticity can differentiate good leaders from bad ones.

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Baltimore Raven's head coach, John Harbaugh, discusses how to be a servant leader and to use good judgement. He says to put a good group around you so there is a need to care and do a successful job working together.

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The Baltimore Ravens' John Harbaugh Discusses Servant Leadership

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Leaders are great Managers, but all Managers are not good Leaders.

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Short but powerful video demonstrating how team work is essential and beneficial for all in the end.

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This article lists 12 steps how a committee can be successful such as time management and making sure everyone is involved.

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A Committee is only as strong as its members and its chair. To the first part - the chair. BE ORGANIZED! Know what you are doing. Get good members. To the members - take ownership and make it work.

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This is a story about Papa John's firing one of their workers who had Down Syndrome and were charged for going against Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

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Papa John's Discriminated Against Employee with Down Syndrome, EEOC Charges in Suit

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Papa John's Discriminated Against Employee with Down Syndrome, EEOC Charges in Suit

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Short video showing the steps how recruitment works in their company.

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Our Executive Search Recruitment Process, explained in brief.

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Video talks about how any recognition motivates the workers to work harder and feel secure in their job. They are not going unnoticed and see they are impacting the business. 

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Video talks about how any recognition motivates the workers to work harder and feel secure in their job. They are not going unnoticed and see they are impacting the business. 

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Why Employee Recognition is Essential for Performance Management

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This video describes how to become an effective leader.
1. Discover what matters
2. Discipline the voice
3. Develop empathy
4. Learning how to connect with others

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The Principles of Effective Leadership Communication - Terry Pearce

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"When we talk about corporate culture, we are really talking about your organization's ability - or lack of ability - to acknowledge trust and fear. We re talking about your ability to manage the human energy  in your shop as capably as you manage operational, financial and marketing issues."

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We have to talk more openly than we have done in the past about fear and trust at work. Fear and trust are the chemical currents that power every good or bad thing an organization does, but we seldom talk about them and it hurts us not to.

We pretend there are no currents. We focus on particles instead of waves. We are obsessed with numbers in cells on spreadsheets and with graphs and algorithms, while the real energy that powers your success (and without which you are going nowhere fast) has nothing to do with particles!

It is an energy wave. As leaders we need to turn our attention away from the particles that we love so much to measure, and focus on the waves instead.

When we talk about corporate culture, we are really talking about your organization's ability - or lack of ability - to acknowledge trust and fear. We re talking about your ability to manage the human energy in your shop as capably as you manage operational, financial and marketing issues.

I've spent my whole adult life watching organizations and leaders and seeing the electrical connections, positive and negative charges, flow between and among them. If we can't tell the truth about that energy field, we will chase arbitrary yardsticks forever and accomplish nothing useful.

We'll hit a yardstick and be happy for three weeks until somebody says "Wait, that yardstick was wrong." When the energy is blocked, you just can't move forward, personally or as an organization. Work is harder, less fun and less productive. Resignation sets in. Cynicism follows quickly behind. Why should people care about their work or your company, if you don't care about them?

If we can tell the truth about fear and trust at work, we have an enormous power supply at our disposal. It's the power of your team's intention, combined with their talents and their desire to work on something fun and satisfying. It's a simple formula.

This power source is free! To tap it, you only need to do one thing. You need to shift your view of your workplace from a mechanical, people-are-cogs model to a human model that says your employees are the key to your success and your highest priority as a leader.

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How Important Is Corporate Culture? It's Everything

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We have to talk more openly than we have done in the past about fear and trust at work. Fear and trust are the chemical currents that power every good or bad thing an organization does, but we seldom talk about them and it hurts us not to.

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Multiple people discussed what their definition of "organizational culture" is

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If you want to provoke a vigorous debate, start a conversation on organizational culture. While there is universal agreement that (1) it exists, and (2) that it plays a crucial role in shaping behavior in organizations, there is little consensus on what organizational culture actually is, never mind how it influences behavior and whether it is something leaders can change.

