Leading Multicultural Teams with Andrea Fleischfresser

Kristen and Mike sit down with Andrea Fleischfresser, an executive coach with over 20 years of experience in HR and coaching. Andrea shares her journey from working in Italy to building her coaching practice in the US, where she discovered that cultural backgrounds significantly influence leadership styles and workplace dynamics. Through her work with clients from diverse cultures, Andrea has observed how deeply ingrained cultural norms affect everything from communication styles to feedback delivery and meeting participation. She explains why some leaders struggle when relocating to different countries - not because they lack skills, but because leadership expectations vary dramatically across cultures. Whether you're managing a global team or working with colleagues from different backgrounds, this conversation offers practical insights to help navigate cultural differences and become a more effective leader.

Highlights:

• Andrea's international experience in Italy shaped her understanding of cross-cultural leadership challenges
• Cultural backgrounds influence workplace behaviors even for second or third-generation immigrants
• American workplace culture values individualism and task orientation, while other cultures prioritize relationships and collective decision-making
• Americans use "low context" communication (direct), while many Asian, South American and Southern European cultures use "high context" communication (indirect)
• What looks like disengagement to an American might be respectful listening in another culture
• Historical contexts (agrarian vs. hunter-gatherer societies) may have influenced Eastern and Western cultural values
• In relationship-based cultures, trust comes from personal connection; in American culture, trust is built on reliability
• Feedback styles vary widely - some cultures are very direct, while Americans often use the "sandwich" approach
• Leaders should ask team members "How can I best support you?" rather than applying one-size-fits-all approaches
• Understanding your own cultural biases is essential for effective cross-cultural leadership

About Andrea:

Andrea Fleischfresser, MCC is an Executive & Leadership Coach and Corporate Facilitator with 20 years of experience in HR and Coaching. She specializes in helping leaders maximize their strengths, improve team performance, and achieve goals through increased trust, cohesion, and collaboration. With over two decades of international experience, Andrea offers a unique perspective on effective global leadership, shaped by her deep understanding of diverse cultural landscapes. She is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) recognized by the International Coaching Federation.

Connect with Andrea:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreafleischfresser
• Website: https://www.destinationyoucoaching.com

Podcast Website: www.loveandleadershippod.com
Instagram: @loveleaderpod

Follow us on LinkedIn!
Kristen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbsharkey/
Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-s-364970111/

Learn more about Kristen's leadership coaching and facilitation services: http://www.emboldify.com

Transcript

Kristen: Welcome to Love and Leadership, the podcast that helps you lead with both your head and your heart, plus a bit of humor. I'm Kristen Brun Sharkey, a leadership coach and facilitator.

Mike: And I'm Mike Sharkey, a senior living and hospitality executive. We're a couple of leadership nerds who also happen to be a couple.


Kristen: Join us each week as we share our unfiltered opinions, break down influential books, and interview inspiring guests.


Mike: Whether you're a seasoned executive or a rising star, we're here to help you level up your leadership game and amplify your impact.

Kristen: \ Hello and welcome back to Love and Leadership. I'm Kristen. And I'm 

Mike: Mike. 

Kristen: And today we have a guest interview with Andrea Fleischfresser. She's an executive coach and corporate facilitator with 20 years of experience in HR and coaching. She has a Master Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation, which I can say as a coach is a really big deal.

And with over two decades of international experience, she offers a unique perspective on effective global leadership, which is shaped by her deep understanding of diverse cultural landscapes. So we're excited to have her here for a discussion on global leadership. Thanks for being here.

Andrea: Thank you. That's so exciting. Thank you, Christie. Mike, it's a pleasure chatting with you guys today.

Mike: Thanks, Andrea. 

Kristen: So to get started, let's like start with your story a little bit. Like what inspired you to focus on cross-cultural leadership and global coaching?

Andrea: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you for asking.So I started my coaching journey after I moved to US in 2012. And before that I lived in Italy, work in HR for 12 years. And when I was studying, having my first clients, during my coaching certifications there, through, um, networking and, um, connections, most of my clients were people from different culture background. I, I had in the beginning clients from Germany, France, Italy, of course South American and so many other countries. And I start to realize how, in some level, we are all human beings. Like I love to say that we all navigating through life trying to live our best lives.

