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Successful Cross-Cultural Coaching Clients

Posted On: April 15, 2015

In today’s globalized, multicultural world, cross-cultural training is essential in helping us to understand and bridge mindsets to build diverse, respectful teams. If you have ever wondered what types of individuals excel at cross-cultural coaching or training, I have compiled a shortlist of four traits that we have noticed that align with successful cross-cultural coaching clients. In addition to ensuring successful program outcomes, when such individuals engage in our programming, a much higher ROI is easily realized.

Trait 1: Open-minded

Inspiring individuals open to new ideas and new ways of thinking and approaching situations to bridge “cultural divides” benefit the most. In the process of helping you sort things out, we do a lot of brainstorming and testing out ideas. Together, we collect a lot of ideas, selecting the best ones that solve your pain points. From these ideas, we create goals, action plans and a schedule of accountability to help you to improve your confidence to realize success. 

 

Trait 2: Self-driven and motivated for success and self-improvement

Though I am always in your corner, your best cheerleader, I know you are the one who’s responsible for your life. I respect that you will make the best decisions for yourself and be able to initiate your action plans, realize your own goals and ultimately be responsible for your success.


Trait 3: Respectful of themselves. Respectful of me. Respectful of the process

Going through the process of cultural adjustment can be rewarding, but it can also be extremely challenging on many fronts- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s a test of our resilience and our strength. It brings out our best and sometimes, our worst qualities. It can help us ‘feel’ life more intensely than we ever have before. Since we experience such a range of emotions while bridging the culture gaps, we can be hard on ourselves and others. Having respect for yourself- learning to understand your strengths and limitations is imperative. Respecting ourselves radiates out respect for those close to us, others and the experiences that we live through. Sometimes we want overnight success; but this is not usually possible. It takes time; there is a process to every ‘overnight success’. 

See this video on YouTube.
Trait 4: Not afraid to try something different, new and possibly uncomfortable to create success and comfort abroad. 
When we try new things in a new environment, we have to be willing to ‘look a little foolish’. Think about little kids learning to walk and talk. They take so many risks to walk and talk. They make a lot of mistakes, but they don’t let it get them down. They keep trying until they can walk and talk like the rest of us. They aren’t afraid to look foolish and keep trying even after ‘failures’ to be successful. When we come into a new culture, parts of us become like ‘little kids’. We have to learn new things that may be- well often are- uncomfortable. These new things make us feel off-balance, maybe even inadequate, and like a kid again. It’s both refreshing and scary to be in this position. These are the times of life that are turning points. I am here to help you keep on track so that you can keep moving forward; making the discomfort of cultural adjustment feel natural and new behaviors not feel so awkward but like second nature.

Cross Cultural Mentoring

Cross Cultural Mentoring

Author, Jennifer Kumar is a PCC certified ICF coach who has been delivering cross-cultural business training and coaching programs to teams working between the US and India since 2011. Take a look at a video where Jennifer shares cross-cultural insights against ICF core competencies or learn more about Authentic Journeys programming.
Copyright 2015, Authentic Journeys. Do not reprint any text on this page without prior approval.
More articles:
Read more about how we engage in a supportive cross-cultural environment 
How to Find and Hire a Cross-Cultural Coach 
Project Portfolio with more than 20 of our corporate clients 
Five Characteristics of Those Interested in Cross-Cultural Mentoring
Image by standret on Freepik

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