Archives for March 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a frequent topic of conversation for most of us over the past year. Especially amongst friends, we discuss the political implications as well as check-in on physical and mental health. With vaccinations available and infections declining in the United States, it feels as if there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. As we dreamt of indoor dining, vacations, and hugging our friends again, my friend Ana texted that her mother, living in Brazil, is infected by the coronavirus. I’ll spare the personal details here, but the disruptions to life in Brazil have been especially upsetting considering their social and cultural norms.

Ana is Brazilian, and I’m from the US. While living in New York City, we became fast friends despite a few awkward cultural differences I learned to navigate. As our friendship grew, the first glaring difference was how uncomfortable I was with close contact and kisses on the cheek. I grew up at ease with a quick hug, hello, and nothing more; personal space was highly valued, and touching while talking was considered too forward. On the other hand, she was very comfortable in confined spaces, touching while talking and kissing on the cheeks. It was awkward for me to lean in for a quick hug, only to be embraced then kissed on the cheeks. To this day, I’m not an excellent cheek kisser, but I try. She is one of many people over the years who have educated me, in a way, about delighting in cultural differences.

I called Ana to check on her mother and to ask about the pandemic situation in Brazil. These conversations can quickly turn political, but I was primarily curious about how social and cultural norms have been affected. Restrictions were accepted by most, despite the mishandling of pandemic responses by their president, Jair Bolsonaro. A recent New York Times article noted that “many Brazilians followed social distancing measures and complied with restrictions imposed on a local level, which experts believe was at least part of the reason the number of cases started to go down in August. These experts believe that the relaxation of those rules is in turn behind the recent acceleration in the spread of the virus” (Andreoni, 2021, para. 21).

We danced around politics and kept our conversation personal. What I’ve experienced with Ana and the family members I’ve come to know, her family typifies Brazilian culture. Ana is close with her mother and grew up living with relatives. “The meaning of family in Brazil is not limited to the immediate family, but instead includes the entire parentela, or extended family” (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014, p. 347). They are all welcoming, “warm and friendly people who feel free to show their affection in public” (Moran et al., 2014, p. 348). Awkward for me, but every day for them, kissing on the cheeks is customary.

Much about her culture’s norms make the necessary health restrictions demoralizing. It’s difficult, said Ana, because it is antithetical “to what we believe and everything we know about how to be in community and display affection” (Ana, personal communication, March 29, 2021). She’s dispirited by the news out of Brazil but doesn’t give up hope. She mentions the high value on the group over the individual, as noted by Moran et al. (2014), that “Brazilians feel the group and relationship within the group are more important than individual aspirations” (p. 353). Their community first orientation is the best way to provide support and build resiliency.

I asked if the shifts made during the pandemic will alter cultural norms. “Absolutely not,” says Ana. This is who Brazilians are at their core and change doesn’t happen overnight. And if there is something Brazilians know, it is patience. They spend a lot of time and energy investing in relationships, and the deeply ingrained social conventions won’t quickly change. “Brazilians feel that a good relationship must be in place before anything can be accomplished” (Moran et al., 2014, p. 353).

Over the years, Ana has shared many stories that highlight the differences in our upbringings. I delight in our differences, even if kissing on the cheek makes me uncomfortable. We find our commonalities, like talking with our hands, being expressive, and valuing community. And we learn from our differences. COVID disrupted many things, but through all of this, Ana said, we must constantly be adjusting, understanding, and doing what’s best for our communities and the people we love.

 

 

References

Andreoni, M. (2021, March 27). Coronavirus in Brazil: What you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/article/brazil-coronavirus-cases.html#link-1c5e3f23

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (Ninth ed.). London: Routledge.

As an emerging leader, it is important to study the theoretical frameworks of leadership.  In the United States, business leaders who think critically and strategically are often successful and challenge the status quo.  They challenge assumptions and encourage diverse points of view.  After careful thought and consideration, successful leaders will then act.

In China, business leaders are taught the Western strategic planning frameworks, but also ancient Chinese military and tactical strategic thinking and learn how to apply it to business situations.  This dual approach to leadership makes Chinese business leaders better at strategic thinking than their Western counterparts.

Chinese Approach to Strategic Thinking

The Chinese’s approach to strategic thinking stems from General Sun Tzu, a military strategist who wrote The Art of War.  Sun Tzu said:

“So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you many win or may lose.  If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.”

This simple strategy gives Chinese businesspeople an advantage because they typically have studied Western frameworks of leadership as well as their own, whereas the United States are not taught and do not take the time to learn Chinese strategic thinking.

“Sun Tzu argued that good leaders put the needs and expectations of others ahead of their own and are willing to sacrifice” (Moran & Moran, 423).

