๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐.
When we use cultural references in our international business communication, we eliminate people.
The other day I read a press release from a multinational organization.
It stated โ๐๐ข๐ถ๐ฏ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐บ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ด ๐ด๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ’.
The sender is an European based organization, but with global presence.
For the first time in my life, ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ.
At the same time, slightly lost.
Because I know that in the European context ‘spring’ means:
Not before April but latest July.
But in this case I read the press release from my balcony in Lima Peru.
I was looking at the ocean, felt the sun on my face.
Because it is summer here.
And when it is spring in Europe, it will be autumn in Peru.
I felt left out. Like this launch that they are talking about is not meant for me.
According to wikipedia, there are 32 countries on the Southern Hemisphere.
With me, more than 850 million people felt left out.
When you do business internationally it is ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐.
You want to stay away from cultural references that someone from another culture will not understand.
You want to stay away from terms, indicators or references that mean 1 thing to one, but something completely different for others.
Prior to the press release, I recorded a podcast episode withย Kimberley van Tol
Among other things,ย Kimberleyย runs her business Language Arts.
With Language Arts she helps international organizations to translate their messages rather than their words.
Translating within the cultural context and translating word for word are 2 different things.
It is clear to me that we all, if you run a multinational, a start-ups or a scale-up, can learn from the tips and recommendations from Kimberley on how to make our business messages more inclusive.
Enjoy the episode, you will find it here.
