Intercultural Systems

Cross-Cultural Consulting, Training and
Executive Coaching for Global Business


Don't miss the whole picture in Singapore
By Kathleen Curran-Meier, Founder and Principal Consultant Intercultural Systems.


  • A traditional funeral in the open, ground floor of a Housing Development Board apartment complex. Robed monks chanting, incense burning, bells ringing, flowers and mourners - off to the side, a man using a hand phone.

  • A modern high-rise building with every high-tech facility imaginable - in the stairwell, an offering of joss sticks, and oranges stacked in even numbers.

  • A Singaporean financial analyst educated in the U.S., in charge of the Research and Analysis department for an international investment brokerage firm - consults an astrologer for an auspicious date for an important signing of a deal and pays a large sum of money for an automobile license plate with a lucky number.

    • Do these scenes seem paradoxical, incongruous, conflicting?

    Not in Singapore where people balance traditional customs, beliefs and values and all the attributes of a competitive, economically developed society. Comfortable with both value systems, Singaporeans continually strive for the yin-yang balance. As Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong says, "We need both continuity and change" and the country is well able to live this out.

    This seemingly incongruous juxtaposition of modern and traditional ways of life is the aspect of living and working in Singapore that presents the greatest mystery for most American expatriates. Typically, it's a case of "it looks the same as home, I can speak in English as I do at home; therefore, I behave the same way as I do at home". Often, the unfamiliar or incongruous behaviors go unnoticed or are tuned out.


    Perceptions by Singaporeans
    Singapore's familiar-looking outer shell belies the fundamental cultural differences beneath the surface, which make the communication style, method of handling people and resources, and system for "getting the job done" very different as compared to the U.S. Thus, when the American manager attempts to proceed with business in a familiar manner, reactions by local staff may not be so favorable.

    How are American expatriate managers perceived by Singaporeans?

    On the positive side, managers try to be
  • open, willing to transfer knowledge and skills.

  • friendly, easy to talk with about a variety of subjects, not just business.

  • supportive of staff, willing to go to bat for them.

  • results-oriented, structured, efficient.


    • But in the context of Singapore where a productive, yet harmonious and non-confrontational communication pattern is highly valued, American expatriate managers often come across to Singaporeans as
  • arrogant, boastful, full of claims about accomplishments and abilities.

  • confrontational, abrasive, often inappropriate in their expressiveness.

  • short-term in vision; unaware of the larger context and value system.

  • negligent of relationships, thus cold, distant and untrustworthy.



    • Effects on the Organization and the Expatriate
    Aside from mechanically following the instructions of a superior, staff may subtly resist - often imperceptibly to an American - any changes the new expatriate manager tries to implement. This can take the form of staff not openly expressing their concerns, speaking in very indirect terms, or delaying the completion of a task. When local staff feel uncertain about the need for or suitability of a decision a new manager makes, a mismatch in targets may cause productivity to suffer.

    Expatriate managers experience frustration because they have met an invisible obstacle: something is not working but what?! "I thought we were speaking the same language. He said yes! - But why is nothing happening without headaches?!"


    A Bit of Advice
    For expatriate managers new to Singapore:
  • Don't expect immediate results; listen first.

  • Take time to earn credibility.

  • Invest time in getting to know local staff. Allow time for them to know you, and for you to learn HOW to "get the job done" in this new context.



    • Take Time for Intercultural Training
    Even though Singapore and the U.S. may look similar and people in both countries use English, be assured that the core cultures are very different. Unless American executives gain insight to their own and Singaporean cultural values, communication styles, ways of thinking and carrying out tasks, they may find doing business in Singapore much more difficult than expected.




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