Cultural Friction Podcast
Short, practical episodes on the hidden dynamics of international teams — what quietly causes cultural friction, why it happens, and what leaders can do about it.
Sophisticated Stereotypes: When Cultural Frameworks Backfire
Cultural stereotypes at work arrive as preparation, not prejudice — which is what makes them so hard to spot. Why even diligent, well-prepared leaders walk into them, and four ways to stay curious about the actual person.
Listen & read the show notes →Rules or Suggestions: Why Half Your Team Follows the Process and Half Doesn’t
Half your team follows the process to the letter; half treat it as a suggestion. Why “tight” and “loose” orientations collide over the same rule — and how to make the invisible contract visible.
Listen & read the show notes →You Said Your Door Was Open: Why Your Team Isn’t Giving You Honest Feedback
You say your door is always open, so why does the bad news still reach you late? The emperor problem, power distance, and four ways to make honest feedback cheap enough for the whole team.
Listen & read the show notes →Swift Trust: How New International Teams Build Trust Without a Shared History
Newly formed international teams have to trust each other before they have any shared history to base it on. How that swift trust forms, why it is more fragile across cultures, and how to stop it breaking.
Listen & read the show notes →What to expect
Practitioner-led
Grounded in 25+ years leading and advising international teams — not theory for its own sake.
Short and useful
Each episode ends with something you can actually apply with your team this week.
Read or listen
Every episode has written show notes, so you can skim the ideas even when you cannot press play.
Cultural Friction Podcast
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