Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews

You may have already seen the list of cross-cultural and international people I recommend following on Twitter, if not be sure to have a look.  Many people share great cross-cultural insights in their Twitter feeds.

Below are the recommendations made by 21 people during my cross-cultural Twitter interviews.

Cross-Cultural People to Follow on Twitter

1. If you’re interested in China: @leslieforman – Anne Fox is an interesting lady so I’ve suggested she starts Tweeting about what she knows about this field etc @foxdenuk – @deborahswallow
2. @culturalworld Peter Fordos is a cross cultural trainer and I will be keeping an eye on his tweets – @ohh_la_la
3. Again, don’t really like picking favorites eg @TransDomo @intercultureNet @AAAtranslation @ExpatCoachMegan are good tweeps- @HoeferleConsult
4. You introduced to the discussion topic, so @CindyKing and friends like @HoeferleConsult – @dkiernan
5. Out of many a great person to follow is Olivier Blanchard @thebrandbuilder, a Business & Brand strategist living in Greenville, SC, born in France & tweeting about social media marketing & more – @transdomo
6. The person I’d recommend for cross-cultural tweets is @DeborahSwallow – @culturematters
7. Besides you? Difficult task… @RevezNexus is a Spano-French in London w shows how culture is crucial in 2.0 world – @tdebaillon
8. One cross-cultural person to follow is @CultureShocks Elliot Polak shares great cultural insights & case studies – @DR4Ward
9. I like @ChinaBlogTweets; @ExpMyCulture; @christinelu and of course my co-author Yang-MayOoi @fusionview – @XCulture
10. I don’t think I could name only one. But @classyadele is very smart. – @jackyan
11. That’s another tough question. I talk with so many people living here and there around the globe. But… @mayafrost She moved the family down to Buenos Aires, and has written a book about her experiences. Great insight/info. – @CotterHUE
12. I like Carmen ( @newdemographic ); she’s always interesting; and I recently discovered @CultureShocks via your list – so tx – @DoreenatDMS
13. I like @collazoprojects – US / Latam focus and international outlook – @pocketcultures
14. The Dalai Lama @OHHDKInfo ~he reminds us that we are all responsible for each other; to be kind for humankind – @psitutor
15. @culturalxroads , @vesnpalmer , @maelguillemot , @Travelwriticus , @GotSaga , @pplambert , @ralphtalmont , @Klearchos + all in the list: @culturalrealms/multicultural – @culturalrealms
16. One of my favorites is @suzannewhitby She possess exceptional cross-cultural skills. – @mintblogger
17. @chrisgarrett Bio: “Web geek and co-author of ProBloggerBook.com” He did a great podcast interview w/ @hdbbstephen. – @lyceum
18. I would recommend @HoeferleConsult. He works w/Volkswagen in Cleveland, Tennessee. Demonstrates the changing South(ern USA). – @SeanJamesOliver
19. I like following @bghansel & her blog “Intercultural Eyes” – @DavidComp
20. Oh, there are so many great people to follow! Here are a few I really like: @langwitches, @mscofino, @hcrompton — wonderful educators who are living the cross-cultural life. @MBAintheUSA – she writes for incoming int’l students, @chrisguillebeau – traveling to every country in the world – @CateBrubaker
21. In addition to the cross-cultural people I recommend here, I also like reading @openculture – @CindyKing

Who do you recommend following on Twitter for cross-cultural topics?

• Do you have any favorites in the people listed above?
• Who else do you follow for cross-cultural insights?

Please share your comments below.

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

21 Cross-Cultural People to Follow on Twitter

Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews

Are you interested in international business but need some inspiration. Here is a list of online resources collected during my Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews.

