Chapter Four Results

CHAPTER FOUR

Results

In the process of the interviews, I separated the answers of the participants into two

different groups. One of those groups is the participants from individualistic cultures and the

other is those who come from collectivistic cultures. I wanted to see if there are any differences

or similarities between the two different groups. To not use their names, I classified them as “I-1

to I-5 for the individualist group. And for the collectivist, I classified them from C-1 to C-5. The

first question was still in an “ice breaker” mode, but it did have a purpose. I wanted to tap into

insight on the foundational value “function in teams” in the context of being in a multicultural

environment. The first question in the interview was, “What is something you have enjoyed

about working in a multicultural setting in your time serving in YWAM?”

One resounding answer that came from all of the participants answered some type of

learning from different cultures. Three of them (two individualists and one collectivist) shared

how they enjoyed being confronted. One individualist said, "So you know, I've never enjoyed it

in the moment, but certainly sometimes I'm confronted by my own, my own arrogance. My own,

you know where I think my way is better." (I-1, personal communication, Feb 4, 2021). A

collectivist said, "Being confronted with my own mindset how I grew up." (C-3, personal

communication, Feb 10, 2021). She continued sharing about the need to travel to different

nations to get her U of N degree, "It forced me to go and do schools in poorer nations. And it

forced me to look at myself in a very, very different mirror."

Valuing the Individual

I asked a question about YWAM’s value of the individual and how it works in their

cultural setting with the second question. As a reminder, here is the value statement.

“14. Value the individual

YWAM is called to value each individual. We believe in equal opportunity and justice for

all. Created in the image of God, people of all nationalities, ages and functions have

distinctive contributions and callings. We are committed to honoring God-given leadership

and ministry gifts in both men and women.” (Youth With A Mission, 2021)

At the time of the interview, eight of the participants lived in a collective culture. The

question was, "When considering, 'Value the individual,' how does this apply to your YWAM

context?"

One answer that shocked me was that two participants said it did not apply since the

culture they live in does not value the individual. One is from an individualistic culture (I-3) and

the other from a collectivistic culture (C-1). "In (Asian country) it's they don't care about

individual… But if you're in (Asian country) it's all about the group. The individual doesn't

matter anymore. Like you get absorbed somehow." (I-3, personal communication, Feb 13, 2021)

At one point, C-3 questioned if YWAM truly values the individual.

“I don't know how much we value the individual even though we constantly stay we do. I

think we are not very racist, upfront racist, and that helps with value valuing the individual. I

think that's a positive that we really try not to look at color. But do we really value the

individual? Then I have to look at if a nation is an individual. Why does our team still

represent the people they represent? Why do we have to work so hard at having the islands

and the Africans and the Asians represented in the top, top, top dog top positions? So do we

really value the individual? I do not think so. We think we do. I don't think we do to the to the

degree that we could. To be honest here. I think we are politically correct with individuals in

amazing ways. YWAM, it seems like a high value in YWAM to be politically correct. High

value. Which makes it looks like you value the individual a lot.” (C-3, personal

communication, Feb 10, 2021)

A little later, C-3 shared, "When I lived in (Asian country), it was they don't value the

individual as much. They value the leaders. Because that's their culture. So for me to say do we

value the individual it's like saying, 'Hi (Asian country). Do you value the constitution?' No, it's

America. 'Do you value the individual?' No, it's American."

I was surprised at C-3’s answer. It is for sure an outlier for this question, but we cannot

dismiss it. This is a person who has lived in more counties than anyone else I interviewed and

five continents. She has been in YWAM for more than 20 years. Moreover, she is asking, “Do we

really value the individual?”

I am reminded by what Allen and Miller (2006) wrote:

“These dominant ideas will determine the values and principles by which the organization

functions. These values may be the same or different than those written down incorporate

values document. Yet these operational values – stated or unstated – inform the day-to-day

practices, programs and activities of the organization.” (p. 15)

We also need to consider two of the other participants who didn’t think it applied in their

context.

Nevertheless, outside of those three, there were some mixed answers. Two of the other

collectivists talked about it as listening and hearing the other person.

“The value of the individual means the importance of hearing the person's point of view,

point of passion, point of disappointment, in the point of disagreement. Looking at the

person's actual value as a person. When you look at the individual, you know their

uniqueness as a person beyond their own cultural background.” (C-5, personal

communication, Feb 11, 2021)

This also was related to what I-4 said,

“Valuing the Individual really requires us to assess where they come from. I would say

there's also the combination of not just their cultural background, right warm culture cold

cultural group, versus individualistic. But there's also, I think quite a bit of personality traits

that come along with it. (I-4, personal communication, Feb 23, 2021)

Later on, I-4 talks about the dangers of generalizing people,

“I think we generalize oftentimes. Oh, warm culture, group culture. But the reality is a lot of

times, there’s cold cultural people are that are very communal and there's hot culture of

communal people that are very individualistic. And I think that gets heightened more and

more as we're more globalized. “

Two of the other individualists talked about believing in someone and their uniqueness.

The third question is related to the next question, “What are some different cultural ways

you have seen this value applied?”

After the question, some patterns were found in the answers to the last two questions in

valuing the individual. The number one response was about hearing and listening to the