Of introverts, extroverts and cultural norms

I take two main thoughts from this article. The first is that rewarding show-offs favours certain personality types, assuming wrongly that having a loud voice is a key trait for a good leader. The second is the importance of cultural norms. This chimes with my own experience in operating in Asia, North America and the Middle East for three decades. Sometimes we forget the most basic rule that business is about building relationships. Understanding national cultural norms, respecting them and blending them with your own personal culture and personality with integrity are just a few of the strands of successful international enterprise. The joy for me is working out how all this works, while making long lasting friendships – which by the way, I consider to be the biggest personal reward of doing business internationally.