How did you come to do what you do (for a living)?
As a development sociologist, I was already working at the intersection of communication and culture with organisations in the International Development sector. This sowed the seeds for my work as an intercultural consultant. It’s amazing that for over 20 years I have been advising on intercultural policy making, developing blended learning programmes about intercultural effectiveness, and training and coaching professionals on developing their intercultural craftsmanship.
How might interercultures‘ customers find you unique?
The starting point that I use in intercultural programs is our own cultural logic, the set of assumptions that we unwittingly take with us throughout our lives, and the manner in which they influence our interaction with people from a different cultural background. So it is about our brain, about our intuitive mind that quickly reacts from our own deeply-rooted norms and values and about the impact of bias and stereotyping that we dive into. I translate all this new research on culture from the brain-mind perspective into a concrete approach to customer demand for the global workplace. Understanding how the mind works makes international work more insightful and ultimately more effective.
What do you like about working with intercultures?
Intercultures is one of a kind! The quality standard is high, the organization is diverse and the people are open. It is therefore always a pleasure to work with colleagues from intercultures to further shape intercultural craftsmanship and always meet client demands in innovative ways.
In a global context, why do you think your work- and our collaboration- is important?
Interconnectedness between countries, organizations, companies and people is only increasing due to globalization and cross-border issues. My leitmotif here is: to promote better understanding between people. When we understand each other better, we can work together more effectively and enjoyably in order to address the issues of our time.
