Articles with tag “culture-gaps”
Being Welcoming - Tips
So, you're at a party. The host introduces you to a Russian client who has just arrived in the country and speaks minimal English. You want to connect, but you feel embarrassed and conscious of the huge cultural, conceptual and language abyss that lies between you!
At Support You we've …
Being Welcoming - Networking
This is the final part of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
If you are shy, but still want to be kind to this newcomer, use your networking skills. Rather than suffer in ominous silence, tell them you want to introduce them to …
Being Welcoming - Be Inclusive
This is part 9 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Be inclusive. Encourage the person to join your group or to go up to the buffet with you. Don't smother them, but gently and respectfully include them.
Being a foreigner is exhausting …
Being Welcoming - Don't Overwhelm
This is part 8 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Don't overwhelm the other person. Pauses in conversation are OK. In fact, conversational pauses are different lengths in different languages. At a party, it's OK to sit together and be quiet, doing …
Being Welcoming - Your Background
This is part 7 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Explain a little bit about your background, family, country, work. don't be too dominant though. Gauge how interested this person is in learning about you, and share accordingly.
They may not have …
Being Welcoming - Avoid Stereotyping
This is part 6 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Don't sterotype the person! We all think we don't do it ... but we all do! Just think what you think about people from a particular country (America, Germany, China, Nigeria...)
Don't assume …
Being Welcoming - Beware Unknown Politics
This is part 5 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Try not to assume anything about the other person's political views. Something that may seem absolutely obvious to you may seem very different from their perspective. So don't start conversations with your …
Being Welcoming - Ask About Home
This is part 4 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Ask about their country: the food, the weather, transport, the terrain, music, art, what is best to visit as a tourist (or not as a tourist, if you're like me - I prefer …
Being Welcoming - Use Humour
This is part 3 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Use gentle humour. It works!! Be open to gently laughing at yourself or your culture. (But be very careful not to laugh at them or their culture!) There is nothing like someone …
Being Welcoming - Start Gently
So, you're at a party (see the first post) and you're wanting to connect with someone froxm another country.
This is part 2 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Approach the conversation gently. Be kind, but don't be over-intense. If you have …