21 Websites for International Inspiration

1. Anne Fox at Absolutely Intercultural and Centre for Intercultural Learning in Canada. International.gc.ca – Good for research at least: Geert Hofstede and then compare with other info on the internet - International Business Etiquette – World Business Culture – Kwintessential - Fons Trompenaars very influential thinker on the subject. But not much free resource on the internet unlike Hofstede. – @deborahswallow
2. CBI.eu offers cross sectors market info. CyborLink has lots of local quirky facts in several countries – @ohh_la_la
3. Don’t have just 1 favorite website. Try the Goethe Institut – @HoeferleConsult
4. I sometimes read foreign local news sites. Local news is very real – real people in normal everyday things- @dkiernan
5. For information and business with Germany we like to use Germany.info we also love to browse news websites of foreign countries to read about their news from their perspective look up international newspapers at Headlinespot – @transdomo
6. My favourite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration is Internations.org – @culturematters
7. Twitter of course It’s an incredible way to find great people from anywhere in the world to discuss with – @tdebaillon
8. My favorite cross-cultural website is GlobalEdge – Great source for global business + culture – @DR4Ward
9. I like Public Affairs Asia Great resource if you are doing comms & public affairs work in Asia @XCulture
10. I should say one of our own, @Lucire (Lucire.com). I look at some back articles and I still get a lot out of them. – @jackyan
11. I’m not really sure I have a favorite website. A lot of my reading is on sites about language learning. For Japan-based, major newspapers get most of my attention. This helps me understand the country/culture. – @CotterHUE
12. For those interested in Canada, nfb.ca I also love TED for big ideas, and its diversity of speakers and opinions – @DoreenatDMS
13. To know what bloggers all over the world are saying – Global Voices Online: Global Voices and BBC Online for international news. Local newspapers are good too – @pocketcultures
14. Yours! ~:-) and also Cultural Moments has insightful posts that blend personal and professional development – @psitutor
15. Future Brand, http://landor/.com, Artlebedev, or any international news website – @culturalrealms
16. I find Wikipedia project acting as a central hub, where people from different cultures meet and interact…It’s like a big home where people live under one roof contributing and sharing their culture and knowledge. – @mintblogger
17. Your Posterous site is my favorite for international or cross-cultural inspiration: Cindy King’s Posterous – @lyceum
18. A few: Culture Matters, Zompist, Global Watchtower, Culture Shocks – @SeanJamesOliver
19. I’m into the research side of international education & exchange & the @NAFSA TLS community is a site I visit – @DavidComp
20. Two blogs I like: Intercultural Eyes and Visualsspeak – @CateBrubaker
21. One continual source of international inspiration for me is The Global Small Business Blog – @CindyKing

What Is Your Favorite Source Of International Inspiration?

• Does one stand out and resonate with you?
• Do you have another one to add?
• Do you have a favorite international news site?

Please share your comments below.

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

21 Websites for International Inspiration

Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews

Moving abroad for the first time can be daunting. And yet many international business professionals are faced with this option at some stage in their career.

The thought of living in a different culture raises a number of questions. And it’s natural to turn to others for advice. Here are some tips from twitter on what to do to make your move abroad an easy one.

