March 19, 2024 โข 25 mins
Hear how a German company has transformed an $85 million venture in Dalton, Georgia, into a cross-cultural success story. We welcome a special guest Michael Lehmann. He is the CEO of North America for GEDIA, a German manufacturing company serving the automotive industry. Heย joins us to share his story of how to unravel the fabric of cultural intelligence, and weaves a narrative that underscores the vital role it plays in the realm of international business.
In this episode, Michael lays bare the intricate dance of building a company culture that transcends geographical boundaries. We discuss the impact of cultural training on nurturing a sense of identity and loyalty among employees, a stark contrast to the typically transactional nature of such relationships in North America. Listen as Michael shares how respect and open communication serve as the cornerstone for attracting and retaining talent across all cultures, and how living the company values rather than simply preaching them can shape a robust organizational culture. His story is a masterclass for anyone looking to foster a workplace environment that celebrates diversity and unity, and how he is now expanding that to another facility in Mexico. Join us to uncover the blueprint for fostering a culturally-aware workplace that stands as a testament to the transformative power of cultural intelligence.
In this episode, Michael lays bare the intricate dance of building a company culture that transcends geographical boundaries. We discuss the impact of cultural training on nurturing a sense of identity and loyalty among employees, a stark contrast to the typically transactional nature of such relationships in North America. Listen as Michael shares how respect and open communication serve as the cornerstone for attracting and retaining talent across all cultures, and how living the company values rather than simply preaching them can shape a robust organizational culture. His story is a masterclass for anyone looking to foster a workplace environment that celebrates diversity and unity, and how he is now expanding that to another facility in Mexico. Join us to uncover the blueprint for fostering a culturally-aware workplace that stands as a testament to the transformative power of cultural intelligence.
๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐พ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ โ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐พ๐ช๐ก๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐จ is the worldโs #1 show on the business of culture and the culture of business. Christian Hรถferle and Brett Parry ponder culture in short bursts and deep dives, featuring your questions and comments related to culture, business, and personal growth.
Be sure to check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel for even more great content: https://www.youtube.com/@TwoChapsManyCultures
Visit https://theculturemastery.com/ for more information about the skills for working in a global context.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What is the actual monetary value of cultural
training?
Do you really make a measurableimpact?
Well, how would $85 millionthat was in danger, with or
without cultural intelligencetraining?
(00:21):
Let's find out how that worked.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome to Two Chaps Many Cultures.
In an increasingly globallyconnected world, it is vital to
possess the essential skills ofcultural intelligence.
Listen along as we present thetopics, tips and strategies you
can use to develop the power ofcultural understanding in your
personal and professional life.
(00:45):
Here are your hosts ChristianHufferler and Brett Parry.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yes, we are talking about impact today, impact of
the possibility of not buildingcultural competence into your
teams.
And this is Two Chaps.
Many Cultures Welcome backanother episode and, of course,
in this new iteration, a newseason of the Two Chaps.
We are really honored towelcome our first guest, aren't
(01:11):
we mate?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
We are, and we're glad to have somebody from the
field with us, our friend MichaE Lehmann, or Michael, or Mike,
or I don't know what they callyou in the office, but he's here
to tell us about that very 85million that were on the line to
a certain degree.
So, micha, you're welcome toTwo Chaps, many Cultures.
(01:34):
Tell our audience what do youdo and what am I talking about?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Hey Christian, hey Brett, I mean, first of all,
thank you for having me.
I mean cultural is very, veryimportant to me and yeah,
christian, we know each othernow since probably a couple of
years.
Right, I want to say, and wereached out to you because we
needed some help to bridge thecultural bridge, or to bridge
the culture in our new 85million dollar plant in Dalton,
(02:05):
georgia.
And, yeah, without your help,without bringing the Two
Cultures together for sure, itwould have been very difficult
to make the Two Cultures talk.
And I'm very, very thankfulthat we know each other, that we
found each other, that youhelped us with, with that.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
So two cultures needed to talk.
So those were the US cultureand the German culture, and then
everything in between a littlebit, because it wasn't just two.
So for those who don't know whoyour company is, it says
they're.
On your shirt it says Gidea.
What does that mean and what doyou do?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I'm, since this week actually, I'm the CEO of Gidea
in this region.
I took over also the Mexicanplant beginning of this week and
therefore this cultural aspectof bringing now three of these
cultures together the German,the Mexican and the culture here
in the US is getting more andmore important.
(03:09):
Gidea Gebrรผder DingerKostadendorren is a 114 year old
company, a German company, andwe started our venture in the
United States in 2016 with afacility in Michigan and that's
where I'm currently sitting, andwe built up a brand new plant
(03:30):
in Georgia in 2020 and putting aplant in even within COVID.
I mean, we did it.
The plant is now there and weare producing parts, but
bringing the people together andmaking this a success was not
that easy at the beginning,because we are from the
Sauerland region.
(03:51):
I don't know.
You probably know where that is, Brett.
I know you are from Australia.
