Blog

Cultural Dimensions Part II

In addition to my earlier article “Six essential cultural dimensions that will change how you view the world”, I would like to write about four other important dimensions that are worth considering when crossing cultures. The initial motivation was a colleague of mine who has asked me to design three more graphics as she would like to use them for her trainings. Very happy that…

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Building bridges with our stories: Silke from Germany

Sharing our personal stories and learning from each other is the most powerful way to find inspiration, community and growth. Gain a fresh perspective and expand your horizon! Silke from Germany shares with us how her husband’s sudden death abruptly ended her expat life in Mexico and what helped her and her four daughters overcome this tragedy. Silke is a very esteemed intercultural trainer colleague…

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Building bridges with our stories: Nancy from Mexico

Nancy from Mexico shares 3 secrets that made her bicultural marriage a big love story Sharing our personal stories and learning from each other is the most powerful way to find inspiration, community and growth. Gain a fresh perspective and expand your horizon! (versión original en español más abajo) Nancy, tell us where you are from and what motivated you to emigrate to Germany. I…

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From the trainer’s toolbox: The value square model

This model has proven to be very insightful during my intercultural trainings and I would like to share it with you. Originating from Aristotle’s virtue ethics, the model has been developed by Nicolai Hartmann/Paul Helwig and then became more popular though Friedemann Schulz von Thun, a well-known German psychologist and expert in interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. Where can it be applied? The value square model…

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Six essential cultural dimensions that will change how you view the world

Introduction In July 2019, I shared a selection of what I consider the most insightful cultural dimensions on my Instagram account. I felt that before looking deeper into a specific cross-cultural situation, it is important to learn about the main cultural differences that can be found across the globe. The so-called dimensions are exactly that, dimensions, a range, no absolute figures, no fixed point on…

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5 Essential Steps To Develop Your Cultural Intelligence

Cultural intelligence (CQ) ranks among the top “10 vital skills that you need for the future of work”, according to Forbes Magazine. “The path to a shared future is build on diversity and inclusion” writes the World Economic Forum. Globalisation and migration flows are already happening and we can only solve the big issues of our times and thrive in our careers if we are…

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“Hè hè”! Impressions from my first SIETAR Europa Congress

“Hè hè” is a hearty Dutch expression of satisfaction after a job well done or a hard day. It was explained to us by Aminata Cairo during her passionate keynote speech at the SIETAR Europa Congress and it perfectly sums up my current state. Now is the time to pause, put up our swollen congress feet, reflect on our take-aways and enjoy the feeling of…

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Ist für Expat-Ehefrauen mit 27 beruflich Schluss?

Der am 18.05.2019 im SPIEGEL erschienene Artikel „Expat-Ehefrauen – Wenn mit 27 beruflich Schluss ist“ provoziert und verlangt nach einem Realitätscheck! Ein Dilemma auf mehreren Ebenen Es herrscht in der Tat eine große Diskrepanz zwischen dem hohen Grad der Qualifikation und der Alltagsrealität einer mitausreisenden Partnerin. Es ist ein Dilemma auf mehreren Ebenen, für das es jedoch kreative und zeitgemäße Lösungen gibt. Frauen, die mitten…

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How a cultural chameleon sheds its skin

Did you know that chameleons shed their skin frequently? Chameleons renew their skin every three to four weeks when they are young and growing quickly. As adults, they shed around every two months to accommodate changes in weight and renew old scales. I consider myself a cultural chameleon because I grew up in several different countries until the age of 18, all of which are…

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