Malaysian Business Teams

All of the ethnic groupings in Malaysia are basically group-oriented which makes them naturally good team players.

They are much happier working towards a clearly defined team goal than when given specific individual targets. Motivation comes from working within a team, not from being seen as a star performer.

The challenge for the expatriate manager is in how to harness the tremendous potential of the group. Group members want to feel as if the group is like a family and that the relationships extend outside working hours. This is another reason why managers need to take an overall interest in the happiness and well-being of team members. Take the time to chat and show some knowledge of their personal situation – the rewards will come in increased motivation and loyalty to both the organisation and the individual manager.

Author

This country-specific business culture profile was written by Keith Warburton who is the founder of the cultural awareness training consultancy Global Business Culture. 

Global Business culture is a leading training provider in the fields of cross-cultural communication and global virtual team working.  We provide training to global corporations in live classroom-based formats, through webinars and also through our cultural awareness digital learning hub, Global Business Compass.

This World Business Culture profile is designed as an introduction to business culture in Malaysia only and a more detailed understanding needs a more in-depth exploration which we can provide through our training and consultancy services.