I don't know if you ever heardabout the Sauerland region.
It can be a little stubborn,and then people can turn sour on
you in a heartbeat.
Bringing these people togetherwas for sure a challenge, but
(04:11):
from both ends.
I mean culture doesn't work inone end, it needs to work in
both ends.
Our people had to understand alittle bit how the US works, and
especially the Georgians, Imean.
This is also sometimes a littlebit special and also, from the
other side, making the US folksa little bit more understanding
how Germans think, and I thinkyou helped us with that.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
So these are obviously professional people,
and this is always the question,right, is that how?
These are people who know theircraft, they know the buttons to
push.
It might be different equipment, but it is still bringing
people together.
Then how did that go?
How did you open up thatconversation about having to
layer over these extra skillsthat they may have thought they
(04:58):
didn't actually need?
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Maybe let me speak a little bit about me.
I came over here in 2005, soI'm here quite some time.
I still cannot get rid of myaccent, but I hope that is okay.
Everybody will understand me.
Brett cannot get rid of hisaccent either, that's right, and
in my first venture in the US Iwas here in Michigan, but I
traveled to Kentucky quite a bit.
(05:22):
My previous company had afacility down there.
Therefore I already got alittle bit the taste of the
Southern culture and with theMichigan culture.
And then coming here as aGerman with very broken English
was not easy for me.
Therefore I understood from theget-go.
I didn't understand anythingfrom the get-go, to be honest,
and I really had to learn it,really the hard way.
(05:44):
First of all, the languagebarrier was there and then also,
at one point of time, myEnglish got better.
But I really had to understandthe people.
And I mean as long as you areopen, as long as you talk openly
to the people and you are opento learn and you are okay with
sometimes being the dumbestperson in the room not even the
(06:06):
smartest girl, but also thedumbest person in the room and
you are willing to learn.
I think this is the first stepyou have to take to be open for
new cultures and to understandnew cultures.
And I'm not saying that ourpeople, when we started this
adventure and wrote about anopen, it was just making them
understand how differentcultures can be and how people
(06:28):
think, and I think with yourhelp, christian, I think that
was very good, that you helpedus or helped our people in
Georgia to make them aware thatthe view you have on a certain
task depends on what side youstand on the table.
You can have a different viewon the things and I think you
(06:50):
did a very good job in helpingus, or helping the team to
understand that the German viewmight be different than the view
from the Georgians or from theUS, but you still want to
accomplish the same goal and I'mhappy to hear that our work in
fact did help, and I think yourexample is one of many that
people in our field have hadthroughout their careers.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Brett, myself and others in our arena can tell
similar stories.
What stood out to me with yourteam was that they were quite
open to the subject matter,expertise in the field, which in
your case is building parts forautomobiles and they may have
(07:37):
had different technicalapproaches to the work.
The technical questions werequickly sorted out how we
communicate these things.
That seemed to be the issue inthe beginning, that your German
team was a bit abrupt or very.
Some of them were a bit verydirect and brash in the way they
(08:01):
communicated and the team inGeorgia was maybe not as to the
point as your German team wishedand they were maybe a little
bit easily irritated about theGerman leadership style.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
So I think the typical friction points that we
see in international projectswas not surprising at all, but
it was surprising at that pointto either side of your team,
right the one example I thinkChristian, you brought it up in
one of your sessions with theteam If you live on Mars or if
(08:42):
you live from the moon and youlook from out there to Germany
and over here to Georgia, yousee a green field which is
almost the same size.
You see a certain amount ofplayers and they have a ball in
their hand or a ball on theirfoot and they play a game.
And from the sky, from 10 mileshigh or 100 miles high, it
(09:05):
looks kind of the same.
And then you dial in and dialin and dial in and then you see,
at the end of the day, inGermany they play soccer and the
US they play football, whichhas nothing in common, and I
think this is a very good way todescribe how difficult and
different the countries are.
(09:27):
With this little example and Ireally like this, and I think
you didn't even tell me this.
Somebody who was in trainingwith you told me this and I
think this opened my eyes reallyas well.
From the outside, looking in,everything looks kind of the
same, but if you dial in alittle bit further, then you can
see that there's many thingsthat look really the same but
(09:48):
they are not.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
I think what's really helpful, at least in my
experience.
Other trainers may havedifferent approaches, but using
sports, no matter what they are,as metaphors to explain human
behavior.
It could be football orAmerican football, it could be
Aussie rules, it could becricket, it could be tennis, it
could be basketball, it could bemotor racing, I don't know, it
(10:13):
could be track and field.
Whatever metaphor works inorder to explain phenomena of
human behavior.
How do you and this is somethingthat I've been wondering for
many, many years how do youbecome attractive to potential
new team members as an employer?
(10:33):
Because your product is notvisible to the consumer's eye.
Most people will never knowwhich cars have your equipment
inside of them.
So how do you position yourself, especially as a company from
overseas?
You come here, you build aplant on the green field in an
(10:55):
area that is not necessarilyknown to have an automotive
history.