And at the same time, each one of us have some, differences that most of the time is connected with our culture background. And I did realize that in my previous experience in Italy. Working 12 years there, I went through so many challenges and, without knowing all of that, for different reasons in order to adapt to integrating that culture, I try to blend to fit in and I kind of like forget my true essence.

So as I was starting working with my clients, working internationally through, with different cultural background, I start to realize how it's important to have this cultural understanding of our own culture and how can we be more effectively working with, people from different culture backgrounds.

Mike: Do you feel like being in Europe influenced that? I mean, when I've been to Europe a few times, it just feels like people are more aware of other countries, other cultures, other languages. You don't have to travel that far before someone's speaking like a different language.

Andrea: Yes and no. Yes, it's true, Mike, The countries are very close to each other. You can go by train or visit driving now to different places, but they are much more, pride to have this proud of where they are from. So it's like having this, oh, I'm Italian and you need to, stand for their own culture where they are very proud of who they are. Like of course in Us, like there is the pride, the nationalism or being American like other cultures as well.

Mike: If we think about like in the history of Europe,if you think about, in the, 15 hundreds or 16 hundreds, we, Europe, were all separated in different colonies. So that's created, even if you thinking the 19 hundreds with the wars and everything, the historical that happened, make them a little bit, let's say even though there is a European unit, they are very much very proud of being who they are. Like if they are Italian or French or Germany. If an immigrant like myself, even though I was, I am married with Italian and I am educated person and I was working in the corporate in Italy, you still are being seen as a foreign person. Interesting.

Andrea: Right here in Us. I believe that, through, the history of the us, how US was built, created like the first pilgrims or the first immigrants that came in the 18 hundreds and 19 hundreds. And now that we have the third and second generation, it's more, normal to see people from different cultural backgrounds here, even from generations. So my personal experience is, here in US, it was even easier for me to, and so many of my friends and colleagues to integrate it or to be who we are because people arenormally accepted the different cultural background.

Mike: Huh.

Andrea: So every time for me that people were noticing my accent here when I just arrive at, when of course my English was not fluent, as now people would say, oh, you speak, two language. Oh, that's amazing. And of course I'm speak actually three languages, but people see this as a plus. And I was able here to build my business and seeing, putting my diversity in something unique that people in organizations, my clients or others, will see that, as something unique about myself.

That is a little bit different in Europe, that at least my experience in the past, that in order for you to fit in, you need to kind of like be like them.


Hmm. HmmThat's interesting and yeah, really good to get that perspective. Yeah. And of course, when we talk about cultural differences or when we talk about this experience, like I'm sharing my personal experience and maybe people, other people have other experience, personal experience, but it is important to know that everything that we are talking about here in terms of cultural differences or any other examples that I would give it is all like generally speaking, right. We talk about in order to understand the cultural aspect, even in your organizations nowadays, or the society nowadays, we need to understand the history that came true because this is where the cultural comes. But, so I wanna just to be clear that this was my personal experience, maybe people will have different experience and also everything that I will be sharing will be very generic or to what is different from one culture to other.

But as you know, our people are different. So could be different for each person.

Mike: When you described Europe, it really made me think of New York. It's changed kind of recently, but you know, it was very much maybe like a little Europe where like the Italian neighborhood was a very Italian, they're very proud to be Italian and Greenpoint is very Polish and you couldn't rent an apartment if you didn't, if you weren't Polish.

That seems to, all those lines seem to be softening a little bit nowadays in New York for sure. And maybe that's, a byproduct of the internet, of globalism. How does your coaching and your teaching like it, it seems to be very shaped by that.

Andrea: Absolutely. People don't realize even how, as you were saying, Mike, even if you are second generation or even more how the place that you grew up, even though you grew up in new us, like you were saying in New York, in a polish, now family, generation. How this can influence the way you do things in your, daily life.

I remember I had a client, he is, in Canada, Toronto, and working with a, important organization. And the goal, his goal, in his coaching was to improve his, executive presence, communicating better. When he was in the big meetings, he was participating in the meetings with, C levels, president levels, et cetera. And he has a Asian background, but this was never part of a conversation in the beginning and talking about the importance of, speak up in a meeting. This is very important part of the American culture, how to share your ideas clearly. How to, communicate effectively in the meetings, in and share, be proactive.

