Lessons in intercultural communications abound every day, everywhere. Over the past few days, “my friend” learned how orientation to different jobs/careers fields can yield the same intercultural snafus found in cross cultural communications. Whether it’s Jargon (think SEO, CEO, B-Hag, NGO, HACE), written communication styles (think Engineer vs. School Teacher) or simply the anticipated protocol…
DetailsIf TS Elliot said “if I had more time I would have written a shorter letter,” then I say if I had been more brilliant I would have invented a simple and accessible application to teach about the depth of cultural differences and race in a way that immediately makes you aware of your unconscious…
DetailsI read with a bit of sadness this week that Oxford University Press, the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, said “so many people prefer to look up words using its online product that it’s uncertain whether the 126-year-old dictionary’s next edition will be printed on paper at all.” I learned early on to replace…
DetailsYou’re at a black tie event. You’re looking for the restroom. Who do you ask? “Me,” joked our new friend who spontaneously joined us at our table at a recent black-tie-event, jovially laughing at the third time in the last 10 minutes he’d been asked for directions. “It’s hard to be a black man in…
DetailsSharing tidbits of information we had gleaned from the day at dinner the other night, I announced that Japan had the highest population of people over age 65, to which my 9-year-old son Dillon countered that Utah was the state with the highest population of children, to which I made a snide remark about polygamists,…
DetailsLack of diversity in Board Rooms really isn’t any cuter when it’s emulated by 5-year-olds, as seen in this ad by agency TBC for Haribo’s Gold-Bears gummy candy. And, as Just Sayin points out in the comments on the original post on adfreak, the ladies are not fairing much better either: “all the boys are…
DetailsQuick. Gut answer. If you see an African American and a Caucasian person debating Affirmative Action, which side of the fence would you imagine each is on? As students prepare to return to college for the fall, an article on NPR last week explored “Affirmative Action: How Far Have We Come?” reflecting on the case…
DetailsI just spent 1/2 an hour watching Rhett and Link’s local commercials at ilovelocalcommercials.com, which are absolutely wonderful snippets of middle America and small town businesses that have been nominated (by anyone…nominate your favorite business) to have a free local commercial made for them by Rhett and Link, sponsored by MicroBilt. Some local commercials beg…
DetailsDillon came home from a great field trip last week with Northlight Theatre Camp to see Shrek the Musical, presented by Broadway in Chicago at the Cadillac Theatre in Chicago. “How was the play, I asked?” mostly thinking it was a cute and innocuous attempt by Broadway to engage younger audiences (although I heard gasps…
DetailsAs I was entertaining my “I Am White” Race Test yesterday, someone asked “why?” What’s the purpose for this?” I’ve learned in USAmerican Culture, that usually the value of “why” is measured in money…how much money will it make? Or what Fortune 500 company are you doing it for? As a marketing strategist, of course…
Details
