Respond to the three questions on page 20 of Chapter 2 in the text "Mindful International Manager":
1. You're rushing to an important meeting when you meet a colleague who you worked closely with up until five years ago. You have not seen her since then.
Do you stop to talk to her or do you greet her but then rush to make your meeting on time? Discuss the value you place on punctuality/tasks versus the value you place on relationships.
2. You arrive at the meeting and find that a key participant is not there. He arrives late and has not prepared an update as you, the project leader, requested.
He says he's been very busy talking to a potential new client and decided this was more important than the update. Do you feel he's unprofessional or flexible? Discuss the value you place on planning and being prepared, as well as the respect you expect as a leader, versus the value you place on flexibility and spontaneity.
3. Your boss keeps his distance from the team and communicates quite formally, saying it's a sign of respect for people he doesn't need to know personally. You think your boss is fair but not very approachable.
You believe that communicating informally and breaking down the distance between people helps to create a more productive working atmosphere. Do you feel it would be better if your boss were more one of the team with a more informal style? Discuss the value you place on showing respect versus the value you place on informal relationships.