Cheryl Clifford’s Post

Struggling to get your opinions valued is frustrating. Check out this timely series of articles written to help you leverage your voice. #analytics #leadership #quitguessing

"Cover your arse" or "watch your back"? A line from Nick Herron's Slow House series got me thinking about the corporate world. Moscow rules mean you watch your back, and London rules mean "cover your arse." The latter, unfortunately, seems to be the prevailing culture in many corporations, and it's a culture we need to challenge. In the corridors of Westminster, where the London rules were devised, the short version read: someone always pays. Make sure it isn't you. But in the corporate world, this mentality leads to a lack of accountability, poor decision-making, and, ultimately, the slow decay of the business. As a Growth Coach, I've seen how this culture can stifle innovation and hinder progress. It creates an environment where employees are more focused on protecting themselves than on contributing to the company's growth. It's a culture that contradicts the very essence of a core customer-centric approach and undermines the brand promise. We need to shift from a culture of self-preservation to one of collective growth and accountability. We need to replace the London rules with the Moscow rules - watch your back, not to protect yourself from your colleagues, but to ensure that everyone is moving forward together towards the BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). I challenge you to reflect on the culture in your organization. Is it one of self-preservation or collective growth? Let's start a conversation about how we can change the rules of the game for the better. If you agree with my thoughts, give this post a like, leave a comment, or share it with your network. Let's challenge the status quo together. #GrowthCoaching #Accountability #ChangeTheRules

Ever felt lost in translation when working with teams/clients from different cultures? You're not alone. Erin Meyer eye-opening piece, "When Culture Doesn’t Translate," reminds us of the hurdles businesses face in global markets. in 2009, I received an email from an investment company in Sweden inquiring about a project they wanted to invest in Florida. I was super excited and replied promptly, offering a few options and suggesting a phone discussion to better assist. However, after a few communications, I didn't hear back. I sent follow-up emails and texts, but still, nothing. Feeling perplexed, I remembered that my CPA was Swedish, so I decided to seek advice from her. Little did I know, this would be the best call I made. To make the story short, a year later, we finally finalized the transaction. It was then that I realized the importance of cultural understanding in any type of dealing, whether it's business-related or not. There are countless intricacies that come into play during professional interactions. So, if you ever find yourself feeling a bit lost in the cultural maze of global business, seek guidance. Never navigate these waters alone. (Here is what I found out later, Swedes prefer thinking over immediate action and do things " Better right than quickly"- Behind the friendly mask is usually a well- prepared person who know exactly what they want.) and Michael Gates illustrated this point perfectly through a funny video during our collaborative Masterclass presentation earlier this month. Let's connect. 🌐🤝 #CulturalIntelligence #GlobalSuccess #InclusionMatters #interculturalcommunication.

The Big "C" strategies for winning... #Competition is only one of the many strategies you employ when engaging with people. On many occasions, social circumstances will require you to #cooperate and #collaborate with peers and colleagues; or, #complement the knowledge and skills of your superiors and associates with your own! In many cases, the success of the group will be more important and meaningful than the success of the individual in a contentious and chaotic field of human endeavor. In many instances, you will have to #communicate with other people and it doesn’t matter in what arena of human activity you choose to operate. And whatever it is you want to accomplish; you will contend with hierarchies of competence and ladders of ascendancies. In time, you will become better and suck less at what you do! At times, you’ll even come up with great ideas yourself! Then, you will need support groups of cooperators, collaborators and complementors to help you achieve and actualize the beneficial outcomes of those ideas. Those outcomes must benefit most; if not everyone! This is how you will begin the process of winning! Your #competence will manage the competition! And your #communications ability will help you greatly in fomenting #cooperation, #collaboration and #complementation! excerpt from "#TheProfileOfaWinner"; by RSMD (#ProfessorSam); Like and follow if you agree; Also heard on Spotify "Coffee Talks in the Clouds"

"These three authors, read together, provide an understanding of why successful cultural interventions work. But they also give achievable, time-tested strategies for how to get started on your own cultural transformation." #culture #corporateculture #culturaltransformation #journeycounts #thejourneycounts #LearningGuidanceGreatness

▶️Have you heard a story about a French manager who was thrilled about a fantastic review she got from her American boss? She never had such a  positive appraisal when she worked in Europe. ▶️Have you heard a story about an American CEO who conducted a crushing performance review with his new French manager, letting her know that he is not happy at all and she is on the verge of being fired? ▶️Have you guessed that it the same story?? 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀! 😁 So what happened here? How is it possible that 2 very experienced and high-positioned professionals misunderstood each other so completely? 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮. You see, the Americans, very direct and explicit in their overall communication, are much less direct and explicit in giving a negative feedback than French. French, who in their turn, communicate much more nuanced and layered, are much more direct and explicit in negative feedback than the Americans. So when the CEO was using the ‘famous’ American sandwich technics and packed the criticism between the complements, the French manager focused on positive things she heard and totally missed the most important part of what she needs to improve. The story has a happy end, as a cross-cultural specialist Erin Meyer came to help. But how many stories like this are happening all around the business world with less positive outcome? I bet you a lot! Two weeks ago I had a poll here and asked people to mark their preference in giving a bad news (direct and indirect) and their acceptance of others with opposite approach. I just loved the results: 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶ng. I am not saying it is not true. I am just saying, 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮? I am sure that the American and the French from the story above would vote the same way too.😉 Since I started working with cultural diversity, I learned that we really have to be aware of our cultural preferences and work real hard on being open-minded and accepting with people from different backgrounds. That is the only way we can put this diversity to success! Want to know more about giving and receiving feedback in multinational organisations? Send me a DM  #culturaldiversity #feedback  

