International business
is a diversity challenge?
International business a diversity challenge? We have many international customers. A frequently asked question is how we deal with working in and with so many cultures including Dutch culture. Our founder Amrita Joerawan has been interviewed by the AD about this and this provides a very different perspective.
Read more here. In addition, she gives a number of tips to deal with international business in a better way:
Showing respect, listening and being empathetic.
Different culture means different ways of thinking, behaving, working and living. Imagine that you are in Kuwait and that Kuwaitis do not treat you nicely because they do not want to make the effort to understand you. You don’t want that, so don’t do it yourself.
Keep an open mind and be willing to have a "dialogue".
Work from positive intentions and partnership. If something isn’t clear or doesn’t feel right, talk about it and find a way to make it work. Usually, the other person is also open to this.
Just the basics here: look for training.
You can actually take a workshop/training, understand a different culture and/or read books or surf the internet for more information. Develop yourself. Invest in a sustainable relationship with your employer, business partner, and/or customer.
Above all, be inclusive.
Which basically means that you focus on the common values. Sometimes this can be found in just being human, sometimes in your goal, or even in the little things. Such as aspects of your work that you both enjoy. Shared values lead to a greater understanding.
Diversity: focus on your unique self.
The most important thing is: be yourself and stay close to yourself. Understanding who you are, what makes you happy and how do you want to see this in your daily life? Find ways to experience this feeling every day, including at work. If you think you shouldn’t be yourself, it may be time to have a good conversation with your leadership team and make adjustments and plans. Or maybe it’s time to say goodbye.
Get started today!
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