Whether we think of culture as nationality, age/generation, gender, educational background, or domain of expertise, we can observe misunderstandings between people of different cultures. This happens because, unconsciously, everyone assumes that others share the same values, beliefs, way of thinking, communication styles, etc.

And when one get frustrated because the other person's behaviour is not as expected, this impedes the building of trustful relationships and efficient teamwork.

Fortunately, it is possible to overcome these challenges and get the benefits of diversity by developing intercultural competencies.

The steps towards effective multicultural cooperation are as follows:

1. Raising consciousness about one's own values, beliefs, way of thinking, etc.
2. Developing awareness of the differences to others’ values, beliefs, thinking
3. Being able to see from the other's perspective: this means communicating openly with others, without judgement
4. Accepting that there is no right or wrong approach, that there is more than one "truth"; this is when change really happens
5. Being able to build a common picture which values everybody's input.

At this point, the richness of diversity allows one to find new solutions that would not have been apparent from only one point of view. 

In the last 25 years I have been working in and leading teams of managers and consultants
- Worldwide: all European countries, especially France, Germany, UK, and also the US, Canada, India and some other Asian countries
- With various fields of expertise: sales, accounting, controlling, IT, training, etc.

I can support teams and individuals in the development of their intercultural competencies.