The Black Man in Tuxedo Does Not Work Here and Other Unconscious Biases

You’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…

Assume Good Intentions in Cross-Cultural Communications? Sometimes Impossible

My colleague was conducting a training during a “train the trainer” session this week on Intent and Impact, the idea being that in communications, sometimes our Intent does not equal the Impact we intended.  For example: “That sweater you’re wearing is really interesting” (intended as compliment).  Unexpected impact:  “You hate it don’t you?” (Spontaneous reaction: …