You're considering a career overseas. How crucial is having a global mindset?

I'm not sure I like the term "global mindset"; I'd rather call it intercultural competence. I work a lot with expats. Therefore, I know that every relocation is different. Sometimes people are sent abroad because of who they are and how they work. This is particularly difficult, because adapting to the culture outside the company often requires very different skills and a different mindset compared to smoothly navigating corporate culture and delivering on your new colleagues' expectation of the expat and the expectations that come with the job. You might find yourself code-switching between different environments and an increased need for intercultural agility more than just a "global mindset".

To me, a global mindset is not in the way most people think. It's not just about being open to different cultures or working in various countries. The real power lies in seeing that the world is more connected than it seems. Instead of asking, “How can I fit into different places?” think, “How can I connect the dots between these places to create something new?” Imagine you learn how to solve a problem in one country, like how to sell a product or work with a team. Instead of just copying what others do in another country, you use that experience to find a new and better solution. It’s like using the best parts of what you learned in one place and applying it to succeed in a different place.

Pursuing career opportunities overseas is always thrilling, yet it poses equal challenges as one steps out of their comfort zone. For those inexperienced with traveling abroad, the initial experience will demand adaptability. It's essential to be flexible, embrace new experiences, immerse oneself in the local culture, respect different values, and acknowledge language barriers. Every opportunity abroad presents its own set of challenges. Our skills and experiences are valuable assets; however, deploying them globally can be challenging due to differing workplace cultures. Possessing a global mindset essentially involves a willingness to adapt, embrace change, maintain open-mindedness, and demonstrate flexibility.

I define a global mindset as being: - Curious and open to new ways of thinking, doing, and being - Comfortable with ambiguity and skilled at managing uncertainty - Empathetic - Self-aware These qualities are essential when working across cultures. Without a global mindset, you risk making judgments and missing out on the innovative potential that comes from collaborating across cultures

From an interculturalist's perspective, when considering a career overseas, having a global mindset is essential for effective cultural adaptation. A global mindset equips you with the openness and flexibility needed to understand and embrace different cultural perspectives, which is crucial in navigating and thriving in new environments. Intercultural competence complements this by providing the practical skills required to communicate and interact effectively across cultures, ensuring that you can adapt to and integrate into diverse cultural settings. Together, these qualities form the foundation for successful cultural adaptation, enabling you to operate confidently and competently in a global context.

el viajar abre la mente como un paracaídas, porque nos muestra que hay muchas formas en las que la gente se mueve, trabaja y se relaciona, esto hace que nos demos cuenta de todo lo que hay que aprender y todo lo que podemos enriquecernos al interactuar con otras personas, todo lo que podemos aportar a otros, y al fn sacar lo mejor de cada uno para crear un ambiente propicio para la cooperación profesional y personal.

Cultural adaptability requires openness, flexibility and resilience. What measures and tools can help to increase cultural adaptability?

I generally agree, but as always, communication is key. Fo me, when I felt like I could do something wrong I just opened up about it and it always turned out well!

cultural adaption or behave like a Roman when in Rome. It was a rather positive learning experience for me when I restarted my career in Europe. Be present in the office before boss and leave only after boss leaves is not a work culture anywhere in Europe. It is a practice only followed in some countries. Adapt the culture and you will not only be successful but you will be speaking same work language and more.

Key to a global mindset is being curious and showing real interest in people and cultures that are different. It may not be possible to become operational in the local language but trying to learn at least a few expressions and have a go will prove invaluable in building relationships. Just as important is to adapt your communication style; if your colleagues are operating in a second or third language, you may need to slow down, pause more and use simpler language. The ability to adapt is also crucial. Listen, observe and notice how non-verbal cues like facial expression or eye contact might be used and interpreted differently. I know I like a lot more personal space than contacts in other parts of the world so I try my best to adapt!

Moving to a different cultural environment, whether for work or personal reasons, a different country or a different city/state, will be challenging and can affect your self-confidence. Things that you once took for granted now suddenly require energy and thought: language, cultural norms, even your identity. Understanding your personal cultural preferences and those of your new environment is essential to flatten the curve of culture shock and better prepare you for what lies ahead. And focusing on your intercultural communication skills is the way to do this, as communication is the tool to express what is going on in your head to the outside world. In this way, the implicit becomes explicit and discussable.

