How come we are so intent on assuming that complete strangers from the other side of the planet behave in the same way we do?
One reason is that we have internalised the values, attitudes and behaviours common in our own cultures; we no longer have to think about what to do or say in a given situation, we just know. At work we ‘know’ how to tackle problems, how to communicate with people and how to build relationships – and what we ‘know’ is what we have taken in from observing the world and the people around us. In reality, of course, what is ‘natural’ to a person from one cultural environment is not actually all that natural to someone from a different culture. In international business serious problems can arise because cultural ‘mistakes’ that often do not become apparent until the damage is done – if they were obvious, most of us would not make them.
Global Excellence’s Cultural Awareness Training programmes are a fast and cost-effective way to acquire the information and confidence you need to develop successful working partnerships with counterparts across the globe. These programmes are packed with essential advice and cultural information for anyone working closely with international counterparts, and introduce effective, practical strategies for enhancing cross-cultural effectiveness at work.