Learn from the Chinese

Strategic leaders help build successful organizations and promote a culture of inquiry but leaders in the United States must familiarize themselves not with just the culture of China but the way of thinking that expands into the business world.  Learning how to think like the Chinese can help level the playing field and promote better collaboration.

 

 

References:

Hout, T., & Michael, D. (2014). A Chinese approach to management. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2014/09/a-chinese-approach-to-management

Moran, R.T., Abramson, N.R., & Moran, S.V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9^th ed). Chapter 5. Routledge.

Schoemaker, P.H., Krupp, S., &Howland, S. (2013). Strategic leadership: The essential skills, Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/01/strategic-leadership-the-esssential-skills

Zhongqi, P. (2016). Guanxi, Weiqi and Chinese strategic thinking. Chinese Political Science Review,  1, 303-321. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41111-016-0015-1

With immigration issues at the United States and Mexican border growing and the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) taking effect less than a year ago,  I was interested in investigating these a little further, and specifically how they impact Mexico.  Even with Mexico’s proximity to the United States, there are many drastic cultural differences as ranked by Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions scales, whereas Canada ranks similarly to the United States in nearly every category (Hofstede.com, 2020).   This reflects Mexico’s history and deeper commonalities with Latin American countries’ influence coming predominantly through Spain and Portugal rather than the United States and Canada’s primarily Northern European influences (Penn State, n.d.).

Looking at the recent surge in migrants, there has been an average of 523 unaccompanied minors being apprehended every day for the last several weeks and roughly 97,000 total arrests of illegal migrants in February alone (Pérez & Hackman, 2021).  Interestingly, very few of the unaccompanied children are from Mexico, with most coming from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.  As shown in the figure below (Rust & Linke, 2021):

To stem the influx of migrants coming into Mexico on their way towards trying to reach the United States, the Biden administration has agreed to provide Mexico with 2.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine in return for stronger Mexican policies aimed at keeping immigrants from getting into Mexico in the first place (Pérez & Hackman, 2021).

Transitioning to the USMCA, which replaced the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA), there is a renewed sense of optimism that the member nations can shift production that was once moved to China back to North America.  While the majority of those jobs would likely be put in Mexico, it is also important to recognize the deep integration of supply chains that exist between the three countries.  For example, the contraction of the Mexican economy as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a loss of a million jobs in Michigan alone, where tight automotive partnerships with Mexico account for $10 billion a year in exports from the state (McMaster & Tortolero, 2020).

From a leadership standpoint, there was obviously a prolonged negotiation process to complete the USMCA, which has significant impact on the Mexican economy as well as regional economics in general.  Already weary of negotiating with Americans to begin with due to historical context (Abramson & Moran, 2018), Mexico was probably even more apprehensive considering rhetoric from the Trump administration.  Mexico also has a high context communication style, which is less natural to those from the United States, who are lower context and more transactional based.  The highly centralized decision making processes and collectivist attitude towards public policy matters was evident in the Mexican government’s deal to put stronger measures in place to restrict immigrants passing through Mexico in exchange for Covid-19 vaccines.

 

 

Cited

Abramson, N. R., & Moran, R. T. (2018). Managing cultural differences: Global leadership for the 21st century (Tenth ed.) [Kindle]. New York, NY: Routledge.

Hofstede.com. (2020, August 12). Country comparison. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/canada,mexico,the-usa/

McMaster, H., & Tortolero, P. (2020, July 6). The North American Trade Dividend. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-north-american-trade-dividend-11594076282?page=1

Perez, S., & Hackman, M. (2021, March 23). Migrant Surge at U.S. Border Prompts White House Talks With Mexico, Guatemala. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/senior-u-s-officials-visit-mexico-guatemala-to-address-migrant-surge-11616514413?mod=world_minor_pos3

Penn State. (n.d.). Introduction to Central America and Mexico. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2103357/modules

Rust, M., & Linke, M. (2021, March 18). A Surge of Children Crossing the Border: What Happens to Them? The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-surge-of-children-crossing-the-border-what-happens-to-them-11616065221?mod=article_inline

The evolution of appearances…can they be deceiving?

When I started in the finance industry a little over 15 years ago, I entered hearing the old cliché of “dress for the job that you want, not the one you have” or “dress to impress…”. Pants, jackets, panty hose and heels were staples of a banker’s wardrobe. Even in south part of the United States where spring, summer, and fall all boast incredibly high temperatures. You certainly did not dress for comfort, and there was a certain utilitarian aesthetic surrounding your daily attire. I remember when my company would dangle a casual dress or jean day over our head to increase morale or to incentivize their employees. These so dubbed “casual days” were incredibly coveted by all employees.

