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Cultural fusion keeps the business world going around

The world is a big place, full of different cultures cultivated over thousands of years. But it’s also a small one, getting smaller and smaller in this age of globalization. Cities and towns worldwide have become melting pots, mixing the old way of life with traditions brought in by later arrivals to the place. The U.S. was built on such cultural fusion, and the legacy pervades in our hybrid culture. Practically anywhere you go, you can find fusion cuisine blending the best of the world’s culinary traditions. World music features in many of our favorite songs. In business as in other areas, cultural fusion spurs creativity and innovation. It takes the best ideas from everywhere and makes the most of them.

Speaking Their Language

When we embrace our hybrid culture, we get much more than a great meal and some killer tunes. We promote social harmony, with a better understanding of where people are coming from. For instance, what’s considered a sign of respect in one culture might be seen as rude in another. Knowing that can prevent misunderstandings that develop into bigger problems. In contrast, people who are comfortable with a variety of cultures and customs will find doors flung open for them wherever they go.

That skill can work wonders for companies looking to establish their brands in new markets. Knowledge of local languages and how marketing campaigns might be received can prevent embarrassing and damaging “lost in translation” errors that can do lasting harm to the brand’s attempt to gain a foothold. These are lessons brands have had to learn the hard way, such as Coca-Cola’s “bite the wax tadpole” blunder in China.

A crucial element of success in a new market is authenticity. The audience you’re targeting knows when they are being pandered to as opposed to when a brand is making a genuine effort to understand them. In cases where people might speak a minority language at home different than the primary language of the area, they might develop an affinity for a brand that makes an effort to speak to them in their language as well as the dominant language of the area. Successful branding goes beyond that, however. If you’re just translating an ad directly from one language to another, it might fall flat.

“These ads may be fine, but because they lack authenticity, they have significantly less probability of being effective and moving the needle with consumers, and worse, they may even risk alienating the segment they are trying to connect with,” Isaac Mizrahi wrote in Forbes.

Success requires storytelling in a way that resonates with the intended audience. It requires the use of images that will speak to something deep inside them. That’s how a brand makes a deep connection with people.

Internal Fusion

Incorporating that kind of a hybrid culture into an organization doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a concerted effort, with resources devoted to it. It’s worth it, though, not just for reaching new markets but for attracting and retaining employees of diverse backgrounds. Lola Adeyemo, author of “Thriving in Intersectionality: Immigrants, Belonging, and Corporate America” offers tips for establishing a cultural awareness program.

“Through workshops, training sessions, and interactive experiences, employees can gain a deeper understanding of each other’s backgrounds, helping to break down barriers and build stronger connections,” she wrote.

Encourage employees from different backgrounds to collaborate, she advises. They might come up with a completely original idea inspired by their diverse cultures, and they’ll certainly have a better appreciation for each other. Celebrate cultural traditions such as Lunar New Year, Hanukkah, and Diwali that make employees who celebrate those festivals in their personal lives feel welcome to embrace their cultures at work. Don’t do it in a fumbling, Michael Scott way, but in authentic, inclusive way.

“We want all of the very best people from wherever they come from to feel motivated to feel safe, to feel like they’ve got the support of the organization and each other, that they can collaborate well,” Scott Freidheim, managing partner of Freidheim Capital LLC, told BOSS.

“Imagine if today you were at a company and you just hired an Israeli and a Palestinian.

Is your culture one that is going to support those two talents to achieve their potential?”

A company that supports both is one that navigates just about any challenge with success.