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What Is Organizational Culture? And Why Should We Care?

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What leaders need to know to change orgs for the better.

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This entails the important aspects to look forward to in the settling of an expatriate in new surroundings.

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International organisations recognise the benefits of sending skilled employees overseas to open new offices, win new business, manage local teams, etc. Assuming that employees selected for an expatriation have the skills they need to be efficient in that role can be dangerous. Every culture has a unique set of values and working practices that can be difficult to understand, adapt to and manage if the expatriate does not have the appropriate level of intercultural preparation.

Culture shock is probably the first and most important challenge expatriates will encounter when relocating abroad. The different lifestyle, food, language and environment among other things can result in a feeling of culture shock that needs to be considered by both the expatriates and the organisation in order to prevent serious performance issues. The inability to cope with culture shock can result in a failed expatriation which can represent a huge financial loss for any organisation.

Culture also widely influences working practices. Attitudes to time for instance can vary dramatically from one culture to another. Germans tend to consider time as linear and will schedule projects carefully and do their best to follow the project plan or agenda. Indians on the other hand, tend to consider time as circular, meaning they usually don't plan their actions throughout the day and are likely to do several tasks at a time. Bringing the two cultures together without global mobility training such as an expatriate intercultural program before their collaboration can result in frustration and misunderstandings about when things should be completed. Attitudes towards authority, decision making or reward systems are other examples of where working practices can also vary significantly across cultures.

Communication styles are another factor of international working that can greatly differ from one country to another making it difficult at times to decipher your foreign counterpart's message. Non-verbal communication such as eye contact, touching, smiling or even the distance between people can have totally different meanings depending on your culture. Other elements of communication such as context, accents, acronyms or specific vocabulary (e.g. American vs. British English) can also be obstacles for expatriates communicating across cultures.

Expatriate intercultural programs like Living and Working in Germany can ensure that expatriates have the right knowledge of cultural attitudes and how they impact business practices in other cultures. The importance of expatriate intercultural programsshould not be underestimated as with the right level of intercultural preparation expatriates can avoid cultural conflict, loss of time and failed assignments.

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Getting your Expatriates Ready for an International Assignment

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International organisations recognise the benefits of sending skilled employees overseas to open new offices, win new business, manage local teams, etc. Assuming that employees selected for an expatriation have the skills they need to be efficient in that role can be dangerous. Every culture has a unique set of

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Knowing a country's culture can makes special events go smoother rather than offending those attending and not knowing it was offensive....

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Balancing cultural appropriation with good business

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The Hong Kong International Literary Festival kicks off this Friday, and among the events is a dinner with the US novelist Lionel Shriver....

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This article gives very informational tips and advice on how to maintain ethics in an international setting as a manger.

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Maintaining Solid Corporate Ethics in International Business

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The spread of international business, in which larger multinational corporations outsource production to poorer nations in order to cut costs, has created ...

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McDonalds works around making each franchise blend with the culture and eating habits.

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An introduction to McDonald's shifting tactics and branding in different global markets.

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Canwen Xu talks about stereotypes and embracing who you are and not what others define you as. Diversity is beautiful and like what you like.

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I Am Not Your Asian Stereotype | Canwen Xu | TEDxBoise

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"Know better. Do better" is the motto of this convention. He talks about how important and sacred is it to know a language especially a native language and never to lose that language. He gives examples of how special it is to maintain your culture and not let it disappear.

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Why cultural diversity matters | Michael Gavin | TEDxCSU

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This article gives six things to have a heads up and know on expanding into other countries. For example language barriers and marketing process.

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Starting a business in a foreign country might be easier than you think, provided you keep in mind six things when planning your start-up.

Long ago, taking advantage of market anomalies in distant parts of the globe usually involved sailing across oceans, battling storms and deadly illnesses, but these days, starting a business overseas might actually be much easier, less risky, and more economically sound than setting up a business in your home country.

