Hello and welcome to everybody to my review of a special day of learning
about a method for gaining new and valuable insights into another culture.

I just came back from the SIETAR Congress in Berlin, where I had the
pleasure to participate in this special workshop by Dianne Hofner Saphiere,
Eun Kim, Kate Berardo & George Simons (sorry, ladies first). And we had fun!

I am sure by the end of this article that you will be keen on playing,
too!!!

It is really fun to develop a better understanding of one’s own values and
beliefs and to take concrete steps to collaborate more effectively with
people from other cultures.
We all know:
• Culture has a tremendous impact on everything we do
• Each person is unique, and
• We learn more about one another, especially our motivations, through the
stories we share when we dialogue with colleagues from other cultures.

Values are clues! We play detectives to find out about how people from other
cultures behave. In stories we listen carefully for clues. These clues give
us starting points for observation and dialogue to be able to transform
situations and create the solutions together. We build a basis of trust.

So watch out in the U.S. American culture, for example, for:
1. Self reliance – and the attitude: it is up to you
2. Control – everybody should take charge
3. Equality – level the playing field for everybody
4. Capitalism – “realize the American Dream”
5. Law and Order – always a necessity to play by the rules
6. Speaking up – tell it like it is, the truth, but nicely
7. Speed – for sure time is money

How can we do this? When a story is told within a group of people including
an American person, others can:
• Observe words and actions on both sides – the American’s and ours!
• Identify values and beliefs and a personal sense on both sides

We cultivate curiosity…we listen carefully and ask actively. More
information on the Cultural Detective is available at
www.culturaldetective.com.

The bridge is to clarify expectations, share visions on both sides and
explain future plans.
Soooo easy in playing the role of a “cultural detective!

After reading this: are you ready to play?
All “cultural detectives” please get in touch with me:
sabine@communicationislife.de

I am arranging an open seminar to play and have fun!
I look forward to hearing from you.

Sabine Wagner is the proprietor of Communication is life Intercultural Training