Dalton, georgia, for those whoare familiar with that area, is
for decades been the center ofthe flooring industry in North
America.
So potential job seekers, howdo they know what you stand for?
(11:16):
How do you position yourself tobe attractive for future?
Speaker 4 (11:19):
employees.
This is exactly the point yousaid.
It's really known since decadesfor the carpet industry.
Dalton Georgia is really everycompany around us except our
neighbors to one side.
They do products for the carpetindustry and I think the
workforce, particularly inDalton Georgia and maybe in the
Dalton Whitfield County, theywould like to do something new.
(11:41):
The this park, where we are atthe supplier park, was
specifically built up forcompanies outside of the carpet
industry because Dalton Georgiawanted to bring companies in
which had nothing to do withwith carpets and we are one of
one of them and I mean for surethis is this is one of the big
(12:04):
things why people want to workfor us, because it says nothing
to do with with the carpetindustry.
And I mean, as you can see today, I usually wear this Gidea swag
.
I usually put my name on it sopeople know who I am, and the
Gidea logo.
And when I go to Georgia, whenI used to go to Georgia more
often it's the beginning Ourname was all over the news $85
(12:26):
million you mentioned it beforeputting a new plan up and when I
walked into the restaurantsthen I mean, people saw us and
people recognized us from thelogo.
They didn't know what Gideastands for, right, I mean, they
didn't even know we are German,sounds like a Japanese company,
yeah.
But when people recognize usand that we are bringing in a
(12:47):
new product into the town and anew kind of industry, they were
very thankful.
Therefore, they were just happythat there's an alternative to
the centuries not centuries old,but to many decades old carpet
industry.
Therefore, this was helping us,for sure, a lot.
This was helping us a lot thatwe were able to bring in
(13:07):
something new.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
So you really represented something that we
talk about all the time.
It's the culture is based intradition, whether it be a
country culture or a regionalculture or even a functional
culture, like you say.
You've got certain industriesthat embed themselves in areas
and they draw on a set of peoplethat have skills and maybe
inherit them from their parentsand so on and so forth.
(13:31):
So what you've done isliterally not only had to build
something in a new place, butalso build it in a place that's
not traditionally of your market, and so I guess that kind of
helps the people understand thatthey get an interest in you as
a company, the interest in thedifference of what you bring.
But also, if you introduce theidea of culture, then to say
(13:52):
we're a German company and we'renot trying to turn everybody
into a German person, butunderstand the DNA of the
company might inform how you seeget here as an employer.
Absolutely.
You say that's something thatthey had to look at.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
There's a little bit more pride, I think, or easier
to see in this industry.
When you drive on the streetsand say we are producing parts
for Mercedes, so we areproducing parts for a Ford
vehicle, you can tell your kidsor your parents or whatever I
actually work for a company whois producing parts for this car
or for that kind.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I think this gives them also a little bit better
understanding and more pride inwhat they are doing and to me
that sounds like that is part ofthe employment philosophy that
you try to instill a sense ofpride and a sense of loyalty
with the organization, somethingthat I've seen a big gap
(14:49):
between Central Europeanemployers and North American
employers that the loyalty tothe employer very often is much,
much stronger in Europe becausemany, especially production
type employees see themselves aspart of almost like an organism
(15:09):
and they want to be part ofsomething that is bigger than
the individual or bigger than agroup of individuals, and the
company treats the employeeswell.
The employee sees the companyas this almost paternal
protector, and in the US wedon't often see it that way.
(15:31):
We see it as an exchange fortime, labor and money, and if
that equation does not give usthe result we want, then we
might change employers.
So do you think you were ableto install a little bit of that
German style relationshipbetween employer and employees?
Speaker 4 (15:52):
I think so.
I think so and I can give youan example from that.
Our global CEO, helmut Inkel,who is my boss one of my bosses,
I report to the board came toDalton and we had a meeting with
the managers and with thesub-supervisors.
We had a full room of people,which is probably 15, 20 people
sitting there, and we gave alittle presentation about the
(16:14):
status of the plant andeverybody introduced themselves.
And then I asked one question.
I said and please keep in mind,we started to break ground in
2020.
Therefore, we started to hirepeople basically in 2021.
And my question was who is heresince 2021?
And half of the room stood up.
The majority of the supervisorand manager staff are there
(16:37):
since they get going, and thisis not usual.
This is not really normal, andI think we, as Kedia, can be
very proud of that.
And again, christian, I canjust say that you helped with
this as well.
Right, as I said, everythingstarts with culture.
If people don't feel well wherethey work, they go somewhere,
(16:58):
and the people stay, usuallywith us now, which is very good,
and I know that people willleave.
But what I would like at theend of the day, that if
everybody retires at one pointof time and you sit, let's say,
person A left our facility orwill leave our facility or our
plant over the next years, andhe's 80 years old by then and
(17:20):
then he looks back in his careerand then he tells his
grandchildren the best job I hadwas with the guy Sung-Gadir.
