gdp's Comments

http://waegook-tom.com/ : That Racist MBC Video

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:59:28 +0000

First, agree, plain ridiculous, offensive, racist video ! This happens everywhere to anybody who is from a minority or have differences. Living abroad makes you feel how much stereotype, ignorance and intolerance hurt:. Love this quote: "In view of the fact that God limited the intelligence of man, it seems unfair that he did not also limit his stupidity.-Konrad Adenauer

http://www.blogging-techies.com/ : The Best Blogging Platform for Beginners

Wed, 6 Jun 2012 12:53:40 +0000

I started with Blogger but find Wordpress.com more attractive and like their statistics tool My recent post How To Deal With Your Aging Fears And Move Forward

http://www.blogging-techies.com/ : Top 5 Link Building Strategies

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:51:02 +0000

Good tips, thanks. Yes often people forget that in order to be found online they must appear high in searches like Google so using social media platforms is a great way to increase your visibility

Expat Blog : Learning a second language abroad is good for health, research suggests

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:58:03 +0000

I am absolutely not convinced there is a direct impact between learning any language and health, Self-rated health as a measure is not very reliable but more s sign of adaptation and overall happiness. So I agree that you feel less stressed and have more fun when you understand what's going on around you. I suspect even that ability to communicate is not linked to language proficiency but to emotional intelligence (EQ) and natural aptitude to see challenges as opportunities and high resilience.

SmartBlog On Leadership : What Santa can teach you about motivating your employees

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:51:40 +0000

Like that post very much ! great quote: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.” !

Catarina's World : Are night owls more intelligent than early birds?

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:47:29 +0000

Hi Caterina early bird or late owl may not be the issue but the hours and quality of sleep may be. A study was done on 4188 employees at four US corporations who were surveyed about sleep patterns and completed the Work Limitations Questionnaire. Sleep disturbances contribute to decreased employee productivity at a high cost to employers. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20042880

Catarina's World : Do you agree with Harvard that international people are more creative?

Sun, 15 May 2011 20:29:05 +0000

Although I have been exposed to many cultures and complex situations with 20 years of expatriation, I am not sure if I am more creative than a person same age who is curious by nature, never lived abroad but love solving difficult problems and therefore developed an" out of the box thinking". Attitude is key, willing to learn from others and trying to understand without judging is more important in creativity than being an "expat" expert. I also think entrepreneurs are often more creative than international people working for big global companies. Regarding IQ tests and other "standard" testing, bilingual or multicultural children might score bellow average because they did not learn country specific facts like knowing historical key dates for example or simply did not learn the metric system. However I think people who lived in multiple countries are often more tolerant and accept difference as the norm. Therefore they might be more prone to benefit from cross-fertilizations of different ideas. Adaptation to a new cultural environment requires a lot of flexibility and creativity so maybe international people have a competitive advantage in a world becoming more global everyday but it is not a guaranty, it depends very much on individual mindset and behavior. My recent post JAPAN BOSSES ON COMMUNICATING WITH HQ

Relocation Tips & Strategies : Language, Culture, and Beyond

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:08:01 +0000

Interesting post Heather. You are perfectly right about this special use of the negative form in French. But you may have noticed that French won't use superlatives like "great" or "wonderful" for little things as often as Americans do. French are well known for their critical thinking and there is more emphasis on the negative that on the positive in conversations. If you ask a French person "comment ca va ? ", the equivalent of "How are You ?" people are more likely to answer with a complain while in the US people almost always respond: " I am fine thank you! even if terrible things happened to them. Compared to my son who is truly bilingual English/French since birth, I can see my limits. I may call myself fluent in English but native speakers have richer vocabulary and understanding of specific cultural contexts. The good thing is I am an avid learner and really enjoy perfecting my understanding of the American culture through its language(s). For example I am really interested to learn colloquial expressions.

Catarina's World : What’s your online reputation worth?