Over the last couple of years, we see dress codes relax and become more business casual in the United States. Fashion and appearance tend to be an accepted observation of expression. Then, in the pandemic, there are several who have even more relaxed dress codes. Or, from the comfort of their temporary office (aka home!), no dress code at all. We see commercials on television or even funny clips on social media platforms poking fun at the attire of those working remotely/attending meetings virtually. Personally, I’m dreading when our temporarily casual dress code is lifted and back to business wear is required.

As we continue to navigate country to country throughout our coursework, I am constantly in awe of the appearance, hygiene, and dress of those native to the respective country. Taking into consideration some of these nuances and preferences have proven to be incredibly important to ensuring success. When studying about Brazil, where people “are well known for being courteous and hospitable”, they are also considered to be very beautiful. (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014) Brazilians go to great pains to keep in good physical shape by working out, running, or even going under the knife to ensure that they’re maintaining beauty standards. In Brazil, both men and women will have manicured finger/toenails, shower multiple times a day, and brush their teeth after each meal. How they look means a lot to them, and it should mean something to those visiting this country.

Organizations who have historically held high standards for dress appearance have had to relax their policies. Organizations like JP Morgan adjusted their dress code firmwide to showcase a more laid-back dress code. According to their dress code “athletic shoes, flip flops, sweatpants, leggings, yoga pants, hats, hoods, halter tops, or anything else distracting, tight, revealing or exceptionally loose or low-cut isn’t allowed.” (Green, 2016) The aforementioned are probably mentionable items found in many dress codes for firms in the United States. However, when you visit/work in Brazil, “it is not unusual to see women dressed in low-cut, tight, transparent tops, even with spaghetti straps or no straps in the office.” (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014) Women are also allowed to wear sundresses and sandals, sans pantyhose. While this might lack a sense of professionalism to a visitor, understanding that Brazilians are incredibly concerned on their appearance and assuming that the lux in conservative dress attire could be disrespectful to a Brazilian.

What’s the first thing that you notice when meeting someone? Chances are it’s probably centric to someone’s appearance, hygiene, or attire. Make sure that you understand the importance of how/why someone might present themselves in a certain why, but even more important, understand the reasons.

References:

Green, D. (2016, June 3). JP morgan just relaxed its office dress code in a huge way. Retrieved from Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/jp-morgans-relaxed-dress-code-2016-6

Moran, A., Abramson, N, & Moran, S. 2014). Managing Cultural Differences. New York: Routledge.

Hosting 1.23 billion people, which is roughly 17% of the world’s population, India is one of the most densely populated countries in the world (PSUWC, 2021). This places the spotlight on India as it relates to potential future influence in world affairs (PSUWC, 2021). As India could be a force to be reckoned with, slow movement in influencing world affairs may be attributed group division and a suppressive hierarchal system of democracy also known as a caste system.

To understand the complexities of doing business in India, one must understand how India’s caste system influences their democratic processes. Although abolished in 1950, India’s caste system is ever present and continues to categorize Indians based on birth (Sur, 2020).

According to BBC News, a caste system “divides Hindus into rigid hierarchical groups based on their karma (work) and dharma” at birth (2019).  Of these groups, the highest group are Brahmins or intellectuals said to be born from the head of Brahma (Wibawa, 2019). These individuals are also known as the priests and academics (Wibawa, 2019). As we move down the hierarchy or body, the Kshatriyas represent the shoulders or warriors/rulers, Vaishyas, the abdomen or farmers, traders, and merchants, Shudras represent the feet or laborers, and finally the Dalits also known as the “untouchables” (Wibawa, 2019).

The wealth divide between the Brahmins and Dalits is quite telling as it relates to the existence of India’s caste system and how each group lives. According to Prateek Gautam, “India’s richest 1 per cent hold more than four-times the wealth held by 953 million people who constitute the bottom 70 per cent of the country’s population” (2020). Of the groups, the “Untouchables” or Dalit live in the slums, and face many restrictions “such as where they can live, sit and visit, who they can and cannot give water to, who they can eat with and who they are allowed to marry” (Chidlow, 2014). Though still prevalent, the younger generation is showing signs of hope and progress.

Signs of change can be seen as more Indians move into the cities and younger people show greater tolerance as it relates to the Caste System (Chaudhary, 2019).  This shift in tolerance will allow for greater educational opportunities, a decrease in the wealth divide, and greater opportunities in the world markets. With that said, doing business in India is more than a simple transaction, one must educate themselves on India’s rich history and be sure they know and have researched the person they are attempting to do business with. Are they progressives? Are they traditionalists?  Progressives will be more modern and used to Western business practices while Traditionalists are more family business oriented (Moran et al., 2014, p. 377).  Understanding India’s Caste System, their religious beliefs, and the traditional versus the modern business person, may be the key to closing the deal.

