Cultural Intelligence and Authentic Expression in Global Workplaces

Ever wondered how to stay true to yourself while working with people from different cultures? It’s that moment when you’re not quite sure if your message will mean the same thing to someone from another part of the world. 🤔

I’ve spent 30 years helping professionals from different countries communicate better, and I’ve learned something important: being authentic means different things in different cultures. What works in one place might not work in another – like being direct in New York versus being subtle in Tokyo.

Here’s something interesting I learned from Erin Meyer’s Culture Map: Different cultures communicate in different ways. 🌏 In many Asian countries, people often share meaning through context and subtle cues, while Western businesses tend to prefer clear, direct messages.

https://my.cgu.edu/career-development/communication-and-cultural-intelligence-in-the-workplace/

I recently worked with a talented Asian leader who thought she wasn’t direct enough for her American workplace. By learning about cultural intelligence (CQ), she found ways to adapt her communication while staying authentic – and got promoted within six months.

Here are three ways I’ve seen people successfully bridge cultural differences:

• Change how you communicate while keeping your core values
• Focus on understanding ideas rather than judging accents, and welcome different ways of expressing thoughts
• Show respect by learning to say people’s names correctly and valuing their different viewpoints

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-tips-developing-cultural-intelligence-thriving-culturally

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Tell me in the comments – what’s your biggest challenge when communicating with people from different cultures?