日前，健赞公司（Genzyme）被法国制药巨头赛诺菲-安万特集团（Sanofi-Aventis）收购，而纽约泛欧交易所也将并入德国证券交易所（Deutsche Börse）。好吧，也许你并不为健赞公司工作，也不是纽约泛欧交易所（NYSE Euronext）的员工。不过，随着全球并购交易的加速，你任职的公司也可能成为下一家被收购的对象。在合并后的公司里，发号施令的人可能来自于一个不同的文化，你可能对他的文化背景知之甚少。你是否能在这样一个环境里生存下来？

    如果你能迅速迈出关键的几步，那么你可能就会在新公司里站住脚。位于加州帕萨迪纳市的Corporate Coaching International首席执行官洛伊斯•弗兰克尔指出：“一般来说，美国人在适应其他国家的文化上做得很差。”弗兰克尔在全球范围内为许多美国500强企业的高管进行过培训。她表示：“在并购中，适者生存。你应该勇敢地站出来，问问你可以做些什么，以帮助确保并购的成功。你的第一个问题应该是：‘我们怎样才能使它成功？’”

    弗兰克尔观察道：“人们常常会把它当成‘拍马屁’，因而产生抗拒心理。不过这一招的确很实用，因为你可以借此得到你所需要的信息。哪怕上司告诉你：‘做好手头上的事就行了’，那你就算没白问。上司会觉得你将成为公司的一项资产，而不是一块绊脚石。”

    詹森•莱文指出，另一种让你在并购中脱颖而出的方法，是要对收购方的文化保持好奇心。莱文是华盛顿的职业网站Vault.com的一位区域经理，不过他也曾效力于巴黎的几家法国公司，并曾在越南为百事可乐工作过，还曾在斯里兰卡为联合利华工作过。

    莱文指出，美国的每座主要城市里都有许多外国的大使馆或领事馆，而且还有许多为外国公司服务的商会。这些机构都会举办各种文化活动、研讨会和交际会。

    莱文建议道：“给他们发电子邮件，然后去参加这些活动。这是了解该国人士、学习该国社会风俗的一个好办法。参加这类活动会使人们觉得你不仅具有专业技能，而且通晓外国文化。此外这也是种很有趣的体验。”

    在这里提醒纽约泛欧交易所的员工们：纽约市有一个德美商会，它有750家会员企业。最近该商会即将举办的活动包括3月23日的一场社交媒体研讨会，以及5月26日的芦笋节活动（asparagus festival）。

    此外，你只需打开网页，输入“企业的文化差异”等短语，就可以搜索到大量信息，从中了解到你的新老板可能会如何运营企业。比如你可以访问worldbusinessculture.com，你可以在该网站上找到39个国家的会议礼仪、团队合作、交流风格、着装规范等信息，以及有关其它职场话题的信息。

    “如果你对你的新同事们做事情的方式表示出了兴趣，那么他们也会对你报以热情。你一定要学会用对方的母语说‘请’、‘谢谢’和‘打扰了’。这是件小事，不过它能表现出你有沟通的意愿。” 莱文自己就是个例子。如果有人打了个喷嚏，他可以用6种语言说“祝你健康”。

    当然，有些并购带来的文化冲突并不涉及不同的民族，但你还是要对它保持敏锐的关注。大约在10年前，英国石油公司（BP）收购了Arco石油公司。洛伊斯•弗兰克尔曾培训过这两家公司的管理人员。

    “这两家公司的企业文化有很大的不同，”她回忆道：“Arco公司很有家长式作风，而且非常博爱，而英国石油公司则严格专注于企业的盈亏。”

    如果你的公司现在正处于并购的阵痛期，那么这个故事可以成为你的警世寓言。“有些原Arco公司的员工很关注这一点，他们理解了这种区别，并且适应了英国石油公司的文化，这些人现在仍在并购后的公司里工作。而那些没能适应的人则未能保住饭碗。”弗兰克尔说。

    毋庸赘言了吧。

    译者：朴成奎

    Okay, so you probably don't work for Genzyme, which was snapped up by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis yesterday, or for NYSE Euronext, which is set to merge with its German counterpart Deutsche Börse. Still, with the pace of global mergers and acquisitions accelerating, chances are your company could be next -- and that the people calling the shots in the new combined organization will hail from a culture you know nothing about. Can you survive?

    Probably, if you take a few essential steps quickly. "Americans in general are horrible at adapting to other countries' cultures," notes Lois Frankel, CEO of Pasadena-based Corporate Coaching International, who has counseled executives at Fortune 500 companies around the globe. "In a merger, it's survival of the fittest. Step forward right away and ask what you can do to help ensure the merger's success. Your first question should be, 'How can we make this work?'"

    Frankel observes that "often people see this as 'kissing up' and resist it. But it's just practical, because you get the information you need. Even if higher-ups tell you, 'Just keep doing what you're doing', you'll get points for having asked. The perception will be that you're going to be an asset, rather than an obstacle."

    Another way to shine, says Jason Levin: Be curious about the acquiring company's culture. Levin is a district manager at career site Vault.com in Washington, D.C., but he has worked for a couple of French companies in Paris, for PepsiCo (PEP) in Viet Nam, and for Unilever (UL) in Sri Lanka.

    He points out that every major U.S. city has embassies or consulates from many countries, as well as chambers of commerce that are dedicated to foreign companies. They all host cultural events, seminars, and networking parties.

    "Get on their email lists and go," Levin advises. "It's a great way to get to know people and learn their social customs. Getting involved will mark you out as someone who has not only professional skills, but cultural savvy too. Besides, it's fun."

    Note to NYSE Euronext (NYX) staffers: New York has a German-American Chamber of Commerce with 750 member companies. Upcoming get-togethers include a social media seminar on March 23 and, on May 26, an asparagus festival.

    A simple web search using a phrase like "cultural differences in business" can yield a wealth of information about how your new bosses might operate. One example: worldbusinessculture.com, which offers insights on meeting protocol, teamwork, communication styles, dress codes, and many other workplace topics for 39 countries.

    "If you show an interest in how your new colleagues do things, they will return the favor," says Levin, who, when someone sneezes, can say Gesundheit in six languages. "Always find out how to say 'please,' 'thank you,' and 'excuse me' in their native language. It's a small thing, but it shows a willingness to connect."

    Of course, some mergers come with culture clashes that are unrelated to differing nationalities, and it pays to keep a sharp eye on those, too. About a decade ago, when BP (BP) acquired Arco, Lois Frankel coached managers from both companies.

    "The two corporate cultures were vastly different," she recalls. "Arco was very paternalistic and philanthropic, while BP's focus was strictly on the bottom line."

    It's a cautionary tale for anyone whose company is now in the throes of a merger. "The people from the Arco side who paid attention and got it, and who adapted, are still there," says Frankel. "The people who didn't…aren't."

    Enough said.