Having recently returned from a trip to Italy and Portugal, I made it a point to notice the social and business customs while there. Since this dove tails so beautifully with the purpose of Living Abroad, I thought I would share some of my observations. I would imagine that you have experienced some of the […] Continue reading… from When in Rome…
If your company has frequent global business travelers—or if you travel frequently yourself—you will want to make sure your phone can support you while you travel. Great travel apps can make all the difference. Here are a few of the best. Concur The Concur mobile travel and expense app offers a variety of business intelligence, travel, expense and […] Continue reading… from Ways to keep your business travelers on track!
If you’re like most companies, you have many more global business travelers than assignees. Assignees are supported in so many ways, but are your global business travelers? Many proactive measures are offered in order to mitigate risks to employees, such as traveler tracking or emergency response. However, the soft issues are often ignored, like maintaining […] Continue reading… from Business Traveler + Cultural Competence = Win Win
What impact can this simple exchange have on a newly developing cross-cultural relationship? I have an American colleague who is easygoing, friendly, and wants to build trust with his associates in France. On a recent business trip to Lyon, he noticed that he was often addressed by his surname. “It felt stiff and strange,” he […] Continue reading… from “Good morning, Mr. Morris.” “Hi there, Julien.”
Several years ago, I won a contest to attend The Protocol School of Washington, D.C.’s Protocol Officer Training. For the competition, I chose to create a video to assist the CEO of a large U.S. hospital navigate a three-country trip that focused on building relationships. They would travel first to Spain, then Nigeria, and end […] Continue reading… from Protocol on steroids
We are all familiar with common business practices in our home countries, but less accustomed to the way things are done abroad. It’s important for your globally mobile employees to remember that, when traveling abroad for business, they are representing your department, your company, and your country. With so much on the line, every international business […] Continue reading… from Your best foot forward!
An American recently returned from a business trip to Mexico and reported to his colleagues: “The entire trip was fraught with miscommunications about meetings, deadlines, and even social activities. Start times were clearly stated in advance, but no one ever arrived on time! I wasted so much time having to repeat information for latecomers. Lack […] Continue reading… from On Time: According to Which Culture?
When you travel abroad, building trust and confidence with your international colleagues is key to success. That is why when you are on a business trip or a short-term assignment, it is imperative that you make a good first impression. Less time in a destination means that you will not have the luxury of trial […] Continue reading… from Ready, Set, Go…….with cultural knowledge
This statement about relocating families overseas is widely accepted: a happy family is one of the best predictors of a successful international assignment. The number one cause of assignment failure continues to be the family’s lack of adjustment to a new location. Fortunately, many organizations are mitigating this risk and protecting their investments by being […] Continue reading… from Flourishing Families are Fantastic!