This is very much part of the American culture. 

He had this aha moment, like we say. It's interesting that you are saying that because I'm remembering the way I was raised, that my. And then he told me that he grandfather came to Canada from China, I believe, and he is still in his household. When he was raised, there was so much this hierarchical way to be in a family that he couldn't speak on the table as a kid, where his grandfather were at the table.

Even with his dad, there was very much this, hierarchical system even in the family. Of respect to the elders and he said, it's so interesting because, even though I am in the corporate, I'm sitting on the tables with C levels, I feel that, I cannot speak up. There is something inside of me because of the respect that I was raised at, that when I'm in the seat sitting in the tables with people with the higher, like with more that I need to give respect. I'm not allowed to speak up. And he's a second generation immigrant. It's like he's a very Canadian guy working a tech industry, like very young. And even though he's not like immigrant, like myself. It is still this traditional, background toward the way he was raised was, being, a roadblock.

Now it's getting the way of his goals, what he want to be in this corporate America or in the corporate that he was.


Kristen: Yeah, that makes so much sense was those beliefs are embedded like very deeply, right from childhood.

Andrea: Absolutely.

Mike: Well, like culture is a set of, guideposts of thinking and behavior, right? Uh, the things they allow, the things they don't allow. Yeah. That's interesting. So when you coach somebody, you look to understand their cultural background and how that's shaping their, performance or their things that are hindering them or maybe getting in their way.

This, we did the book What Got You Here Won't Get You There. I think that's kind of.

Andrea: Yeah.

Mike: You know, similar like some. Yeah, like some of those things maybe helped you to one point and then some of the, it sounds like cultural things that you grew up with can, can, block you from that next level.

And to your point, in America, we definitely, glorify and value individualism. And that can be good because you get innovation, you get, you get drive, you get, that creative spark, but then we don't work together super well.

Andrea: That's exactly what happened and what is very common, talking a little bit, about the traditional expat, the people who come, let's say here to us for an assignment or being relocatedfor their job. Usually these people, they arehigh potential in their organization where they work, let's say in South America or Europe or any place.

And let's say something very cliche, traditional, like very common in my clients. So they are a high potential leader. He did, they did an amazing job where they are, and the company say, oh, I have this assignment, this project. You ask, do you wanna come? And the person. Of course say, oh, that's fantastic now because this will be an next step in my career.

This will be something to, to a challenge. But they are very excited with this experience. So they come here, the company, give them the renting the house, any support maybe for languages, assistance, assess, et cetera. And not immediately, but maybe after three, six months, they started to realize how things, for some reason it's not working, they start to realizing with themselves like, Oh, I used to do this in this way. Why is not working here? Or, I used to tell leading my team in this way and here looks like that I'm talking with my team, but they are not, engaged. They are not, connect. I can connect with them. I cannot, motivate them. I cannot lead them effectively or many times even the HR will give them a feedback.

Oh, we brought you here, but you are not performing the way you should or we expect it. And what they don't realize that at the end is not about themselves. It's about the cultural differences. That the way people lead is different from one culture to other. Like you were saying, Mike, here in US is the culture ofindividualism culture, like you need to speak up, you need to share your ideas, you need to, be very proactive. Other cultures like South America and south of Europe and Asia, we call collectivism. So even, in school systems or in the organization. We is more seeing of the sense of we that, doesn't need to, we don't have the need to speak up all the time, is more important the concept of the group than my own need. So what happened that is very common. Uh, comments they would say, why Americans say things in the meetings just for the sake of saying something. Or do you get a feedback saying you are not participating in the meeting and the person will say, no, I'm just paying attention.

I'm just listening. I'm trying to learn. No, it feels like you are not engaged. It's not because they are not engaged, but the way they do 

Mike: The way they engage is different.

Andrea: Is different.

Mike: So I have a theory about that. I can't prove this, but I, I know a lot about Chinese culture. I've worked in Chinese restaurants. I think it goes back to how we evolved as civilization. So Asian, Asian, especially China, evolved as an agrarian civilization and western culture, I feel like Europe a little bit more. They were hunter gatherers for a longer period of time. So in the agrarian society, if you don't work together with everyone that you know, all the farmers that you were, you're going to die. Everyone's going to die. And hunter gatherers on the other hand.

