By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber
In my last post, I offered that our community's diversity is one reason that central Ohio is tops for young professionals. There are several local young professional and professional organizations that promote cultural awareness and celebrate diversity. I recently attended a young professionals’ event hosted by one such organization, the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Columbus. James Sun, a self-made millionaire, successful entrepreneur, national TV star, film producer, and a community activist, spoke candidly about his experiences on "The Apprentice" and gave advice on how to achieve success. I was particularly intrigued to attend this event as I am Asian-American myself, as well as a fan of "The Apprentice" and "The Celebrity Apprentice."
After attending this event, I am reminded to be alert to cultural tendencies to avoid unnecessary miscommunication or conflict when interacting with people from other cultures. I try to take advantage of opportunities to explore the wide variety of cultural opportunities in our diverse community and in the world so that I can be more aware of how we all act, react and interact with others. I hope you do the same.
Having said that, I can recall a time that I met an individual from another culture and was unsure how to greet, dine and conduct business with that individual. Can you? As the home of 27 colleges and universities and many global businesses, the Columbus community is rich with many cultures. If you are interested in developing your cultural understanding, then the Columbus Chamber's upcoming Young Professionals' Exchange on Wednesday, May 5 is the event for you! The topic is A World of Understanding: Cross-cultural Communication & Etiquette. This free event will be hosted at the spectacular Grange Insurance Audubon Center from 4-5:30 p.m. followed by networking at the Columbus Chamber's Business AfterHours (a Cinco de Mayo celebration) from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Join us at this informative and interactive event to gain a better understanding of a few of the cultures that represent our community, learn some basic dos and don’ts, and network with other young professionals. All are welcome, so please invite your friends and colleagues. To attend this event, please register here.
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