Are spikes creating dialogue—or dividing us further? I recently read an article about creating spikey content. The idea? Stand out by taking a stance. Share ideas that invite debate, challenge the norm and spark engagement. At first, the challenge thrown down by this article felt liberating, a new way attract attention to the work I do.  But then I started wondering: are spikes in today’s climate creating meaningful conversations - or tribal divides? I’ve spent much of my life being agreeable (obedient first child!) - the mediator, the peacekeeper, the one who holds back and I know that has not always served me well. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realised my hesitation around being “spikey” wasn’t just a fear of being judged or challenged - it is a fear of contributing to the divide. We see it all the time: 👉 Bold opinions generate likes and comments, but they also breed hostility. 👉 Debates quickly turn into battlegrounds where the goal isn’t understanding - it’s winning. Maybe the issue isn’t whether we need more spikes or agreeableness, but whether we’ve lost the ability to be bold and respectful. I have seen first-hand how this is such a tricky balance in many workplaces. It brings up a whole range of things in terms of the strategic direction of a business let alone workplace culture eg trust, diversity (in all senses of the word) and so on. My Thursday musing is to ask the question … what if instead of spikey vs. agreeable, we aimed for constructive? The world needs bold ideas, challenging the status quo - but it also needs people who can express them without turning them into weapons or isolating those courageous enough to think outside the square. Respectful dialogue and bold ideas shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. Maybe the real challenge isn’t picking a side - it’s finding the courage to express your truth while making room for others to do the same. What do you think? ❓ Do spikes help businesses create robust growth strategies and healthy workplace cultures thrive? ❓ Or do they serve to deepen divides? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Ever heard of “Biz Rizz”? It’s the charisma that combines warmth and competence, making you magnetic in professional settings. Research from Princeton shows that people’s perceptions of you are rooted in these qualities. Here’s how to strengthen your Biz Rizz, no matter where you are in your career: Here’s how to develop this skill at any stage in your career: 🔹 Early Career Listen More Than You Speak: In diplomacy, paying attention to local voices shows respect and helps you build trust faster than talking credentials. Small, Consistent Actions Matter: Honor commitments, even minor ones. It’s the little things that people remember. Bring Positivity—Subtly: Stay engaged and curious. Not every situation calls for enthusiasm, but authenticity is always a win. 🔹 Mid-Level Offer Perspective Without the Soapbox: Share insights that add value, without dominating the conversation. Be the person who makes others feel heard. Be a Bridge Builder: Facilitate connections within and outside your team—it shows you’re invested in collaboration. Stay Curious About Others’ Work: Asking about others’ perspectives brings in the warmth factor and broadens your own view of an issue. 🔹 Senior Leaders Lead with Stories That Resonate: Instead of telling people what to do, share relevant experiences that help them see the path forward. Trust Your Team to Step Up: Providing space shows confidence in their abilities—it’s a powerful way to project competence and humility. Focus on Empathy Over Authority: People remember how you make them feel. Leading with empathy isn’t “soft”—it builds lasting loyalty and respect. Biz Rizz isn’t about being the loudest in the room; it’s about understanding the culture, listening, and making sure your actions reflect your values.

I’m off on holiday very soon and wanted to share one of the non-fiction books that'll be coming with me 👉 The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business.     📘 🌏 Written by Erin Meyer, an American author and professor at INSEAD (international business school) in Paris, The Culture Map analyses how national cultural differences impact business and offers a way to decode those differences with the aim of building more effective working relationships. 📊 Meyer has interviewed thousands of people in her research and has developed a tool made up of eight scales representing the management behaviour where cultural gaps are common – from communicating and evaluating, to making decisions, trusting others and scheduling.   🧠 It is fascinating – and that's why I’m delving back into it with a better level of attention over the holidays!!   For anyone working across global multi-cultural teams, this is a really valuable read. I’d say it's the guidebook I wish I’d had when I moved to Paris 25 years ago!   Meyer says, “Cultural patterns of behaviour and belief frequently impact our perceptions (what we see), our cognitions (what we think) and our actions (what we do)…if your business success relies on your ability to work successfully with people from around the world, you need to have an appreciation for cultural differences as well as respect for individual differences.”   📣 Shout out to Richard Edwards and the awesome team at The 100th Monkey who recommended this book, and who draw on Meyer’s learnings to inform their excellent training programmes in influence and impact.    Have a great Summer and if you have any interesting reads you'd recommend, please let me know! #theculturemap #culturaldifferences #communication #communicatingwithimpact #recommendedreading #globalbusiness

Conscious Change: How to Navigate Differences and Foster Inclusion in Everyday Relationships 🏆 2024 BIBA® Business Culture Winner! Every day, most of us interact with people of disparate backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences—individuals who hold different expectations than we do of the people and world around them. How does one navigate these often-turbulent waters? In Conscious Change, nineteen authors describe how they have applied the principles of Conscious Change within multicultural, diverse environments to overcome difficult and emotionally draining challenges—and, in doing so, provide a road map to shifting one’s own story when moving through similarly demanding situations in all areas of life. These practical case studies reveal how transformational the Conscious Change tools can be, leading to a stronger sense of one’s personal capacity as a leader, better interpersonal relationships, and the #IARTG #WritingCommunity #WritingContest #writers #awardwinning