 

References:

BBC News (2019). What is India’s caste system? Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-35650616.

Chaudhary, A. (2019). India’s Caste System. Quicktake. Bloomberg. Retrieved from: https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/india-s-caste-system.

Chidlow, W. (2014). THE INDIA CASTE SYSTEM AND WATER. DROP4DROP. Retrieved from: https://drop4drop.org/india-caste-system-water/.

Gautam, P. (2020). India’s Richest 1% Are 4-Times Wealthier Than Poorest 70%: Oxfam Study. The Logical Indian. Retrieved from: https://thelogicalindian.com/news/oxfam-income-inequality-report-19361.

Moran, R., Abramson, N., Moran, S. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences. 9^th ed. Routledge. New York, NY.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2021). Mainland Asia. Lesson 10: Focus on China and India. Retrieved from: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2103357/modules/items/30942222.

Sur, P. (2020).  Under India’s caste system, Dalits are considered untouchable. The coronavirus is intensifying that slur. CNN World. Retrieved from: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/asia/india-coronavirus-lower-castes-hnk-intl/index.html.

Wibawa, T. (2019). India’s caste system could play a pivotal role in this week’s upcoming elections — here’s how. NEWS. Retrieved from: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-07/indias-untouchables-how-caste-system-affects-politics/10900280.

 

 

In lesson nine, we learned about high power distance and how it relates to Central America and Mexico. One statistic highlighted in the course material was that Mexico has a higher power distance than 68 percent of the world. 

What does “high power distance” really mean, though? Put simply, Mexico’s government system revolves around the idea that a few high-power individuals make choices that affect the lives of its entire country. It’s high uncertainty avoidance level reflects the lack of democracy since the country tends to be more opposed to taking risks. An unequal distribution of power completely diminishes any possibility of organizational communication (or any communication for that matter) of taking place. Since effective communication involves two individuals who at least feel comfortable enough to share their values, desires, goals and ideas in the conversation, it’s obvious that Mexico revolves around a type of global leadership where communication between its authority figures and citizens is relatively unilateral. Consequently, Northouses’s definition in Lesson one of leadership being, “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 6) is practically void when it comes to Mexico because of its high power distance. 

While reading about Mexico and its strict expectations for citizens to follow the rules and laws set forth by authority figures, I began to remember reading about China this past year and how austere the government was to its citizens. For example, the Hong Kong protests which took place in 2019 demonstrated the public’s unified rebellion to high power individuals being in charge of their lives. The protests were triggered by a developing extradition bill that would allow for criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be taken to mainland China for persecution. This was frightening for much of Hong Kong, as they had been a british colony since 1997, and even though China has technically reclaimed the country they are under a “one country, two system arrangement” which enabled the citizens of Hong Kong to maintain its lower power distance (BBC). The proposed bill triggered  a sense of foreboding throughout Hong Kong as the relinquishing of one power to China could mean a domino effect that may completely demolish any freedom or democracy the country has. 

China is a country that has been known to establish harsh and borderline dictatorial rules for its citizens to follow. Not only that, the country’s systems for monitoring its people’s behavior is extremely invasive with harsh punishments for anything that its authority figures feel is wrong. For example, China’s “social credit system” is a way of keeping citizens in order because the government vows to use it in a way that punishes bad behavior, such as jaywalking and failure to pay court fees, and reward good conduct (Human Rights Watch). Not only that, the “Chinese government has deployed video cameras throughout the region, combined them with facial-recognition technology, deployed mobile-phone apps to input data from officials’ observations as well as electronic checkpoints, and processed the resulting information through big-data analysis” (Human Rights Watch). The extreme lengths that China goes through to monitor its citizen’s every move, along with the harsh punishments for anything that the government deems punishable is what gave Hong Kong the passion and anger that fueled them to fight the system. The reactions and fear of this government taking control of Hong Kong prove that effective global leadership can only be accomplished in a setting where the voices of others are listened to rather than silenced. 

All in all, the high power distance in Mexico and the high power distance in China have notable distinctions, but are similar reflections of what lack of leadership and communication looks like when only a few authority figures are given jurisdiction on what millions of people can do with their lives. The lack of global leadership will only be amplified more and more through available resources like social media as citizens (like those in Hong Kong) demand a democracy and their voices to be heard. 

 

Roth, Kenneth. “China’s Global Threat to Human Rights.” Human Rights Watch, World Report,www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/global#. Accessed 28 Mar. 2021.

Quotes from essay to use: 

 

“The Hong Kong protests explained in 100 and 500 words.” British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, 28 Nov. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49317695. Accessed 29 Mar. 2021.

