Mindset In Cross-Cultural Communication

Sharing information is one of the enriching aspects of social media.  One of my Twitter buddies just forwarded me a link to an article in the Financial Times:

• Broadening Leaders’ Minds

This article outlines how people in management positions:

• Travel to different countries
• To broaden their own mindsets
• And how this in turn gives them more confidence

I have previously written about how international exposure improves your cross-cultural skills

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Mindset In An International Business Environment

On Get International Clients, I also advise businesses entering new foreign markets to concentrate on developing the right mindsets.  Sometimes an open mindset seems of secondary importance when you are busy with the business of going international.  And yet, your mindset can be crucial to your international business success. I have seen businesses fail primarily due to the inadequate mindset of the key people involved.  And I have also seen the reverse: someone with a business that appears to be of little value, makes it a success because the he has the right mindset. Throughout my career in international sales and marketing I have worked within many different international teams.  Most of these international teams were very positive working environments.  We all had similar levels of international skills.   People are much more effective and productive at work in a positive environment. But was there also another ingredient?

Personal Experience Builds Confidence

There was something else that struck me in this Financial Times article.

• The leaders who take the time to have a real business experience in an international environment come back with more confidence.

Confidence with an open mindset is essential to success in times of economic turmoil.

Confidence Through Creativity

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed listening to a short video by Clayton Christensen on the two common traits of creative people:

• In the early years of your life, living and observing parents who fixed things themselves instead of calling on someone else to do it.
• The confidence to try, and fail, and try again

This struck a cord with me, because this is exactly how I grew up.  Not only did my father fix everything himself , but I also saw him build a car, a boat, an airplane and even a hovercraft… all from scratch and going back to the drawing board many times before he got it right.   After listening to this short video I realized why I felt uber-confident in myself when I left home. As a parent, I wonder if I gave this to my children or not. And I also wonder if today’s generation will be less creative, and less confident.

Personal Investment For More Confidence

Developing cross-cultural communication skills is personal development.  You cannot learn them through study alone. You need to open yourself up when you interact with different cultures.  This takes personal energy. It also leads you along a personal development path.

I have often witnessed a strong own self awareness providing a leading edge in certain situations.

It is no surprise business professionals, who travel and invest in themselves in different cultures, come back with a renewed sense of confidence.

More On Mindset In Cross-Cultural Communication:

• Communication Across Cultures Is Better With A Whole Brain Approach
• Cross Cultural Vision Is More Important Than Learning International Habits
• How An Open Mindset Increases Confidence
• How To Acquire The Right Mindset For International Sales
• How To Identify An International Mindset
• The Secret Of Successful Intercultural Communication

Don’t Miss These Other Article On Mindset

• Mindset

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• Connect With Your International Markets
• Cultural Web Tools

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

How An Open Mindset Increases Confidence

Culture Videos

One of the Christmas presents I got this year means that I will be making more videos here and on Get International Clients.  This week it is still videos made by others.

Are any of you interested in international travel?

I found this video very interesting to watch.

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Brush up your international skills…
Watch more Culture Videos:

• A New Vision For Refrigeration
• A Short Comedy On Cultural Pronunciation
• A Tour In World Culture
• A World Tour
• Christmas Buffling In Britain
• Cross-Cultural Management and Diversity – Carlos Ghosn
• Cross Species Communication
• English Language Difficulties In Action
• Renate And Charly Dance Tour
• Telling Stories Of Our Shared Humanity
• The Buffling Phrases Britain Hates
• The Girl Effect
• The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights
• World View Of A Days Air Traffic

Use these skills in your international tactics on the…
Get International Clients International Sales Road Map:

Step 5 – Connect With Your International Markets Connect… • With culture customized content • With trust and empathy • With strong cross-cultural communication

Culture Customized Content • How can culture-customized content increase your international sales? Find out more in Step 5 on Get International Clients

Cultural Web Tools • How can you tweak your web site to improve your cross-cultural communication? Find out more in Step 8 on Get International Clients

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

World View Of A Day’s Air Traffic

International Business Development Strategy

Some businesses never establish an active international business development strategy because they think they will need face to face meetings with their prospects before any international sales come through.

