The Global Village – an Exciting New Stage The world, as they say, is smaller. Even newly established companies are rapidly trading overseas. Organizations, both private and public, find themselves cooperating with colleagues in other states and other continents, both just across the border and oceans away. The contemporary businessperson moves freely through cultures, understanding norms and adopting languages, comfortable with unfamiliar values, enjoying the charm of a multicultural world and transforming difference into success. Making Diversity Work The first and most important step to achievement in a multicultural environment is understanding different points of view, different customs and habits, different expectations. The language may be familiar – but what about body language, nuances in tone, subtleties of morning greetings, the c omplexities of a new business culture? By learning about values, underlying principles and different concepts of what constitutes success, we can learn how to make the most of different approaches and worldviews. The multicultural environment then becomes an exciting path to cooperation and progress towards mutually beneficial goals.