There are ample opportunities in emerging markets for entrepreneurs and small (or large) business owners with a skill set that is distinct from that of the local population. Following are six key elements to take into consideration when starting a business.

#1 - Political Climate and Property Rights

Some countries around the world have a record of confiscating property and/or businesses owned by foreigners. You'll probably want to steer clear of those countries. Others have impeccable histories with solid property rights and full access for foreigners. Finding a jurisdiction with minimal political risk is crucial. Taking a look at an index of international property rights can be very helpful with this.

#2 - Economic Situation

Countries with low debt-to-GDP ratios, low or declining unemployment, and strong consumer spending normally make for good prospects. A growing middle class, low inflation, and rising incomes are all positive signs. It's definitely possible to form a profitable business in a country with a stagnating economy, but it very well may be an uphill battle.

#3 - Your Personal Knowledge of the Industry

It's not always necessary to be an expert in the specific industry you're looking to enter, but you should remember that bringing in managerial help will add to start-up costs. Partnering with a trustworthy local, who already has experience and contacts within a given industry, can definitely increase your likelihood of success. Finding situations where you have some skills to bring to the table (other than just start-up capital) are usually best.

#4 - Market Research

You'll want to spend a significant amount of time analyzing local spending habits, as well as how much time, energy, and capital will be dedicated to marketing your products or services. If feasible, try setting up a trial run or conducting surveys before investing very much capital. Don't overlook how much you'll have to pay employees, nor what work habits are like in the country.

#5 - Language Barriers

If your business will cater to other foreigners, this might not be much of an issue. However, being able to easily converse with the local population will make launching your venture much more straightforward. If you're not fluent in the language of your target country, try to avoid paying for translation services, except for the most important procedures (such as revising contracts and/or the constitution of the business if used). Hiring a translator will significantly increase your expenditures in most cases. Instead, look for a bilingual individual that you can employ on a weekly or monthly basis, someone who can help with the language when necessary but who will also be useful for general tasks relating to the business.

#6 - The Incorporation Process

The International Finance Corporation and the World Bank have a great page that compares the costs, amount of time, and number of procedures involved with forming a business in 183 countries around the world. The page is specifically for businesses with between 10 and 50 employees, but can be a helpful tool for those looking into both smaller and larger operations.

Some examples:

In New Zealand, you can form a business in a single day with minimal paperwork (two days in Australia).

In Panama and Chile, setting up a business involves six or seven procedures and can take less than two weeks.

In Portugal, the process can take as little as five days and involve as little as five procedures, but the general economic prospects in Portugal are not so promising.

In Singapore and Hong Kong, setting up a business involves three procedures which can be completed in three days. Opportunities exist, but startup costs could be high, depending on your type of business.

Spending thousands and thousands of dollars on a business degree or an MBA isn't the only way to prepare for opening and operating a business overseas. While studying business can certainly be helpful, the years you spend in the classroom could instead be productive, income-producing years, if you select your market and jurisdiction carefully.

Starting your own business overseas will definitely require due diligence and careful consideration of the six factors listed above, but with under $1,000 USD (even under $100 USD in some places), becoming your own boss might not be as hard as you would think.

Editor's Note: One expert on operating a foreign business whom we'd highly recommend is none other than Doug Casey, the original International Man. Doug's been to over 145 countries and started businesses in a number them. He wrote a thick and detailed free guide on this topic, including his favorite countries. It's a must-read for those interested in this extremely important topic. Click here to download the PDF.

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Six Elements to Starting a Business Overseas

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Starting a business in a foreign country might be easier than you think, provided you keep in mind six things when planning your start-up. Long ago, taking advantage of market anomalies in distant parts of the globe usually involved sailing across oceans, battling storms and deadly illnesses, but these days, starting a business overseas might actually be much easier, less risky, and more economically sound than setting up a business in your home country.

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I found this article which states the advantages and disadvantages of expanding a company internationally.

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Advantages & Disadvantages of a Multinational Firm

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The ultimate goal of every for-profit business is to sell more products and services to bring in more revenue and generate more income for the owners. Small businesses often start by opening ...