Pennsylvania State University. (2021). OLEAD 410: Modules. Retrieved fromhttps://psu.instructure.com/courses/2103357/modules

I’m throwing caution to the wind here. I originally had every intention, earlier in the week, of writing about my experience with power distance in Panama, a true melting pot of power and, I think, one of the most unique perceptions when it comes to the acceptance of who has power and who doesn’t. However, this week was one of the most wild rides of my life, I know, you hear that a lot from me, but bear with me, and I decided that I would write about how I viewed this week as it truly shaped me as a leader, business owner, a person, and a friend, all with a single event. I will not lie, this is going to be a very long blog entry, and the event that happened is still going on, so please, if you don’t have a LONG time to read a ridiculously long diatribe as I try to explain why I believe that American culture has a serious problem when it comes to power distance and who really has the power in the free market economy, than this blog probably is not for you. I understand and fully accept that I may take a hit in the grade book, but I have to say, I am also hoping this post is cathartic of sorts, and can bring some very serious discussion and perspective to my classmates.

I strive, desperately, to keep politics out of my work, as my position really calls for complete neutrality, so this week, when I found myself embroiled in controversy, because of a customers political decision and stance, I had to make a decision, but more on the decision in a bit. I am helping a customer that I am barely making money on, but she is a really sweet lady. The kindest, sweetest, warmest woman, that I have ever met. She is in her early to mid sixties and owns a store called Naturally Gifted by Jeri, in Elizabethtown, PA. Yes, I have her permission to use her name in this post, as her little stores name is now knows, in a loose sense, nationwide. What does this little store in this little town sell? Is it a dispensary? No. Is it an adult bookstore that the community is outraged about? No. She sells handmade goods and crystals, and a few essential oils for dogs. Dastardly, right? So, at face value, you would think there wouldn’t be any controversy. Wrong. She sells a certain brand of spaghetti sauce. I will omit the name, but I have zero doubt that anyone connected to the business community in the state will be able to figure out the name. When I say Jeri carries this sauce, I mean she has 4 jars on a shelf in the very back on the store, not even a foot of shelf space, and she only has it because a few people have asked for it so she provided it. She decided to carry the sauce a year or so ago.

Yes, this is where things get fantastic, and I mean really fantastic. The owner of the sauce company is a local hero of sorts, depending on what side of the aisle you fall on. During Governor Wolf’s shutdown order of restaurants, this man sued the governor saying his restaurant shutdown order was unconstitutional, and he won. This little restaurant in Palmyra beat the state government. Needless to say, he became a deity for the conservative right, libertarians, and independents. It was no small feat, and because of it, he made an absolute ton of money due to the community support. Now this owner found himself wanting to drum up as much controversy as possible, and he did it in horrific ways. Terrible, and I mean terrible statements. Homophobic, trans-phobic, sexual, promoting violence, saying things about women asking to beat, you name it. Disgusting, vile, terrible comments. Giant and Karn’s stopped carrying his sauce, but that only made people want it more because they felt like they were fighting the establishment. So why would Jeri, this sweet little far left liberal hippy, carry this sauce? Simple. She doesn’t care about politics, her customers asked for it, was mostly unaware of the statements made, and she knew that her store was bigger than the sauce. Now, here is what is even better: In the ENTIRE tenure of her carrying the sauce, not a single person has come in and complained. Not one.

Jeri made the unfortunate mistake of taking a picture with the owner of the company and he posted it. He told people to go support Naturally Gifted by Jeri because she is the only store in Elizabethtown who carries the sauce. It was only to his 10,000 followers, so it didn’t really matter, but one of those followers posted the picture to a local community page, because she was excited she could finally get the sauce in the town. That’s it. Just a simple post. About a product that the store carries, but doesn’t actively promote or even display prominently, it is just there because she likes the taste and a few people asked her for it. Needless to say, you know what happens next. The proverbial hounds came out, or more appropriately, they sat down behind their screens and fired off angry and violent words.

Jeri called me freaking out because she saw the picture posted and saw the hate it was getting. When I saw what was being said, I cancelled all of my meetings for the day, which were all very big meetings with companies in a few different countries, and I drove up to Elizabethtown as fast as I could. What was being said to Jeri was unfair and wrong, in ways I will cover later. This was outside of our scope of work, but at the end of the day, I genuinely loved Jeri, and ethically, I couldn’t standby and watch her go under over a few jars of spaghetti sauce.

By the time I got there, she was shaking, in tears, and scared of losing her business because she didn’t know how to handle it. I explained that carrying the sauce was not really the best decision and I would have advised against it, but that we know needed to navigate this in the right way, and there really was only one way to handle it. Jeri, my sweet little old lady who had not an ounce of hate in her heart towards ANYBODY, found tens of thousands of people screaming for her to be boycotted, cancelled, attacked, hurt, killed, you name it. Nobody was going to touch Jeri while I was in the store, that was for sure. The difference between me and the internet commenters, I don’t hide behind the screen because I stand for what I believe in.