21 Tips On Living Abroad

1. Know what your doing. Compare prices of movers. Haggle. Decide: Rent or Buy? Visit your destination prior 2 moving – @HoeferleConsult
2. Visit the country & talk to people who lived there, discard your expectations you have through books, movies or vacations – learning the language is essential but not enough …don’t underestimate cultural differences! If starting a company get cross-cultural advise. It’s disheartening to see, that so many companies from abroad fail in the US by not getting expert advise in cross cultural matters – Walmart in Germany could have been successful if they would have followed intercultural advisers - @transdomo
3. Expect the unexpected & to be challenged, be open-minded and flexible, learn the language… and finally…move out of yr comfort zone and the expat community – @culturematters
4. Study the language first. It will give u invaluable clues about socialization. Talk with people who lived where u go – @tdebaillon
5. A tip to people moving abroad is learn polite terms & greetings in host country & don’t be afraid to use them. – @DR4Ward
6. Listen 2 music by country’s most famous composer. Its spirit is part of personality of people u’ll have 2 work with – @XCulture
7. Really get in to your new culture and embrace it. You begin to value your own a lot more. – @jackyan
8. Don’t assume that your approach or solution, which may be common practice back home… is the default/preferred method. Culture affects how people look at problems and brainstorm solutions. In short, what may have worked back home may not work elsewhere!  Can I add one more comment on the last question?  Read, read, read! This will help you acclimatize. It will also help you lessen culture shock. – @CotterHUE
9. Engage with people before you go, build friends – @wisequeen
10. A tip for those moving abroad? Familiarize yourself with food, music, art; history can be gr8 icebreaker, equalizer to interact – @DoreenatDMS
11. Learn as much as you can of the language before you arrive. Helps you feel more comfortable in the first days and go with an open mind – expect things to be different – @pocketcultures
12. Be open to pushing your boundaries to “walk in their shoes”; e.g.,mostly I am vegetarian,except when I travel – @psitutor
13. Learn the language, visit the country beforehand & do some business with local people, before deciding to move there. – @culturalrealms
14. Before you move abroad, study the country and its history, read books, and talk with people living there. – @lyceum
15. Give yourself at least a month before you start working, and try to make friends pre-arrival, via web/Twitter. – @SeanJamesOliver
16. Attempt to learn the language & appreciate the way of life of the community you find yourself living. Also, have fun & explore! – @DavidComp
17. Embrace the experience you have, let go of unrealistic expectations. And get lots of sleep. Living in another country means going off cultural autopilot and that can be tiring! - @CateBrubaker
18. People moving abroad should take it seriously (even as permanent resident) and consider all parameters, exactly as investors do. – @MATCOM
19. Visit the place first – @JinanAlrawi
20. Make sure you check your assumptions! Behaviours may be different, and should be interpreted carefully. – @IENsinMB
21. Learn as much as you can before the move, but realize that you won’t learn everything about this new culture even after a year of living there.  Enjoy the experience and have fun. – @CindyKing

What Is Your Tip For Living Abroad?

Which tip do you like most?

• Do you have a favorite?
• Does one stand out and resonate with you?
• Do you have another one to add?

Share your tips on living abroad below.

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

21 Tips On Living Abroad

Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews

You need strong cross-cultural skills when you travel or live abroad and when you work or interact often with people from different cultures.

It’s not always easy to develop your cross-cultural skills because it requires a fair amount of personal work to get to know yourself better. But the rewards are often worth the effort.

Here are some tips from the Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview series.