Everyone you meet is competition for the very limited resources that you find in the wilderness. The berries, whatever the game, there's not that much game, right? Farming, you can grow and that was like the change in the development of civilization is when we could produce enough food or less people could produce enough food that allowed other people in those groups to go on and do other things and learn other things. And, but Westerners, I don't know were very Hunter gather. Were like, that's mine. I'm gonna get it. That's my trophy. And the Asian cult, I know this is a generalization, like you said in the beginning, but I really do observe that and.

In the Asian groups that I've worked in, I don't fit in very easily because yeah, you're always trying to draw attention to yourself, 

Andrea: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. I, You are right. Like as even in intercultural studies, if we work the Western culture and eastern cultures like China is a good example. There is a lot of the Confucianism, theories like the philosophy of Confucius that was ingrained is still now in the culture. So this idea, again, the community, this idea of the being humble, the respect the elders, the respect for others,It's very much ingrained in the culture.

Yeah. I agree with you in terms of, Europe and many places, this idea of hunters, the cook community, I still now in, in Europe, if you go Italy, France,depending where you go, even for vacation, you will eat the,the meal that is in that region. So if we wanna, I don't know, very Italian thing.

A Parmesan, the best Parmesan cheese, you go to Parma.

If you go to Sicily, you eat a different kind of cheese or a different kind of food because this idea of hunter, we eat what we have here, right? And still very present nowadays. United States though the way again, how, the pilgrims came and all this idea of the American culture is to, I have my own place, my own land. So if we think about whatever like comes to your mind, the Western movies or things like that, the idea of the individualism was ingrained in this. What is important for me? This is my piece of land. This is my space. So still now we have this idea, even the workplace, the famous cubicles that is part of the American corporate that is changing.

But this is very much like this is my space

Mike: This is my cubicle. I will defend it

Andrea: that.

Mike: to, the death. Yeah. You know? 

Kristen: Yeah. And it makes sense.

Andrea: Yeah. And what happened working with other culture, let's say South American or south of Europe, for example, Italian, France, Spain. In the workplace, people share ideas, people communicate. People engage in a normal setting is let's grab a coffee together. Let's, uh, what are you doing? Like, go on other people's desk and chat. The first thing that they say working with Americans were why Americans have so many meetings. Because in South America or south of Europe, like in Europe for example, or even in the, other cultures we share, we communicate. This could be in the lunchtime or this could be the water cooler conversation, how the projects go and how things are. And it's okay. Americans, they need that time on the schedule.

Mike: This could be 15 minutes. But they need an agenda to talk about that subject. 

Hmm.

Andrea: And, uh, otherwise they don won't see this as part of the work. So again, the South American, or again, France, Italy, Spain culture is very much based on relationship. So this is one of the cultural dimensions, relationship based culture and task oriented culture.

So we say in this is an even Asian culture. So we say that in these relationship cultures, first I need to know the person. Then I will get to the business. So that's why it's a lot of dinners, lunches, breakfast, the coffees. So before I get to the business, the trust is building, knowing the person. In the Americanculture, the trust is built on reliability. I trust that person is, the person is on time. If the person got the job done, if there is something related of the doing what the person does. So in American culture is very easy. Say now. First I talk about the business. Then the relationship can come eventually, and these different, most of the time can also affect the business itself.

That business can get to the be successful because the person did accept the meeting or didn't accept the dinner invitation or something because they didn't have the cultural awareness.

Mike: So I cannot be successful in Europe. Europe, Europe sounds like an introvert's nightmare. Oh my God, I gotta go to dinner. We gotta leave that. I built my life on mechanized reliability. If you give me something, I will perform it like the best robot. But it does sound like a little bit the American way is a little bit dehumanizing.

You're valued for your productivity and what you can accomplish, which we need, right? Like, I need you to get the job done, and I trust you if I found that you have done successful job, three or four. Okay, now you get my trust. But it sounds like in, in Europe, it's like they want to get to know you as a person.

Oh, horrifying.

Andrea: Yes.

Mike: We cannot move to Europe. We, I think I could be successful in Asia, but I don't. Europe sounds like a no go. 

