Jerry is the leader of an advertising agency team. The team is given the task of developing an advertising campaign for a manufacturing company’s range of power lawnmowers. The four members of the team are all from different cultural backgrounds, and they seem to be at odds with each other. Jerry(the team leader), an Australian, has a strong idea about what the campaign should look like. He talks about it a lot and tries to persuade his three team mates. But despite his very strong views, Jerry recognises the value of diversity and of different ideas. He makes it clear to his team mates that he welcomes alternative ideas and would be delighted if someone could come up with an idea that is better than his. His team mates look at each other cautiously. So far the only person who has responded to Jerry’s invitation is Elke, a recent immigrant from Germany. Elke has ideas about the lawnmower campaign that are not only different from Jerry’s, but are also diametrically opposed. Furthermore, she has had twenty years’ experience in the industry back in Germany and believes she has forgotten more about advertising than Jerry ever knew. She is not about to back down on her own ideas. She also talks – frequently and forcefully – about the new campaign. Jerry doesn’t agree with her and argues back loudly. But after all, he did say he valued alternatives.
The other two members of the team keep a low profile. Naoki, who was born in Japan, can’t stand Elke. “How dare she talk to the boss like that? Has she no respect for authority?”
It’s not so much that Naoki doesn’t agree with Elke’s ideas – in fact in fact he secretly thinks they are quite good – it’s rude and aggressive the way she presents them that he objects to, as well as her contemptuous way of treating Jerry as if she were his boss. Naoki would rather cut off his arms than to encourage Elke by supporting her ideas. So he sides quietly with Jerry and wishes Elke would go away.
