Christine discusses accent bias with Heather Hansen, an expert on cultural inclusion and communication. They explore how accents impact perceptions, unconscious bias, and career advancement. Heather shares stories of being told her Danish accent was "charming" in business meetings and feeling like she would always be seen as a foreigner in Denmark. They discuss the dominance of Western leadership styles, the myth of the "perfect" English speaker, and how psychological safety may not translate across cultures. Heather explains authentic adaptability and provides tips for developing self-awareness and being a conversational ally at work. 

ABOUT THE GUEST

Heather helps multinational companies enhance collaboration, innovation and inclusion across their global teams through greater understanding and stronger, more efficient communication policies. She focuses on fostering unmuted communication cultures where every voice is heard, resulting in greater inclusion, innovation and efficiency across remote and global teams. Along with private leadership communication coaching, Heather facilitates group training courses and consults on a number of topics related to global communication. Heather is also an External Industry Expert for NUS Business School’s Executive Education programs where she runs modules on communication, presentation, and storytelling skills.

• https://heatherhansen.com/books/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/hansenheather/

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