Loyalty and Betrayal.
By Luis Flores
These two concepts are of crucial importance when dealing with Mexican teams and when interacting with Mexicans in foreign organizations.
But first a brief comment about Mexican history:
While rarely considered a topic of global importance, the way Mexico was conquered continues to have a significant impact on how Mexican organizations behave in the present.
There is a vast difference in the psychology of a colonized country –as Canada and the US were formed- and a conquered country - as Mexico was formed..
While Europeans came to America with their families “for good”, the Spanish conquerors came to Mexico in big ships packed with brave men, most of whom were criminals who exchanged their jail terms for risky and uncertain adventures to the “Indian territories” for the glory of the Queen.
After months of treacherous seas they landed in Mexico and pillaged as much gold and treasure as they could carry with them back to Spain.
But in order to organize the natives effectively to make them work for their queen’s benefit, the Spanish conquerors used the ancient system of “punishment or reward”.
I will elaborate on this point below.
As a result of this practice, every time a Spanish ship landed on Mexican shores the Indians had mixed feelings: there was mistrust and anxiety based on experience partnered with a lingering hope and optimism as the Spanish brought modern products and merchandise, (mirrors, tools, weapons, armors, clothes, shoes, materials etc).
There were still others, a rich minority, resilient and resistant to the Spanish who they considered unwelcome invaders; ignorant, greedy and rude.
There are several historians and painters who wrote and captured fairly accurately these moments of history.
It is easy to imagine those yelling “what have you brought for us this time?” what new products are developed in Europe? What new ideas you brought from the “wise and ancient world”?
Those phrases might sound familiar to some foreign executives who work with Mexican teams these days.
History casts a long shadow. Evidence of this behavior still exists in Mexican organizations –formal or informally.
It is perhaps easy then to understand why many Mexicans who start working for foreign companies have high expectations of them.
Still, there remain some others who are resilient and resistant to change, as the natives were in the old days.
The system of “punishment or reward” referenced above resulted in a philosophical predisposition or premium placed on loyalty because it was amply rewarded by the Spaniards. And, because the other alternative of punishment was so severe.
The idea of betrayal has evolved into a firmly entrenched cultural loathing for malinchismo” a popular Mexican synonym for betrayal
La Malinche was an Indian female who became Hernan Cortez’ mistress, he used her as a counselor to take advantage of her knowledge and understand the culture so as to better understand how to manipulate the natives. Hence, the term “malinchismo” is inextricably tied to betrayal.
It follows then that loyalty has a uniquely important place in Mexican culture.
This particular concept of loyalty still exists in Mexican organizations, and it plays an important role for foreign companies that have interests in Mexico.
I.E. Mexicans who are promoted to higher positions will take with them the “loyals” and rarely the best.
Consequentially, over the years Mexicans have developed a wide range of ways to teach, communicate, and coach extensively on the concept of loyalty in their organizations whether political, business, religious, criminal, sports etc.
It is well know among the Mexican political inner circle that tragic events took place in the past because of the miscommunication and misinterpretation of “Mexican loyalty”.
The massacre of students critical of the government in 1968 it’s a good example. Not even today is there any certainty at to who gave the order to shoot against the crowd of students in Mexico City, but there are several social-anthropological theories that imply that many Mexicans took “the loyalty” to the President very seriously and subsequently took justice into their own hands.
The assassination of Luis Donaldo Colossio is another sad example. In the midst of his political campaign Luis Donaldo Colossio – who was thought to have been appointed by his predecessor Carlos Salinas- felt the need to separate himself from Salinas during his speeches to indicate he was not a “puppet” of the Salinas Family.
This was “the game” both Salinas and Colossio were playing for some time, but apparently Salinas may have overreacted and spoke harshly of Colossio in his private parties and reunions with businessmen, politicians, high ranking policemen and military, and -as Loret de Mola suggested in his book- even members of the mafia. Mexican studies suggest that there is a very good probability that someone took the “loyalty” to Salinas to great heights and interpreted his anger at Colossio so seriously that they sent someone to kill Colossio as proof of their allegiance to Salinas.
The moral of the story is: Never doubt that Mexicans take loyalty to heart!
Given the history and evolution of loyalty and betrayal in a Mexican context, try to take a moment to think how your words or your silence, your body language and your facial expressions can be interpreted and how they can subsequently influence individual and team behavior.
Resistance to change or to the influence of foreigners is part and parcel of the Mexican culture and can be only worn down or won over with time and the building of trust.
Mexicans efforts to display loyalty is an entirely different issue demanding different cultural sensitivities. A simple harsh word, or dismissive glance by a person in a position of authority will be interpreted in a Mexican context as a damning condemnation and a call to action.
When in doubt, remember the fate of Colossio!
