An accomplished educator and administrator in Austin, Texas, Dr. Hind LOuali is the founder of Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau, known as the French School of Austin. Additionally, Dr. Hind Louali is a member of the board of directors for Think Bilingual, a non-profit organization that supports bilingualism.
As part of its mission to help organizations become more inclusive and diverse, Think Bilingual provides training focused on cultural intelligence (CQ) for business professionals. Increasingly, workforces across the United States include individuals from numerous backgrounds and cultures, making effective communication essential to conduct business. In the United States, nine out of ten employers have domestic employees who speak languages other than English, and 25 percent of employers have been unable to pursue a business opportunity due to their lack of second language ability.
Even among speakers of a common language, cultural differences can present problems. To integrate cross-cultural communication into a business strategy, organizations must focus on eliminating concepts of “normal” and “wrong.” Then can also use generalizations about culture as a teaching tool rather than an excuse to form stereotypes. Finally, while acknowledging cultural differences, organizations should recognize unifying similarities.