Kristen: There's, yeah. Yeah, that's, 

Mike: Yeah. But it's so interesting, like you say, you have to know the person, but in getting to know the person you see their, I the culture that they grew up with. And then you can see their blind spots, the different leadership expectations, the things that shape the way they lead, the things that shape the leaders that they need.

Yeah. I can tell a story of a client that I'm working with. He is, uh originally from Middle Eastern, but he has a very amazing international experience and he moved to, he's in Chicago now as a president of this incredible organization, a big, corporate American. And, uh, we did a 360. And I do more as a stakeholders feedback.

Andrea: So I talk with, 10 stakeholders of him. And, the feedback that they gave to him was that he needs to be more decisiveness in his leadership. And when, I prepared the debrief, we, the report we were debriefing together and for him is I don't see that this is not about me. The team need to work together.

It is not me that need to make the decision. This is a teamwork. So his mindset is very ingrained in this idea of, I want the team to make the decision. I want people to share their ideas, but for their team as American culture, they still is very much, what we call in the cross-cultural egalitarian Americans.

There, there is very much a sense of egalitarian culture, but it's still here. The need, the leader is the one who need to make the decision. It still is important for the person be, assertive or being in the decision maker for the team. And for him it was so hard because he. I don't wanna, I don't like this personalization that this is about me, but his team and even his manager, the CEO of the organization, want him to be like this because he was not seeing the way who is leading a good leadership

Kristen: Interesting. Yeah, that makes so much sense. A little bit ago, you mentioned cultural awareness as well, like how do you define that? And especially like in the context of leadership?

Andrea: Yeah, that's a great question. So cultural awareness is really understandingOur own cultural background and the cultural, nuances of people that, uh, we collaborate with. Like nobody needs to be experts, but having this understanding how the cultural aspect as we were talking now can impact in the way people lead, communicate, build, trust, or even feedback.

Can share another example. I know that, we can share a lot of examples here, but,I remember this American client that I was working in, leadership development, Working American company. So there was nothing about cultural aspect in that coaching. And she was talking about, in one session some challenges that was she was having with her manager.

And she said to me, I was wondering if there is something related with communication styles. And I very transparent said to her that, I can do some researches I know that are different communication styles based on cultural background. That is other part of my work. And she was curious and said, oh, tell me more.

So I explained to her briefly about the direct and interact communication styles, which we also call low context and high context communication. And she was like, it is interesting that you say that because my manager is from Spain,

Mike: Hmm.

Andrea: So it was very much out of the blue for me. I didn't expect, I didn't know.

And understanding this because she was able to understand the communication style that of her boss, what was different that she used to now in the American, workplace or America, corporate American, she was able to understand the how or even the why she was doing the way she was doing, she was communicating the way she was communicating.


Mike: You said high context, low context communication styles. That's interesting. You're talking about direct and indirect.

It's the same thing with different ways to name it mostly. Okay. So direct communication styles we call also low context communication, which is very much an American way to communicate. So what does that mean when I communicate? We don't need a lot to share, a lot of context. The message is very clean, yet very linear to the point.

Andrea: So it's kind of like, say you be there in five minutes. Okay, so we say five words and this is it. I don't need to express more. Any context, other culture that we call high context, and this is Asia and south of Europe and South America. We need share a high level of context to express to communicate. So if I'm running late, I won't say be there in five minutes.

A high context would say, because I was leaving home and then I saw that I need to put gas on the car, and then there was a lot of traffic. And then because of this and coming to the meeting a few minutes late. So I called this the mountain way, not the mountain path. That is the communication is like, go around.

They tell stories. Exactly. The Americans communication is more like highway. I go direct to the point. So most of the high complex communication also they, I will bring another parentis here. They wanna avoid conflict. So they are very, conflict avoidance. So the way that you bring these, instead of saying, for example, I will be late, or I can't come to your house, whatever is like the communication very, linear.

They want to be very subtle in the way they communicate. I remember I'm an American client working in China, she was like furious because the person that, what the team member was telling her, which is very common. My daughter has a doctor appointment tomorrow. And you don't know what does

What are you telling me? Oh my God. Yeah. I,She'll be late. She won't come. What is going to happen? This is the message.

Mike: yeah. 

Kristen: Yeah.

Andrea: Tomorrow. I need to, I don't know, something instead of saying very clear, direct to the point, like if you invite someone over, maybe the answer will say, oh, maybe, I don't know. I don't have something. But they won't say something very direct to you.