By Luis Flores
These two concepts are of crucial importance when dealing with Mexican teams and when interacting with Mexicans in foreign organizations.
But first a brief comment about Mexican history:
While rarely considered a topic of global importance, the way Mexico was conquered continues to have a significant impact on how Mexican organizations behave in the present.
There is a vast difference in the psychology of a colonized country –as Canada and the US were formed- and a conquered country - as Mexico was formed..
While Europeans came to America with their families “for good”, the Spanish conquerors came to Mexico in big ships packed with brave men, most of whom were criminals who exchanged their jail terms for risky and uncertain adventures to the “Indian territories” for the glory of the Queen.
After months of treacherous seas they landed in Mexico and pillaged as much gold and treasure as they could carry with them back to Spain.
But in order to organize the natives effectively to make them work for their queen’s benefit, the Spanish conquerors used the ancient system of “punishment or reward”.
I will elaborate on this point below.
As a result of this practice, every time a Spanish ship landed on Mexican shores the Indians had mixed feelings: there was mistrust and anxiety based on experience partnered with a lingering hope and optimism as the Spanish brought modern products and merchandise, (mirrors, tools, weapons, armors, clothes, shoes, materials etc).
There were still others, a rich minority, resilient and resistant to the Spanish who they considered unwelcome invaders; ignorant, greedy and rude.
There are several historians and painters who wrote and captured fairly accurately these moments of history.
It is easy to imagine those yelling “what have you brought for us this time?” what new products are developed in Europe? What new ideas you brought from the “wise and ancient world”?
Those phrases might sound familiar to some foreign executives who work with Mexican teams these days.
History casts a long shadow. Evidence of this behavior still exists in Mexican organizations –formal or informally.
It is perhaps easy then to understand why many Mexicans who start working for foreign companies have high expectations of them.
Still, there remain some others who are resilient and resistant to change, as the natives were in the old days.
The system of “punishment or reward” referenced above resulted in a philosophical predisposition or premium placed on loyalty because it was amply rewarded by the Spaniards. And, because the other alternative of punishment was so severe.
The idea of betrayal has evolved into a firmly entrenched cultural loathing for malinchismo” a popular Mexican synonym for betrayal
La Malinche was an Indian female who became Hernan Cortez’ mistress, he used her as a counselor to take advantage of her knowledge and understand the culture so as to better understand how to manipulate the natives. Hence, the term “malinchismo” is inextricably tied to betrayal.
It follows then that loyalty has a uniquely important place in Mexican culture.
This particular concept of loyalty still exists in Mexican organizations, and it plays an important role for foreign companies that have interests in Mexico.
I.E. Mexicans who are promoted to higher positions will take with them the “loyals” and rarely the best.
Consequentially, over the years Mexicans have developed a wide range of ways to teach, communicate, and coach extensively on the concept of loyalty in their organizations whether political, business, religious, criminal, sports etc.
It is well know among the Mexican political inner circle that tragic events took place in the past because of the miscommunication and misinterpretation of “Mexican loyalty”.
The massacre of students critical of the government in 1968 it’s a good example. Not even today is there any certainty at to who gave the order to shoot against the crowd of students in Mexico City, but there are several social-anthropological theories that imply that many Mexicans took “the loyalty” to the President very seriously and subsequently took justice into their own hands.
The assassination of Luis Donaldo Colossio is another sad example. In the midst of his political campaign Luis Donaldo Colossio – who was thought to have been appointed by his predecessor Carlos Salinas- felt the need to separate himself from Salinas during his speeches to indicate he was not a “puppet” of the Salinas Family.
This was “the game” both Salinas and Colossio were playing for some time, but apparently Salinas may have overreacted and spoke harshly of Colossio in his private parties and reunions with businessmen, politicians, high ranking policemen and military, and -as Loret de Mola suggested in his book- even members of the mafia. Mexican studies suggest that there is a very good probability that someone took the “loyalty” to Salinas to great heights and interpreted his anger at Colossio so seriously that they sent someone to kill Colossio as proof of their allegiance to Salinas.
The moral of the story is: Never doubt that Mexicans take loyalty to heart!
Given the history and evolution of loyalty and betrayal in a Mexican context, try to take a moment to think how your words or your silence, your body language and your facial expressions can be interpreted and how they can subsequently influence individual and team behavior.
Resistance to change or to the influence of foreigners is part and parcel of the Mexican culture and can be only worn down or won over with time and the building of trust.
Mexicans efforts to display loyalty is an entirely different issue demanding different cultural sensitivities. A simple harsh word, or dismissive glance by a person in a position of authority will be interpreted in a Mexican context as a damning condemnation and a call to action.
When in doubt, remember the fate of Colossio!
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Interesting
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