Culture Speaks: Listening Beyond Words

When I first arrived in Poland to study (over 25 years ago!), I felt slightly ashamed to admit I was coming from Bulgaria. Why? At that time, Bulgaria felt small, economically weaker, and many of my friends were looking for opportunities abroad (my best friend from secondary school moved to the USA).

Fast forward to these days - I stood proudly on Kraków’s Main Square, joyfully dancing traditional Bulgarian dances with an incredible group called "Iglika". Interestingly, almost all group members are non-Bulgarian but have passionately performed Bulgarian and Balkan dances for almost 25 years! Why? Simply because they genuinely love and appreciate our culture.

And here comes the keyword: culture.

Edward T. Hall beautifully described culture as an iceberg. Above the surface, we see behaviors; below lie hidden values, attitudes, and beliefs. If we truly desire deeper connections - in relationships or international teams - we need to go beneath the surface.

In my professional journey, I've had the privilege to collaborate with incredible Team members from Indonesia, Argentina, India, Ukraine, Poland (of course!), and recently with colleagues from South Africa, Germany, Spain, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Switzerland, Ireland, and Serbia. Often, I hear:

“You must know how to better understand people from different cultures! How do you successfully work or live together?”

Here’s the truth—there are no shortcuts. But we can definitely build bridges by:

-> Being Curious – Ask yourself: "Why might they see things differently than I do?"

-> Staying Open – Accept that others have different priorities and values.

-> Seeking to Understand First – As Stephen R. Covey wisely advised in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

One last thought: Have you ever noticed feeling like a slightly different person when switching languages? Every time I return to Bulgaria, I experience exactly this. Perhaps language deeply shapes our identity and influences how we express our cultural values more than we realize. But that's a fascinating topic for another time…

What is your experience with different cultures? Has it been fascinating, challenging—or perhaps a bit of both? I'd genuinely love to hear your story!