I had five jobs after thatbecause I was not really finding
what I was looking for, but Iwas always treated with dignity
and respect.
I had a great job, I had agreat product I had to work on
and this is what I want.
But again, dignity and respectgoes far with me, goes really
(17:44):
far, and I really hope that we,and not our hope.
I know for a fact that our teammembers in Georgia, starting
with the plant management downto the supervisors and I hope
for everybody else working withthe team that they are treating
everybody like that and I'mtrying to live it.
I'm not trying.
I mean, this is what I am.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Good point.
I'm living it and not tellingpeople.
I think this is how culturemanifests itself.
It's not because we put aposter on the wall with our
values I call them wall tattoosright, they could mean nothing.
It's living the values daily,and living it from a leadership
(18:27):
level down is what models thesebehaviors for everybody else in
the organization.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
That's how culture gets created, I guess Right and,
I know, faced with a completelynew challenge when it comes to
culture.
I mean, starting this week, Itook over responsibility for our
Mexican facility and after ourtrip to Georgia, my boss and I,
we flew to Mexico and yeah, thisis a relatively big facility
(18:56):
there.
We have 500 people 550 people Ithink down there and we had
three big town hall meetings.
We had to kind of do it in themorning for the administrative
staffs and the afternoon for thefirst shift and then for the
second shift.
And I have a whole lot ofrespect for this new task
because I'm going to Mexicosince 2006.
(19:18):
I know Mexico, I've been theremany times, but I was never
responsible for something.
I was more in a sales job and Iwas dealing with customers,
with Volkswagen, with others,and all these things have
changed.
Now I'm responsible there for aplant and I have to learn a
whole lot right now, you know,and I'm trying always to make
(19:39):
the people feel good.
Also, in the town hall meetingswe had, and I kind of made a
couple jokes, and one joke Imade is which I always say I
don't like Mexican food, but Ilike the people.
It's better than the other way,actually around, right?
If I would like the food andnot the people.
And they were laughing about itand I hope they laugh for the
(20:00):
right reason, because it'sreally what I mean I really
don't like Mexican food, but Ireally like these people.
I really like these people andI hope because in the far left
corner there was also the cookof our cantina.
I hope he's not mad at me.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
He will now prove to you that you will like it.
He will find a way to make youlike Mexican food.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
No, but this is fine, and maybe this culture is also,
you have to eat this culture,you have to live it, you have to
be there.
You know, over the next fewmonths I'm probably going to
spend a lot of time down there,but I have a whole lot of
respect.
I know Mexican people fromcoming there, visiting them,
being in the country, but neverlet a team down there, and
(20:44):
therefore this is somethingwhere I probably also need some
professional help at one pointin time, if I cannot figure it
out by myself.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
And I think this is.
I was going to ask you whatadvice you would give to a
leader in a similar position asyours, or somebody who will grow
into a position like yours, whodoes this for the first time go
abroad and lead a team in adifferent culture but you just
(21:11):
gave the answer without measking the question.
You said you have the humilityto say I don't know, and there
is things that I want to learn.
That is the key ingredient isthe curiosity to accept new
information that you don't haveyet.
So I had to use that.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Thank you.
I think every culture I mean Icannot really say that because I
don't know all the cultures inthis world, nobody does but I
want to say what every culturehas in common that everybody
wants to be treated with dignityand respect.
I think this is a common thing,that everybody it doesn't
matter if you go to Afghanistanor to Mexico, or to US or
(21:55):
Germany or wherever I thinkpeople generally want to be
treated fairly, with dignity andrespect.
I think if you bring this tothe table and this is where you
start, okay, that you're nottalking down to people in other
cultures, that you, that youaccept them as equals, but which
which they are I mean there'sno way wrongly they're equal,
(22:17):
they're not different, they'renot better or worse than you are
.
And once you accept this andonce you, once you live it, I
think then this is already ingood start and this is what
advice I would give my youngself and also everybody who
takes over responsibility in adifferent country.
Final question for you, brett.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
No, I, I really love those values You've just
expressed, michael.
These are things that I guessme is doing this work there's
this work of culture has taughtme that right.
I I kind of think I hope Iembodied it when I had my own
business and I and I employedpeople.
I Kind of I'm sure I mademistakes.
(22:58):
I sure I'm sure in manycircumstances I didn't, but I've
certainly learned it doing thiswork.
You know, working With peoplesimilar to yourself, where they
have said what's worked for mealso always as being humble,
having respect, both expectingand giving respect, but also
(23:18):
understanding there are somedifferences we need to bridge
and that openness, to be able tobe humble enough to say, yes, I
work differently to you, but inthat is the magic of connection
and the magic of diversity, andCouldn't have said it better.
That's great.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Thank you, miguel, thank you for taking time and
sharing your story, your Globalleadership story Fantastic.
I love we, brett and I, we lovedoing the work we do because we
love seeing the outcomes thatyou described me and that that,
to me, is one of the biggestrewards seeing teams Improving
(23:59):
they the way they collaborate,finding a way out of the
friction and towards moreeffortless and and and elegant
ways to collaborate.