Jeri asked if she should issue a statement saying she would stop carrying the sauce, and issue an apology. I explained to her that was probably the worst thing that she could do. Here comes my relation to our lesson. Or text in Lesson 09, defines power distance as the acceptance of unequal power (PSU, 2021). How does this relate to this situation, or even in business. I think in business, we can make a case of giant corporations having way more power than small businesses, but in this situation specifically, there was a power struggle. We had 3 sides here. Not 2. There was no big and small here. There was consumer and business, and then because of the stance she took, there was the other side of the consumers. What was interesting, is that Jeri’s response, bridged political gaps, for the most part. So, what was her stand? What was my recommendation? What was the only course of action that I saw? Neutrality, but a very firm line in the sand. An apology, a sincere one, to everyone who was upset and hurt by the decision to carry the sauce, but because of her status in the community and the LGBTQ community, she was going to at least continue to carry the sauce, at least until she was needing to purchase more inventory. Tl say it was risky, it was. But it was a calculated risk. From a professional standpoint, I knew Jeri’s massive community support, and I knew that every comment made from people attacking her were being met by supporters and people who were just against cancel culture in general, so the choice was easy. From a personal standpoint, I watched as jeri cried at the people who were calling her trans-phobic and homophobic, as she has done so much good for that community, and her some had come out, only a week and a half ago. So, we stood. We wrote a great post that apologized for any offense, detailed her decision to originally carry the sauce, and why she was standing firm.

I went home and my wife looked at me and said “Listen, I know how you feel about her, I know how you feel about this issue. You standing and really fighting for a store in Elizabethtown, PA when you are doing most of your work internationally, is not going to tank your company.” I grinned as I knew what she was getting at and I asked if she was saying I could take my leash off. She said yes, and I went to absolute war. Every comment would get responded to in a professional manner, but I would be damned if I allowed this woman to be defamed. Everyone got told the same thing. Listen, we want to hear your opinion and make sure your voice is heard. Please come out to the store, or even just give us a call, and talk to us. Actually meet the woman who you say is so hateful and trans-phobic. No actual change can occur without real discussion. So, please, come out and let’s discuss. Even if it is to tell us how awful and hateful we are, just come out and lets talk and see what the best course of action is.

What happens next will probably not surprise any of you. Nothing. Nothing but angry comments. The people that did come out, and I mean in hoards, were all supporters of Jeri. From the LBGTQ community, to business owners, and conservatives who walked into her store and their heads exploded because they couldn’t figure out for the life of them how they ended up in a store that sold essential oils, tarot cards, and crystals. No negative comments were made towards Jeri, and people cried over her support of them during living their life in the LGBTQ community and thanking her for finally taking a stand against cancel culture. Conversations were had between transgender teens and men who looked like they chewed on nails for breakfast, wearing Lynyrd Skynrd shirts and torn apart work boots about how they can coexist in a more understanding and loving environment.

My responses to telling people to come out were met with allegations that I was threatening people, stalking them, being creepy, and whatever. So I continued to respond and hold people accountable. It got so bad that a person was trying to explain to a transgender teenager, who spent 20 minutes in Jeri’s store that day, bawling as she thanked Jeri for providing her with the only place she ever felt warm and welcomed during her transition, that even though she received messages that told her she was a disgrace to the transgender community and she should kill herself for supporting Jeri, that she should feel bad about supporting a woman who sells the sauce. To this teenagers credit, she shut them all down.

Two things stuck out specifically, and I attribute this to the power shift that happened. We saw the people who wanted the power, the social justice consumers, very few of which were actually of the LGBTQ community, saw that their power they wanted was literally ripped away from them by the right people. People who said there is more to a person than a jar of spaghetti sauce, and that one product from another person should not tank a business, or a person, that is a pillar of the community. So what did they do? They attacked harder. A woman got on, after most had given up, and started in again, so I politely said she is more than welcome to come in the store, but the verdict had already been rendered, and not a single person who was angry and spewed hate and violence, came out in any fashion. They didn’t even call. This person called me a narcissist, a stalker, a bully, and every name in the book. I again explained if she felt threatened in any way, to report me to the authorities, because that is what everyone should do who feels threatened or harassed, and if it would make her more comfortable, I would be sure to not be there when she came into the store, so she would feel more comfortable and welcomed. She responded by saying I am an awful person because she is deaf and she can’t communicate in traditional ways. Ok, that was the last straw for me, now it is time to really fight fire with fire. I explained that I had no way to know she was deaf because we have had zero interaction before this comment thread, so acting as if I should have known is absolutely ridiculous and victim mentality. I apologized for not knowing, but then said if she needs any accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter, or anything else she may need, to please let me know, and we would be happy to provide them. This was horrifically offensive to her and she got incredibly angry with me for assuming she needed an interpreter.