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:18:13 +0000

Hi Catarina, well written article. I have seen many times people who post negative or provoking comments on Linkedin group discussions just to be noticed ! It is hard not to respond . Sometimes you can beat them at their own game, but at the end the damage is done. Just one sarcastic post can destroy a nice conversation because people are afraid to be criticized in public. It's a shame!

Expat Blog : Global executive expat population set to grow as companies look to establish themselves in emerging

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:43:38 +0000

Hi Brian, Have you identified the types of headaches and problems US companies have in Asia? Where in Asia ? China? Japan? Thailand ? Asia is vast and highly diverse in cultures, religions, ways of doing business. etc. Once you decide on your targets, list your skills: What is your expertise? how can you solve your target companies ' problems? Then Look at Linkedin and other Job websites and search in your network people who can introduce you to get an interview. Do your homework first and know what to ask precisely, you will get no help if you say " I am looking for ex-pat work." what do you have to give first ? Good luck Anne

Our Kids Blog : Is there a coming creativity crisis?

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:25:19 +0000

I totally agree with the statement: “The movement away from mass education toward individualized attention is critical for inculcating creativity” My son is in 3rd grade at the International School of Brussels and they use an individualized coaching approach providing support in how to use strategies in maths for example. Once the children learn by heart the basics they are able to creatively apply various solutions to the same problem. For example if you ask 26+11 then they can suggest 26+10+1 or 20+10+6+1 Kids have more creativity than adults in general because they have assimilated less rules than adults. Also trying new things is less natural to adults because based on their past experiences they may think this idea is impossible. One last word about computers, video games, movies and “screens” in general, I think they can be excellent tools to stimulate creativity and imagination, but like everything else it should not become an obsession and parents have to limit the time spend online by their kids Thanks for the mention

Diary of A Mad Freelancer : Twitter Is The New Water Cooler

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:37:39 +0000

I like the Title "Twitter Is The New Water Cooler" 20 year ago it was also near the smoker corner that hot issues and gossips were discussed. Since I quit the corporate world in for becoming a consultant and coach I quited smoking too just like that , cold turkey. So yes Twitter is definitively a better alternative for wired workers.

Relocation Tips & Strategies : The Ugly American – Still True?

Tue, 7 Sep 2010 21:09:33 +0000

Heather, You made a good point about "languages on a verge of extinction". French is a very good example. It used to be the language for diplomacy, royal families, nobles and rich merchants especially in the XVIII century. That is the reason why still today in the United Nations the two official languages are English and French, but duplicating documents have become unnecessary expensive so French will probably be eliminated. I think English is the language of business and globalization and will keep this status in the 22 nd century even if the number of people speaking Spanish or Mandarin. So the challenge for the "Ugly Americans" is not language but cultural literacy in a "glocal" economy.

RIVERFORK CONSULTING : Five Tips for Surviving Corporate Calamities

Tue, 18 May 2010 20:20:00 +0000

Thanks Melissa, Great tips. on #1 : I think the Gen Y may take things less personal than the baby-boomers but they are also more socially conscious about brands that do not respect people or the environment. Word of mouth is key for this generation with 80% saying they buy after they receive advices from friends or followers . The implication can be dramatic for global companies as talent will just move to another highly responsible company and will switch to another brand as consumers. I agree that telling the truth and shifting focus on strengths while telling people they can do something good for the team and the company is key for being more creative and less stressed.

RIVERFORK CONSULTING : When change is hard

Mon, 10 May 2010 11:25:41 +0000

Melissa, Thank you for sharing, You made very strong points here. Death of loved ones always caught us by surprise. Often we stay in denial for long time before we realize that they are gone forever and move into the next stage of the grieving process. I also think we must be gentle to ourselves , avoid guilt and take all the time it needs to heal. In fact all changes, big or small trigger the same psychological states more or less intense because we have to let go our known universe for the scary unknown. Here is a link showing the various stages of grief :http://bit.ly/be2y0F