That is a huge takeaway andGood luck to your.
Now.
All of Good luck to, to to theNorth American endeavors, to the
(24:20):
all-incorporating NorthAmerican endeavors you're
supervising.
So what's the Spanish phrasefor good luck?
We a hit-oh when a sweater orsomething like that.
See, my Spanish is.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
I'm, I make sure, already the dumbest guy in this
room.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I don't know but I'm gonna learn it.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
We'll make sure of it .
All right, thank you very much.
All right, thank you to chapsmany cultures.
Another great episode.
And thank you, miguel, for justGracing you with your presence
here and giving us your wisdom.
Don't forget to subscribe andhit that bell for the next
episode that might come up it'severy week and don't forget also
(24:59):
to check out a new podcast.
We are turning these intopodcasts too, so if you're sick
of just seeing these ugly mugsand you don't want to watch us,
you can just listen to usquietly in your car.
And so thank you again forjoining two chaps many cultures.
We'll see you again next week.
Thanks, thank you very much,guys.
Bye, bye.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Bye, bye oh.
What is the actual monetary value of cultural
training?
Do you really make a measurableimpact?
Well, how would $85 millionthat was in danger, with or
without cultural intelligencetraining?
(00:21):
Let's find out how that worked.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome to Two Chaps Many Cultures.
In an increasingly globallyconnected world, it is vital to
possess the essential skills ofcultural intelligence.
Listen along as we present thetopics, tips and strategies you
can use to develop the power ofcultural understanding in your
personal and professional life.
(00:45):
Here are your hosts ChristianHufferler and Brett Parry.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yes, we are talking about impact today, impact of
the possibility of not buildingcultural competence into your
teams.
And this is Two Chaps.
Many Cultures Welcome backanother episode and, of course,
in this new iteration, a newseason of the Two Chaps.
We are really honored towelcome our first guest, aren't
(01:11):
we mate?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
We are, and we're glad to have somebody from the
field with us, our friend MichaE Lehmann, or Michael, or Mike,
or I don't know what they callyou in the office, but he's here
to tell us about that very 85million that were on the line to
a certain degree.
So, micha, you're welcome toTwo Chaps, many Cultures.
(01:34):
Tell our audience what do youdo and what am I talking about?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Hey Christian, hey Brett, I mean, first of all,
thank you for having me.
I mean cultural is very, veryimportant to me and yeah,
christian, we know each othernow since probably a couple of
years.
Right, I want to say, and wereached out to you because we
needed some help to bridge thecultural bridge, or to bridge
the culture in our new 85million dollar plant in Dalton,
(02:05):
georgia.
And, yeah, without your help,without bringing the Two
Cultures together for sure, itwould have been very difficult
to make the Two Cultures talk.
And I'm very, very thankfulthat we know each other, that we
found each other, that youhelped us with, with that.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
So two cultures needed to talk.
So those were the US cultureand the German culture, and then
everything in between a littlebit, because it wasn't just two.
So for those who don't know whoyour company is, it says
they're.
On your shirt it says Gidea.
What does that mean and what doyou do?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I'm, since this week actually, I'm the CEO of Gidea
in this region.
I took over also the Mexicanplant beginning of this week and
therefore this cultural aspectof bringing now three of these
cultures together the German,the Mexican and the culture here
in the US is getting more andmore important.
(03:09):
Gidea Gebrรผder DingerKostadendorren is a 114 year old
company, a German company, andwe started our venture in the
United States in 2016 with afacility in Michigan and that's
where I'm currently sitting, andwe built up a brand new plant
(03:30):
in Georgia in 2020 and putting aplant in even within COVID.
I mean, we did it.
The plant is now there and weare producing parts, but
bringing the people together andmaking this a success was not
that easy at the beginning,because we are from the
Sauerland region.
(03:51):
I don't know.
You probably know where that is, Brett.
I know you are from Australia.
I don't know if you ever heardabout the Sauerland region.
It can be a little stubborn,and then people can turn sour on
you in a heartbeat.
Bringing these people togetherwas for sure a challenge, but
(04:11):
from both ends.
I mean culture doesn't work inone end, it needs to work in
both ends.
Our people had to understand alittle bit how the US works, and
especially the Georgians, Imean.
This is also sometimes a littlebit special and also, from the
other side, making the US folksa little bit more understanding
how Germans think, and I thinkyou helped us with that.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
So these are obviously professional people,
and this is always the question,right, is that how?
These are people who know theircraft, they know the buttons to
push.
It might be different equipment, but it is still bringing
people together.
Then how did that go?
How did you open up thatconversation about having to
layer over these extra skillsthat they may have thought they
(04:58):
didn't actually need?
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Maybe let me speak a little bit about me.
I came over here in 2005, soI'm here quite some time.
I still cannot get rid of myaccent, but I hope that is okay.
Everybody will understand me.
Brett cannot get rid of hisaccent either, that's right, and
in my first venture in the US Iwas here in Michigan, but I
traveled to Kentucky quite a bit.