Gloves came off and I very quickly explained that the conversation was ending if she was actually angry that I offered whatever accommodation she may need, because it was quite simply very stupid. Ridiculously. But it was telling. It was telling because she knew she was losing her power struggle. She was losing her battle, so she was attacking any way she could. She was angry because after news broke, Jeri made more in one day than she did her last fiscal year. She was upset because nobody had the fortitude to come out and have actual conversation.

There was one hanger on, and this one is horrific. While everything appeared to have blown over, there was a woman who was a thorn in our side. I am going to release her name, quite simply because she not only commented in a public forum, but she is an elected official, with a very public persona, and her husband is also a political hopeful. Using a pseudonym profile, president of the Annville-Cleona school board, decided to join the fight. She had never met Jeri, never communicated with her, and never set foot in the store. She went in on the attacks, thinking nobody would recognize who she was (even though I work extensively in the party at the state level, so I immediately knew who it was) and levied horrific things against Jeri. She was trying to leave negative reviews, she even went so far as to jump on my wife’s personal page, a page full of educators across the state and in her own district, and said that Jeri was promoting hate, bigotry, and trans-phobia. She was IMMEDIATELY recognized and called out for it, and her district began getting flooded with calls. I received a call from her and she screamed at the top of her lungs from the start o the conversation to the end and it ended with “I will sue you if you don’t have your friends stop calling my district!!!!” Obviously, I played zero part in this, as I would look like a massive hypocrite if I told people to go cancel a person as I was standing by a client who was going against cancel culture, but hey, whatever. Go ahead and sue me. I would love to see the president of the school board in a town one town over, defend in open court why she is attacking not just a parent, not just a member of her party, not just a massive ally to the LBGTQ community, but the parent of a gay child, by calling her trans-phobic and promoting hate.

This is what happens when the power acceptance is questioned. People lose their minds. The president of the school board who threatened to sue me because of her own words and actions, had people go after me who created fake profiles to do so, so it was pretty easy to know who was running the accounts. They came after me for ten year old tweets from an account that hadn’t been active since 2013, trying to push more cancel culture and tank my company. I faced them head on. “Oh, yes, I was a different person back then, but lets address this.” I went on to detail my sexual abuse, my ptsd from deployment, my alcoholism and addiction that I beat, you name it. Put it all out there, owned up to who I was, and then thanked them for holding me accountable. That quick, the tone changed. That quick, those accounts just disappeared. Imagine that.

So who fared the best? The keyboard warriors? No. The hatred? No. Cancel culture or the power distance? No, those both changed. We took back control and a woman stood her ground. Her store is now known all over the state, she got 300 followers in 24 hours, and people are talking about The Slaymaker Method allover the place as the guy who takes a neutral stance and stands by his customers for the greater good. Again, I absolutely get the grade hit for this, but I am willing to accept it, because this is probably the only forum I can really vent about this. Thank you, all, for taking the time to read this insanely long entry.

 

Works Cited:

Redmond, B., Dr. (2021). The Pennsylvania State University, OLEAD 410: Leadership In a Global Context, Lesson 09. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2103357/modules/items/30942217

In this post, I will focus on Brazil’s current political climate as compared to our readings considering the 2018 elections brought forth a difference in leadership. The differences between Lula and Bolsonaro policies would cause may cause a global leader to shift strategies as Bolsonaro establishes his methodology three years into his presidency.

As our readings teach us, Brazil is a federated republic that was previously ruled by a monarch, followed by military rule to dictator and finally to democracy which prevails today (Moran pg. 344). The country is rich in both natural and human resources; however, economic disparities have contributed to economic uncertainties (inflation, currency exchange, interest rates among other factors). Our readings further demonstrate “the Brazilian class structure is based on economics. While the highest 10 percent of the population enjoys 47 percent of the country’s consumption share, the lowest 10 percent only has 1 percent.”. It is no surprise to read that a simple man from a poor family was elected president in 2002. Luiz Ignacio Lula Da Silva “Lula” chose to focus his administration on ending hunger while also tackling social problems: improving education; land reform; fighting corruption and crime; reducing unemployment, jumpstarting the economy among other socially impactful items (pg. 345).

