CFO 2017 — Questão 38 · Língua Inglesa - Compreensão e Interpretação de Texto

Text for items from 36 to 40.

Surfacing Disagreement

1____Comfort with public disagreement is a big source of

conflict on cross-cultural teams. Members from cultures that

place a high value on “face” and group harmony may be

4 averse to confrontation because they assume it will descend

into conflict and upset group dynamics – in short, social

failure. In other cultures, having a “good fight” is actually a

7 sign of trust. People from different parts of the world also

vary in the amount of emotion they show, and expect from

others, during a professional debate.

10____When, for example, people from Latin and Middle

Eastern cultures raise their voices, colleagues from more

neutral cultures can overestimate the degree of opposition

13 being stated. On the flip side, when people from Asia or

Scandinavia use silence and unreceptive body language to

convey opposition, the message is often lost on more

16 emotionally expressive peers.

To encourage healthy debate, consider designating a

devil’s advocate whose remit is to consider and prompt

19 discussion of the challenges associated with different

propositions. The role can be rotated across agenda items or

across meetings, so everyone becomes more comfortable in

22 it. Another option is to spread the same responsibility by

asking everyone to offer pros and cons on a particular course

of action so people feel free to argue both sides, without

25 getting locked in to positions they feel obliged to defend.

Judge the items that follow according to the text above.

Latin cultures may be seen as aggressive by Scandinavians.