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Maria is a passionate coach, facilitator, writer and speaker dedicated to empowering people to do their best work by supporting them in focusing on their strengths and acquiring new skills.

Having spent over a decade in China and working with people and teams in several Asian countries as well as people working in Europe I asked Maria what she thought were the main challenges in communicating across these different cultures.

When first getting to know someone, one of the most common questions we ask is:

Where are you from? As someone who has lived in Asia, like Maria, for over a decade this can sometimes feel strange as we have been outside of our birth countries for such a long time.  For  others this can be quite complex and multi-layered.  We talk about the alternative and perhaps more relevant question: Where are you local?  Does this more accurately reflect a more intentional choice of where you live?

We talk about the need to develop self-awareness when trying to communicate with others from a diverse range of backgrounds.  Annette Dahl expresses this so well by saying: “cross-cultural understanding starts with self-understanding.”

Make sure you stay until the end as Maria shares a 3-step process you can take to develop your communication skills and ensure that collaboration thrives in your team beyond just cultural background.

Resources to explore:

Taiye Selasi: Don’t ask where I’m from, ask where I’m a local (TED Talk)

https://youtu.be/LYCKzpXEW6E

The culture Map - Erin Meyer https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Map-Breaking-Invisible-Boundaries/dp/1610392507

Connect with Maria:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mariapastorelli

WeChat ID: mpastorelli

www.bridgecoaching.online

www.mariapastorelli.com

Connect with Lisa:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasing/

Email the host:

Lisa: [email protected]

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sixcommsconversations2025

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https://www.sixcomms.org/