Receiving feedback (solicited or unsolicited) is an opportunity for us to get a bit of a glimpse of ourselves from the outside; to understand the impact we have on others. There’s been much written about the most effective ways to deliver feedback, and even on the best ways to receive feedback (Thanks for the Feedback, Heen/Stone). And while all that… More…
My dear friend and colleague, Ank Stuyfzand, came to the US (Southern California to be exact) 14 years ago from The Netherlands, for work and the adventure of living abroad. Four years ago, she and her family moved from SoCal to Massachusetts, which she says was “like moving to another country all over again!” What Ank loves most about being… More…
A few weeks ago, I invited four colleagues and friends of mine to lunch. These four women, who were originally from Russia, India, Philippines, and UK, have been living and working in the US for many years. The reason for my invitation was two-fold… first, I’m all about community. I’m always looking for reasons and opportunities to bring people together… More…
Srithika Thodur Madapusi, a Senior Leadership Development Manager, came to the US to work with Cognizant Technology Solutions when her husband was transferred here for his work. Although she’s now returned to India, she spent two years working here in their Academy Division. That’s where I met and got to know Srithika, while we developed and delivered the first year… More…
One afternoon, as he stepped onto the elevator to return to his office after lunch, Brinker International CIO, Johnny Earl, joined the twenty-something man already inside. Not knowing each other more than by name, they exchanged a quick pleasantry and shared the short ride together. Johnny couldn’t help but notice that the young man seemed very upbeat; as though he… More…
Bala Thillainathan, originally from India, is a Technical Lead at Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies. He’s been in the U.S. for 20 years now, having initially come here for work. “It just kind of happened!”, he says. Bala most enjoys the speed of access and efficiency of getting things done here, versus things that might take longer in his home country. The… More…
My Dad was an immigrant. He was a 23-year old Freedom Fighter during the Hungarian Revolution of ’56 when an opportunity to escape the country presented itself. Not long after, he found himself in the U.S. as a refugee, starting over in a new land. He didn’t speak a word of English, had nothing but the clothes on his body,… More…
Yegor Filonov came to the U.S. from Russia 13 years ago in the aftermath of perestroika, a political reformation movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He’s now a Business Systems Analyst in the Greater Boston area. When asked what he enjoys most about being in the U.S., Yegor says, “Ethnic diversity. I meet people from all corners… More…
One thing we all have in common, no matter where we come from on this planet, is that we have only 24 hours to each day. There’s no getting around it. Yet, when looking at different cultures and the ways in which they hold time, it can seem as though, sometimes, that’s not the case. Several years ago, a couple… More…
Shalini Mohan, originally from India, has been in the US for 7 years and she’s an Implementation Lead living in Massachusetts. When asked what she enjoys most about being here, she says “the people and the work culture”, and having never experienced four seasons before, she “found the weather most surprising!” I asked her if she had any suggestions for… More…