Cross-Cultural Training

Cross-cultural training is a rapidly-expanding field. Companies and organizations sending employees abroad need help to prepare their executives for cultural differences in the international business environment which can derail positive working situations.

So, what does it take to be a leader in this exciting field? I recently spoke with Peter Fordos, an intercultural expert who develops global leadership programs and designs cross-cultural trainings, to find out.

 A rose is a rose is a rose, right? Well, it's not that simple. In the United States, flower colors each carry specific meanings. Most of us wouldn't give a mere friend a dozen red roses, even if red were his or her favorite color, for fear of giving the wrong idea. In some countries, certain flowers (or colors or numbers thereof) are omens of death and are associated only with funerals. Flower buyer, beware!