It’s true; in the past some sales people reacted to an international customer inquiry by immediately scheduling a meeting, and then hopping on a plane.

Yes, face to face sales negotiations are important in establishing real client relationships.

In many cultures and in some industries it is the only way you can do business.

But times have changed a lot.

E-business is leaving traces of new negotiation practices all over the world. Even in cultures with strong face to face negotiation practices.

There are now many industries across a variety of cultures where international sales negotiations can take place without any foreign travel. And in many cases, business negotiations can take place with less foreign travel than in the past.

All companies worldwide are sensitive to economic competitiveness. Internet and good international telecommunication practices are affecting traditional cultural business negotiation habits in many countries.

Brick and mortar businesses are finding more and more instances where they can make international sales without travel. Prospects are more willing to do at least part of the sales negotiations by phone, by email, and by teleconference.

There will always be times when you will need to meet your prospects in person. But in today’s marketplace most businesses should not consider international travel a necessity for international sales.

At the very least, there is often a greater cultural acceptance of better foreign meeting planning.

Coordinating mutual travel schedules to coincide at industry events, for example, cuts costs and saves time for both parties.

Sales companies use yearly road trips combined with a regular communication strategy to keep costs down. You can do more through various telecommunications than you expect.

Don’t automatically assume that you need to travel to get international clients. And if you do feel your business needs foreign travel, improve your cross cultural communication skills to optimize the various communication channels available. Your foreign travel budget will drop drastically.

More On International Business Development Strategy:

• 5 Actions To Start Developing Your International Markets
• Action Strategy For International Business Development
• Aligning Your Questions To Build Your International Business
• Are People In Small Countries Better International Business Developers?
• Are You Outsourcing Too Much?
• Define International Business
• Global Or International Business?
• Is The Expense Of Foreign Travel Stopping You From Getting International Clients?
• Market Research For International Business Development
• New International Business Development Phase Today With The Right Marketing Mix
• Online Success? Study Traditional Paths To International Business Development For More
• Plans With Adaptability, Flexibility And Agility
• Small Businesses Need To Take Action To Uncover International Business Opportunities
• When Discrimination Is Useful In International Business

More In These Get International Clients Business Guides:

• Discover Your International Business
• Plan Your International Sales Road Map
• International Market Research
• International Web Visibility
• Connect With Your International Markets

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

Is The Expense Of Foreign Travel Stopping You From Getting International Clients?

Cross-Cultural Living

It’s Easter. Something a bit more fun today. Maybe you live near an unusual hotel others are interested in.

Unusual Hotels Of The World

This made me think.

I live near to a big famous French castle, Fontainebleau. My daughters grew up hanging out in the castle’s huge gardens during their free time on warm days. I don’t think they appreciate the life they had growing up.
It is true, we often get so used to our surroundings that we don’t see or appreciate them anymore.

Seeing these unusual hotels, I initially felt like traveling a bit. Now I feel like going for a walk with a different pair of glasses.

Brush up your international skills…
Read more on Cross-Cultural Living:

• 92 Ways To Say Happy New Year
• Can Flat Stanley Spend A Day With You?
• Card Giving In Different Cultures
• Cultural Differences Even In Washing Dishes
• Cultural IQ
• Differences In Copywriting Job Titles In French
• Different Names In The World
• Don’t Confuse Sales Method With Your Product Or Service
• Example Of Cultural Differences In Italian Politics
• Foreign Film Festival
• It’s All About The Offer – Let’s Refuel America!
• Living In A Multicultural America
• The Cross-Cultural Classroom
• Twestival 2009 Across The Globe

Use these skills in your international tactics on the…
Get International Clients International Sales Road Map:

Step 5 – Connect With Your International Markets Connect… • With culture customized content • With trust and empathy • With strong cross-cultural communication

International Business Success Basics • Do you feel at a loss with regards to dealing with international business? This guide gives you the background information you need right from the start.

Copyright Cindy King 2006-2010 - International Business Blog

Motivation To Travel?