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The Volkswagen case represents above all an absolute failure in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The company deliberately set out to design a means to circumvent emissions control-a stratagem known at the highest levels-with the aim of giving the company an unfair advantage over its competitors that made it the world's number one car maker, in large part on the basis of its supposedly environmentally friendly cars; meanwhile it was poisoning the planet.

This rejection of any ethical standards in engineering, which has led to the resignation not just of the CEO, but also Audi's head of R+D and Porsche's engine chief, makes one thing absolutely clear: the company's CSR department must have known what was going on. The command chain that led to the development of certain lines of software that could put an engine into to test mode and then return it to "dirty mode" are on record, all the testing that was done is documented: those responsible can be identified, and are to be found at all levels throughout Volkswagen. With software taking over all the complexities of a product, the only way to avoid problems is to go fully transparent, document every step of the process and embrace open source.

We are talking about an engine here, a lump of metal, not some interpretation or shade of meaning. Volkswagen did all it could to hide the fact that its diesel engines were highly contaminating. How can the head of CSR deny he knew anything about what was going on? Either that person wasn't doing their job, or they were colluding. The conclusion can only be that for Volkswagen, CSR is a marketing exercise.

But the sad truth is that this conclusion applies to the vast majority of companies: a head of CSR is appointed, given an air of respectability, and runs a department the job of which is to keep the company's image clean, despite the filth it is mired in, as is clearly the case with Volkswagen. Once again, we have allowed ourselves to be duped into believing that companies can and will regulate themselves, when of course the sordid reality is that as their actions show, beyond the occasional symbolic act, their sole objective is to maximize profit, and by any means.

Volkswagen decided that it didn't matter if its cars poisoned the planet by emitting 40 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide, as long as doing so allowed it to become the world's leading car maker. The parallels with the tobacco industry are notable, particularly as regards the lies that we are prepared to believe about the effects of our actions: in the same way that may smokers still tell themselves that the smoke they inhale is not dangerous, millions of car drivers prefer to continue belching out dangerous gases so long as their vehicle runs faster and better.

The only thing that Volkswagen drivers are worried about at the moment is: "What am I going to have to do to my car, and is it going to make it slower? Well, if I don't have to by law, then I won't." Because we don't see the steady poisoning of our planet, we are more concerned about not being able to pull away more quickly at the lights. We're simply not prepared to pay that price for a cleaner environment. We would rather have a faster car than do something to reduce the tens of thousands of deaths from respiratory diseases each year.

The problem with CSR pretty much comes down to this: we are asking companies to self-regulate. Furthermore, we must be doing something wrong when the majority of people see CSR as superfluous, a luxury that mustn't get in the way of making profits or giving us that delicious feeling of acceleration when we put our foot down. Most heads of CSR know this reality, and they know which side their bread is buttered on.

The Volkswagen case shows in stark contrast that we must reinvent CSR. The people who head these departments must be made responsible for their companies' actions, even if that means going to jail. These people will have to be very well paid in return for assuming this responsibility, as well as having budgets that will allow them to develop systems to find out what really goes on in their companies. The Volkswagen crisis highlights the failings of capitalism, of a system that has closed its eyes to the reality of the future, and a clearly unsustainable future.

If you're a head of CSR, you need to ask yourself whether you have any idea what is going on in your company, or whether you are complicit in activities that go directly against your supposed remit. Are you head of window dressing? Are you prepared to lie, to cover up, or even kill people in return for helping your company make more profits? Which is more important to you: the sustainability of your company, or that of the planet? Which is of greater value: tens of thousands of deaths from respiratory disease and cancer, or sitting on the throne of the global automobile industry?

In short, CSR has failed. What has happened at Volkswagen is so important, so real, that it should spark companies to rethink their priorities and just what the job of their CSR department is. They need to ask themselves if something like this could happen in their company, because the answer may well be yes. They need to ask if their company is prepared to cheat, lie and kill people in return for the kind of profits that Volkswagen has made. They need to ask if their board of directors is as irresponsible as Volkswagen's.

