Do You Know Your Rules? Improving Intercultural Interactions

Do you ever wonder...

"Why is my relationship with my mentor so formal,when others laugh and joke with him? Am I doing something wrong?"
"Why does my student trainee often ignore my instructions? She seems to think they are just suggestions. Am I not being clear enough?"
"Why didn't my lab-mate speak up to the PI in lab meeting? We just discussed that she should stand up for herself!"

Knowing your own internal rules and expectations can have a positive impact on interactions with your fellow postdocs, students,family, and most importantly, your mentor. The rules that direct our behaviors are often cultural - learned in childhood. Like fish unaware of the water they live in, we can be just as oblivious to the cultural norms that drive our behavior. In this workshop, we'll explore some of our own rules and what values we are maintaining by following the rules. We will also discuss how to communicate our rules and expectations to others in a positive way, and how to understand how others' rules may affect their behavior.

SPEAKER: Paige Vinson is Assistant Director of Duke International House, where she creates programming for international students, scholars, staff, and their families. In addition, she leads cross-cultural communication workshops for administrators and local business members. Paige is a certified ESL Instructor, Intercultural Trainer, and Koru Mindfulness Instructor.