Humor and culture in international business | Chris Smit | TEDxLeuven
“To Germans, humor is serious business”. In this compelling TEDxLeuven talk, Chris sheds his perspective on the differences amongst cultures and its impact on the way we do business.
Chris Smit was born in Amsterdam on March 3, 1963. Midway while attending high school, his family and he moved to the USA for one year, where he attended 8th grade high school in Boiceville, New York.
After returning to the Netherlands he finished school and went to the Free University in Amsterdam to study Industrial and Organisational Psychology.
He is an experienced consultant and coach in intercultural business, and has implemented and consulted projects and run many intercultural and communication seminars throughout the world.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx
Пікірлер: 52
Great Presentation. I have been working with people from different cultures and its amazing to see those nuances. I am looking for something similar on product management 😊
Better Understand the vast implications of cultural differences is one of the things humanity still needs to do. International relations (politics) will get better from it. Overall, less misunderstandings, less fears of others, and the world will be be a better place. Thanks to people like you, we'll get there !
@ChrisSmit
8 жыл бұрын
+Nicolas Sauveur Completely agree. Thanks for your kind words. Culture Matters!
well Its a very good talk show for business starters in Germany especially and I am glad you exposed various countries of there strategies. Thank you Chris Smith.
Really enjoyed that Chris. Liked the project management lines especially.
@ChrisSmit
8 жыл бұрын
+Pellegrino Riccardi Thanks Pellegrino, for your compliment.
I just revisited this charmingly humorous talk and I think I got back my own sense of humor 😊
This is insightful and hilarious.
Finally some action from the audience. 12:55
Wow what a great view on culture, thank you 👍
Project management is hilarious but true. Thank you, Chris Smit.
@ChrisSmit
6 жыл бұрын
Hi Sam. Yes, that's a nice way of expressing it, isn't it.
I'm using this for my English training Market Leader course. Wish me luck.
@ChrisSmit
7 жыл бұрын
Wishing you luck!
You live in a windmill and wear wooden shoes. . . I believe we need to get all the stereotypes out on the table. I once told my international students I was of Italian descent and a mature Chinese student said, "Oh, so you belong to the Mafia!" I immediately began to roar with laughter and judging by the embarrassed look on his face, I think he was serious! This became a teachable moment about stereotypes: "All [blank: plural noun] are [blank: adjective]". I surprised myself with my ability to find humor in this situation. Humor can alleviate tension in intercultural exchanges.
@ChrisSmit
8 жыл бұрын
+Lori Nolasco Martinez Thank you Lori, for your comment. Appreciate the additional own experience!
@stevencooke6451
3 жыл бұрын
I guess just as I would assume from your name a father who either is himself or descends from Spanish speakers, possibly in Latin America and perhaps an English or American mother.
@ldmartinez02
11 ай бұрын
@@stevencooke6451 Your assumption is closer to the truth. I took my husband's surname but most people believe that one of my parents is from Latin America. I do not necessarily stand out as the stereotypical "big" US American. On the other hand, another woman who married into the culture jokes about how they call "Lois Santiago" in the doctor's office and don't expect to see a 6-foot tall blonde!
I got hooked once you stated 'If you're not Dutch you're not much'! This was amazing to hear while at work! :)
@ChrisSmit
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Hope you enjoyed the rest of the presentation as well.
@HB-ft8ti
3 жыл бұрын
shut up
he realy speaks good english. no annoying dutch accent
Our intentionally planned Humor doesn't really work in most cultures. Our humor means irony. Irony demolishes social hierachy and is therefore seen as scary by most cultures who are absolute on respecting order. It's a very Anglo American Dutch Danish thing to do to use such humor in daily life to turn the table as a nation of traders to get his way while doing a business. Instead we usually perceive others as having humor which never was intended to in their minds For example, Japanese crazy surreal entertainment and trying to escape from reality is often seen as the ironic thing in our philosophy and therefore perceived by us as Japanese WTF Humor. Which never was intended to in their mind to be seen as humor. It looks rebellious what the Japanese did so American or British people thought this fits in their own perspectives as absurd or countering.
7:35 That George Orwell reference tho👌🏻😂✨
@ChrisSmit
7 жыл бұрын
Glad you liked it.
I love creative culture, I am from Vietnam.
Chris, I recognise many of your observations and comments as my own. Don't you think I deserve an acknowledgement along with my old friend Geert Hofstede?
I don't know which course is right for me, International Business? Management and Marketing? I am just indecisive now.
@ChrisSmit
7 жыл бұрын
Hope you will come to the right conclusion for yourself soon.
@RezdarAmedi
3 жыл бұрын
Lol sorry im three years late, but what did you choose? And how is/was it for you?
@librarianrose4472
2 жыл бұрын
5 years later what’s the tea
@AnNguyenLeAnna
5 ай бұрын
7 years late, how are you doing now?
@jonah.donohue
Ай бұрын
SPILL THE BEANS
I find being humorous more difficult then understanding cultural difference.
I believe we need to get all the stereotypes out on the table, Like the presentation
@stevencooke6451
3 жыл бұрын
I'd like to see some data supporting this analysis. Otherwise, these are just stereotypes, even if some of them confound expectations I suppose.
👍
I know one... God created Greeks... Greeks created the World.
student international busseness after engg in mecanical 😅
@daniellelenor9373
5 жыл бұрын
bolly wood great how is it
10:00
Русские здесь?
duhh :(
@anonihhh6334
3 жыл бұрын
SABAAR YAK
How many Germans does it take to change a light bulb? One. We are efficient and have no sense of humor.
You lost my interest when you stated, "there is nothing good or bad about culture, only differences." That's the same logical error that allows for the Hitler's of the world to rise without potent opposition and for destructive health practices in superstitious tribes to remain because they are part of cultural "tradition."
@ellieennes
8 жыл бұрын
+Chad Higgenbottom Can you explain to me how there is an objective right or wrong in terms of culture?
@empusa23bis
8 жыл бұрын
+Eleana Ennes Cannibalism, FGM, human sacrifice.
@Michelle-bt3bl
4 жыл бұрын
What?
@cindywu2515
4 жыл бұрын
empusa23bis quite true now that i think about it
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