Business Fit Magazine January 2019 Issue 1 | Page 56

Business
Time symbolism – lunch, dinner habits,
telephone calls and conferences: When´s the
best time for that, considering different time
zones?
Conducting a meeting – is it common to start
directly without small-talk? How much flexibility
is allowed to divert from the agenda?
When it comes to online meetings with
participants from different cultures, the
challenge is to see and understand through
your smartphone or notebook set up what the
other person is trying to express.
We should not underestimate the importance
of communicating and more importantly
understanding different cultures. The greater
the distance between two cultures, the more
challenging the intercultural understanding
and communication will be (referring back to
Hofstede).
So yes, English is the basis of a successful
international endeavour. Topped with
intercultural knowledge, sensitivity and
openness to learn, explore and think outside
the box, companies can be successful. These
skills can be built up internally or developed
with the help of a experienced partner who
supports you in the intercultural education
and creates customised solutions.
Even though we
all speak English
we need to be
aware of nonverbal
communication
stumbling blocks
http://malish.global/about/malish-international/
Lilli Rohde, Co-founder MaLish, Business strategist, international Speaker
and international Coach Lilli managed international sales teams, implemented
systems, tools and processes on a global scale and launched successful
products in her time within the Food and Beverage industry.
Maike Benner, Co-founder MaLish, Business strategist, Finance expert
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and international Speaker Maike has supported, managed and led various
projects in her professional and volunteer life. Her analytical, communication
and project management skills have made her an expert in the field of system
implementation, workshops and trainings. www.malish.global