21 Tips To Grow Your Cross-Cultural Skills

1. Understand that EVERYTHING in life is culturally coded from when we were very young. So we all think differently about things: our meanings for things are deeply buried in our unconscious mind, what is a business for? how we think about our boss; what is luxury; quality; love; etc.  Individualism in Far East seen as immaturity- @deborahswallow
2. Research and appreciate the cultural diversity of the market you are preparing to visit before you travel there – @ohh_la_la
3. 1st, understand your OWN culture -> try to be understanding of others’ backgrounds. Now meet half way for common ground.- @HoeferleConsult
4. Visit the countries, get to know the people, try and see the world through their eyes. Learn from the experts including @CindyKing- @dkiernan
5. Immerse yourself deeply into other cultures by living & working in their country for at least six months- @transdomo
6. One tip to improve your cross-cultural skills…Know thyself–>Listen & Observe–>Communicate… in that order! – @culturematters
7. Be less self-righteous than who you are dealing with. The more humble you are, the more you are going to gain.- @PicSeshu
8. Travel, as “bare” as possible. When you are in need of something, you see how people react to your misery. Discovering people when out of your comfort zone is the greatest lesson ever! – @tdebaillon
9. One tip to improve cross-cultural skills is understand your own values & attitudes 1st so you can compare & contrast – @DR4Ward
10. Develop ability 2 appreciate historical backgrounds Honor experiences that might contradict ur way of looking @ life – @XCulture
11. Put yourself in the other culture’s shoes and think about what stereotypes exist about your own culture. – @jackyan
12. Learn a foreign language. Language and culture are so intertwined that… to fully understand the psyche of another nationality, you must know the language… – @CotterHUE
13. Learn another language – @wisequeen
14. Practice patience & never underestimate power of observation & ability to listen; if u make an effort … prepare to be pleasantly surprised; people care about you when you care and are genuinely interested in them – @DoreenatDMS
15. Be flexible when facing different values – try to understand what reasons lie behind other ways of thinking – @pocketcultures
16. Get out there amongst it! As a global village most people have many ethnicities within their community~and then there is the Internet~Skye, chat rooms, online classrooms, forums, blogs, email, video etc – @psitutor
17. Travel & try to understand local cultures. That open minds, changes perspectives & creates cross-cultural skills. – @culturalrealms
18. Adapt to the occasion, learn different languages, respect other cultures AND don’t hesitate to ask. – @mintblogger
19. Take the jump and just “do it,” i.e., travel and move abroad. – @lyceum
20. “Common Sense”, and all our underlying assumptions about everything are learned, and vary between cultures. Interact with different cultures with the knowledge that things you take for granted as true, are not universal. – @SeanJamesOliver
21. Other ways of doing & thinking just might be better so enter with an open mind – @DavidComp
22. I’d say be curious. If you’re curious, you’re observing, listening, questioning, reflecting and learning – @CateBrubaker

What Is Your Tip To Grow Your Cross-Cultural Skills?

Which one of the tipdo you like most?

• Do you have a favorite?
• Does one stand out and resonate with you?
• Do you have another one to add?

Share your 1-word definitions below.

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

21 Tips To Grow Your Cross-Cultural Skills

Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews

After looking at some great definitions of culture, here are some even shorter definitions. This time in one word only. These are answers from Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for cross-cultural and international insights. These Twitter interviews are carried out in the spirit of having fun, so these one word definitions are not to be taken too seriously.

Of course, it’s difficult to come up with a definition of culture that resonates with everyone.  And it’s impossible to come up with a one word definition that appeals to everyone. This is part of the fun and depends on what you see in this one word.  But I do think this exercise helps us to see “culture” from different perspectives and broadens our understanding of how others perceive culture.

This is why I like combining several one word definitions and coming up with different associations to come up with a variety of different meanings.  This helps me to broaden my own understanding of culture.

One of the responses on Twitter was: Culture is Zappos.  Of course, this isn’t the best definition, but it certainly got me thinking.

21 Definitiions Of Culture… In One Word

1. Culture is reflection - @matthewbennett
2. Culture is a CODE - @deborahswallow
3. Culture is Life - @ohh_la_la
4. Culture is communication - @HoeferleConsult
5. Culture is values - @dkiernan
6. Culture is creativity - @transdomo
7. Culture is relative - @culturematters
8. Culture is infrastructure – @tdebaillon
9. Culture is communication – @DR4Ward
10. Culture is awareness – @XCulture
11. Culture is us – @jackyan
12. Culture is vital – @CotterHUE
13. Culture is life – @DoreenatDMS
14. Culture is identity – @pocketcultures
15. Culture is language – @psitutor
16. Culture is ethos – @culturalrealms
17. Culture is strength – @mintblogger
18. Culture is sense-of-life – @lyceum
19. Culture is shared/learned – @SeanJamesOliver
20. Culture is interesting – @DavidComp
21. Culture is perspective – @CateBrubaker

What Is Your 1-Word Definition Of Culture?

Which definition do you like most?

• Do you have a favorite?
• Does one stand out and resonate with you?
• Do you have another one to add?

As usual, please share your 1-word definitions below.

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

21 Definitions Of Culture In One Word

Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews

Culture impacts the way we live. It shapes all aspects of our lives. And yet, we often forget we have a culture. It’s only when we are confronted with different cultures that we realize it exists. With all of the differences in our perceptions of what culture is, it’s not surprising there are many different definitions of culture.

