The goal of using a local phrase isn't fluency, but connection. Fumbling through a word shows you've made an effort to meet the client in their world. This act of trying is more appreciated than perfect execution because it demonstrates respect and a genuine desire to connect with them on their terms.

Leaders focus on obvious cultural differences like language. However, the divide between departments in the same organization (e.g., military vs. State Department) can be larger and more insidious because it’s less apparent, leading to misinterpretation rooted in different organizational norms and assumptions.

Focusing solely on making communication faster or shorter is a mistake. Communication ultimately fails if the recipient doesn't interpret the message as the sender intended. The true goal is creating shared understanding, which accounts for the recipient's personal context and perspective, not just transmitting data efficiently.

Don't assume a sales call's purpose is universal. In some cultures, like Vietnam, the goal is deep information exchange, and meetings run long. In others, like Spain, the focus is on relationship-building over extended, informal dinners. Misreading this core objective will lead to failure.

When everyone on the team shares the same deep understanding of the customer's world, communication can be imperfect. The shared context fills in the gaps, preventing the "translation errors" that plague teams trying to operate from detailed specs alone.

The core challenge for global teams isn't overt issues like time zones, but hidden ones. Members often lack the local context to correctly interpret information from colleagues, creating "blind spots" where they "don't know what they don't know," leading to misunderstandings and flawed decisions.

When you're not a subject matter expert in the audience you're selling to (e.g., marketers selling to developers), the most effective strategy is to rely heavily on your customers. Use qualitative interviews to deeply understand their world, which provides the authentic language and positioning needed for your messaging and campaigns.

To effectively lead multicultural teams, be authentic, as people can sense fakeness. However, you must adapt your communication delivery for different cultural contexts. Understanding nuances—like why a team in Japan might be silent on a call—is crucial for building trust and avoiding misinterpretation.

A CEO's role is seeing the same company through the different lenses of various stakeholders (investors, lawyers, scientists). Success requires learning the unique 'language' of each group—their incentives and communication styles—to effectively translate the company's vision and value proposition for each audience.