(05:22):
My previous company had afacility down there.
Therefore I already got alittle bit the taste of the
Southern culture and with theMichigan culture.
And then coming here as aGerman with very broken English
was not easy for me.
Therefore I understood from theget-go.
I didn't understand anythingfrom the get-go, to be honest,
and I really had to learn it,really the hard way.
(05:44):
First of all, the languagebarrier was there and then also,
at one point of time, myEnglish got better.
But I really had to understandthe people.
And I mean as long as you areopen, as long as you talk openly
to the people and you are opento learn and you are okay with
sometimes being the dumbestperson in the room not even the
(06:06):
smartest girl, but also thedumbest person in the room and
you are willing to learn.
I think this is the first stepyou have to take to be open for
new cultures and to understandnew cultures.
And I'm not saying that ourpeople, when we started this
adventure and wrote about anopen, it was just making them
understand how differentcultures can be and how people
(06:28):
think, and I think with yourhelp, christian, I think that
was very good, that you helpedus or helped our people in
Georgia to make them aware thatthe view you have on a certain
task depends on what side youstand on the table.
You can have a different viewon the things and I think you
(06:50):
did a very good job in helpingus, or helping the team to
understand that the German viewmight be different than the view
from the Georgians or from theUS, but you still want to
accomplish the same goal and I'mhappy to hear that our work in
fact did help, and I think yourexample is one of many that
people in our field have hadthroughout their careers.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Brett, myself and others in our arena can tell
similar stories.
What stood out to me with yourteam was that they were quite
open to the subject matter,expertise in the field, which in
your case is building parts forautomobiles and they may have
(07:37):
had different technicalapproaches to the work.
The technical questions werequickly sorted out how we
communicate these things.
That seemed to be the issue inthe beginning, that your German
team was a bit abrupt or very.
Some of them were a bit verydirect and brash in the way they
(08:01):
communicated and the team inGeorgia was maybe not as to the
point as your German team wishedand they were maybe a little
bit easily irritated about theGerman leadership style.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
So I think the typical friction points that we
see in international projectswas not surprising at all, but
it was surprising at that pointto either side of your team,
right the one example I thinkChristian, you brought it up in
one of your sessions with theteam If you live on Mars or if
(08:42):
you live from the moon and youlook from out there to Germany
and over here to Georgia, yousee a green field which is
almost the same size.
You see a certain amount ofplayers and they have a ball in
their hand or a ball on theirfoot and they play a game.
And from the sky, from 10 mileshigh or 100 miles high, it
(09:05):
looks kind of the same.
And then you dial in and dialin and dial in and then you see,
at the end of the day, inGermany they play soccer and the
US they play football, whichhas nothing in common, and I
think this is a very good way todescribe how difficult and
different the countries are.
(09:27):
With this little example and Ireally like this, and I think
you didn't even tell me this.
Somebody who was in trainingwith you told me this and I
think this opened my eyes reallyas well.
From the outside, looking in,everything looks kind of the
same, but if you dial in alittle bit further, then you can
see that there's many thingsthat look really the same but
(09:48):
they are not.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
I think what's really helpful, at least in my
experience.
Other trainers may havedifferent approaches, but using
sports, no matter what they are,as metaphors to explain human
behavior.
It could be football orAmerican football, it could be
Aussie rules, it could becricket, it could be tennis, it
could be basketball, it could bemotor racing, I don't know, it
(10:13):
could be track and field.
Whatever metaphor works inorder to explain phenomena of
human behavior.
How do you and this is somethingthat I've been wondering for
many, many years how do youbecome attractive to potential
new team members as an employer?
(10:33):
Because your product is notvisible to the consumer's eye.
Most people will never knowwhich cars have your equipment
inside of them.
So how do you position yourself, especially as a company from
overseas?
You come here, you build aplant on the green field in an
(10:55):
area that is not necessarilyknown to have an automotive
history.
Dalton, georgia, for those whoare familiar with that area, is
for decades been the center ofthe flooring industry in North
America.
So potential job seekers, howdo they know what you stand for?
(11:16):
How do you position yourself tobe attractive for future?
Speaker 4 (11:19):
employees.
This is exactly the point yousaid.
It's really known since decadesfor the carpet industry.
Dalton Georgia is really everycompany around us except our
neighbors to one side.
They do products for the carpetindustry and I think the
workforce, particularly inDalton Georgia and maybe in the
Dalton Whitfield County, theywould like to do something new.
(11:41):
The this park, where we are atthe supplier park, was
specifically built up forcompanies outside of the carpet
industry because Dalton Georgiawanted to bring companies in
which had nothing to do withwith carpets and we are one of
one of them and I mean for surethis is this is one of the big
(12:04):
things why people want to workfor us, because it says nothing
to do with with the carpetindustry.
And I mean, as you can see today, I usually wear this Gidea swag
.
I usually put my name on it sopeople know who I am, and the
Gidea logo.
