Before jumping to conclusions about people who behave in certain ways, let’s see what the management-issues.com website has to say on the subject.
What we deem as appropriate ways of expressing frustration depends on cultural norms. In some cultures yelling at people is simply more common than in others. Usually this is no big deal but in certain situations the difference can become an issue.
At a workplace where colleagues from different cultural backgrounds collaborate, challenges arise as a result of cultural value difference.
In this regard there are two types of culture
Neutral cultures: People believe that in order to maintain dignity and respect, emotional expressiveness ought to be minimised. Any disappointment or anxiety should be discussed in a calm manner. Thus Japanese airport security personnel will be very calm and polite.
Affective cultures: People value open expression of feelings. They often respond to bad news by yelling or even crying uncontrollably. They are also less hesitant about raising their voice. In New York, personnel at the airport will often shout out loud: "Laptops out! Empty your pockets!"
According to the article, a psychologist working for the US police claims that police officers not trained in cultural intelligence may find it very difficult to assess if someone from a different cultural background is:
- exhibiting behaviour that should be considered a potential threat
- acting under the influence of mental illness
- exhibiting something which is a culturally derived emotional response to a crisis
Recognising neutral and affective cultures may therefore be very helpful.
-jk-
