Awaken 2 Business’ Post

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind... Mixing business with travel has meant juggling different time zones, cuisines, humidity, cultures! I’m now back home in Germany and reflecting on a hugely successful business trip with Kersia, inventing a food safe world to Asia and Australia for the ISC (International Steering Committee). As a global business working across over 90 countries, I’m often thinking about how we can work more effectively with our regional teams. How can the strength and scale of a global business help local businesses? 🤔 For me, close relationships with local and regional colleagues are vital. Good communication and transparency are integral to achieving productivity🌍 This trip has been a brilliant opportunity to engage with international colleagues; share what’s happening in the business centrally, and to further consolidate ‘ways of working’, all while soaking up some incredible culture! ✈️The first stretch of the trip was in the Philippines, where we reconnected with regional colleagues and visited one of Kersia’s key production partner’s facilities in Manila, the Kalinisan factory. Kalinisan Chemicals Corporation ✈️ Next… to Aus!  Here, I led our ‘glocal’ workshop, focusing on how global and local teams can prospect more closely together, and how we can support each other. I also met with key global accounts to enhance ways of working locally through:  🤝 Sharing learnings 🤝 Understanding local opportunities 🤝 Discussing how we can meet their needs 🤝 Considering how local processes can align with global strategy Intensive trips like these can take a lot of energy personally but are so worth the investment! 💡 #GlobalBusiness #Travel #Team #Leadership

🏆 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐞'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫!     As a Singaporean leading a sales team in Bangkok many years ago, my background initially made me feel like a puzzle piece from a different set – unsure if I'd truly fit. The vibrant and dynamic Thai culture added another layer to the challenge. But the MD that hired me saw a different picture. He chuckled and said, "𝘉𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳? 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰." His unexpected reference to a past positive interaction instilled a welcome sense of confidence.   𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐚𝐩   Many of us, including myself, feels unsure of how our unique experiences can bridge the cultural gap. Here's how I embraced the challenge:   ▶ 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬: I actively learned about Thai language communication styles, respect for hierarchy, and collectivism. This understanding paved the way for stronger connections with my team.   ▶ 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: My Singaporean directness, while a valuable asset, could be perceived as aggressive in the Thai environment. I learned to adapt by incorporating a touch of Thai graciousness, or "mai pen rai" whenever necessary.   ▶ 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭: Open communication and teamwork became the cornerstones of our team dynamic. We celebrated both individual strengths and the collective achievements of the team. We also bonded through team dinners and weekend events where staff families joined in a carnival-like atmosphere.   By cultivating cultural awareness, appreciating my own background, and fostering collaboration, I transformed a team with initial resistance into a powerful, high-performing unit.   ❓ Have you ever been deployed to a team with colleagues from different backgrounds and nationalities? How did you managed the cross culture difference?       _______________ 💡 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦 #thomashoon 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢, 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭   #leadershipdevelopment #globalmindset #culturaldiversity #globalleadership #thailand

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚! In today's global economy, understanding cultural nuances isn't just polite, it's profitable.  We begin our series with 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 and 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, two powerhouses that perfectly demonstrate the region's fascinating blend of tradition and progress. Singapore stands as a gleaming testament to modern efficiency, while Thailand's graceful business culture reminds us that relationships still reign supreme in Asian commerce.  Join me as we unpack the essential protocols that can make or break your business ventures in these dynamic markets. 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 - 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 Singapore's business culture blends Western efficiency with Asian values, creating a unique professional environment. 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭 1. Punctuality is strictly observed 2. Meritocracy is highly valued 3. Business cards should be exchanged with both hands 4. English is widely used in business settings 𝘒𝘦𝘺 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 1. Multi-ethnic society (Chinese, Malay, Indian) requires cultural awareness 2. Direct communication is more accepted than in other Asian countries 3. Professional titles are important 4. Gift-giving is acceptable but not expected 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 Understanding the subtle meanings behind Thai business protocol is crucial for success. 𝘌𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘴 1. "Wai" greeting (hands pressed together at chest level) 2. Extreme respect for the monarchy 3. Importance of "kreng jai" (being considerate) 4. Face-saving is crucial 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 1. Avoid touching anyone's head 2. Don't point with your feet 3. Address people with "Khun" + first name 4. Patience in negotiations is essential 5. Show respect for senior figures As we've seen, Singapore's blend of efficiency and cultural respect contrasts beautifully with Thailand's emphasis on relationship building and consideration. As we continue our week-long exploration, I invite you to join me tomorrow as we delve into the business cultures of 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦 and 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚. Together, we’ll uncover more insights that can empower your business ventures across Southeast Asia. Don't miss it! #SoutheastAsia #ASEAN #AsianBusiness #BusinessEtiquette #GlobalBusiness #InternationalBusiness #BusinessCulture #BusinessProtocol #CorporateCulture #SoftSkillsTrainer

🌏 Exciting News from Bali! Last week, we had the privilege of participating in the WORLD CONFERENCE AUGUST 2024, hosted by Universitas Narotama in Bali, Indonesia. Although Lucian Ciot, our founder, couldn't be there in person, he shared a captivating journey through a special video presentation at the event. 🎥 In this video, Lucian dives deep into the art of networking in the business world, revealing 5 powerful secrets to mastering connections. Curious to know what they are? Watch the video and discover how you can elevate your networking game! 👇 Have your own networking tips? Share them in the comments below! #MentDrive #BusinessNetworking #Bali2024

