Avoid These 9 Behaviors If You Want To Be A Global Success

If you are in business – let’s suppose you are, whether you’re in business for yourself or employed – then chances are you have been making plans to further your career. Let’s also assume that your plans for the current fiscal year include strategies on how to improve your success rate. And since nearly every business these days is global, …

Where You Are Born Influences the Person You Become

As early as the fifth century, the Greek philosopher Thucydides contrasted the self-control and stoicism of Spartans with the more indulgent and free-thinking citizens of Athens. Today, unique behaviors and characteristics seem ingrained in certain cultures. Italians wildly gesticulate when they talk. Dutch children are notably easygoing and less fussy. Russians rarely smile in public. As developmental psychologists, we’re fascinated …

Cultural work in a post-truth, narcissistic world

This November I attended a SIETAR meeting for the first time. Not sure why it took me so long to engage with intercultural professionals and educators at this level. I certainly recommend you don’t wait as long as I did. The gathering I attended was the annual conference of SIETAR USA in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The convention officially started on the …

We’re in the human dignity business

Guest blog by Jerry Redman, Co-Founder and CEO of Second Life of Chattanooga One of two things usually happen when I’m asked what I do for a living: upon hearing the answer many folks immediately appear very uncomfortable, or others launch into a lengthy series of questions and comments about our work, the issue of trafficking itself, their outrage that …

Putting an end to exploitation

In order to understand and to adjust to cultures and behaviors we don’t like or find “strange,” it is helpful to remain open for the signals we receive from people around us. Especially from people who we might label as being “different” or whose behavior we interpret as “weird.”  To allow input even though it’s uncomfortable, to not look the …