What is culture exactly?  What is culture?

This is the first question I ask on the Cross-Cultural Twitter Interviews I regularly conduct with the people on my list: Cross-Culturall & International People On Twitter. The answers are short and limited to a tweet or two.

Here are some great definitions of culture taken from these Twitter interviews in answer to the question: “What is Culture?”

21 Definitions Of Culture

1. Culture is the sum of a given society’s common history and its ability to reflect on itself. - @matthewbennett
2. Culture is the HEARTWARE of the Soul and the SOFTWARE of the Mind - @deborahswallow
3. Culture is a country’s culture entails attitudes, beliefs & values. Those shape each generation & are influenced by a multitude of factor – @ohh_la_la
4. Culture is the lubricant of daily life. A set of shared values & attitudes in a social group. An inherent code of communication. – @HoeferleConsult
5. Culture is how we relate to each other with respect to our beliefs and values - @dkiernan
6. Culture is created when the soul is rooted in tradition, the heart is learning by paradigm & action is influenced by society - @transdomo
7. Culture is everything we don’t talk about that we “know” is right - @culturematters
8. Culture is the ground over which we build our individual and collective behaviors – @tdebaillon
9. Culture is a way of life. The shared beliefs, attitudes&values of a group that are passed on, often without thought – @DR4Ward
10. Culture is the tapestry of our world. It contains our main points of reference and ways of relating to other people. – @XCulture
11. Culture is the collective achievements and societal norms of humankind – @jackyan
12. Culture is the foundation of a society. Everything done, everything said is because of the culture…  Culture affects language and business, family… every level of a society. You must know the culture to succeed. – @CotterHUE
13. Culture is a collective of shared values, customs, and attitudes; beliefs expressed through action, artistic or otherwise – @DoreenatDMS
14. Culture is a lens which filters how we see the world – @pocketcultures
15. Culture is meaning making through shared values and patterns of behaviour – @psitutor
16. Culture is a set of human interactions & tangible creations, based on learned skills, knowledge, values and behaviors…shaped historically, geographically, economically, socially, and individually. – @culturalrealms
17. Culture is a belief, a practice within a community without which nation will cease to exist. – @mintblogger
18. Culture is “the sum of the intellectual achievements of individual men.” Ayn Rand – @lyceum
19. Culture is the cumulative set of learned values and behaviors humans acquire, both intentionally and unintentionally. – @SeanJamesOliver
20. Culture is a shared way of living defined by the arts, communication, values, beliefs and history – @DavidComp
21. Culture is shared, learned, invisible, dynamic, created, transmitted …I like the “software of the mind” idea when thinking about what culture is – @CateBrubaker

What Is Your Definition Of Culture?

What do you think about these definitions?

• Do you have a favorite?
• Do any stand out and resonate with you?
• Do you have another one to add?

There’s more space below that on Twitter, so let it rip.

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

21 Definitions Of Culture

Cultural Perceptions

Women have to pay close attention to cultural differences in perceptions. Many times when you make a cultural blunder you don’t realize you’ve made one until much later after the damage is done. Sometimes you never learn of your mistake. And often you’ll realize your mistake when you see the damage it’s done. This is particularly true of non-verbal cross-cultural communication challenges.

I’ve had a couple of reasons recently to think about the cultural differences in how women are perceived and I’d like to share one of these stories with you. I’m fairly sure the woman in this example did not realize the different perceptions people had of her photo.

First Impressions Online Go Farther Abroad

We all know the importance of the  first impression we make.  And when you have a successful online presence it’s natural to want to reach international audiences too.

But what happens when you’ve jeopardized your international success just because you did something too close to the line of what is socially acceptable in your own country.  And it turns out to have a different impact in other cultures.

Wrong Assumptions

First here’s a little background information to keep in mind. As you can see, I’m a woman and I grew up with American television.