In the Philippines, your teammates are likely to ask about your personal life and actually care about how you’re doing. 🇵🇭 They will also likely ask you to join them for lunch and team gatherings, and there is an unspoken rule that you should join them at least once. This aspect of Filipino culture is called pakikisama, or the ability and desire to get along with others. This is one of the surprising things I learned about the Filipino culture, especially when I first started working with Filipinos. This cultural trait stems from the bayanihan culture of the Philippines, where the strong sense of community pushes Filipinos to reach out, cooperate with others, and lend a helping hand. To show their pakikisama, Filipino workers show compassion and respect toward their colleagues, offering a helping hand and including you in their community. In the workplace, this cultural trait is especially valuable in building team relationships, as pakikisama pushes team harmony and collaborations across colleagues. Pakikisama also helps bridge the gap between business leaders and their Filipino staff, since a foreign manager who shows concern for their Filipino team's well-being is more likely to gain their trust and loyalty over time. This cultural trait may be challenging to adapt by Western employers who are used to work in more individualistic environments, but we could all learn from the strong communities that Filipinos forge. In the end, we are all one team.

Ready for some insider tips for your next trip to Thailand? Look no further! In today’s #MeetTheTeam, Paralee Nuntanasirivikorm, Office and Talent Manager of our Bangkok office and winner of the “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” Award, shared her top tips to dive into Thai culture. Check out her top tips below 👇

https://lnkd.in/g57GjjtD Check out this hilarious skit by Ben Sumadiwiria, aka SupercoolBen or Bobby Saputra (not his real name). It's funny, but it also highlights an important point for business in Indonesia: To succeed in it doesn't come overnight, even with a groundbreaking product. I've learned this firsthand through both successes and failures in networking. Alongside my partner, Wahyu Taufiq Jaefer Kedir, we've noticed a common pattern: many potential clients dive in without understanding the market or overestimate their product's potential without considering the pros and cons. Indonesia offers vast opportunities, but standing out requires more than just a great product. It's about bridging the gap between professionalism and personal connection. Simple gestures like footing the bill or noticing personal touches in an office can make a big difference, I've closed a deal first-hand by noticing a client's office was designed as a memento to her late husband. Just as what the name means, in Selaras Group we're all about synchronicity, ensuring your company's growth aligns seamlessly with your goals. Let's chat about how we can work together!

If you are from Cebu, please join us on March 19 for a two-hour learning lesson that I will be leading with Coach Angela Schloer Here is what you can expect: ↘️An unfiltered and direct conversation about the biggest cultural mindsets holding companies back from succeeding in the Philippines. ↘️Inspiring stories of organizations that implemented tangible solutions that moved the needle forward (without the need for Micromanagement). ↘️Practical best practices to help your team break free from the false beliefs holding them back and build the right habits to ensure that progress is sustainable. For more details: https://lnkd.in/gfjpNWCj #learningsession #kaizenleadershipasia #kaizen #collaborative

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐫, 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲- 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. Vietnam's rapid economic transformation and Malaysia's unique multicultural business environment offer fascinating insights into how traditional values shape modern commerce. 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦 - 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 Vietnam's rapid economic growth hasn't diminished the importance of traditional business values. 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘊𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘴 1. Use both hands when exchanging business cards 2. Respect age and seniority 3. Initial meetings are for relationship building 4. Indirect communication style 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 1. North and South have distinct business cultures 2. Group harmony is paramount 3. Decisions require multiple stakeholders 4. Relationship building through social events 5. Face-saving practices are important 6. Present and receive gifts with both hands 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚 - 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Malaysia's diverse ethnic makeup requires understanding of multiple cultural protocols. 𝘒𝘦𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘴 1. Respect for religious practices (Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu) 2. Different greeting styles for different ethnicities 3. Business cards exchanged with both hands 4. Patience in decision-making 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 1. Friday prayers for Muslim colleagues 2. Avoid scheduling during major religious festivals 3. Halal considerations for business meals 4. Relationship-building is crucial 5. Indirect communication style preferred 6. Avoid alcohol or non-halal items as gifts Have you encountered any surprising business customs in Vietnam or Malaysia? Do share! #TipsAndTricks #BusinessGrowth #SoutheastAsia #ASEAN #Malaysia #Vietnam #AsianBusiness #BusinessEtiquette #GlobalBusiness #InternationalBusiness #BusinessCulture #BusinessProtocol #CorporateCulture #SoftSkillsTrainer #LeadershipDevelopment

Cultural Insights for Successful Business Practices in the Philippines The Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, is a nation rich in culture, diversity, and unique business customs. Companies looking to establish or expand their operations in the country must navigate various cultural nuances to achieve success. Understanding cultural insights is integral for fostering strong partnerships, improving communication, and ensuring effective collaboration both within organizations and with clients or partners. The Importance of Cultural Awareness In the realm of international business, cultural awareness can make the difference between success and failure. Different cultures possess distinct norms, values, and practices that influence workplace beh... Read more https://lnkd.in/g2Ghh9BX #business #Cultural #Insights #Philippines #Practices #Successful