Thursday, October 18 2007

Jamaica, the second biggest economy in CARICOM, presents a dilemma for most Trinidadian executives. These executives understand the potential for profit, market expansion and shareholder value that can be created by establishing an operation in Jamaica.

They see the brave examples of RBTT, TCL, Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL) and Sagicor, who have chosen to place their largest operations in the island.

Yet, most Trinidadian executives are profoundly hesitant to do business in Jamaica. They see the measurable value on the books of other companies, yet they cannot reconcile in their minds the negative image they have of Jamaica and its workers, and the possibilities that they know must exist.

They ask themselves: Who will I get to work there? Who will I hire? Will we be able to manage and lead the workers? They read stories of extreme industrial actions, of wildcat strikes that turn into riots, of executives who run away afraid for their lives and of managers who leave with nervous breakdowns. The news about the crime rates, police killings, politics and corruption make them think that working in Jamaica must be similar to operating in a war zone. Some Jamaican columnists have even expressed an obvious dislike for Trinidadians as a people, essentially urging them to stay home.

ROUGH TRAINING

Many of the best executives have families, some with young children. Should they all be put in harm’s way just to make a greater profit? In Framework Consulting’s recent study, we asked some of these same questions of Trinidadian executives, especially as they pertained to the workplace. The results showed that companies did little to prepare Trinidadian executives to lead Jamaican organisations. Some were even assigned to lead companies in Jamaica, without ever having visited.

We discovered that the savviest managers put themselves through a rough sort of self-imposed training programme. They realised that their knowledge of Jamaican culture was severely lacking, and went about learning as much as they could. In a humble fashion, these executives were honest about the fact that they were being educated by those around them.

This approach served them well, and we recommend that Trinidadian boards prepare their companies and their people well before entering the Jamaican market. Why is this preparation so very important?

Here are some findings and suggestions:



#1. UNPREPARED EXECUTIVES GET INTO TROUBLE

The research showed that when Trinidadian executives landed in Jamaica, they inevitably ran into surprises for which they were woefully unprepared. If there had been some kind of orientation available, what they would have known is that Trinidadian strengths are often discovered to be weaknesses, that they are un-trained to listen deeply, and that they were ignorant of the cultural adaptation they would have to undergo.

While picong, fatigue and heckling are some of the preferred ways in which Trinidadians relate to each other in public, many managers have found that this friendly and relaxed way of relating is seen in Jamaica as a form of disrespectful attack. As far as Jamaican workers are concerned, there is simply no place for this kind of behaviour in the workplace. The “jokey” aside in Trinidad gains a heartfelt chuckle, but the same remark when repeated in Jamaica can start a strike.

In like manner, the Trinidadian willingness to be informal, and even casual, in working relationships is also seen as disrespectful. In Jamaica, workers reported that they did not appreciate being talked to in a familiar manner, as it indicated to them that they were somehow unworthy of serious treatment. Once again, a strength showed up as a weakness.

Also, when executives were caught by surprise, the most effective ones were able to reflect on their own transition process, its effect on them, and the need for them to change their thinking and expectations. They were able to adapt themselves to the circumstances.

In the worst cases, managers blamed Jamaicans for being “backward” and focused on the faults they could see most plainly in Jamaican workers. In other words, they responded to the differences they found by insisting that their perception was correct.

Properly preparing executives to work in Jamaica includes training them to understand the phases that a Trinidadian executive undergoes when transitioning to lead Jamaican workers. Training can assist them in discovering cultural habits that are apt to create problems in the workplace. They can also learn how to give up these habits in the course of day-to-day work.



Part 2 will appear in

next week’s issue



Francis Wade is the President of Framework Consulting and the author of the company’s monthly ezine, FirstCuts. The study can be received automatically by sending email to newsday-trini@aweber.com. A link to provide comments, feedback and questions will also be provided.



The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Guardian Life of the Caribbean Limited.