Mindful managers

The Mindful International Manager, Competences for Working Effectively across Cultures, is a new book that aims to help international business people to develop their intercultural competence through input and self-reflection.

The authors, Jeremy Comfort and Peter Franklin, are two of the leading experts in international business communication in Europe. Jeremy, based in the UK, founded the training organization York Associates 30 years ago, and Peter is a professor at HTWG Konstanz University of Applied Sciences in Germany; he is also behind the excellent intercultural website www.dialogin.com.

The book carefully analyses what it means to be interculturally competent and helps the reader to understand the role of culture in such key areas as organization and change management, management style, communication, feedback and dealing with conflict, as well as taking advantage of diversity. It is based on the extensive knowledge of the authors and experience of international managers. It encourages observation and reflection, rather than quick-fix solutions. Above all, it goes out of its way to avoid harmful stereotyping.

I would highly recommend this thoughtful and well-structured book. I’m not sure that it will achieve the cult status of the parachute book. It's too modest and self-effacing for that. But it deserves to be on the desk, or maybe bedside table, of international managers.

When you hear “mindful manager”, what kind of manager would you expect to meet? You'll find the answer in the book.