Emotional Competence in Cross-Cultural Interactions

I've taught Indian culture to Chinese professionals, American culture to Korean students, and trained British teachers on how to teach English in China. What tied it all together? Communication beyond comfort zones. In a world that's more connected than ever, cross-cultural communication isn't optional—it's essential. Whether you're leading a global team, coaching diverse clients, or teaching across borders, this one skill can make or break your impact. Here are 4 tips to master it: 1️⃣ Listen Beyond Words: Culture speaks in tone, silence, and gestures. In China, a nod might not mean agreement—it might mean "I'm listening." 2️⃣ Adapt Your Style: Americans value directness. Koreans respect hierarchy. Indians may prioritize context. Shift your language and tone based on audience. 3️⃣ Use Universal Anchors: Stories, emotions, and metaphors are universal. When I used Bollywood examples in Beijing, it built instant bridges. 4️⃣ Stay Curious, Not Critical: Instead of judging what's "right," ask, "Why is this different?" That mindset opens conversations, not conflicts. 🌍 Communication is not just about speaking a language—it’s about honoring the world that comes with it. Want to build your cultural fluency as a speaker or coach? DM me “Global Communicator” and let’s chat! #CrossCulturalCommunication #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationCoach #SpeakWithAmee #GlobalLeadership #CulturalFluency #SoftSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #crossculturaltraining

🔥 “I Did Everything Right… So Why Is My Global Team Struggling?” You shared the project plan. Everyone speaks fluent English. The timeline’s clear. But your team still feels…off. Deadlines are slipping. Feedback feels flat. You’re rethinking every message, every meeting. 🧠 Here’s the truth: Miscommunication isn't always about language—it's about meaning. And global leaders who miss that… lose trust, time, and talent. To lead across cultures with clarity, you must understand the following: 1️⃣ Cultural Competence Is a Core Leadership Skill It’s not “extra.” It’s essential. Leading across cultures demands more than project plans—it requires the ability to understand what motivates, offends, or connects with people from different backgrounds. 📌 Start treating cultural competence like emotional intelligence: build it, practice it, and lead with it. 2️⃣ Miscommunication Is About Meaning, Not Fluency It’s not just what you say—it’s how it’s heard. Someone nodding may not mean agreement. Delays in follow-up may not be a sign of laziness—but rather a symptom of confusion or a cultural hierarchy. 📌 Create space for clarification. Normalize asking, “What does this mean in your context?” or “What’s the usual way this is handled where you are?” 3️⃣ Good Intentions ≠ Inclusive Impact 🧠 Caring is not enough. You may value inclusion—but without tools to spot blind spots, your team may still feel left out or misunderstood. 📌 Invest in reflection, feedback, and ongoing learning. Inclusion is a practice, not a personality trait. 💡 When you shift your mindset, you shift your results. 👉 Ready to Go Deeper? If this resonates with you and you're ready to lead your global team with more clarity and less miscommunication, I'd love to chat. Book your FREE Cultural Clarity Call — a short, no-pressure conversation to uncover the hidden cultural dynamics quietly limiting your team's performance. #MasteringCulturalDifferences #GlobalLeadership #CulturalCompetence #InterculturalCommunication #LeadershipDevelopment 

In every household, there is a person who stacks the dishwasher like a Scandinavian architect and a person who stacks it like a raccoon on meth. In every cross-cultural project, there are people who follow systems and templates and people who creatively forge a path. How do you load the dishwasher? Silverware up or down? Bowls in the front or the back? For some, it’s just domestic comedy. For others, it’s a frustrating debate. And what does this have to do with dealing with emotions and cultural differences? I once worked with a project team including people from Brazil, Germany, and the United States. They got stuck on something as simple as a product launch checklist. The German colleagues insisted: every step needed to be documented, signed off, and followed in order. The Americans were focused on speed and outcomes – “good enough” to hit the deadline. The Brazilians? They improvised, adjusted in real time, and expected the others to stay flexible. This is where Justin Bariso's 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙪𝙡𝙚 can be helpful: There’s more than one way to load a dishwasher. That’s Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in action: recognizing that people have different styles, and our job as leaders isn’t to micromanage, but to create psychological safety. Stanford professor Michele Gelfand extends the dishwasher metaphor to Cultural Intelligence (CQ). Some cultures (like Japan or Germany) are 𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 with lots of rules. Others (Greece or Brazil) are 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 with more flexibility. That’s why what feels 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 to you might feel 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚 to someone else. Jessica Stillman sums it up nicely in a recent article for Inc. Magazine (🔗 link in my comment below). Now, let’s add the third element I work with every day: AQ (Adaptability Quotient). What happens when your way of loading the dishwasher – or running a project, or leading a team – clashes with someone else’s? Do you double down, or do you adapt so collaboration can move forward? Without Adaptability, global projects stall. What makes a team successful isn’t deciding whose “dishwasher method” is right. It's about adapting to blend structure, speed, and flexibility. In global business, the dishwasher isn’t the only thing on the line. M&A deals, cross-border teams, and leadership trust often falter not because of strategy, but because of mismatched expectations and an inability to adjust. That’s why I talk about 𝗔𝗖𝗘-𝗤, the trinity of power skills: AQ+CQ+EQ Because whether it’s dishwashers at home or deadlines across continents, leaders who combine all three move things forward. 👉 When have you had to adapt your “default setting” to make global teamwork actually work?

