04/24/2026
In this video, I’m on a marketing panel in Dubai speaking about something I noticed often in organizations.
Where companies say they want a culture defined by open and direct communication.
But their teams are individuals who are shaped by a personal home cultures and country culture where communication is indirect, reserved, or avoidant.
So on the surface, everything sounds aligned
but underneath, it isn’t.
And that’s where cultural differences show up most.
Because communication is not just what’s said
it’s about hearing what isn’t said.
If your brand stands for openness but your team communicates indirectly and with high politeness to avoid conflict … there’s a huge disconnect there.
Not in intention
but in behaviour.
The real work is creating congruency between culture, values, and how people actually communicate.
