Category Archives: Communicate across Cultures
Think in a Foreign Language to Weigh Global Business Risks and Rewards
A new study published in Psychological Science finds that thinking through issues in a foreign language reduces bias, producing a more balanced result. In other words, how an issue is described (whether as a potential gain or loss) in … Continue reading
Fuse Your Teams Like You Fuse Cuisine
If you fuse your cuisine–like Chinese and Mexican, or Ethiopian and Spanish–why not similarly blend your global business teams? In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Northwestern University Kellogg School Professor Jeanne Brett argues for just that. Adeptly fusing multicultural … Continue reading
Alliances are Key to Effective Global Leadership
Executives who lead teams globally know how hard it can be to maintain alliances with colleagues across cultures and time zones. Yet, to lead effectively, executives must build strong relationships up, down and laterally–and make those relations stick across the … Continue reading
How Foreign Accents Can Impact Business Results
Foreign accents make a bigger (and more negative) impact than previously thought, new research from the University of Chicago shows. A recent study proves that listeners subconsciously mistrust messages received from people with foreign accents–and the mistrust grows with heavier … Continue reading
Knowing how another culture thinks = Payoff
Sitting in Lufthansa’s business lounge at the Frankfurt airport yesterday, I couldn’t help but overhear my neighbors: tables and tables of business folks, all speaking different languages, and using Frankfurt as a gateway to far flung destinations. And so, it … Continue reading
How one Memphis architecture firm developed Chinese business (and you can, too)
Memphis architecture firm JMGR Inc. probably never expected to be doing so much business in China. As The Commercial Appeal describes, it all started when JMGR hired Kai Wang, a Chinese architect wanting to learn American hospital design methods. A … Continue reading
The Cost of Business Gaffes across Cultures
Cross cultural business gaffes aren’t just embarrassing. They can be expensive, too. The Wall Street Journal explores the financial cost of such cross cultural mistakes in “Expanding Abroad? Avoid Cultural Gaffes” (1-19-10 by Emily Maltby), showing how the lack of … Continue reading
Respond to Your Clients Values: Lessons from Mary Kay in China
Mary Kay is the quintessential, American, direct-sales success—and, against odds, it has taken that success to China. The company faced roadblocks, including Chinese laws that forbade direct sales (until the law changed in 2006) and Chinese consumers’ lack of interest … Continue reading
Tap into Your Clients’ National Pride
How proud are your foreign clients of their native country? Quoting a recent poll from the Reputation Institute, The Economist reports that, out of the 33 countries surveyed, Australian citizens ranked highest in their trust, admiration, respect and pride in … Continue reading
Take Advantage of Interns’ International Insights
According to today’s Wall Street Journal, companies trying to cut costs during the global recession are taking advantage of an underutilized labor pool: talented interns. As the Journal explains, internships don’t require a lot of money or time to get … Continue reading