July 10, 2015
Not Waving but Drowning
Imagine the scene. I arrived at college full of excitement and a new-found sense of freedom. I was studying the subject of my dreams and…
July 7, 2015
How do You Learn Best?
When I was a student, I had to learn and remember a lot of information to pass my end-of-year exams, and I did so…
July 3, 2015
Deal or No Deal?
I hate negotiating. The problem is, I love a bargain! One of my favorite pastimes is pottering around antiques fairs, car boot sales…
June 29, 2015
The Value of a Quick Chat
It was a privilege to talk one-on-one with Margaret Heffernan – like having my own personal TED Talk. I met the business leader and author…
June 26, 2015
Gold Stars and Certificates
When I was in elementary school, the best part of my day wasn’t running around in the yard, or dreaming up impossible adventures with my…
June 23, 2015
Wanna Join a Team?
Justin Rosenstein, the co-founder of collaboration software company Asana, wondered, “Why do some teams march in unison and achieve big dreams, while…
June 19, 2015
Breaking the Ice With Your Virtual Team
I thought this "game" was going to be a waste of time. I already knew my colleagues well, and didn't see the point when we could be getting down to business! But I was wrong.
June 16, 2015
Get in the Zone!
It’s early morning on a day when most sensible people are still in bed. But I’m far from home, in a dew-soaked field, under an…
June 12, 2015
Tame the Communication Beast!
“Email, instant messaging, and cell phones give us fabulous communication ability, but because we live and work in our own little worlds, that communication is…
June 8, 2015
The Company You Keep
Professor Herminia Ibarra has coined a new word: outsight. She says it’s the opposite of insight, which she defines as “the flash of knowledge that…
June 5, 2015
Mind Your (Body) Language!
When dipping a toe into new cultures or visiting a country for the first time, the risk of committing an accidental faux pas is very real. At best, you suffer mild embarrassment, endure being the butt of a few jokes, and quickly make note of a lesson learned the hard way. In extreme cases, you may cause serious offense that cannot be laughed off as a simple misunderstanding. It's not just the inexperienced, individual traveler who "slips on the banana skin" of an unintentional faux pas. Sometimes, even multi-national business giants can make inexplicable and expensive gaffes, despite having the resources and expertise available to them so that they'd be "clued up" on the traditions, language and culture of any new market. And global statesmen, well used to striding across the international stage, can also "put their foot in it" with an ill-judged gesture. Luckily, in my own travels, I have avoided any major faux pas. All I have suffered is a little awkwardness in France, when I offered my hand in greeting to a matronly landlady, but was suddenly pulled in close for three kisses on the cheek! Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, on the other hand, fell foul of a misjudged hand gesture during his 1992 visit to Australia. Thinking he was offering a peace sign, he gave a palm-inwards "V" sign to a group of protesting farmers in Canberra – which is recognized as a crude gesture "Down Under." But George Bush Sr was outdone on the offending scale by one of his White House predecessors. On a visit to Brazil, then Vice President Richard Nixon hadn't even set foot on the ground when he gave an "A-OK" gesture from the steps of his plane. Unfortunately, it had a spectacularly different, and insulting, meaning in that country! It's worth remembering that most people will accept and understand that the perceived insult is entirely unintentional, and a swift apology will usually defuse an awkward encounter. But pre-warned is pre-armed, and our article today, Avoiding Cross-Cultural Faux Pas: Body Language, highlights some of the ways gestures and behaviors can be interpreted in different cultures and different countries. And the potential for error goes beyond physical gaffes. If you don't do your research into a country or culture, your business can suffer, too. A lack of homework cost U.S. DIY giant Home Depot® tens of millions of dollars in a failed bid to crack China. It opened 12 stores after its initial 2006 launch during a house-building boom in the country, but it hadn't counted on the Chinese perception of DIY. In the West, DIY is enjoyed by all levels of society but, in China, it is regarded as a sign of poverty and there is status attached in hiring other people to carry out work for you. Pepsi® might also have benefited from hiring a Chinese translator before exporting its former "Come Alive!" slogan. Legend has it that, in China, the phrase was interpreted as, "Bring your ancestors back from the grave!" It may have caused a few red faces at Pepsi HQ, but it didn't have any reported negative impact on sales. What’s the worst faux pas you've committed? Or have you ever been on the receiving end of someone else's unintentional insult? Join the discussion below!
May 29, 2015
Tick Tock…
Each person has his or her own particular strengths and skills at work. In the Mind Tools office, for example, we’ve got expert project managers,…
