Talk at Scotia Bank’s Educational Resource Group

Lee Gek Ling and Yurni Said-Sirhan were invited by Scotiabank's Employee Resource Group on 21 May 2024, in celebration of UNESCO's World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue & Development, to give a talk on communicating and collaborating effectively in culturally diverse teams.

During their presentation, Gek Ling and Yurni delved into the cultural dimensions and values of the 20th century paradigm, as proposed by Hall (1976) and Hofstede (1980). They also explored how politeness theory, as outlined by Brown and Levinson (1987), could help to explain why cultural differences may impede effective communication and suggested that the traditional notion of "when in Rome do as the Romans do" no longer holds the same meaning in today's cosmopolitan workplace. Instead, they advocated for adapting to multiple corporate cultures while remaining true to one's own cultural values.

Gek Ling and Yurni presented their insights through a transcultural lens, providing valuable guidance on intercultural awareness in the contemporary workplace. To aid in retention, they devised the mnemonic "PINEAPPLE SOAP" (Said-Sirhan and Lee, 2024) to encapsulate the key learning points. Each letter represents a crucial aspect of effective intercultural communication: The Polite, Inclusive, and Non-Judgmental Expressway to Appreciating People in Intercultural Communication, where one suspends negative judgment, remains open-minded, pays attention to communication details, and considers different perspectives.

30 bank staff attended the talk in person and an additional 146 participants from Singapore, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, and Sydney, joined online. The attendees represented a diverse range of positions, spanning junior to senior management team members.

The feedback received from the audience was positive. The Managing Director & Head of Scotiabank Singapore described the talk as "most enjoyable and illuminating," while the APAC Chief Operating Officer acknowledged the presentation offered "great perspectives on intercultural communication.”