Cross Cultural Communication - what about it?

After a recent workshop on Misunderstandings, Misperceptions, Missed Opportunities - the Challenges of Cross-Cultural Communication – I felt like I had just scratched the surface with a multi-lingual, multi-national, multicultural group. I would have loved to have the time to unpick the topic further with them all - so decided to explore it further via this blog.  

Yes, culture can interfere with communication in many ways. The misunderstandings, misperceptions and missed opportunities are real.

On reflection, I told myself that they already knew that – if not explicitly in relation to all the things we discussed, but they knew that intuitively. They had felt that in the different places they had lived, worked and built relationships; the boardrooms, schoolrooms, staff rooms, lunch rooms, living rooms, shops and cafes you’ve frequented. 

What do we do about it? 

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Saved Webinar: Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and Global Leadership

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Global leadership - the challenge of the 21st Century. 

What does a leader need to be effective in a global organization?  Leading people from different countries, different cultures, with different languages, experiences and perceptions can be challenging.

Research shows that cultural intelligence can make a difference in successful global leadership.  What is cultural intelligence (CQ)?  How can leaders increase their cultural intelligence and how will it impact their leadership?

These are the questions we focused on in this webinar.

I interviewed an expert in the field of leadership and Learning and Development and one of my favourite facilitators.  Kerry Rosser has worked with leaders at all stages of their leadership journey.  She has designed and facilitated leadership training at senior levels for some of Australia’s largest businesses, and coached leaders in executive roles. Her leadership development experience also includes training and coaching leaders from government and academia. 

With a degree in adult education and postgraduate accreditations from the University of NSW and Harvard University Kerry can help you with leadership skill growth.  Together we looked at how CQ can enhance your leadership skills in the global arena.

Can I trust you?

Recently in a coaching conversation I asked an expat to describe the leaders he had worked with since his arrival in Australia. His between coaching assignment (some might say “homework”) was to observe and reflect on the similarities and differences between leaders at home and the leaders he was currently working with in Australia. 

My coachee’s observations of his current manager were very positive.  He described a number of leadership behaviours he perceived as constructive and supporting effective team performance.  He ended with the observation, “I feel like I can trust him, you know?”

I do know, and it was a great reminder to me of the critical role of trust in multi-cultural teams.

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