And if they work in CSR and they don't think that what has happened at Volkswagen merits serious consideration about their own actions, then perhaps the time has come to get out from behind the wheel, be corporately and socially responsible, and let somebody else take over.

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Volkswagen And The Failure Of Corporate Social Responsibility

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(JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images) The Volkswagen case represents above all an absolute failure in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The company deliberately set out to design a means to circumvent emissions control-a stratagem known at the highest levels-with the aim of giving the company an unfair advantage over its competitors that made it [...]

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Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are practically a given at most companies these days, but that doesn't necessarily mean all companies have truly accepted the calling to be good corporate citizens. Some CSR programs are really nothing more than a marketing ploy, and a poorly executed one at that, struggling to get employees excited to participate and give back to the community.

One company that's getting it right is TCC, the largest Verizon Premium Wireless Retailer in the U.S. Its nationally-recognized Culture of Good initiative-a movement in which TCC gives back in every community it does business-has succeeded in making a difference in local communities while also keeping employees happy and engaged in their work.

Ryan McCarty, TCC's director of customer and employee relations, launched the Culture of Good in 2013. To date, TCC has donated nearly $3 million through the program. According to McCarty, there are seven guidelines every company should follow to create an effective CSR program.
1. Create a culture built on doing good
To ensure your CSR program isn't just an afterthought, McCarty emphasizes the importance of making sure that giving back is at the foundation of the company's culture and core values. By coming from a place of sincerity that is true to the company's beliefs, a CSR program will become an extension of the company's intentions.

At TCC, McCarty and CEO Scott Moorehead developed the "Virtuous Circle of Success" (VCS), which focuses on creating a culture that inspires and motivates people to reach their full potential, while also being a part of its greater purpose. Through the VCS, TCC believes that when each employee is passionate about making a difference in the lives of the people the company touches, everyone will succeed. Simply put, TCC wants to make a difference equally in the lives of its employees, customers and the communities it serves.
2. Follow your employee's interests
McCarty is adamant that businesses should support charities or causes that employees are already passionate about. Before deciding where TCC should donate its money, time and resources, McCarty spent a significant amount of time determining what efforts would make the most impact on both his employees and the community. That was no easy feat considering the company has more than 1,700 employees and 630 stores across the nation.

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7 Lessons From A Successful Corporate Social Responsibility Program

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Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are practically a given at most companies these days, but that doesn't necessarily mean all companies have truly accepted the calling to be good corporate citizens. Some CSR programs are really nothing more than a marketing ploy, and a poorly executed one at that, struggling [...]

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Promoting inclusiveness and diversity within your workplace is one of the best ways to foster an open-minded, global company culture. Not only does this make good business sense-helping your company to better understand colleagues, clients, and customers around the world-it also makes the workplace a more interesting and personally enriching environment for everyone.

Whether you're working at a small start-up or are part of a large multinational corporation, the benefits of diversity in the workplace are equally compelling in today's globalized business environment. And diversity can take many forms, from culture and nationality to gender, race, sexuality, educational background, and more. Whatever your current role, here are five strategies you can implement straight away to promote diversity in your workplace.

Commit to boosting your own cultural competency

Cross-cultural communication is an invaluable workplace skill. Today, more than ever, you're likely to interact professionally with people from different cultural background to your own. Whether they're a team member, your manager, or a customer, developing a better understanding of different cultures and perspectives can help to improve communication and avoid misunderstandings.

Make a point of educating yourself -learn about different cultural traditions and approaches to work, and keep up to date with global events and international politics. Take the time to get to know your colleagues from different countries and backgrounds. Be open to travel opportunities, especially if you have the chance to visit an office or team overseas. Not only will you gain a greater sense of cultural appreciation and sensitivity, you're likely to make new friends by finding much common ground.

