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Ever call someone sir or ma’am only to get asked, or told, not to? In America, people are sometimes offended when addressed formally as sir or ma’am as it implies they are of a certain age. Depending on where you’re from or what language(s) you speak, your connection to formal...

Is the working language at your work not your mother tongue? If so, you may sometimes run into a ‘fluency gap’, a situation where you find you are (just) not fluent enough in the language. This may mean that you cannot explain your ideas or express yourself well enough. A...

Update: Are you coming to this page after the webinar? You can watch it via Youtube here. Before you go, we offer “Working with ____” training courses based on a wide range of cultures. Take a look to see if any might be right for you! How to work with...

Learning a language is a process that takes time and determination. Motivation and drive to do so can fluctuate. With that in mind, we’ve come up with some tips to help you get the most out of your efforts. Before your course: Start engaging with your target language. Music, movies,...

Behavioural change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, effort and engagement. With that in mind, we’ve written out some tips to help you get the most out of our Intercultural Communication training.  Before your training: Before the start of your course it’s helpful to start engaging with the topic. Keep...

Language fluency is a term used to indicate a person’s ability with a language. More specifically, to be fluent is to be easily understood and able to express oneself fully. It has become more common than ever before to encounter people from various backgrounds and with various language skills, in...

What was the challenge? The buyers and lawyers of the Ministry of Defense communicate a lot about different contracts. This happens worldwide, and is often in English. Because these are serious conversations, especially negotiations, they would like to improve their legal English. This is why the Ministry of Defence came...

There is a common cliché that says: people don’t quit a job, they quit their boss. While the statistics on this fluctuate, the idea remains true. People want to work for an organisation which treats them equally and inspires them to be their best. Empowering managers who have high employee...

As more and more is being written about various cultures and working amongst them, there are certain words and phrases that keep popping up quite often. Terms such as multicultural communication and cross cultural communication and intercultural communication are used almost interchangeably. Is there a difference? If so, what is...

“During 32 years I was employed by Heineken, for many years responsible for the Asia Pacific. During most of those years I either travelled fifty percent of my time or lived and worked in the outside country.” What you’ve just read is the ‘Before Word’ from the book I Always...