Why do global leaders misinterpret each other even when everyone speaks the same language?

In Part 2 of this deep conversation, Tiphaine Coste continues with Kasper Lohse Nørup Jelsbech, PhD anthropologist and cross-cultural leadership consultant, exploring the invisible forces shaping trust, identity, and communication in global organizations .

This episode goes beyond frameworks.

It challenges how we think about:

• National identity vs. lived experience
• Stereotypes in professional environments
• Why labeling teams as “the German team” or “the French team” is risky
• How one word can trigger conflict across cultures
• Direct vs. indirect communication styles
• The danger of interpreting behavior through your own cultural lens
• Why effective global leaders are not encyclopedias of cultures — but curious learners

Kasper introduces a powerful anthropological perspective:

Culture is not static.

It’s not an essence.

It’s something we practice every day in emails, meetings, silence, and rituals.

You’ll hear real stories about:

• Misinterpreted text messages
• Emotional vocabulary gaps in English
• Sarcasm across cultures
• How trust is built differently around the world
• 
  

💡 Key insight: The most effective global leaders are not those who “know everything” about other cultures but those who stay curious and aware of what they don’t know.

If you operate internationally, manage multicultural stakeholders, or aspire to become a truly global leader this episode will sharpen your cultural intelligence.

🎧 Listen now and redefine how you communicate across borders.

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