Lecture Notes: Understanding Cultural Differences

Introduction

• Speaker: Tijana Mihajlović
• Setting: Personal experience in La Grand-Place, Brussels.
• Key Moment: Interaction with a stranger leads to reflection on cultural differences.

Cultural Interaction in Norway

• Socialization in Norway is structured and reserved compared to French-speaking Canada.
• Personal Reflection: Adapting to a new culture involves mental reprogramming.

Approaches to Cultural Adaptation

• Three Ways to Relate to Culture:
  1. Confront: Believing one's behaviors are correct.
  2. Complain: Isolating oneself among foreigners.
  3. Conform: Observing, learning, and adapting to local behaviors.

Example from Catalonia

• Experience with a guide interpreting emotional feedback through cultural lenses.
• Importance of understanding that cultural perceptions shape interactions.

The Importance of Cultural Diversity

• Cultural glasses affect how we perceive the world.
• Benefits of Diversity:
  • Cultural diversity can enhance problem-solving, creativity, and innovation.
  • Studies show diverse boards perform better (15% for gender diversity, 35% for cultural diversity).

Personal Experience in Leadership

• Attempted to join a "Leadership for Women" course but was denied due to gender.
• Reflects on equality of results versus equality of opportunity.
• Emphasis on the need for balanced representation in leadership roles.

Project to Connect Cultures

• Created a website and drawings to illustrate cultural differences.
• Goal: To make cultural understanding accessible and engaging.
• Over one million people reached through this initiative.

Cultural Perspectives on Friendship

• Different cultural backgrounds influence expectations in friendships.
• Example: Scandinavian views on friendship versus South American expectations.

Miscommunication due to Cultural Differences

• Personal Space: Different norms regarding personal space can lead to misunderstandings.
• Example: Interaction between South Americans and North Europeans at conferences.

Concept of Politeness

• Politeness differs across cultures, affecting communication.
• Understanding local norms is crucial for adapting to a new culture.

Conclusion

• The key to benefiting from diversity is understanding cultural differences.
• Final Thought: It's not about what you see, but how you perceive it.
• Encouragement to take small steps toward embracing diversity.

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• Thank you! (Applause)