Leading with Cultural Intelligence, 2012a

not short; rather, they often lasted as long as 30 minutes. Through these conversations, I learned a
lot about the workings of the organization, where my skills could be most helpful, and where I could
advance in the company.
Every time I interacted with Louisa, I took a cautious and pragmatic approach. I knew my
conversations with her would be short and to the point. In the beginning, I went into her office,
engaging her in dialogue about things outside of work and failed miserably. But after a few
conversations, I picked up some verbal and nonverbal cues about her “conversation motto,” which
was “Make it short and to the point.” I began to mimic her actions and language. When speaking
about several points, I numbered them out loud the way she did. I found that I was more formal than
usual with her than with others. I looked directly in her eyes, and once even caught myself looking at
my watch when I thought she was talking too long!
With Joseph, talking to him could take a while. I talked to him only when I knew I had no other
appointments or deadlines to meet. I entered his office with a singsong-like “hello,” which was the
way he greeted others. We never talked business right away. And I noticed that, when explaining a
story or a point, my hand gestures always matched his. Even the tone of my voice mimicked his.
When I interacted with Louisa and Joseph, my behavior changed from person to person. I cannot tell
you exactly when in our working relationship this began; I assume it happened partly on a conscious
level and partly on an unconscious level. What is important to note about this personal story is that
changing my behaviors enabled me to work better with both Louisa and Joseph.
Earley and Peterson stated, “Adopting the behaviors consistent with a target culture is an important
aspect of intercultural adjustment and interaction.” [1] Similarly, Thomas and Inkson said,
Whether or not social behavior takes place in a cross cultural setting, each situation will be
unique and in particular will involve interaction with other unique people…you must be able to
adapt your general approach and specific interactions to the particular characteristics of the
situation, and particularly, to the expectations of the other people involved. [2]
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