Cross-Cultural Interaction in Global Teams: What Ukrainians Need to Know

Marina Starodubska, Adjunct Professor at KMBS and author of the book "How to Understand Ukrainians: A Cross-Cultural View," notes that the science of cross-cultural studies is vast and profound. There are nine valid systems for analyzing national cultures alone (Hofstede, Trompenaars, Gelfand/Uz, Hall, Triandis, Inglehart/Welzel, Schwartz, GLOBE, Lewis), each with its own body of research and practical texts. Therefore, if you are taking your first steps in establishing cross-cultural communication, it is advisable to start by avoiding the five most common mistakes that Ukrainians face in business and hiring abroad, according to Marina Starodubska.

Overtime as Proof of Dedication

We are accustomed to doing everything to achieve the results we desire. There is a cultural dimension in Trompenaars' system called "achievement/ascription," which defines the source of gaining respect at work. We are achievement-oriented; we respect those who act despite difficulties and obstacles to achieve a result, even at the cost of their own time and health. However, it should be understood that achievement-oriented cultures are in the minority worldwide. And the further south and east you go on the globe, the more ascription-oriented, rather than achievement-oriented, the cultures become.

Therefore, when hiring people or looking for work in other countries, it is worth paying attention to the common practices of work organization and the formal boundaries of the working day. If in the US, due to overtime being stipulated in contracts, working extra hours is the norm in many industries, then in the European Union there is a directive on work-life balance in addition to local regulations on working hours. Furthermore, in most European countries, particularly Eastern and Southern Europe, work is not considered the center of a person's life, and the right to free time is firmly defended. Therefore, the expectation that at the end of the working day colleagues or clients from Poland, Romania, France, or Germany will actively "manage crises" or "resolve issues" is likely to be disappointed. And if in Denmark you talk about work at a colleague's home party, it will probably be the last party you are invited to.

"Everything for Yesterday"

It is no coincidence that our modern vocabulary is full of words about the pace of work like "rushing," "let's run," "needed for yesterday," "less text – more action." And among the key complaints of Ukrainians abroad about service is its "slowness," in our opinion, of course. This approach is called "short-term thinking" and is historically determined, like most mentality manifestations. Ukraine as a whole and its various territories developed turbulently, through constant crises – if not political, then social, economic, or cultural. Uncertainty and transience disturb us so much that we strive to control and reduce them. And among the simplest ways to do this is to act first and figure things out later, to plan "today for today" (because it's already too late for tomorrow), and often to choose speed over quality. Sharp cultural clashes arise around the urgency of task execution between us and Germany, Austria, Romania, Japan, and Great Britain, where planning is systematic and detailed, but execution is fast and sequential. Ukrainians, however, often start working with quick, "raw" decisions that are refined during the work process.

Flexible Rules

In cultures with high regulation (Belgium, Romania, Kazakhstan, India), any non-standard situation is a reason for escalation to a manager, not for improvisation. In Ukraine, solutions that are not so much innovative as they are contrary to established rules or habits are often called "creative." And have you noticed the number of domestic brands with the prefix "anti-" in their names? This [freedom/independence], by the way, according to UNDP data, is ~33% more important than responsibility, 28% more than equality, 15% more than justice, and 12% more than security. Therefore, at work, we are calmly accepting of exceptions to rules, "creative" interpretation of corporate policies for a better result, and attempts to solve a problem at the level of the executors – without escalation to management. And although a "relaxed" approach to following rules is calmly accepted by a large part of the world's cultures (including countries in Africa and Latin America), breaking or ignoring rules or "horizontal" troubleshooting is inherent to few cultures. Therefore, when new challenges or unexpected "twists" arise while working with colleagues from India, Bulgaria, Belgium, Romania, and Kazakhstan, the solution from their side will be escalation to the manager to get the "green light" for certain actions.

Straightforward Feedback and Sarcasm

Our "black humor" and direct feedback can ruin communication in cultures where it is important to "save face" (Asia, the Middle East, Southern Europe). There, the focus is not on who is to blame, but on what to do next.

Consequently, giving feedback in multicultural teams is often a challenge for Ukrainians, because it is important for us to determine "who is to blame" and state it before moving on to "what to do." In our mentality, the concepts of "responsibility" and "guilt" are often equated – the phrase "punishable initiative" is related to this manifestation, and we often confuse an apology with making excuses. Cultures of Central, Eastern, and Southeast Asia and the Middle East (except Israel) react particularly sharply to sharply accusatory feedback, where such a manner leads to conflict and "loss of face," after which (effective) communication becomes impossible.

"Us vs. Them"

In Ukraine, the level of societal trust is low, so "helping your own" is normal. In countries with high institutional trust (Scandinavia, the Netherlands, English-speaking countries), this can be interpreted as favoritism. Understanding cultural codes is a skill that reduces the risk of misunderstandings and accelerates the adaptation of your business in new markets.

The societal categorization of "us vs. them" is one of the most significant factors in shaping the national mentality. Specifically, it relates to the extent to which a culture commonly trusts people from outside one's close circle and how large the "radius of trust" is – essentially, the group of people one can potentially trust.