Reaping the Full Benefits of Foreign Investment Requires ICE-Q

The nature of a multinational company (MNC) is to invest capital in markets outside of the country in which it began its operations. Typically, this business activity is called foreign direct investment (FDI). For open economies to flourish, cross-border trade is essential. Another critical factor for successful international business is ICE-Q – a combination of three essential, durable skills: subject …

The One Goal You Can Set for a Positive 2022

Around the turn of the year magazines, news outlets, social networks, blogs, podcasts, and all sorts of other media are full with ideas and tips around making New Year’s resolutions. Some of you might be aware of the dirty little secret to this culturally motivated routine of making commitments to significant, meaningful, and lasting change: More often than not this …

Why Our Delight Should Matter to You

When you search for a consultant, a coach, or a trainer, you probably are not seeking mediocrity for your organization. Right? That’s why we’re delighted to share with you a distinction our founder recently earned from one of our partners: IOR Global Services named Christian Höferle Trainer of the Year – Excellence in Innovation! How is this relevant to me, you ask? Since …

Coaching with Cultural Competence for ICF’s International Coaching Week

Working with clients from around the globe, our trainer and coaching team is often confronted with people who don’t share the same cultural background as them. The relationships between a coach and their coachee develop quite differently when first languages aren’t the same or when the formative influences of culture are dissimilar. The International Coaching Federation recognizes this and offered …

Making a Home Across the Atlantic and Back

Music industry executive Patrick Joest shares his experience of being a German-Argentinian Jew in different cultures For years he had been traveling back and forth for work between Germany and the United States. Dozens of times Patrick Joest had visited Los Angeles. When his company sent him and his family on an expatriate assignment to California, Patrick quickly realized there’s …

chaps cultures identity

Exploring Identity Through the Lens of Different Cultures

The week in review with Two Chaps – Many Cultures Hard to believe that our new live video format has already seen three weeks worth of broadcast. Two Chaps – Many Cultures has been very well received within our community and a wider audience. During the daily live sessions from July 20 to 24, the two chaps (Brett and Christian) and …

Two Chaps Many Cultures

Two Chaps – Many Cultures [episode 1]

Join Brett Parry and Christian Höferle as they explore the mysteries of human behavior. No holds barred. Only straight talk about culture, human potential, and personal growth. Streaming live where possible. Taking questions from you. Including colorful and diverse voices from various corners of the world.  This is their inaugural podcast episode. Join the two chaps for a dose of …

Two Chaps Many Cultures

Talking About Cultures – live online

Necessity is the mother of invention. In times of social contact restrictions and work from home the way we present our work has been changing. In our case we would like to think the Covid-19 pandemic has made us more creative. One of the avenues we use to reach our clients and our own industry is through live content. For …

Tim Mahoney culture

Tim Mahoney’s Success Recipe for Working Across Cultures? “Human Stories, Simply Told”

The automotive marketing maven tells his cross-cultural tales of selling Porsches, Chevys, Subarus, and VWs around the globe Selling a product requires understanding the needs and desires of your potential customer. You need to recognize what problems customer have and how your product can be a solution to that problem. Sales and Marketing are professional tasks that are difficult enough …

Malcolm Ohanwe Christian Höferle

A Conversation about Identity, “Race,” White Blindspots, and Apfelschorle

How Malcolm Ohanwe shines light on inequality by nudging white folks to talk about it He works for one of Germany’s biggest public broadcasting companies, the Bayerische Rundfunk. The country today is as diverse as it has probably never been, yet when Malcolm Ohanwe stepped foot into the BR offices for the first time he “thought I entered Narnia. Everything’s …

Learning to Go 120 Miles Wide and 2 Inches Deep as a California Expat

Back from California’s beaches Martin Brem reflects on expat life He works for one of the most global businesses in one of the most global industries. Yet, when Martin Brem made a professional move from Central Europe to Southern California for the music business, his Red Bull wings didn’t fully prepare him for the cultural change he was about to …

Russell Harlow

Adapt. Don’t Adopt. [The Culture Guy Podcast]

Russell Harlow on why even monkeys fall from trees Can you be “too Japanese” as a foreign professional in Japan? Apparently you can. On this episode Russell Harlow tells us how his success in adjusting to his new environment in Tokyo initially had a detrimental effect on his effectiveness as a leader of a multinational organization in Japan. Russell is …

The Culture Moment

Introducing: The Culture Moment Video Series

In addition to our audio program, The Culture Guy Podcast, you can now also get cross-cultural insights from us in the form of video content. We are introducing a new short-form format: The Culture Moment. Every clip is around three minutes long and contains a complimentary intercultural nugget, presented by Christian Höferle. We want you to stop wasting your time and resources …

The Mayor who Manages a Multicultural Municipality [The Culture Guy Podcast]

Ted Terry on how a hyper-diverse community becomes inclusive He is in his 30s. He has been called a hipster. And he is the mayor who has been putting a small town just outside of Atlanta on the map. Ted Terry shot to fame via an episode of season 2 of the hugely successful Netflix show Queer Eye. during which …

When Everything You Think You Know About A Country Is Wrong [The Culture Guy Podcast]

Inês Nascimento shares her experience of being a serial expat She had always been curious about “the world out there” and so Inês Vieira Nascimento started working for international companies, supporting business functions and employees navigating the challenges of international transition. Then she became a serial expat. As an HR manager, Inês began her career in global mobility roles in Portugal. …

Daren Menabney The Culture Guy odcast

Why Focusing on Differences Won’t Help You Build Commonality [The Culture Guy Podcast]

Darren Menabney talks about the things you may want to stop doing when working across cultures When Darren Menabney moved to Japan in 2011 it was to attend an MBA program in Tokyo. Before that, the Northern Ireland-born Torontonian spent over twenty years working for the federal government in Canada, in the Departments of Revenue, Industry, Foreign Affairs, and Defense. Today, …

Talking Mind, Body, and Business with Brian Kelly

No matter where in the world you work, establishing and maintaining a business requires more than an idea, a plan, and execution. In order to be successful professionally, you also want to thrive as an individual. Because all business problems are also personal problems. So, whether you work on your own business or you are employed – your mind and …

Sharing The Culture Mastery Story with a LAMA

When explaining themselves to the market place, companies today have multiple avenues to be heard, seen, or experienced. For The Culture Mastery these channels have mainly been social media – if you’re not doing so yet, we encourage you to connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Medium – our Podcast as well as webinars, speaking engagements, or professional articles …

Build a Global Career You Can Be Proud of – with a Culture Coach [The Culture Guy Podcast]

Everybody needs a coach – here’s why Let’s call this the coaching episode. A whole podcast about the fact that you won’t reach your top goals without someone who holds you accountable and cheers you on at the same time. 27 minutes to highlight how you or any global professional can build a career in international business with cultural competence. …