Cross Cultural Management Guide for The Bahamas

The guide below is for managers who want to learn more about the management style and business culture of The Bahamas.

It provides some useful information for managers who are relocating to the country for employment as well as those who may have Bahamian employees in their global or multicultural teams.

Topics include:

• Hierarchy
• Management style
• Employee expecations
• Recent changes
• Adherence to deadlines
• Communication style

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Role of a Manager

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The business set-up in the Bahamas is generally straightforward with many business practices mirroring the UK or the USA. To ensure successful management, it is worth remembering the following: 

• Although status is important, it is a good idea to treat everyone with respect and dignity.
• When managing in the Bahamas, it is important to keep in mind that each person has a very distinct role within the organization.
• People tend to believe that their supervisors have been chosen because they have more experience and it is.
• Therefore, unnecessary, and even inappropriate for their managers to consult with lower-ranking individuals when decision-making.
• Foreign managers will be more easily established remembering that employees expect their manager or supervisor to provide clear instructions as well as the necessary tools to complete the task and they expect the manager to be approachable so that they may go to him/her with questions or any challenges. 
• Subordinates expect their efforts to be recognized and rewarded.
• Although managers praise employees, this is not generally carried out in public.
• Praise tends to be moderate and praise is certainly not given unless it's well deserved. 

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Approach to Change

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The Bahamas' cultural readiness for change is high. What does this mean for the workplace?

• Businesses in the Bahamas tend to demonstrate a high tolerance for risk and a ready acceptance of change.
• The underlying mindset is that change, while difficult, usually brings improvements and that hard work and innovation will bring a better tomorrow.

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Approach to Time and Priorities

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The Bahamas is a moderate time culture and therefore there may be some flexibility to strict adherence to schedules and deadlines. You may find that:

• Global virtual working has resulted in some Bahamians adopting stricter standards when adhering to schedules than in previous years.
• However, when you are new to the business and have no experience with the internal culture of deadlines and scheduling, then it’s advisable to reinforce the importance of the agreed-upon deadlines and outline the benefits to the bigger picture or project.
• You may also find it useful to check progress against timescales in the interim. 

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Decision Making

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Although many businesses retain hierarchical structures, decisions are often made after reaching a consensus among the stakeholders. This may mean that:

• Few individuals have full authority to make binding decisions concerning anything but mundane matters.
• Most decisions are consensus-driven, and will therefore take time for a final decision to be reached.
• It's important therefore that you are patient and that you build in sufficient time for the decision-making process to be concluded to stakeholder satisfaction. 

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Boss or Team Player?

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If you are working with people from the Bahamas, it is important to remember the role that hierarchy plays in teamwork and collaboration. Traditionally: 

• The manager is seen to hold that position because of superior knowledge and skills.
• Until fairly recently it would have been unlikely that someone of a higher position would collaborate with, or ask ideas of one of a lower status. 
• However, this is changing somewhat in younger generations, particularly those employed by multinational corporations.
• If you would like to encourage participation it is important first to clearly establish a non-threatening work environment and communicate clearly that their participation is desired.
• Be careful not to put contributions down in any way as this will likely have a significant impact on the willingness of participants.

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Communication  Styles

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Let's look at some tips for when communicating: 

• Foreigners working in the Bahamas should avoid "hard sell" techniques.
• You should not take Bahamians’ relaxed attitude as indicative of a lack of attention to detail.
• You should communicate directly without using hyperbole or superlatives and expect some small talk before getting down to business.
• While it is common for business people to want to get to know you before doing business, younger business people are likely to start business discussions with a bare minimum of formalities.
• Be aware that English is the language of business.
• Hierarchy is important, although not always apparent, and successful intercultural communication will be down to the individual’s ability to remain sensitive to clues that indicate status.
• Business people are generally direct and say what they mean, although they will not be confrontational and remember that bargaining is not customary.

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