Actively seek out new perspectives and ideas

Tackling a tough problem on the job? Ask for help and be open to new perspectives. People from different cultures and background may take a different approach to business issues. You'll find that your colleagues can offer valuable insight gained through a wealth of diverse life experiences. Looking at something in a new way may reveal a solution you would never have considered on your own.

Creating a workplace where different perspectives are valued and embraced can go a long way to foster productive business relationships. Whether you're in a junior role, a manager, or director, actively seeking advice, ideas, and expertise from your colleagues will improve communication and foster a more inclusive company culture. This inclusive culture will, in turn, help your company to retain diverse talent and make your workplace an attractive option for globally minded job seekers.

Treat others how they want to be treated

Remember that the so-called Golden Rule to "treat others how you want to be treated" doesn't always apply in a diverse professional environment. Instead, it is better to follow what has become known as the Platinum Rule: treat others how they want to be treated.

Always be considerate and sensitive to the boundaries and expectations of others. A request or activity you may be comfortable with could be in conflict with the values of someone else in your company. Even commonplace interactions could have subtle cultural nuances to take into account. For instance, understanding how different cultures perceive a handshake, maintaining eye contact, or the boundaries of personal space can help to avert misunderstandings.

When in doubt, ask. If you accidentally cause offense, apologize. Both scenarios are valuable opportunities to improve your own cultural awareness, and your colleagues will appreciate your sensitivity and effort. Being respectful of personal and cultural boundaries, and encouraging your colleagues to do the same through your example, will make your workplace more welcoming and productive for everyone.

Observe diverse traditions, celebrations, and holidays from other cultures

Diversity and inclusion activities can take many forms, but one of the easiest and most fun can be creating a culturally diverse holiday calendar. Encourage your colleagues to get involved and find appropriate ways celebrate different traditions.

From Eid to Oktoberfest, sharing food, music, and celebrations from around the world can be wonderful for team-building and a great way for colleagues at different levels of the organization to connect. However, when larger organized celebrations aren't practical, make a point to personally acknowledge a significant religious or cultural holiday. Well-wishes via email or over a coffee can be a small gesture that means a lot to a colleague, especially if they are far from home.

Beyond major holidays, sensitivity to your colleagues' regular cultural or religious practices is also important. For example, avoid scheduling client lunches during a time of fasting or holding meetings during a time of prayer.

Contribute to the cultural diversity of your own workplace

Remember, diversity can take many forms. Don't underestimate the cultural value you can add to your workplace. Whatever your background, your unique perspective, culture, and experiences can enrich the professional experience of those around you.

Set an example for others to follow by positively contributing to your company culture. Something as small as sharing a traditional treat from home can be a wonderful way to spark a conversation and inspire others to share too.

The best way to promote diversity in your workplace is by embracing it and working to build an understanding. Getting to know your colleagues on a personal level, regardless of their culture and background, will help you to find common ground, deepen your appreciation of differences, and promote an inclusive and welcoming work environment.

"I truly appreciate the international exposure that I have been able to have at Hult. Having worked with people that come from other parts of the world is like having a free lesson on diversity and cultural differences."
Jay Chen Liu
Hult Master of International Marketing Class of 2016

Promoting diversity and developing a global mindset through cross-cultural understanding is at the heart of a Hult degree. The knowledge and experience Hult students gain studying across six global campuses and learning alongside peers of over 130 nationalities prepares them for the exciting challenges of today's diverse, international work environment.
Learn more about Hult's global programs and campuses

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5 Strategies for Promoting Diversity in the Workplace Hult Blog

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Promoting inclusiveness and diversity within your workplace is one of the best ways to foster an open-minded, global company culture. Not only does this make good business sense-helping your company to better understand colleagues, clients, and customers around the world-it also makes the workplace a more interesting and personally enriching environment for everyone.

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When you think about diversity, what springs to mind? The first things that people usually think of are factors such as age, gender, race, cultural background, etc., but there is far more to creating a diverse workplace than hiring people who fit into different age brackets or creating the perfect male to female ratio.