He couldn’t say no. So he asked me to say it instead. 🫢 The client was a Chinese tech brand. They wanted to launch an international campaign - to counter some negative foreign press. But they had: ❌ No proof points in-market. ❌ No physical presence. ❌ No clear messaging. ❌ No strategy. TL;DR: It wasn't going to work. Getting traction would be like drawing water from stone. So my colleague - also Chinese, and the client's trusted comms advisor - reached out to me privately. “You need to tell them we can’t take this on. They’ll hear it coming from you. But I can’t say no.” Translation: "Play the cultural interpreter card. You can say things I can't. Saying no could cost the relationship." Sure enough, I shared my recommendation: Stay the course. Don't launch yet. They listened. Nodded. Agreed ✅  No tension. ✅  No drama. ✅  Project shelved. ✅  Relationship intact. Later, I reflected. We often talk about cultural differences as barriers to overcome. But sometimes - culture is a card you can play. It's not that my colleague lacked insight. Or that he hid behind me. But in his context, a direct “no” could've cost him the client's trust. Because power, trust, and truth move differently across cultures. In multicultural teams, one of the most underused skills is this: 👉 Strategic delegation of voice. Knowing who should say what, to whom, and how - to get the message across without breaking the bond. It’s part emotional intelligence. Part cultural fluency. And part respect for what’s unspoken. 🧭 So if you work across cultures, ask yourself: Who can say this without backlash? Who holds perceived neutrality here? How can we share truth - without forcing someone to break their cultural code? Have you ever been the one asked to speak up when others couldn't? Let’s hear your story below. #CulturalIntelligence #ExecutivePresence #CrossCulturalLeadership #StrategicCommunication #LeadershipDevelopment

The Best Career Lessons Often Come from Unexpected Places.💯 I used to think a "good boss or supervisor" is simply someone who always gives clear instructions and timely feedback. Then I started working with Mr. Fu🇨🇳 who I call my Chinese Dad.(我中国爸) Our relationship taught me that the deepest professional respect often lives in the nuances of cultural understanding. At first, our styles seemed different. But instead of seeing this as a barrier, I saw it as a bridge. I learned the power of: ✅Indirect Communication: Not every suggestion is a blunt directive. Sometimes, the gentle hint is meant to give you space to find the answer yourself, fostering true independence. ✅Long-Term Harmony: This isn't about avoiding conflict, but about resolving it in a way that preserves respect for everyone involved. ✅Quiet Competence: The loudest voice in the room isn't always the most knowledgeable. I've learned to appreciate the immense value of listening deeply and speaking with purposeful intent. Although most Chinese have loud competence 😂💔 Working so closely with Mr. Fu and Chinese has been one of the most valuable experiences of my career.🚀 When we embrace the opportunity to work with people from different races, cultures, and backgrounds—especially from a rich and complex culture like China's—we don't just become more empathetic colleagues; we become sharper, more innovative, and more globally-minded leaders.✨💫⚡️ The future of work is global. Are we ready to learn from each other?🌚 Yes I am. ✅💯😁🙏🏾 #GlobalTeam #CrossCulturalCollaboration #Leadership #DiversityAndInclusion #Management #CareerGrowth #China #CulturalIntelligence

Happy Friday! Let's close the week expanding the discussion around #trust. 🌎 A significant challenge I encounter in assisting clients within #multicultural #organizations is fostering the realization that concepts we often view as universal may not be as universal as we think. ➡️ For example, let's think about #trust. While the concept of trust is recognized across cultures, the behaviors and actions associated with building trust can vary significantly. 🤔 Think about it - What does #trust mean to you culturally speaking? How do you identify someone as #trustworthy? How do you recognize #trust? Are you 100% confident that everyone will understand #trust the same way as you? 👨👩👧👦 In mine and my clients' journey, the distinction between #task-based trust and #relationship-based trust has been particularly illuminating. 🇺🇸 🇩🇰 🇩🇪 In task-based trust cultures (like the U.S., Denmark, Germany, Australia, and U.K.) , trust is largely built on cognitive aspects—#skills, #accomplishments, & #reliability. Measurable outcomes and objective evidence of competence are often prioritized. Here, trust emerges from a proven track record of performance and the consistent delivery of results, the ability to meet deadlines, achieve targets, and demonstrate expertise. 🇨🇳🇧🇷🇸🇦 🇲🇽 In relationship-based trust cultures (such as China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Latin America), the essence of trust is generally rooted in affective aspects, prioritizing emotional #connections and personal rapport over purely professional interactions. This dimension of trust emphasizes the value of interpersonal #relationships, nurtured through shared experiences, empathetic interactions, and a profound understanding and respect for each other. Trust, in these settings, evolves from the quality of personal bonds. ⚖️ Neither approach is better than the other, and, this doesn't mean that task-based cultures ignore personal connections and that relationship-based cultures ignore work ethic. But when these personal or cultural distinctions manifest in the workplace, it can lead to significant #misunderstandings, resentment, low engagement, and consequently, decreased productivity. How many times have you seen this? 🤔 🙎🏽♀️ 👩🏻🦰 👨🏾💼 👨🏻💻 Hence the importance of a #culturally #intelligent #leaders: In a multicultural workforce, recognizing and adapting to these diverse interpretations of trust is non-negotiable. It's about learning, adapting, and fostering a workplace where every team member, regardless of their cultural background, feels understood, valued, and, ultimately, trusted. Need help developing your managers' and leaders' cultural intelligence & leadership skills? I can help: https://lnkd.in/d-DkRnaP #LeadershipDevelopment #CulturalIntelligence #Trust #MulticulturalTeams