You might think that I react to American women the same as other Americans.  Well the trouble is that I’ve worked with many different nationalities and I’ve learned to understand how others perceive things differently.

At the time I started blogging I noticed another woman who also started at about the same time.  She was in the same networking sphere as I was.  So naturally I stumbled across her blog a few times and clicked on her about page.

Too Much Skin Sends Clear Signals

There was a rather seductive photo of a woman… it was a head shot taken from an angle above.  You could see lots of bare skin.  She was obviously wearing a strapless dress, except you just couldn’t tell there was a dress in the way the photo was taken.

The photo clearly stated that this blogger wanted to appeal to men.  And the men in my social networking group liked her.  But I was not who she wanted to connect with.

Sorry guys. I don’t have a link for you. The photo is no longer there. Besides I just don’t like giving press to people unless I really like them. This is yet another way where my culture differs from others.

When Different Cultures Pick Up Different Signals

This presentation of herself would have impacted both men and women from other cultures in different ways.  Of course in many cultures she would have had a certain popularity with the male readers.  But popularity based on what?

Some cultures may simply consider it an artistic photo that did not match the content of the blog.

In Muslim countries this particular photo would probably have been considered pornographic.

The rules of seduction vary in different cultures and these rules of seduction can impact all of our communication.  I personally do not take offense with a photo of a woman in a sleeveless dress.  But a woman in a sleeveless dress in a very suggestive pose does tell me that she is after someone else to read her blog and I lose interest.

Success And A Change In Direction

Almost 2 years later, this blogger is still there and her blog is growing very nicely.

I revisted her blog recently and noticed the bare skin photo was gone. There was extra text: text describing an “all American girl” type lifestyle.

She’s obviously trying to change her image. The trouble is that I still remember the bare skin photo just a short while ago.  There was a disconnect.

I wonder what challenges she’ll face in adjusting the first impressions her original readers had.  And I think she’ll have more troubles establishing credibility for this new image within the international community.

Show Respect For All Of Your Audiences Right From The Start

This raises the question of showing respect and following basic cross-cultural communication guidelines to all of your audiences right from the start.  Here are two things that could have made a difference in my eyes.

Clarity helps wrong assumptions on both sides. If this photo was a photography class assignment, a short mention of this together with some explanation on the connection to the rest of the blog content would have helped. It would have helped to keep a good impression with at least a portion of the international audience.

Maintain consistency for better credibility.  The stories I got from the two different about pages did not seem to come from the same person.  There’s probably a good explanation, but the transition was too brutal to maintain credibility.

This is just a little bit of effort to make to protect your reputation and credibility with a larger international audience.

What do you think?

• Do women have a harder time to manage their online credibility?
• As a woman, when would you wear sleeves online to avoid offending a wider international audience?
• Do you consider an online photo in a sleeveless dress a cultural blunder?

More on Cultural Perceptions:

• Cultural Perception Of The Use Of Information
• International Perceptions Of Obama’s Inauguration News Coverage
• One Eye Gives Vision, Two Eyes Give Perspective

More On These Get International Clients Business Guides:

• Connect With Your International Markets
• Culture Customized Content
• Cultural Web Tools

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

Cultural Perceptions Of Women Online

Cross-Cultural Differences

Cultural mistakes can happen when doing something as simple as setting an appointment. This follows on from by recent article on cultural confusion about the date of a deadline.

Here are five cultural differences in how we communicate times and dates that can lead to misunderstandings.

1. Fun With Half Hours

Some cultures use expressions where a “half hour” can mean 30 minutes before the hour referenced and not after the hour. This can lead to confusion when “half nine” means 8:30 and not 9:30.

This can happen when a non-native English speaker uses literal translations from their own language which uses such expressions.  But there are even native English speakers in some parts of the world who use similar expressions.

This type of mistake usually happens when speaking as most people write out the numbers.

Takeaway: Always be clear in how you say the time.

2. At Ease With 24 Hour Clocks

Here in Europe most businesses refer to time using the 24 hour clock.

