An important aspect of helping to build and sustain a multicultural team is inclusivity, such that team members feel they can participate and engage fully with team activities and work. A part of acculturating, however, is realizing that there are differences that may need to be accommodated. And given that sometimes people communicate and present themselves differently based on cultural norms, we may not always understand what someone else's needs or expectations are.

Read this scenario, after which you will respond to a few questions.

"They Want Nothing to Do With Us..."

Your friend is an expat manager in the UAE leading a diverse department that includes several other expats from Europe, India, and other countries in the Middle East, as well as two local engineers. The department is productive, and people generally get along. Your friend has been in the role for a couple of months and enjoys the assignment. One of their goals is to create a strong sense of cohesion that will make the group more productive and support a more innovative and risk-taking corporate culture. To that end, your friend has created various opportunities for the department to socialize, engage in sports activities together, and join in cultural events that include their families. Everyone attends almost all of the events, except for the two local engineers. For five gatherings now, they RSVP-ed that they will attend and bring their wife and kids, but they did not show up. Because these are social events, they cannot be required to attend, but their absence is affecting your friend's plans to create a tight-knit social group. The department could really benefit from their local perspective. Your friend has approached each of the two with gentle questions about their lack of attendance, and they have responded with vague comments about family responsibilities and emergencies preventing them from attending. Your friend describes how it does seem that they really don't want to have anything to do with them or the team outside of work.

Image that you are having a conversation with your friend, who asks you for your insights and advice. How would you respond to the following questions?

1. What is your assessment of the situation?
2. What cultural factors may be influencing this situation?
3. What would you do, and why?