Oh if only life were simple! I raised questions in the multicultural teams workshop that perplex me – questions like: “If the field program is managed using a relationally oriented high-context approach and the decisions documented through contextual logic, and the funding partner works in a goal oriented, low-context world where logic follows a linear pattern, how do I help these people connect (and not just be frustrated with each other)?” The group response tended to be: “That is a good question. That’s really hard.”

Let me be more concrete. (more…)

The workshop that I am attending right now assumes that the team you want to build is firmly established in the context of one culture – the culture of the people with whom you are seeking to share the gospel. Therein lies my problem. The teams I am most concerned about operate in international or multicultural contexts. So the “corporate culture” is not well defined. This confusion can result in frustration in the least, and more likely attrition that could be prevented.

My “take away” for this day is that we need appropriate orientation to (new) members both to different cultural systems (for communication, personal space, directness, conflict resolution, etc) as well as to our preferred corporate culture. (more…)

During the first day of the workshop we spent a fair amount of time discussing “credible”. People won’t readily accept our message unless they perceive us as credible people. We also talked about trust, what it is and isn’t, and how it affects team dynamics.

This, the second day, we have been talking about bonding with the new culture. (Do you remember the story of the young girl who raised geese from chicks in Canada? When migration time arrived, the geese wouldn’t leave this girl. They had bonded to her as their mother. She, with help from her father, flew by ultralight to the Carolinas where the geese could survive for the winter. And the geese followed.)

A healthy bonding experience allows a new missionary to… (more…)

Not sure what herding cats looks like? Check out this ad from EDS, stored at Google Videos.

PS: I forgot to mention! The “herding cats” reference comes out of a recent newsletter we published. Ask for a copy if you didn’t get one. Email me.

Looking at my book list off to the side, you might wonder if all I do is read books! Nope. I usually only read when I’m travelling. But I read fast. And I learn through reading.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on some of the books I’ve listed. And I’d like to hear your recommendations on others.

I have not tried to give extensive reviews by any stretch of the imagination. You can get great information on most of the books by clicking on the book — that takes you to Amazon where often other people have posted great reviews.

No, here I am only giving you an idea of my own personal reaction to the book.