And when I go to Georgia, whenI used to go to Georgia more
often it's the beginning Ourname was all over the news $85
(12:26):
million you mentioned it beforeputting a new plan up and when I
walked into the restaurantsthen I mean, people saw us and
people recognized us from thelogo.
They didn't know what Gideastands for, right, I mean, they
didn't even know we are German,sounds like a Japanese company,
yeah.
But when people recognize usand that we are bringing in a
(12:47):
new product into the town and anew kind of industry, they were
very thankful.
Therefore, they were just happythat there's an alternative to
the centuries not centuries old,but to many decades old carpet
industry.
Therefore, this was helping us,for sure, a lot.
This was helping us a lot thatwe were able to bring in
(13:07):
something new.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
So you really represented something that we
talk about all the time.
It's the culture is based intradition, whether it be a
country culture or a regionalculture or even a functional
culture, like you say.
You've got certain industriesthat embed themselves in areas
and they draw on a set of peoplethat have skills and maybe
inherit them from their parentsand so on and so forth.
(13:31):
So what you've done isliterally not only had to build
something in a new place, butalso build it in a place that's
not traditionally of your market, and so I guess that kind of
helps the people understand thatthey get an interest in you as
a company, the interest in thedifference of what you bring.
But also, if you introduce theidea of culture, then to say
(13:52):
we're a German company and we'renot trying to turn everybody
into a German person, butunderstand the DNA of the
company might inform how you seeget here as an employer.
Absolutely.
You say that's something thatthey had to look at.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
There's a little bit more pride, I think, or easier
to see in this industry.
When you drive on the streetsand say we are producing parts
for Mercedes, so we areproducing parts for a Ford
vehicle, you can tell your kidsor your parents or whatever I
actually work for a company whois producing parts for this car
or for that kind.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I think this gives them also a little bit better
understanding and more pride inwhat they are doing and to me
that sounds like that is part ofthe employment philosophy that
you try to instill a sense ofpride and a sense of loyalty
with the organization, somethingthat I've seen a big gap
(14:49):
between Central Europeanemployers and North American
employers that the loyalty tothe employer very often is much,
much stronger in Europe becausemany, especially production
type employees see themselves aspart of almost like an organism
(15:09):
and they want to be part ofsomething that is bigger than
the individual or bigger than agroup of individuals, and the
company treats the employeeswell.
The employee sees the companyas this almost paternal
protector, and in the US wedon't often see it that way.
(15:31):
We see it as an exchange fortime, labor and money, and if
that equation does not give usthe result we want, then we
might change employers.
So do you think you were ableto install a little bit of that
German style relationshipbetween employer and employees?
Speaker 4 (15:52):
I think so.
I think so and I can give youan example from that.
Our global CEO, helmut Inkel,who is my boss one of my bosses,
I report to the board came toDalton and we had a meeting with
the managers and with thesub-supervisors.
We had a full room of people,which is probably 15, 20 people
sitting there, and we gave alittle presentation about the
(16:14):
status of the plant andeverybody introduced themselves.
And then I asked one question.
I said and please keep in mind,we started to break ground in
2020.
Therefore, we started to hirepeople basically in 2021.
And my question was who is heresince 2021?
And half of the room stood up.
The majority of the supervisorand manager staff are there
(16:37):
since they get going, and thisis not usual.
This is not really normal, andI think we, as Kedia, can be
very proud of that.
And again, christian, I canjust say that you helped with
this as well.
Right, as I said, everythingstarts with culture.
If people don't feel well wherethey work, they go somewhere,
(16:58):
and the people stay, usuallywith us now, which is very good,
and I know that people willleave.
But what I would like at theend of the day, that if
everybody retires at one pointof time and you sit, let's say,
person A left our facility orwill leave our facility or our
plant over the next years, andhe's 80 years old by then and
(17:20):
then he looks back in his careerand then he tells his
grandchildren the best job I hadwas with the guy Sung-Gadir.
I had five jobs after thatbecause I was not really finding
what I was looking for, but Iwas always treated with dignity
and respect.
I had a great job, I had agreat product I had to work on
and this is what I want.
But again, dignity and respectgoes far with me, goes really
(17:44):
far, and I really hope that we,and not our hope.
I know for a fact that our teammembers in Georgia, starting
with the plant management downto the supervisors and I hope
for everybody else working withthe team that they are treating
everybody like that and I'mtrying to live it.
I'm not trying.
I mean, this is what I am.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Good point.
I'm living it and not tellingpeople.
I think this is how culturemanifests itself.
It's not because we put aposter on the wall with our
values I call them wall tattoosright, they could mean nothing.
It's living the values daily,and living it from a leadership
(18:27):
level down is what models thesebehaviors for everybody else in
the organization.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
That's how culture gets created, I guess Right and,
I know, faced with a completelynew challenge when it comes to
culture.
I mean, starting this week, Itook over responsibility for our
Mexican facility and after ourtrip to Georgia, my boss and I,
we flew to Mexico and yeah, thisis a relatively big facility
(18:56):
there.