Though we may share things in common with other individuals, at the end of the day, everyone is their own person and can bring different things to the table, which is why diversity is so important among a team. By hiring people with different personalities and at varied stages of their career, it can help to foster creativity and offer a range of perspectives and ideas.

Here are a few of the top benefits or diversity in the workplace.

1) Talents, skills and experiences

Individuals from diverse backgrounds can offer a selection of different talents, skills and experiences, that may be of benefit to the organisation and their work performance. Though some crossover of skills can be beneficial when it comes to assisting each other, it's important to hire people with the appropriate skills to fit each of the roles within the company. A variety of skills and experiences among the team also means that employees can learn from each other

2) It creates innovation

By working alongside people of different backgrounds, experiences and working styles, creative concepts can be born from bouncing ideas off of each other and offering feedback and suggestions. Whereas one person may be great at generating exciting, out of the box ideas, another individual may have the necessary experience to execute it; so it is essential to play on each individual's strengths and collaborate with others in the team.

3) Language skills can open doors for a business

Language barriers and cultural differences can often act as a bit of an obstacle for a company who want to expand their business over shores; however by hiring employees who speak different languages it can make it possible for a company to work on a global basis and interact with a broader client-base. Representing a number of nationalities within your company can also help to make it more relatable

4) It grows your talent pool

A company who embraces diversity will attract a wider range of candidates to their vacancies, as it will be viewed as more progressive organisation and will appeal to individuals from all walks of life. Naturally, as the number of applicants for each vacancy rises, the chances of finding an exceptional candidate increases too! It can also help with employee retention, as people want to work in an environment who are accepting of all backgrounds and promote equality.

5) Improves employee performance

Employees are more likely to feel comfortable and happy in an environment where inclusivity is a priority. Equality in the workplace is important for encouraging workers from all backgrounds to feel confident in their ability and achieve their best. The higher the team morale, the more productive employees are.

Image: Shutterstock

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What Are the Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace?

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When you think about diversity, what springs to mind? The first things that people usually think of are factors such as age, gender, race, cultural background, etc., but there is far more to creating a diverse workplace than hiring people who fit into different age brackets or creating the perfect male to female ratio.

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Managers must communicate with all types of employees to succeed.

George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images

To lead others, you must demonstrate effective communication skills. Otherwise, a manager will lack the credibility to implement his employer's objectives, and struggle to rally worker teams behind them. Managers who communicate well are also more likely to become good problem solvers, which is an essential skill to function well in an international workplace where diversity is increasingly the norm. Employees who show an aptitude for verbal and written communication are more likely to advance up the corporate ladder, as well. Effective communication between managers and employees is requisite for a well-functioning workplace.

Better Employee Relations

The best managers understand the need for building alliances and communicating throughout all levels of the organization. Effective communications skills are a must for breaking down barriers, which promotes the collaborative atmosphere that an organization needs to thrive. A typical employee's engagement and interest in work varies from day to day. Astute managers accept this reality but can tailor their own communication style to motivate an employee to achieve the desired result.

Gains in Productivity

Whether they realize it or not, managers are the linchpin of a company's productivity efforts. Managers must clearly articulate strategies and plans so that an employee team knows what to do, and how the company envisions them being carried out. At the same time, each team member should understand his role, and why his particular task is so important. If the manager can't make that case, employees grow complacent and less interested in their work.

Impact of Globalization

Cross-cultural and linguistic work teams are increasingly common features in today's globalized workplace. Managers must devise new communications strategies to interact with an increasingly multicultural, multinational workforce. Employees also may identify with several different national groups, which managers must consider when trying to communicate a company's goals and objectives.

Multigenerational Relations

Conflicts are likely when employees from different generations find themselves working together. Good communications skills are a must for managers wanting to succeed in this environment. For example, the competitive drive of Baby Boomer employees born between 1946 and 1964 may not sit well with Generation X and Y peers, born in 1965 or later, who desire a less intense work life. Managers must avoid blanket stereotypes when trying to encourage the various groups to interact with each productively.

