Knowledge may be power some of the time, but it sure ain’t useful knowledge all of the time.

In terms of OD practitioners, I am considered quite knowledgeable about cultural differences; I have developed several modes of OD interventions in organizations with acute diversity. That is, I am good at helping others deal with their issues whilst working in a multicultural environment. But what about me?

Truth be told, when I need to cope with cultural differences that I encounter, this is what happens: I know what is about to happen & I understand what is going on or what I am getting myself into — and I get very annoyed anyway. And perhaps my coping strategy is wrong. But wait: first I will give a few examples.

Almost in all the tech companies I have ever worked with, it is common to hear “let’s take it offline.” That means, 99% of the time, let’s kick the can down the road instead of picking it up, i.e., dealing with the issue at hand. In the “culture” of high tech where taking risks is what it’s all about, that strategy often works. What annoys me is that it is not labelled as a risk, and not managed as a risk. The point is, I KNOW that — but I get angry anyway.

In Uganda and Thailand, everything is slow. Checking out of a hotel in Thailand can take 2 hours till they check your room. In Uganda, if you estimate that doing something takes an hour, it takes a month. Thais have some sense of time; in Uganda, time is not a limited resource. I know this, I understand why, and I even admire the benefits that they accrue. Yet I can be so very impatient that I lose it. I remember ordering a meal in Namibia at 6pm and getting the food at 8:30pm — and I was fit to be tied.

Recently I visited Quebec province and the French-speaking sections of New Brunswick. I know that the French are very proud of their language and culture. I also believe that all the laws they have enacted to protect their unique civilization are admirable. My French is pretty good; I have used it over the years to lecture, seduce, explain ideas, and banter. But it is not perfect. I mix up masculine and feminine; I have not mastered the billion tenses, and I often throw in Hebrew or English by mistake. I had a conversation with a lady and I was struggling to find a word. She did not help me. After ten minutes, she slipped into English — which was perfect. Yet out of pride, she made me stumble until I found the word I was looking for: canard. Duck.

So, I think I need to ask myself — I have all that knowledge: does it actually help me? The jury is out. Or maybe, I may be a smart guy, but I only got half a portion of patience.

One more thought. In what way am I more equipped that someone who knows nothing at all about a different culture? One possible answer, sad as it may be, is that I may be more flustered and disappointed.