Keynote
Leading across cultures
In international organisations, much is decided by what is never said outright. A keynote on how cultural differences shape leadership, collaboration and business, and what to do about the misunderstandings before they turn into conflict.
What the keynote is about
What reads as clear and direct in one culture reads as blunt in another. A polite yes means different things depending on where it is said. In multicultural teams, differences like these become either a source of friction or a source of better decisions. Rarely anything in between.
The keynote draws on research in cross-cultural studies, among them the intercultural development continuum, which describes how organisations move from denial to active adaptation. Those that go furthest do not settle for accepting differences. They build ways of working that benefit from them.
To the theory Oskar adds his own experience. He gained a Chinese stepmother at the age of ten, has lived in seven countries including thirteen years in Dubai, is married to Aki, who was born in Brazil to Japanese parents, and has interacted with people from an estimated 150-plus nationalities. The examples do not come from a textbook.
The tone is humorous and recognisable rather than admonishing. People recognise themselves and their colleagues, and leave with something to try in the next meeting.
What your audience takes away
- An understanding of how cultural differences actually show up in everyday work
- A framework for where the organisation stands today and what the next step is
- Concrete adjustments to meetings, feedback and decision-making that make a visible difference
- Fewer costly misunderstandings in international collaboration and teams
- A shared language for discussing differences without it becoming sensitive
Practical details
- Format — keynote, workshop, longer training programme or 1-1 coaching
- Length — 45–90 minutes
- Language — Swedish or English
- Audience — conferences, kick-offs, leadership days, management teams and teams
- Fee — quoted on request
What organisers say
A mixture of Oskar’s own experiences and research made this a very interesting lecture! In an increasingly global world, it becomes extremely important to understand different perspectives and take advantage of everyone’s skills.
Christer Axén, leadership and organisational consultant
Book Oskar
Tell me briefly about the occasion – the date, the audience, and what you want it to lead to – and I will come back with a proposal and a quote.