For them. This is rude.

Mike: Hmm. Hmm.

Andrea: So even in the corporate, in multicultural teams or if you have a team in, China, in South America, in US and the way to communicate, they will see like, which is very common, for example, for Americans talking about Brazilians or people from South America. Why they sent me an email with three paragraphs.

If the last thing is the most important, why they don't put it really in the beginning, right? Go direct to the point. But for the Brazilians, for people from South American or even south of Italy. I need to share the context because for us, even showing that I can communicate properly, I can, I have a good vocabulary.

My communication is even a showing that I'm a educated person, that I'm showing respect to you. That is very part of the society, the culture, and here in the US for example, as low context, we don't need to share so much details when we communicate.

Kristen: Interesting. 

Mike: So there's, you can see the language itself is actually representative of what you're talking about, like the Chinese characters. There's a story, and to read the characters, you have to understand how they relate to nature and how they relate to what they're talking about.

And they're, one character can have many different meanings depending on the context. So when you're having a conversation with somebody, your brain, ha, and I'm not flu, very fluent. You have to be engaged in what they're saying to understand the larger contextual, meaning that they're trying to convey where English is much more.

It's almost a computer language of instructions. If 

Andrea: Well, 

Mike: and, they, the Asian way is very much, it's richer. I wanna say it's more colorful, it's more vibrant. I think, it makes me a little sad when you talk about this, because I'm like, we're missing like human connection here. You know? We're very much missing it and we have all this ability to communicate now. We have LinkedIn and Facebook. Okay. So, and we're not real. Nobody wants to take me out for a coffee for two hours and get. We're too busy for that, you know?

Andrea: Too busy because of is the culture. And again, it's not about just America. No, we are saying here because this is where we live. But let's say the society nowadays is the society of, uh, who is, uh, it's someone is successful with someone, is doing well in their life. Uh, what is the answer? How are you doing?

Oh, I'm so busy. So it feels like the person, oh my gosh, you are so busy. So that is awesome.So the concept of vacation there is very thing that, people ask me a lot like, why Europeans, why Italians take so much vacation? Why Americans don't take vacation, right? Because again, we are in a culture of easily time is money, so I need to work. Every moment of my life. If I'm not working, I'm wasting my time. And this is not the way people see as you are doing well with life or you are being successful. So more, I work more, I'm showing that I am doing things more. This is what look like that I'm being successful.

Things are changing nowadays. Talking about wellbeing, mental health. Burnout, et cetera. But, uh, it is part of the culture, which is different so that don't feel bad, Mike, because even in a cross-cultural set there is no right or wrong.

Mike: I, I like the one where we take a lot of vacation. I, I, that sounds great. Let's do that. You know, that's a joke. Like the, the Europeans are like, you know, if you contact them in, they're in in August and they're out of office, says, you know, I'm out of the office for August for my, for vacation. Uh, I'm not gonna reply to your email.

Contact me again in like, September. Yeah. And Americans are like, I'm sorry I'm out of the office from four to seven for an, you know, major surgery, but you could still reach me on my cell phone. I apologize. My response may be slightly delayed. Okay. What are we doing?

Andrea: What people don't say, though, I'm sorry to be that one to point their finger in other things. But that in Europe, and mostly South American as well, even though people take time off like vacation, two, three weeks, normally they would work longer hours normally than in American culture.

Mike: Hmm. Well, in, in Asia, I mean in China, you know, they work hard. Oh my God. They work 60, 70 hour weeks and they're famous for working seven days a week and taking off only three days a year. That the three days of the Chinese New Year. And that's kind of a badge of honor too, and Hong Kong is famous kind of for that hustle and grind.

Right. I don't know. I like the vacation part of,

Andrea: But it's so interesting. Like I work for myself, like I'm a solopreneur and I've been doing this for 10 years. even for my clients, I usually take two weeks off, during summer, like July. I. And now we combined the famous 4th of July that, uh, for family vacation and end of the year,holidays, et cetera.

And even for me that I don't have a boss. When I say to my clients, oh, I will take two weeks off, and they looked to me like two weeks. Oh my gosh. I said, yes. I'm going with my family, like visiting to go to Brazil, Italy, visit family, but I, it's funny to see their reaction like two weeks off.

