Why it matters
Misunderstanding is expensive, and mostly invisible.
It rarely shows up in a report. It shows up in the places you already watch.
- Slower projectsFeedback is misread, decisions are reopened, and work waits for answers nobody dared to ask for.
- Quiet meetingsPeople who see staying quiet as respect hold back the ideas your team needs.
- Strained manager relationshipsHonest feedback lands as criticism, and trust between manager and employee takes a hit.
- Early exitsGood people leave in their first year, and you start hiring and onboarding all over again.
of executives and staff say communication barriers delayed a project or made it fail
Economist Intelligence Unit, 2018of the variance in team engagement is explained by the manager
Gallup, State of the American Managermore likely to rate onboarding a success when the manager is actively involved
Gallup, 2019None of this is a talent problem. It’s an understanding problem. And understanding can be built.
What it is
Understanding, built on purpose.
At its core, every Cultural Alignment programme helps your team understand how cultural differences shape the way people work, and how to respond with understanding when something feels off.
It works on both sides
- For managers Who lead a multicultural team See how international colleagues read feedback, hierarchy and expectations, and adjust how you lead without losing what works.
- For employees Who work in multicultural teams Understand how the Dutch workplace really works, and feel confident to speak up, ask and disagree.
- For teams Who want to share one language A common way to talk about feedback, meetings and decisions, so small frictions are named before they grow.
How it works
Learn, apply, reflect, adjust.
Every programme starts with your context. What follows depends on what you choose.
- 1 Understand your context Always the first step. We map your team’s dynamics and the moments where friction keeps coming back.
- 2 Build a shared language In workshops, the team explores communication, feedback and workplace norms, and agrees how to work with differences.
- 3 Apply it to real situations In confidential individual conversations, people work through situations from their own everyday work.
- 4 Reflect and adjust In longer programmes, we look back together at what worked and what did not. Shared experiences encourage quieter colleagues to take action.
Shaped around your team
No two programmes are the same. You choose.
- Who joins?
- ManagersEmployeesCross-department groupsor any mix
- What format?
- Individual conversationsWorkshopsor any mix
- How long?
- One session3 months1 yearor anything in between
For example
- A focused startOne workshop for your managers.A light first step
- A team programmeThree months of workshops and individual conversations for the whole team.When friction keeps coming back
- Across the organisationA year-long programme across departments.For a growing international workforce
Examples, not packages. Your programme and its price are agreed with you after the first conversation.
Why SHEXON
Close to the people who live it.
- Built by people who made it here SHEXON is built by international professionals who have built successful careers in the Dutch job market, and who know the cultural challenges from experience.
- Built on 500+ conversations Our approach grows out of more than 500 conversations with people who struggled with miscommunication caused by cultural differences.
- Backed by research It draws on scientific research into cultural differences in how people communicate, give feedback and make decisions.
Questions
What leaders usually ask us.
Something else on your mind? Bring it to the conversation, or send Navid an email.
How much does a programme cost?
It depends on who joins, the format and the length. After the introductory conversation you receive a clear proposal with the price, and you decide from there. There is no obligation.
How much time does it ask from our people?
You choose. A programme can be a single session, or run over several months with regular sessions. We plan around your team’s workload, so the work keeps going.
Is it only for our international employees?
No. Understanding works both ways, so programmes work best when managers and local colleagues take part too. You decide who joins.
Is this a diversity training?
Not in the usual sense. Cultural Alignment is practical and focused on everyday work: feedback, meetings, decisions and expectations.
Will this stereotype people?
No. We look at how people work, never at nationalities. Every programme starts from real situations in your own team, and it is built on the idea that neither side is wrong: people simply read the same situation through different norms.
Are the individual conversations confidential?
Yes. Individual conversations are confidential, so people can talk openly about real situations from their work.
An easy first step
Let’s talk about your team.
A 30-minute introductory conversation about where misunderstandings are most likely to appear in your team. An honest look, not a sales pitch.
You’ll leave the conversation with
- A clearer picture of what may be going on in your team
- A few practical leads you can use straight away
- An honest view on whether Cultural Alignment would help, or not
You’ll talk with Dr. Navid Mohamadi, founder of SHEXON, and work with him directly throughout your programme.