Exploring Diversity
Intercultural Communication
In the age of globalization, communication among different groups, companies and nations has been increasing exponentially. And still, any message has to be delivered accurately and in real-time. Mastering the appropriate methods of communication has therefore become more crucial than ever.
The way you express yourself in international business is key to opening doors in other countries. Your own personal way of interacting that has long been a guarantee for success in your culture may not have the same desired effect in other cultures. To unlock your full potential in different parts of the world, you need a deep awareness of your own culture, your own personality and that of the culture into which you intend to venture out.
You can benefit from the Intercultural Center Awareness Coaching that offers you a thorough coaching program to achieve a maximum of cultural awareness.
"The respectful dealing with diversity is one of the greatest challenges in political leadership"
Frederik Willem de Klerk, Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Most opinion leaders in leadership issues wonder whether managers really take the full advantage of the diversity of their teams, and whether they know how to use the full potential of their diverse teams. Like with other newly introduced programs, the company leaders have to start the process as best example. Therefore intercultural coaching starts with the leadership in companies, which is why we also call our program intercultural leadership coaching.
One of the main issues in intercultural coaching is the awareness that people stereotype one another. Here is one very simple example of stereotyped thinking:
An Australian asking a German guest: “Are all Germans planning their trips with so many maps?”
Answer from the German: “Dont know, may be just the ones with a bad sense of orientation.”
Quick one track analysis: The Australian implies that the stereotype of a well organized German must apply to every German born individual. The German replies as an individual who happens to have a bad sense of orientation.
There are hundreds of stereotypes in peoples minds. And there are just as many exceptions to those stereotypes as individuals are not defined by race, passport or gender but by their individual type. The intercultural awareness coaching program starts with breaking off thinking in stereotypes.
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