We have 500 people 550 people Ithink down there and we had
three big town hall meetings.
We had to kind of do it in themorning for the administrative
staffs and the afternoon for thefirst shift and then for the
second shift.
And I have a whole lot ofrespect for this new task
because I'm going to Mexicosince 2006.
(19:18):
I know Mexico, I've been theremany times, but I was never
responsible for something.
I was more in a sales job and Iwas dealing with customers,
with Volkswagen, with others,and all these things have
changed.
Now I'm responsible there for aplant and I have to learn a
whole lot right now, you know,and I'm trying always to make
(19:39):
the people feel good.
Also, in the town hall meetingswe had, and I kind of made a
couple jokes, and one joke Imade is which I always say I
don't like Mexican food, but Ilike the people.
It's better than the other way,actually around, right?
If I would like the food andnot the people.
And they were laughing about itand I hope they laugh for the
(20:00):
right reason, because it'sreally what I mean I really
don't like Mexican food, but Ireally like these people.
I really like these people andI hope because in the far left
corner there was also the cookof our cantina.
I hope he's not mad at me.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
He will now prove to you that you will like it.
He will find a way to make youlike Mexican food.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
No, but this is fine, and maybe this culture is also,
you have to eat this culture,you have to live it, you have to
be there.
You know, over the next fewmonths I'm probably going to
spend a lot of time down there,but I have a whole lot of
respect.
I know Mexican people fromcoming there, visiting them,
being in the country, but neverlet a team down there, and
(20:44):
therefore this is somethingwhere I probably also need some
professional help at one pointin time, if I cannot figure it
out by myself.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
And I think this is.
I was going to ask you whatadvice you would give to a
leader in a similar position asyours, or somebody who will grow
into a position like yours, whodoes this for the first time go
abroad and lead a team in adifferent culture but you just
(21:11):
gave the answer without measking the question.
You said you have the humilityto say I don't know, and there
is things that I want to learn.
That is the key ingredient isthe curiosity to accept new
information that you don't haveyet.
So I had to use that.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Thank you.
I think every culture I mean Icannot really say that because I
don't know all the cultures inthis world, nobody does but I
want to say what every culturehas in common that everybody
wants to be treated with dignityand respect.
I think this is a common thing,that everybody it doesn't
matter if you go to Afghanistanor to Mexico, or to US or
(21:55):
Germany or wherever I thinkpeople generally want to be
treated fairly, with dignity andrespect.
I think if you bring this tothe table and this is where you
start, okay, that you're nottalking down to people in other
cultures, that you, that youaccept them as equals, but which
which they are I mean there'sno way wrongly they're equal,
(22:17):
they're not different, they'renot better or worse than you are
.
And once you accept this andonce you, once you live it, I
think then this is already ingood start and this is what
advice I would give my youngself and also everybody who
takes over responsibility in adifferent country.
Final question for you, brett.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
No, I, I really love those values You've just
expressed, michael.
These are things that I guessme is doing this work there's
this work of culture has taughtme that right.
I I kind of think I hope Iembodied it when I had my own
business and I and I employedpeople.
I Kind of I'm sure I mademistakes.
(22:58):
I sure I'm sure in manycircumstances I didn't, but I've
certainly learned it doing thiswork.
You know, working With peoplesimilar to yourself, where they
have said what's worked for mealso always as being humble,
having respect, both expectingand giving respect, but also
(23:18):
understanding there are somedifferences we need to bridge
and that openness, to be able tobe humble enough to say, yes, I
work differently to you, but inthat is the magic of connection
and the magic of diversity, andCouldn't have said it better.
That's great.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Thank you, miguel, thank you for taking time and
sharing your story, your Globalleadership story Fantastic.
I love we, brett and I, we lovedoing the work we do because we
love seeing the outcomes thatyou described me and that that,
to me, is one of the biggestrewards seeing teams Improving
(23:59):
they the way they collaborate,finding a way out of the
friction and towards moreeffortless and and and elegant
ways to collaborate.
That is a huge takeaway andGood luck to your.
Now.
All of Good luck to, to to theNorth American endeavors, to the
(24:20):
all-incorporating NorthAmerican endeavors you're
supervising.
So what's the Spanish phrasefor good luck?
We a hit-oh when a sweater orsomething like that.
See, my Spanish is.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
I'm, I make sure, already the dumbest guy in this
room.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I don't know but I'm gonna learn it.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
We'll make sure of it .
All right, thank you very much.
All right, thank you to chapsmany cultures.
Another great episode.
And thank you, miguel, for justGracing you with your presence
here and giving us your wisdom.
Don't forget to subscribe andhit that bell for the next
episode that might come up it'severy week and don't forget also
(24:59):
to check out a new podcast.
We are turning these intopodcasts too, so if you're sick
of just seeing these ugly mugsand you don't want to watch us,
you can just listen to usquietly in your car.
And so thank you again forjoining two chaps many cultures.
We'll see you again next week.
Thanks, thank you very much,guys.
Bye, bye.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Bye, bye oh.
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