Absolutely! Effective communication is key when working abroad. A global mindset helps you navigate cultural nuances and avoid misunderstandings. I've found that active listening and being open to different communication styles are essential. It is important to make sure people understand what you actually want to say and the other way around. An additional question or a summarizing sentence is always helpful!

Doing business abroad is a challenge and an adventure. It might include misunderstandings, misinterpretation and frustration.

Las prácticas comerciales en cada lugar pueden ser distintas, es indispensable estar atento a aprender el cómo se hacen las cosas en otros lugares, con el fin de poder insertarse de manera correcta cuando hacemos negocios en otros lugares fuera de nuestro país de origen, esto tiene que ver no sólo con temas de dinero, sino que con relaciones de confianza en la parte comercial y profesional, cómo se acepta hacer algunas cosas de cierta manera y cómo, cosas que nos pueden parecer básicas a nosotros o poco comunes, pueden ser muy difefrentes en otros países. temas de relacionamiento, de prácticas comerciales, hasta cómo saludar al conocer a alguien pueden cambiar de un país a otro.

para una buena colaboración en equipo, es necesario a mi juicio, tener espíritu de cooperación, estar dispuesto a entregar nuestro conocimiento sin reservas, estar abierto a aprender, de enseñar y aportar lo que sabemos, generar valor con lo que hacemos, liderar si nos corresponde, trabajar con excelencia en pro de lograr los objetivos como equipo si reservas, con humildad, con entrega, pasión y compromiso, a mi juicio, como todos los días debemos hacerlo.

Every organization should focus on collaboration within their team, regardless of its composition. However, diverse teams need extra attention. The cultural background of each individual enriches the diversity of the team, but only if it is managed well. And that takes time. Teams and team leaders need to put their heads together to map out these personal preferences and find a way to communicate on topics such as hierarchy, decision-making, time management and feedback. What are the individual expectations and what agreements do we make? How does the onboarding process work and how do we collect and implement feedback? Only when questions like these are answered together can diverse teams flourish and reap the benefits.

To me, a global mindset includes curiosity about other cultures and countries, their history, and the way their society works. Importantly, a tolerance for things that don't work out they way you want them to is a key component. I'll always remember the German transferee I moved who wanted to get his household goods from the US customs hold himself. I told him he might get shot if he tried that.

A global mindset is, above all, an ongoing commitment to broaden your perspectives, learn, and educate yourself, rather than a fixed quality that some people have (forever) and others don't. Research and experience show that success during an international assignment is not a predictor of success for future assignments in different locations and under different circumstances. On the contrary, we sometimes see people with limited international experience succeed abroad when they adopt and, above all, maintain the right open mindset. Maintaining the right mindset implies turning initially superficial curiosity and interest into tangible actions, such as learning the local language or deepening their understanding of the local culture.

I couldn't agree more! Working abroad is an incredible opportunity for personal and professional development. It challenges you to step outside your comfort zone, adapt to new cultures, and gain a broader perspective on the world. This not only enhances your career prospects but also enriches your personal life. Learning from diverse cultures and experiences helps you understand yourself better and appreciate the beauty of human connection. It's a truly transformative experience that can have a lasting impact on your life.

Knowing something and experiencing it are two different things. I didn’t expect to experience culture shock the first day after moving, when I was looking for new sheets. What seemed like a simple task took me almost a day. And it kept happening: the smallest things cost so much more energy and severely affected my sense of independence. Then I started to analyze the situation and tried to understand what was going on. This growing (self)awareness and talking about it with others in the same situation helped enormously. It made me realize that I'm not alone, that I'm not stupid and that I would encounter such scenarios again. The question then is: how do you deal with this? And that is the first step of cultural adaptation.

cada día aprendemos algo, cada día nos podemos enriquecer de quienes nos roden, para esto debemos estar dispuestos también a entregar, a dar lo mejor de nosotros, sin restricción, esto a mi parecer es clave también, con el fin de aumentar nuestro conocimiento, experiencia, nuestro background, nuestra sabiduría al tener más herramientas que vamos logrando con la interacción con los demás, lo cual es muy útil cuando nos enfrentamos a problemas, inconvenientes e imprevistos, pero insisto que para esto debemos tener la apertura y humildad de aprender todo lo que los demás nos pueden entregar.