Blog – Rana Nejem

Splitting Diversity from Inclusion

by admin / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / July 1, 2020

“We are all in this together” – but are we really? After this great re-set, employees and customers are watching very closely to see what businesses and organisations are actually doing – actions, verbs, behaviours

The Great Re-Set

by admin / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / June 1, 2020

Seizing the Opportunity to (Re) Design Your Culture Questions, questions, questions. That is all that seems to be on everyone’s mind. Some as simple as how are we going to go back to work? But most

My View From Jordan

by admin / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / May 4, 2020

I was one of the lucky ones. I really enjoyed the lockdown, spending time at home – tidying up, cooking, baking (which I never did before) and tending the garden. I actually felt more freedom

A LESSON IN MINDSET

by admin / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / January 3, 2020

I woke up on the morning of the 1st of January literally in a spin! A sever viral infection hit the nerve responsible for balance in the brain leaving me in a constant state of

You Are My Guest

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / August 4, 2019

One thing that every foreigner visiting the Arab world will agree on is how warm, welcoming, and hospitable the culture is. Hospitality is an Arab tradition that is deeply ingrained in the culture. Visitors are

Navigating Through Compromise And Flexibility

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / July 4, 2019

I would like to share with you this blog that was written by Rebecca Byrne Navigating Through Compromise and Flexibility I wish someone had given 19-year old me a copy of Rana Nejem’s When in the Arab World before

Wasta: The Good, The Bad, And The Confusing

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / May 4, 2019

Human nature compels us to want to help our family and friends. Normally, this comes in the form of offering a ride, cooking a meal, helping with homework, and other innocuous expressions of affection and

Can Culture Be The Hero?

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / March 4, 2019

We just finished a week packed with meetings with various businesses in the region. The question we were asking them is: how do you know that your culture is fit for purpose? Is your culture

We Don’t Talk About It!

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / December 4, 2018

I was recently sitting with the owner of a large PR firm that was working on a project with a well-known client in the Middle East. The project was encountering difficulties that required some serious

The Sacred Contract

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / April 4, 2018

A couple of months ago I decided to buy a car, so I did my research, shopped around and did a few test drives and finally decided on a particular car. The car still needed

Opposing Mindsets

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / January 4, 2018

Some 60% of the population of the Arab world is under the age of 25 – making this the most youthful region in the world. A sizable percentage of Arab business owners and senior executives

Don’t Have Time To Worry About Culture?

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / August 4, 2017

I hear it so often from business owners: “we just don’t have the time to worry about culture right now.” But, the reality is that if you don’t pay attention to your company’s culture you

It’s All In Your Head

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / June 4, 2017

Biology challenges our intercultural theories. That was one of the themes that stood out for me during the 4 days I spent in Dublin with about 400 other inter-cultural trainers, coaches and researchers, at the SIETAR

It’s All About The Relationship

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / January 4, 2017

Are you planning to grow your business in the Arab world? Are you about to take up a new position in your company’s offices based in Dubai, Kuwait, Amman or Cairo? Then you need to

Rituals Of Empathy

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / August 4, 2016

Last week we lost a very dear friend and an extraordinarily special soul, Abdallah Said, who left this world after a brave four and a half year struggle with a vicious brain tumor. My fondest

Ramadan Etiquette – Be Prepared

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / June 4, 2016

The sighting of the new moon marks the start of Ramadan. This is the time when your Cultural Intelligence will prove extremely valuable. Ramadan is a time when Muslims all over the world refrain from eating

Four Basics To Know When In The Arab World

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / May 4, 2016

The book is finally out! When in the Arab World; An Insider’s Guide to Living and Working with Arab Culture. Who would benefit from this book? Everyone and anyone who wants to visit or do business with,

Even The Most Seasoned Can Get It Wrong

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / May 4, 2016

Even the most seasoned can sometimes let their cultural intelligence slip. When we are under stress or pressure we tend to revert back to our default setting – or what we deem to be normal,

What Are You Communicating?

by m.bahlaq / Articles & Thoughts / No Comments / May 4, 2016

After resisting for a while, I have finally succumbed to my own advice and have just joined the blogosphere. What should you expect from this blog? What am I all about? I would say communications –

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