In today’s global workplace, language is often treated as a problem to be solved — a barrier to communication, a source of misunderstanding, or a trigger for status imbalances. But what if we flipped the script? Recent research I’ve conducted with colleagues suggests a powerful and underappreciated truth: language diversity in organizations can be a […]
Self-Discovery Through Global Work: Lessons from Siddhartha
It is almost ironic that it took me over 40 years to finally read the classic novel “Siddhartha” by author and compatriot Hermann Hesse – and only after my wife had discussed the book in her book club:-) The novel depicts the spiritual journey of self-discovery of the book’s protagonist named Siddhartha during the time […]
Is DEI Coming of Age?
As Mahatma Gandhi supposedly said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” A good sign that an initiative or social movement is receiving the attention it deserves is when it has to deal with relevant public resistance. And this is exactly what has been happening to […]
What if the tale of diversity and inclusion has gone wrong?
Modern technology, international business, cooperation through cross-cultural projects, a steady increase in the number of international travelers – shouldn’t it all bring people together and create more cosmopolitanism? Paradoxically, while having all these opportunities to connect, we seem to be moving further away from this ‘togetherness’, and, as current political trends indicate, towards separation and […]
‘Diversity’: Are We Talking About it AGAIN?!
Diversity is a decent word, isn’t it? It implies the notion of valuing differences, inclusiveness and equality. It stands against prejudices, discrimination and unfair treatment. We talk about Diversity in our effort to make all racial and cultural backgrounds equally matter, to provide women with fair opportunities, and to allow any other minorities feel safe […]
Latest Research: The Role of Global Leadership
The most recent DHL Global Connectedness Index, analyzing the state of globalization around the world, suggests that we don’t quite live in a ‘flat’ world. Indeed, in spite of visible global interconnectedness, the actual numbers related to international flows of products and services, capital, information, and people, show that globalization is much more limited than […]
EURO 2016 showcases the Multicultural Europe
In line with the popular movie-based expression ‘I know what you did last summer’, since last Friday we may be popularizing ‘I know what you did last evening’. For many this would imply the obvious—namely football (soccer)! Yes, the EURO 2016 has started, which means watching football matches, discussing teams’ odds to win, and reading […]
Color BLIND or Color BRAVE?
Let’s start with a small mental experiment today. Imagine you walked into a room of a major corporation and every single person in the boardroom was black. Wouldn’t you think this is weird? Now imagine that you walked into another Fortune 500 company and all people in the boardroom were white males… When will it […]
Autopilot Mode vs Cultural Intelligence
Have you ever experienced driving to your workplace and actually not remembering how you got there? I guess that might be a pretty common phenomenon, given that most of the time (experienced) drivers are planning for their day, having a conversation with someone, or engage in problem-solving while being on the road. Even without an […]
Diversity in Global Business: What to Pay Attention to?
Global businesses celebrate diversity. For example, Apple believes that diversity inspires innovation, American Airlines are convinced that diversity translates into business value, and Hilton Worldwide state that diversity is fundamental to their success. Indeed, as stated in one of my previous blog posts, research supports the benefits of diversity, showing its positive links to business […]
Unite to Make Diversity Work!
“Opposites attract” is an expression that has been popular for ages. I am sure we have all heard it in relation to romantic relationships, and reflected on whether the differences between people and the diversity in their personalities, interests, and backgrounds complement or challenge a relationship. A quick browse in the Internet reveals that there […]