I just returned from a trip to Hyderabad (visiting my Indian colleagues and teams that work on the corporate transformation program I’m leading for a European retail company) when I came across an interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai. He…
Read MoreHow to lead cross-cultural teams, particularly teams where East meets West? What are concrete things you can do to help your global team in real-life business situations? This was the topic of my recent keynote at SIETAR Europa’s congress in…
Read MoreWhen working with cross-cultural teams, especially teams where East meets West, team members can have very different perceptions of authority. Are you aware that these different perceptions affect the functioning of your team, and your role as a business leader?…
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago, I advised and facilitated newly formed Indian-Dutch business teams – this in the context of a recent acquisition of a Dutch and very innovative SME by an Indian multinational in the pharmaceutical sector. I (myself…
Read MoreIn global teams, team effectiveness is not only impacted by personal (people’s characters and temperament) and organizational (level of team alignment from the start) elements. There are important cultural elements at play as well. Cultural elements that can, if not understood and properly addressed, quickly lead to frustration and ineffective teams.
Read MoreDo business leaders and HR departments pay sufficient attention to equipping people preparing for international assignments, as well as managers leading cross-cultural teams, with sound cross-cultural leadership skills? Research conducted at Dutch Neyenrode Business University suggests they don’t. And that’s…
Read MoreDo you want to be successful in doing business with the Chinese? Do you want to build lasting relationships? Then understand why learning Chinese business etiquette will be important, but not enough. Your company is looking for a Chinese business…
Read MoreHow to Boost Your Cross-Cultural Leadership Skills.
Learning to understand and getting comfortable with the deeper level of a culture that is not your own requires a certain mindset. A mindset that can significantly improve your effectiveness in cross-cultural settings.
Jacques Rogge, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), speaks with a surprisingly soft voice. I had the chance to meet him last week, when he – invited by The Antwerp Forum – shared his insights on ‘How to…
Read MoreThe other day I watched a political leader proclaim with great pride what a huge success this compromise was. How they had reached it after long and exhausting negotiations. This was truly a great solution that would change the future…
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