Training is the backbone of the aviation and aerospace industries. English is the mandated international language of aviation. Aviation personnel, or at least pilots, flight crew,s and air traffic controllers, must pass a proficiency in English. Applicants not only must know appropriate aviation terms in English, but they must also be able to understand instructions via radio in English, with no facial or body language cues to prompt them. Although this requirement is in place and this is a similarity that aviation professionals may share across the globe, there is a large amount of diversity in aviation training needs.
The aviation and aerospace industry in itself makes the world seem a much smaller place just due to the nature of the services provided – making it easy to do business in any location in the world. This along with the impact of globalization, compels nations, businesses, and people to step outside their local communities and cultures to work with people who do things an entirely different way.
ServiceElements has been facilitating organizational and personal development training workshops in business and general aviation/aerospace for 15 years both in the U.S. and internationally. The international audience 15 years ago was interested in learning service expectations of the most elite customer base (of business/general aviation). But as business/general aviation is growing in other countries, there is a growing demand for learning how to deal with and relate to a variety of cultures.
Differing culture and protocol
Every country or region has its own culture and protocol for doing things. Many times a country has different regions that each has their own culture as well. One unintentional miscommunication could destroy costly international business relationships.
Organizations from other countries are very interested in training to get a better cultural understanding of the U.S. We have conducted workshops in South and Central America, Europe, and the Middle East. There is always an eagerness to learn and understand the U.S. culture. Even when some of the aviation professionals (maintenance professionals, line service personnel, customer service reps, etc.) are not fluent in English (sometimes we use translators), they are very interested in the perception and expectations of the U.S. customer.
Organizations in the U.S. may be a bit more hesitant at ‘training’ their teams in cultural orientation. But we feel it is imperative for business and general aviation professionals in order to stay at the ‘top of their game’ in serving international clientele/passengers/aircraft owners. A study of cultural orientation gives us a model for understanding and predicting the results of intercultural encounters. A good training program addresses those subtle and sometimes invisible differences between cultures. Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company, has over 300,000 employees in 28 different countries. It uses a mix of training methods, both with internal and external trainers to help its staff become more culturally aware. It arranges learning in a variety of methods including laid-back “lunch and learn” cultural talks and “passport series” training sessions that are more structured.
Tips when working in different cultures
Some examples of things that might differ between cultures that impact business might include:
Time and Punctuality – The first time we facilitated a workshop in the Middle East, we showed up at 8:00 a.m. to prepare for the workshop that was to start at 10:00 a.m.. We waited at the door at 9:45. Nobody showed up until 11:00 a.m.. It is customary there to keep foreign businesspeople waiting.
Gestures – Some gestures that we use here in the U.S., like “thumbs-up” is considered crude throughout the Arab world. The left hand is also considered unclean in the Arab world. Gesturing or eating with the left hand is typically avoided.
Business Entertaining – In some cultures, it is rude to talk business when invited to someone’s home or when dining out.
Negotiating – It is rude to say “no” in some cultures, so you have to be careful if making an agreement with someone. You may be hearing “yes” or “maybe” or “we will see” because someone is just trying to be polite.
There are so many nuances for each and every culture. They cannot all be covered or discussed in an article such as this, but the point is that training and being aware of cultural differences is very important in business as this world is getting smaller and smaller. It can help to have a cultural orientation for countries that your organization is dealing with in the international market. The process of communication is not static, but fluid. The success of your intercultural interactions depends upon you and the quality of your information.
