The first two years I lived in Germany I experienced a lot of frustration and sometimes downright despair. I often found myself confused and exasperated by customs and behavior I didn't understand. What really turned that experience around for me was being introduced to the field of intercultural communication.
That first class radically changed my perspective and made a huge impact on my life. I was able to stop interpreting German behavior, customs and attitudes from my own, personal, very American, perspective and start appreciating the Germans for who they were. That first class made such an impact on me, I knew I had to learn more. So after finishing my M.B.A. in International Project Management, I enrolled in another master’s program and received a certificate in Intercultural Communication and Cooperation. I was able to apply the knowledge I had gained in that program immediately to both my professional and private life. It made working with international colleagues and being married to a German infinitely more enjoyable! My personal journey and experience made me want to help others gain the necessary tools needed to push beyond the frustration and reach a point where they too could enjoy and appreciate the interactions they had with people from other cultures.
I’ve been teaching intercultural communication and sharing the experience and knowledge I gained living, learning and working abroad ever since. We all view the world through our own cultural lenses. Our culture has strongly influenced how we define what is right and wrong. It has taught us how to define appropriate and inappropriate behavior. But these definitions vary vastly from culture to culture. I truly believe that much of the frustration and conflict we experience when working together with people from other cultures can be greatly reduced by simply becoming more aware of the cultural dimensions that play a role in our daily lives.
We can't simply turn our cultural values on or off like a light switch. But I believe that the better we understand our own culture and why we think the way we do and why we behave the way we do, the better prepared we will be to communicate effectively with partners from another culture.
What I love about teaching this topic is that there is so much more to it than just the cultural elements. While that is an important component of what you learn, you're also learning about communication in general. Everything you learn in our workshops can immediately be applied in your daily life. It will make you a better, more confident communicator in every situation, not just intercultural exchanges.
When I first moved to Germany I was definitely too certain of everything I knew and not nearly curious enough about the country I was in. I thought I knew everything I needed to know simply by being there and experiencing life day-to-day. If I could do it all again, I would follow the advice of Diversity Trainer, Steve L. Robbins:
- Be less certain. Be more curious.
I invite you to do the same. Take the first step by booking a workshop with us today!