Talking trust
Earning the trust of the local employees - as well as learning to trust them - is one of the hardest tasks for an expatriate executive leading a team in Poland. When a Pole's knowledge of the local market comes into conflict with his boss' Western business practices, the result is often mutual resentment. Both sides feel that they aren't being given credit for their experience, and the resulting atmosphere can handicap a company.
Several executives from major international companies sat down in Warsaw last week to discuss the issue, and found that humor and a strong corporate culture go a long way toward building a trusting relationship between an expat boss and native employees.
Anitta Koskio, CEO of Expat House, the facilitator of the event, presented the problem in these terms: "When trust is low, speed of operations is also low. As a result, costs go up, and the energy level within the company is low, so return on investment is low."
Alan Colquhoun, managing director of DTZ, pointed out that a sensible salary structure can serve as a first step towards building trust. "If Poles feel they are undervalued relative to their foreign colleagues, then you lose trust," he explained. Humor plays a role too. "Self-effacing humor goes a long way. If you're able to put yourself or your country down a little bit, it can make life a lot easier," said Colquhoun.
However, several of the participants agreed that mutual trust can only be built with time. Jonathan Cohen from Quinlan Private Golub, said, "When I fly into a country for the first time to work on a new project, can I trust a local project manager assigned to me by headquarters, with whom neither I nor my company have worked? He may have a great knowledge of the local market, a good CV and speak English beautifully, but you still have to become familiar with him, and his particular skills." Cohen added that predictability can help to earn the trust of the locals. "Local employees want to know that their expat boss isn't just some guy who's going to be leaving after two years, but is somebody who has a vested interest [in their success and success of the local business]."
The executives also agreed that a strong corporate culture increases that predictability. When a corporation maintains its business practices regardless of the country, employees know where they stand and what to expect. "We have a company policy, and we stick to it - but you have to open the door to other views, and that brings the added value. There is room for salt and pepper from local partners. Minor policies can be adapted, but the major policy doesn't change," said Philippe Pannier, CFO at Ghelamco.
Hans Köppen, managing director of Investkredit Bank's representative office in Poland, agreed, saying that a strong system of rules within a company can sometimes replace the necessity for trust, adding, "Trust is a hard currency that you spend rarely. It pays off, but it's hard to spend."
