management Archives - Body-language and nonverbal communication

The direct look into someone`s eyes

30-03-2013

Body language, intercultural, nonverbal communication

The direct look into someone`s eyes

Of course people in China look at each other, look into each other’s eyes. But often, especially in specific management situations, negotiations and so on it is not opportune to look into the other’s eyes too intensively, too long or to directly. This could be experienced as too close, too emotional and too offensive.

I get the fantasy that Chinese look at each other but really are not familiar with the experience of “to show up” and “to be seen”. Experiencing such a situation would be to …………

Sweatening

By: Ulrich Sollmann

27-02-2013

intercultural, psychology, society

Sweatening

how do you distinguish cold sweat (fear sweat) and sweat from too hard working?

I think the difference is of important relevance concerning the present working situation in Europe but also in China:

too much, too fast, too much overloaded, too unclear, too ….too…

In Germany we have to deal with burn-out, depression and burn-out. In china there is already a high percentage of depression deriving from the working situation also.

So distinguishing the two different kinds of sweat can help to realitze if you or your friend is working too much and afraid to slow down (because of fear) or if he really likes hard work and enjoys. That mewans is motivated and not burded out.

Chinese and American body language differences, new perspectives

By: Ulrich Sollmann

03-02-2013

Body language, intercultural, society

Chinese and American body language differences, new perspectives

There has always been a comfortable zone felt by native speakers and so they don’t feel any difficulty in communicating with each other. But when a foreigner tries to communicate with a native of a country, action speaks louder than words. Lot of things like body language, facial expressions, gestures come into picture. Let us deal with the differences in body language between China and America in this article. Before we start, why China and America? Well, both these nations are totally different in terms of their culture and both have equal business opportunities in each other’s nations and so it has become mandatory if you are doing a business in China or plan to settle down in America or anyway around.

There are lots of cultural differences between Chinese and

love vs. politics

By: Ulrich Sollmann

10-11-2012

intercultural, News, society

love vs. politics

An American “hero” and an integer director of the CIA becomes dangerous for US politicians and some kind of political inner circle. This political and social affair mirrors the bigoted US attitude towards love, security and politics. Up to the exposure of this love affair Petraeus`image was stable, clean and integer. Her image also. People, society and politicians trusted him.

From one moment to the other all this broke down. The image broke down. And people now believe that one could no longer trust this ( the same) man.

In other, former cases like this, politicians decided in another way. Not this kind of publicity and no big media hype. Not this kind of hysterical prosecuting. Not this prompt demand towards Petraeus to quit his job at once.

What is the matter now, today, in this case? Why do offcials ……………..

Change (3) and Palaver – Traditional African Decision making

By: Ulrich Sollmann

15-10-2012

intercultural, science, society

Change (3) and Palaver – Traditional African Decision making

Maybe you have heard about palaver. In Germany we understand palaver as talking this and that, small talk and things like this.

But: palaver in Africa is a very old, important communication model of social and political discussion/discourse. Psychoanalysts and ethnologists did a lot of research on that in the 1920s. Here is a short picture about palaver in those days.

“They sit under a tree and talk until ……………

Change (2) and integration

By: Ulrich Sollmann

13-10-2012

intercultural, science, society

Change (2) and integration

Some days ago I talked about change, mergers and development in China and Europe. Today I want to line out another model of approaching change.

To begin with I want to remind you about how a merger usually functions in western countries.

Mostly there’s a strong partner and a weak partner. Mostly the strong partner tries to get the small partner (though often this is not addressed too directly and openly). Then, to make it short, management tries to find synergy effects, tries to reduce costs and to bring people together in a team or in a unit being convinced that if the employees are put together they will work together sufficiently and successfully.

As I told you already this kind of management fails in about 70-80% of those mergers.

If change develops like this, this process often …………..

Rising dragon around the dome of Cologne, or: what is cultural integration Part II

By: Ulrich Sollmann

20-09-2012

intercultural, nonverbal communication, science

Rising dragon around the dome of Cologne, or: what is cultural integration Part II

…..I realized the birth of this picturesque image I talked about earlier. This image reminded me of experiences which I had as consultant and coach in companies when they follow a fusion process. A fusion in business is based on an intercultural process. One company with its special culture joins, meets and unites with another company, with its typical culture. In contrast to official wording most of these processes are a non-equal-fusion.

Most of those fusions in business failed. They faile because of a wrong approach of understanding intercultural communication. Intercultural communication and integration in business often means: We put those two companies together, have a look, try to find out the most effective and efficient elements of structure and efficiency in order to build up the new company on these analytical results.

Intercultural communication and integration does not function like this. ……………….

The cosmopolitan Chinese manager

By: Ulrich Sollmann

12-09-2012

intercultural, science, society

The cosmopolitan Chinese manager

Business is important as base, motor and motivation for intercultural communication and integration. In whatever way. Here is n early study on this process, still worth being read.

“As China emerges as a major player on the international business scene, it is becoming increasing important for Western businesses to understand the work values and behaviors of the people in this large and regionally diverse country. Thus, the focus of this study is to identify work value differences across the 6 regions of China. In the process of developing these comparisons, we identify ……………..

Tea without Milk: impossible – it is not enough to understand the words you have to experience in order to learn

By: Ulrich Sollmann

31-08-2012

intercultural, nonverbal communication, society

Tea without Milk: impossible

it is not enough to understand the words you have to experience in order to learn

When I visited India for the first time I really enjoyed nature, culture and of course the people. Especially in South-India, where I stayed for quite a long time, I always felt invited when visiting little villages or asking for a cup of tea in some family-house. They served English tea of course, that means strong tea with a lot of milk and sugar. I like English tea, it feels so smooth in the mouth. 😉

I love this sweetness of English tea and was really glad, that this kind of tea would be served within a minute. But one day within a second I felt shocked by the Indian version of the English tea. Of course they served strong tea with milk and sugar, but the milk ………………

Helplessness when communicating with Chinese

By: Ulrich Sollmann

22-06-2012

intercultural, nonverbal communication

China Kurs für Manager

this is a good example to show how difficult it is to get used to the very different Chinese culture. Even if you are informed about the specific habits it is another chapter to experience the differences in real life in contrast to a role play in a workshop. A role play does not lead to certain important consequences. It is and stays to be a role play. To experience this in real life when you are for example in China always confronts you with certain real consequences. Maybe you work for a contract, maybe you are interested in getting some specific help andsoon. Facing those cultural differences produces stress in the relationship and in yourself.

Stress in this case is of course not a good advisor or consultant. Because stress mostly opens up your own, old patterns of behaviour. That means those patterns of behaviour which you ave learnt ihn your life to be the best to help to survive.

BUT……………………….

The direct look into someone`s eyes

Sweatening

Chinese and American body language differences, new perspectives

love vs. politics

Change (3) and Palaver – Traditional African Decision making

Change (2) and integration

Rising dragon around the dome of Cologne, or: what is cultural integration Part II

The cosmopolitan Chinese manager

Tea without Milk: impossible – it is not enough to understand the words you have to experience in order to learn

Helplessness when communicating with Chinese

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