Globally Integrated Enterprise
The are many challenges in working in a different country with a new culture , but on this project it isn't just Brazil that is the new culture! All 15 of the team here are from different countries and continents . The whole project brings us together in leadership roles to test our skills in working closely with different cultures , which is becoming more common in IBM as we grow into a Globally Integrated Enterprise.
First the culture changes in our daily lives in Recife
Well we're in a hot country which means that activities start early in the day . School starts at 7:15 and finishes at 1pm . Looking out the window at 6 o'clock in the morning the beach and side walk are full with walkers and joggers . It gets dark early here by 6pm so again just before sunset the beach is busy.
Knowing that our working days were going to be quite sedentary we decided to set up 2 groups , the walkers and the runners . anyone who knows me is aware tat I've just had surgery on my left knee for a torn cartlige so can't really run at the moment ..to my disgust!! so I joined the walkers . We go out every morning at 6 a.m
for about 40 minutes . This was going really well until the tropical rain started bucketing down yesterday. It's not that I'm worried about walking in the rain..how could you be coming from Ireland? But there's absolutely no-one else out and everywhere is deserted .
The working day
This starts at 8:15 so that we can be in the office for 8:30 . Following our early morning activities we have breakfast together and catch up with everyone . The 15 of us are split into 5 teams of 3 and each works with an NGO . It's great to have the opportunity to find out how each team is getting on and swapping hints and tips .
The working day is from 8:30 - 6:30 but with an hour and a half for lunch . What's that all about ? I never take more thank about 30 minutes for lunch? As we need to fit in with the culture and how the Client works we of course need to do this part as well...so it's off to the shopping centre for lunch a stroll around .
How do meetings work?
Meetings are very different here than at home . To start with there are quite a few interruptions by other people or phone calls which is fine once you understand what's going on . Also the discussions change direction very quickly from a business topic to a social topic and back again . The most important difference for me is that everyone is equal in the discussions and challenging each other and interrupting to correct someone is seen as a good thing in order to clarify . There is a real feeling of teaming and collaboration
Oh by the way - if you ever meet someone who was with me on this trip to Brazil ask them to say ' Go on Ya Good Thing' ..this is one of the phrases I'm teaching them to connect with the Irish!
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