Deciding and Bridging the Gap
Consensual
Top-Down
We often assume that the most egalitarian cultures will also be the most democratic, while the most hierarchical ones will allow the boss to make unilateral decisions. This isn't always the case. Germans are more hierarchical than Americans, but more likely than their US colleagues to build group agreement before making decisions. The Japanese are both strongly hierarchical and strongly consensus-minded. If we look at implementation of a decision, consensual cultures usually say this will go fast because everyone is already standing behind the decision. Some top-down cultures a decision is made by an individual who later gets more information from his subordinates during implementation thus makes a new decision. Some say a ‘decision’ is simply an agreement to continue discussions.
The Americans simply say, “This is what we are going to do, get on board or get out. They belief that getting behind the decision as quickly as possible leads to efficiency, which in turn leads to success.
Bridging the Gap
In a Consensual culture:
- Plan for more time upfront
- Be patient! And focus on how much more efficient the implementation will be when key stakeholders are in alignment
- Stay in touch with decision-makers, but don’t push for a quick decision
In a Top-Down culture:
- Don’t expect to be asked for your input
- Be explicit about how a decision will be made (e.g., consultation, majority rules, etc.)
- Be flexible and don’t view decisions as final