Cross-cultural, intercultural and multicultural don’t mean the same thing.

Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they do, in fact, have very different meanings.

A question commonly raised during Middle East cross-cultural training is why the region is named this way.

Well, here's a really quick explanation.

This question is often asked in Indian intercultural training programmes.

"We don't get it! Why do they always nod? And in different ways too!?"

Culture is a complex thing.

It affects everything we do from the way we raise our kids to the way we do business.

Where did 'culture' come from? What does 'culture' do?

In order to understand cultural differences, you need to take a step back.

Does Cultural Awareness training work?

Will investing in such training really offer any sort of ROI and help your staff?

Foreigners working in Thailand can misunderstand the local culture in many ways.

Thais tend to be judged against values and standards that are alien to them which leads to their behaviours and actions being seen incorrectly.

Every country has its quirks, right?

Well, the Land of Hope and Freedom is no different.

Do you work with the Chinese?

A common challenge many foreigners come across is how to handle the word ‘no’.

What would you draw to illustrate the meaning of 'culture'?

This is a little exercise we commonly use in cultural awareness training courses to get people thinking about how culture works.

Could South Korea’s hierarchical culture have caused planes to crash?

If you work or do business with South Koreans, you really need to understand hierarchy.

Let's explore the definition of cultural awareness.

Within the training, education and research fields you will hear many terms, sometimes used interchangeably.

If you want to communicate productively with British colleagues and customers, then it’s important to understand the UK communication style.

This will help you to make a good impression and deliver your message in a way that gets the outcomes you need.

Managing people from different cultures can be a challenge.

Different viewpoints, needs and expectations can manifest in many ways within multicultural teams.

The recent surge of staff working from home has turned many leaders into ‘virtual’ leaders overnight.

In an environment where global collaboration tools are increasingly accessible, leaders are less likely to report technology as the biggest challenge.

Global virtual teams are nothing new.

However, they are predicted to become increasingly common due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you work with the Japanese, then you really need to understand the communication style.

Many a foreigner has made the mistake of believing ‘they all do business like us’.

Let's look closer at a few examples of cultural awareness.

They come from the real-life experiences of our clients as well as more high-profile examples.

Communicating clearly is crucial if you want to hit your targets on the global stage.

Learning how to shape your message and adapt your delivery to the audience, makes you more effective.

If you’re from the USA and work with the French, then it’s a good idea to understand the culture.

French people are incredibly proud of their heritage and cultural identity.