In our globalised world, “culture” is no longer an afterthought. Organisations need employees who can bridge cultural boundaries and promote cooperation and understanding between groups. When cultural differences are the subject of discussion in organisations, it is usually already too late. Who communicates leads.

In his presentation, Prof Dr Sierk Horn would like to present the basics of intercultural dialogue. The starting point for his considerations is situational and individual worlds of experience. He would like to explain, step by step, what “culture bumps,” i.e. moments of misunderstanding that arise from differences in cultural norms, values or communication styles, do to us. 

We become interculturally competent leaders the moment we understand how to recognise and tackle these hurdles early on. Suppose we see culture as a unifying element rather than a dividing one. In that case, we have the chance to foster an environment of mutual respect and learning and transform potential obstacles into opportunities for growth and cooperation.

Prof Dr Sierk Horn

Prof Dr Sierk Horn is a Business Communication and Intercultural Competence Professor at Munich University of Applied Sciences. He is the author of the book “Intercultural Leadership: Humanistic Perspectives” and has worked in various roles in European and Asian Business Schools and as an executive in commercial semiotics.