Did you know that you listen with cultural ears and see with cultural eyes? What I mean by that is that how you interpret what is being said or written has been culturally conditioned. When listening and seeing you not only decipher the meaning of the words but you also interpret the tone of voice, body language and sentence form….read more →
Do you adapt first within your intercultural context? If you do — bravo! That means you don’t a keep a who-should-adapt-to-who-first score card. You also know how to adapt to another culture’s customs and values, such as how to express politeness. However, are you able to adapt how you speak and listen when using English as a second language with…read more →
Taking risks of any kind is uncomfortable for many people. Speaking a foreign language, adapting to understanding different accents and styles of speaking, as well as not knowing what is appropriate to say, and what is taboo, can cause you to doubt yourself. Within intercultural business contexts you can begin to lose confidence in your ability to communicate well. Accept…read more →
Managers need to communicate as effectively as possible. This is especially true within intercultural business environments in which the need to communicate quickly, and navigate the countless intercultural communication unknowns, is leading many managers to question their communication skills. Clients often express such doubts to me. They wonder whether how they learned to communicate in the past in their own…read more →
If you were trying to improve your performance in sports, dance or music, would you simply read about how to improve them? Of course not. Instead, you would hit tennis balls or practice tango steps or play piano scales over and over again, day after day. But if you want to improve how you speak English as a foreign language,…read more →
Some of my clients make great leaps in expanding their intercultural communication skills in English as a second language. They often tell me that they could not have imagined before working with me that being an effective intercultural communicator was as straightforward as it has turned out to be. The speed and ease with which communication improvement can take place…read more →
In an increasingly interconnected world, intercultural communication skills are more important than ever. Many of us are finding ourselves conducting business with people from a variety of cultures. Such contexts require the creation of new communication practices that go beyond simply the mastery of whatever language we are using. I’ve identified seven communication habits of highly effective intercultural communicators, drawn…read more →
Have you been working in an intercultural context now for several years? Do you consider yourself a “senior” and believe that there is really not much more you can learn, with the result that you have stopped trying? The “seniors” I meet in my work may not be senior in years but they are old in their attitude to change;…read more →
The hospitality industry places emphasis on instructing employees how to consistently interact with customers in a way that reflects the brand of an establishment. Sometimes the background for this can come from vision or mission statements, such as that of Hilton Worldwide, which is “To fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” No less than that. More…read more →
Have you ever been told that you have to adapt? Whenever the word “adapt” is used within intercultural contexts, people often interpret that to mean they are “wrong” and that someone else is imposing what “right” is. As a result, resistance to adapting is common. Even when they accept that they need to adapt, they are confused about exactly what…read more →
This is the year you have decided to become a more effective intercultural communicator? Bravo! You can purchase and download my eBook, along with an 80-page workbook. Not sure? Read a free extract. Questions? Just ask.