Mike: Yeah.

How dare you. The audacity.

Andrea: Yes. Yes. It's fascinating for me. It's so interesting how all of these, like you said, Mike, the way people think, the people, the way people react, the way people behave is all part of the cultural aspects. And we don't, most of the time people don't recognize that. And as I saying, like in the workplace, working globally, global teams, global organizations, these nuances can get in the way of, how the team is communicating effectively, collaborating effectively.

Or even doing business know if it is the connection, communication with customers or others. So understanding that is, will be know, a way for them to better even empathize to one another. Creating more empathy in the workplace. Creating more and inclusive,, workplace when people can be seen and heard for the way they are, and not put in the box for where they are from, or what color they have, or any other stereotypes that people might have.

Kristen: Yeah. What would you recommend if you have a leader who has a team that with different cultural backgrounds represented and they want to improve these skills and improve the communication on their team? Like what steps would you recommend to them?

Andrea: Yeah, I think the very easy, start, is to ask the question, if for the leader, just ask to the team member. It could be for our team or individually. How can I best help you? How can I best support you. So listen from that person, what is exactly the support that this person need. So instead of going your way of doing, like you think that and effectively need to speak up in the meetings just to, as an example, let's start to listen.

Of course we know as a leader in communication skills, the listening is a big part of this. So let's start to listening. And understand the other person perspectives. What is that like for the other person moving to a new country? Like if you are working with people that are coming to us or to your country for work or even in a global, working a global environment.

It's not so easy as people imagine. It's fascinating, but these nuances can get in the way. So first one, asking questions and listening and under start to empathize is seeing. How would that be like for you? What would that be more helpful for you. Even feedback, for example, people share feedback differently.

Some cultures they are very interactive feedback. We have, of course, Germans and Dutch. All countries of north of Europe, they will be very direct in the communication. Very direct on the feedback. Americans though, even though Americans are direct on the communications, American will be indirect on the feedback. And some other coaches will be. 

Mike: emotional.

Andrea: Yeah, it's like this idea of avoiding conflict. I don't wanna hurt people's feelings, which is part of the culture again, is not right or wrong, so we try. They tend to do the famous sandwich feedback, sharing the good things 

Mike: Yeah. Yep. 

Andrea: And most of the time if you are working with a German person or a person from other coaches, this could be hard to understand, but what does exactly this person mean?

So again, Kristen, answer your question. Listening, asking question, how can I best support you? Understanding how is that will look like in that culture? Start to empathize and listen for the other person, of course. Understanding the cultural background, how is that to look like in the this person culture?

Understanding what is your cultural aspect, what is your own way of doing things? So the self-awareness in order to understand what is like for the other person. And of course training, coaching, of course, we are very much a big, fan of how this work is very helpful. And,I can say even from different experience that I had, I when I shared this, cultural nuances in the workplace, leaders are like mind blowing. Like, wow, I never thought about this. Recently I did a cultural training for a company here in Michigan and the executive teams, they were all local here in Michigan, living here, but the president is originally from Poland.

Then there was the, their executive team was one person from Spain, one French, one Brazilian American Indian. And there was more. And even though they all collaborate well, they work well, but understanding these elements of the cultural aspect was big, uh uh, great change for them. It was really something that was important for them to better understand each other.

Kristen: Yeah. Amazing. Well, I, I think this is a great place to end. You've given so many good examples and steps and things that, that leaders can think about when talking about like global leadership and and how it impacts their team and the way they lead their team.

So this has been awesome. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Andrea: Thank you. Thank you guys for having me. Thank 

Mike: Thank you. 

Super, super interesting. Yeah. Super interesting. 

Kristen: Yeah, absolutely.

Andrea: Pleasure. Thank you again.

Kristen: Awesome. Thank you. And thanks, Andrea. To our listeners. Thank you guys for listening as always, and we will see you next time. The Love and Leadership Podcast is produced and co-hosted by me, Kristen Brun Sharkey and co-hosted by Mike Sharkey. Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. We can't stress enough just how much these reviews help. You can follow us on LinkedIn under Kristen Brun Sharkey and Michael Sharkey, and on Instagram as loveleaderpod.

You can also find more information on our website, loveandleadershippod.com. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll see you again next week.