The trouble is that there are many areas of the world where people are not at ease with this.  It takes them too long to calculate 16:00 as being 4pm. Confusion rarely happens with this, but it does make things easier for everyone and shows a bit more respect if you take the time to verify that everyone has the right time.

Takeaway:  Pay extra special attention to all references to time when dealing with people who may not be familiar with the 24 hour clock.

3. Different Dates

You also need to pay attention when writing numerical dates.  If you have an international audience it is much wiser to spell out the relevant month.  Instead of writing either “01.12.2010″ or “12.01.2010″ use either “12 January 2010″ or “January 12, 2010″

Most of the online forms have now solved this problem.  The confusion today is related to people not being aware of their global audience.

Takeaway: It is probably best to get into the habit of spelling the month when you can and then pay attention to clear instructions on all of the places where you have to use numerical dates.

4. Confusion With Next Tuesday

Another area of confusion is how some people refer to upcoming days of the week. If today is Monday December 28th and I refer to “This Friday” most people will understand Friday 1st January 2010.

The trouble is that not everyone would use the words “This Friday”. Some people would refer to Friday 1st January 2010 as “Next Friday”. It the next Friday to come.

Now I know there are grammar rule books that give the “proper’ way of saying this.  But you still need to communicate with different people who do not use the same rule book.

Takeaway: Use a date and if you do not have a calendar handy, explain what you mean.  ”Next Friday, in 4 days time” or “next Friday, at the end of next week”.

5. Acronyms For Time Zones

Navigating time zones for international meetings has become more complicated.   Not only do countries change the acronyms for their own time zones, but I have also encountered companies who use different acronyms for far away regions.

This can work within a company, but you cannot expect those far away regions to understand your own acronyms.  I won’t give any acronyms here because you should avoid them in all cross-cultural communication.

Speaking for time zones, if you are familiar with Greenwich Mean Time, did you notice that it now changes every summer?  So London is no longer on Greenwich Mean Time all of the time.  And did you notice how different countries use different start and end dates to change their summer time  zones?

Setting appointments across international time zones has become such a minefield that I now like to state the nearest big city for all people concerned when I confirm times.  This means there is no mistake with acronyms and the time for big cities can be found quickly online.  

Takeaway: Create a time on an easy to read global online clock and share the link.  Once you enter in your own time, let everyone check the time themselves.

Where Is Your Audience

Many people only think about the people they are interested in reaching.  There are also many people online who are not used to communicating with international audiences. And let’s face it… you need to pay attention to many little details if you want to communicate with international audiences.

But let me leave you a good reasons why you should remember to pay attention to these little details the next time you set up appointment with people who do not live next door to you.

Building trust across cultures is much harder to do.  You can lose it in a second… and you don’t always realize when you have lost trust.

People notice your cultural differences and these little mistakes stand out.  Your trust building capacity takes a hit when someone feels frustrated at having to make the extra effort to get an appointment right, or when someone feels hurt at having missed an appointment due to a cultural blunder.

No matter how much you appoligize and how well they seem to take it, cultural mistakes like these always make all of the other cultural differences stand out. The perception of dealing with foreigners is strengthened. And this is not the best environment to conduct business.

It’s just not worth it. A little discipline at this early stage can go a long way in building good international relationships.

Now over to you…

• What other cultural differences have you noticed people making that lead to confusion when setting up appointments?
• How do you make sure your international meetings are well organized?
• Do you have a favorite online world clock?

More on Cross-Cultural Differences:

• A Comparison Of Words In Different Cultures
• Cultural Differences In Doing Things
• Culture Changes How Brains Work
• Different Countries = Different Rules
• Different Eye Tracking For Different Cultures
• Free Courses, Content And Culture Scams
• Music In Cultural Differences
• Why These Colors?

More In These Get International Clients Business Guides:

• Connect With Your International Markets
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5 Cultural Differences In Understanding Appointments