Lawrence DrakenLawrence Draken

About This Week’s Guest Lawrence Draken

Lawrence Draken is an author and small business owner.

Her latest book, “The Year of the Rabid Dragon” is a medical thriller based in Beijing, China, centered around a virus spread through the civilian population of China’s capital.

Draken lived and worked in Beijing for nearly five years, researching high-energy physics, and then working on a strategy and engineering team with a German auto company.

While living and working in China, Draken was struck by the distance between the headlines of what people hear on the news about China, and the picture of China she formed living there and interacting in the daily drama of the city.

Writing became a way for her to share the bigger picture of how China works as a country with people who aren’t able to live overseas themselves.

Her book is as much a study of the culture and mindset of China as it is a medical thriller.

“In Germany people value their individual rights highly (as they do in the US; In China the ‘Group’ forms the functional core and you first do what the authorities tell you and when you do that you will have your individual freedom.”

Her tips on becoming more culturally competent are:

  1. Leave your home country; if you can, take a sabbatical year or two. Get yourself confronted with different situations that you don’t understand (and learn from them).
  2. If/when you come in contact with someone new, try not to pass judgment but try to learn first about what is going on.
  3. Be open to the experience that you might undergo and realize that what you possibly expected to happen or be, might not be what you will experience.

Links mentioned in this episode are:

Culture Matters

A general article about COVID-19 and/or the Coronavirus crisis and how different cultures deal with this can be found here.

The Culture Matters Podcast on International Business & Management Podcast

Culture Matters Podcast (on international business)Build your Cultural Competence, listen to interesting stories, learn about the cultural pitfalls and how to avoid them, and get the Global perspective here at the Culture Matters podcast on International Business.

We help you understand Cultural Diversity better by interviewing real people with real experiences.

Every episode there is an interview with a prominent guest, who will tell his or her story and share international experiences. Helping you develop your cultural competence. Welcome to this culture podcast and management podcast.

To Subscribe to this Management Podcast, Click here.Culture Matters Podcast in iTunes
The Culture Matters Culture Podcast. Available on iTunes and Stitcher RadioCulture Matters Podcast in Stitcher
Click here to get the podcast on Spotifyspotify logo culture matters podcast
Talk to your Amazon Alexa and listen to the PodcastCulture Matters Podcast on Alexa
Listen directly on Amazonamazon logo

If you have a minute, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the visibility and the ranking of this culture podcast on iTunes immensely! A BIG THANK YOU!

Enjoy this FREE culture podcast!

Music: Song title - Bensound.com

More Ways of Listening:

Get a Taste of How Chris Presents, Watch his TEDx Talk


 

 

7 + 10 =

call culture mattersCall Direct: +32476524957

 

whatsapp culture matters directlyEuropean Office (Paris) Whatsapp: +32476524957

 

The Americas (USA; Atlanta, GA; también en Español):  +1 678 301 8369

Book Chris Smit as a Speaker

If you're looking for an Engaging, Exciting, and Interactive speaker on the subject of Intercultural Management & Awareness you came to the right place.

Chris has spoken at hundreds of events and to thousands of people on the subject of Cultural Diversity & Cultural Competence.

This is What Others Say About Chris:

  • “Very Interactive and Engaging”
  • “In little time he knew how to get the audience inspired and connected to his story”
  • His ability to make large groups of participants quickly and adequately aware of the huge impact of cultural differences is excellent”
  • Chris is a dedicated and inspirational professional”

In addition, his presentations can cover specific topics cultural topics, or generally on Cultural differences.

Presentations can vary anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours and are given worldwide.

Book Chris now by simply sending an email. Click here to do so.

Read more about what Chris can do for you.

  • Percentage of People Rating a Presentation as Excellent 86% 86%
  • Rating the Presentation as Practical 89% 89%
  • Applicability of Chris' presentation 90% 90%

About Peter van der Lende

Peter van der Lende International business development

Peter has joined forces with Culture Matters.

Because he has years and years of international business development experience joining forces therefore only seemed logical.

Being born and raised in the Netherlands, he has lived in more than 9 countries of which most were in Latin America.

He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) with his family.

You can find out more at https://expand360.com/

Or find out what Peter can do for you here.

Chris Smit
Latest posts by Chris Smit (see all)
We're looking for new Podcast Guests!

We're looking for new Podcast Guests!

If you think you or someone you know would make a good guest for our Culture Matters on International Business, drop us an email.

(make sure you or the person you know will be able to talk about International affairs!)

Thanks, we'll be back to you soon!