This week’s blog does correlates well to my current situation. When working in other countries their exist underlining cultural differences that if you’re not aware of can create ambiguity in the proficiency, productivity, and direction of your work. In the Spanish labor environment, hierarchy and organizational structure at times are not aligned. The separation of tasks and accountability are more horizontal than vertical. For example, someone can assign a task of high importance. The needs and timeframe are clearly defined and responsibility is given to analyze and produce work with real solutions. Information is needed from other functions to begin the analytical process. I work for a association that has a symbiotic relationship with two other businesses. Thus, the hierarchy of whom I report to clarify questions and direction is not clear. In Spain, business is fluid and based on the strength of relationships, it is about natural chemistry and reading between emotional lines. The language of Spanish in itself is much more interpretative and less linear than English. The extreme competitiveness in the United States does not exist here. When there are points of operational vulnerability managers of different firms look to support rather than capitalize on what American businesses would see as a weakness. During this internship I have found myself in the middle of contradicting orders. One person giving me a desired initiative direction and another person in a different function telling me I have to slow down. It is crucial to balance the desires of both parties and respect their individual requests.  As one can imagine this can be challenging, as there is value in both relationships. Additionally, If you choose one initiative over the other this can create negative work place dynamic and destroy trust. A crucial metric in the Spanish work environment is trust. In the United States, trust and respect is not a valued as highly as it is here. These are amazing learning experiences and I hope to continue learning and becoming a better professional every day.

Lucas Carrillo McGrann