I revisit some of our readings as the economic inertia gained over time and the social structures, race, values and religion begin to shift therefore impacting a global leaders ability to gauge an impactful strategy. In 2018, far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro was elected president, some more insight on Bolsonaro can be found here https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-latin-america-45458730 . It is three years into his reign and there are seemingly efforts on his part to militarize government. For example, In February 2021, Bolsonaro named an army general to take over oil giant Petrobas; apparently in a bid to control fuel prices which sparked a crisis of economic confidence as investors soured on his administration’s commitment to free-market policies ( Pearson & Magalhaes 2021). Additionally, Bolsonaro has downplayed the impact of COVID-19, leading health experts to heavily criticize his handling of it. He continues to overspend by delivering economic relief to millions in efforts to keep his popularity up.

The purpose of this blog post is not to criticize Bolsonaro, it is to demonstrate how quickly a cultural environment can shift when the majority of the population feels oppressed. These shifts can cause major changes in the way business is conducted and can also impact social norms. Our readings teach us that Brazil is a country which values relationships, avoids confrontation and conducts business through trust (Moran pg. 344 -353); however, since 2018, there has been an increase in individualistic mentality as ethnocentric tendencies are pushed from the top down. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the next election as previous president and leftist leader Lula had allegations he received a beachfront apartment as a bribe conviction thrown out as Bazil’s supreme court rules that the judge who convicted him was biased (Magalhaes & Pearson March 23^rd 2021).

 

References

• Moran, Abramson, & Moran (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9^th Edition)
• Pearson, S., & Magalhaes, L. (2021, March 24). Brazil court Ruling paves way for Lula da Silva presidential bid. Retrieved March, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/brazil-court-ruling-paves-way-for-lula-da-silva-presidential-bid-11616551163?mod=searchresults_pos4&page=1
• Pearson, S., & Magalhaes, L. (2021, February 22). Petrobras shares drop in wake of bolsonaro’s plan to name new ceo. Retrieved March, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/petrobras-shares-drop-in-wake-of-bolsonaros-plan-to-name-new-ceo-11614025479?mod=searchresults_pos16&page=1

One place I’ve never been to, but have envisioned of maybe visiting in Brazil. When we think of the climate in Brazil, we think it is warm and tropical. There are a few areas that receive droughts and drier air climates. These areas are “Northeast of Brazil in Bahia and Natal and Sao Luis” (Climate of Brazil). Brazil receives “15-30 inches of precipitation each year” (Climate of Brail). Now that is a lot of precipitation, and I bet most of it is rain! The central area of Brazil receives its precipitation in the summer. Did you know that this area for summer is actually our winter months here in the United States, but their’s is “November to April” (Climate of Brazil)? It is so neat to see other countries have different seasons when we here in the United States are in a different season.

When I saw this, I’ve only thought of Brazil as this tropical country, but it isn’t. They have winters but are the opposite of ours: “May to October” (Climate of Brazil). Mostly their country is dry during these months, but they do receive some ” snow in the south region of Brazil” (Climate of Brazil). In the winter, Brazil does receive some rain that usually happens along the “coast and to the north” (Climate of Brazil).

The Amazon Rainforest covers the regions of  “northern of South America and covers 2,300,000 miles and is a part of 40 percent of Brazil” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.). Did you know that Amazon is the “largest river in the world” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.)? I didn’t even know that. The Amazon is one of the “largest jungles globally” (Pennsylvania State University, 2021). I found this interesting because I didn’t even know that the Amazon in Brazil had one of the largest jungles.

To this day, the Amazon is full of “millions of species such as birds, animals, plants, and insects” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.). There is a wide variety of trees and all kinds of plants that make the Amazon a tropical place. Did you know that the rainforest had “declined in 2016 due to deforestation” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.). The rainforest was being cleared out for “grazing pastures and farmland” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.). This is just sad to see that a forest full of a rich environment for everything would be taken down. Now the whole forest wasn’t taken down, but parts of it were which leaves any animal’s changes to adapt to a new environment. The forest hasn’t lost much since the “80s and 90s it lost 0.4%  a year and now from 2008 to 2016 was 0.1 to 0.2%, but there was a fire that went through the Amazon in 2019 which increased that percentage to 85% ” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.).

Overall, I think Brazil has some great aspects to its rich climate. I think we learn more as we read about a country. Here I viewed it to be just a tropical country when they experience different seasons just like us here in the United States, just the opposite times. It’s fascinating to learn about different countries and everything about them. Even though we learn about these countries for the last 3 weeks of lessons, we learn deeper about them and receive rich culture globally for each country and everything about them.

 

Reference:

Climate of Brazil. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Brazil/Climate

Leman, J. (2019, September 4). 4 Reasons Why We Need the Amazon Rainforest. Popular Mechanics. https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a28910396/amazon-rainforest-importance/

Pennsylvania State University (2021): Leadership In A Global Context– OLEAD410 [Online Course Lesson]. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2103357/modules/items/30942212

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Amazon Rainforest | Plants, Animals, Climate, & Deforestation. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Rainforest