It is great if you are a leader who brings masterful subject knowledge to a culture, but if you are experiencing cultural problems, it will affect your ability to concentrate properly. Some of your approaches to conducting business which worked so well in your own culture will not work so well in your new environment.
I have helped hundreds of leaders establish successful mindsets.
If you have number one, Awareness, without number two, content, which is knowledge and expertise, as well as number three, application, which is the ability to apply things that you know to your local environment, then you are theoretical. All the awareness in world is not going to help you.
If you have number two, Content, but lack number one, awareness, and number three application, you will not be able to apply your expertise in your new environment. You are working with a crutch, functioning half the time. You will feel frustrated and confused.
If you have number three, Application, without having number one, awareness, of yourself and your local environment, coupled with number two, content of the local landscape, you will not understand why you are doing things. You will be blind to what is visible and will not understand how to behave.
Melding the three concepts together, awareness, content and application, will allow you to experience success in foreign cultures, which is number four.