Problem Solving Skills

Effective communication and problem-solving skills go hand in hand. Employees who struggle on the job naturally look to managers for guidance to solve their problems. A manager who lacks discretion, however, is unlikely to gain the trust he needs to address co-worker conflicts, declining performance or substance abuse issues. Failure to address these situations, in turn, jeopardizes the organization's productivity and ability to carry out its mission.

About the Author

Ralph Heibutzki's articles have appeared in the "All Music Guide," "Goldmine," "Guitar Player" and "Vintage Guitar." He is also the author of "Unfinished Business: The Life & Times Of Danny Gatton," and holds a journalism degree from Michigan State University.

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Why Is Effective Communication Important in Management?

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To lead others, you must demonstrate effective communication skills. Otherwise, a manager will lack the credibility to implement his employer's objectives, and struggle to rally worker teams behind them. Managers who communicate well are also more likely to become good problem solvers, which is an essential skill to function well in an international workplace where diversity is increasingly the norm.

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The Four Functions of Managers

Management involves far more than just telling others what to do. Before any of you decide that you think you can do your boss's job, let's take a look into more of what a manager does.

The major functions that a manager completes can be categorized into four different functions known as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. For some of us, we only see the final two - leading and controlling - but you should know that for every managerial behavior you do see, there is an equal amount that you do not. Behind the manager's closed door, he or she spends a good deal of his or her time planning and organizing, so that he or she can effectively carry out the functions of leading and controlling.

Now, before you think your boss is different, you should also know that the four functions of management are standard across industries, whether that be in a manufacturing plant, a home office, a grocery store, a retail store, a restaurant, a hotel, or even an amusement park. Effective managers understand how planning, organizing, leading, and controlling are used to achieve organizational success. Unfortunately, I do not have a rebuttal for those of you who have ineffective managers, but perhaps learning a little more about the four functions of management will help to identify what steps your ineffective manager needs to take to become an effective one.

Try to think about the four functions as a process where each step builds on the others. Managers must first plan, then organize according to that plan, lead others to work towards the plan, and finally evaluate the effectiveness of the plan. These four functions must be performed properly and, when done well, become the reason for organizational success.

Planning

The first of the managerial functions is planning. In this step, the manager will create a detailed action plan aimed at some organizational goal.

For example, let's say Melissa the marketing manager has a goal of increasing sales during the month of February. Melissa needs to first spend time mapping out the necessary steps she and her team of sales representatives must take so that they can increase sales numbers. These steps might include things like increasing advertisements in a particular region, placing some items on sale, increasing the amount of required customer-to-sales rep contact, or contacting prior customers to see if they are interested in purchasing additional products. The steps are then organized into a logical pattern so that Melissa and her team can follow them.

Planning is an ongoing step, and can be highly specialized based on organizational goals, division goals, departmental goals, and team goals. It is up to the manager to recognize which goals need to be planned within his or her individual area.

Organizing

The second of the managerial functions is organizing. This step requires Melissa to determine how she will distribute resources and organize her employees according to the plan. Melissa will need to identify different roles and ensure that she assigns the right amount of employees to carry out her plan. She will also need to delegate authority, assign work, and provide direction so that her team of sales representatives can work towards higher sales numbers without having barriers in their way.

Leading

The third function of management is leading. In this step, Melissa spends time connecting with her employees on an interpersonal level. This goes beyond simply managing tasks; rather, it involves communicating, motivating, inspiring, and encouraging employees towards a higher level of productivity. Not all managers are leaders. An employee will follow the directions of a manager because they have to, but an employee will voluntarily follow the directions of a leader because they believe in who he or she is as a person, what he or she stands for, and for the manner in which they are inspired by the leader.

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leading & controlling - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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Four Functions of Management: Planning, Organizing, Leading & Controlling - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Management involves far more than just telling others what to do. Before any of you decide that you think you can do your boss's job, let's take a look into more of what a manager does. The major functions that a manager completes can be categorized into four different functions known as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.