German people are strict, Indian people are chaotic, some are rich, others poor, these people need this and others that ….
Do you know these stereotypes? When these stereotypes are linked to emotions and become prejudices, when the media starts to highlight again and again the same negative or positive aspects, when thoughts how entire countries and its people are and have to be, are “fixed” , in the best case a kind of neutral mindset is born. But often it leads to fears or a kind of world thinking in boxes – with many negative consequences.
Just think of planning and climate influence or demographic statistics Of course, you need to collect wood in summer for cold winters – where winters are cold. You need traffic rules to make sure that driving gets safer – but the solutions need to be different. It makes a huge difference how many cars and people are on the roads. How many languages are used in a country. How many people need to be informed and educated and how the infrastructure is built. How can we change the world if we do it just theoretically sitting behind our desks?
It is a huge difference when people of different countries, different backgrounds meet in person and learn from each other by experiencing the challenges of daily life in a specific local surrounding.
It is a huge difference when people of different countries, different backgrounds meet in person and learn from each other by experiencing the challenges of daily life in a specific local surrounding.
It is relationship that makes the real difference on how we think about each other, how we develop solutions and strategies and even learn about ourselves. In private life and business.
If human relationship is key, then we need much more of it, don’t we? Why we do not invest in it much more? Why not making such “deep” experiences a regular part of our education system?
We should think in schools and business much more about exposure and exchange programs. Often exchange programs are seen as a chance for young people only. Additionally, these “experiences” are too short to really get confronted with different cultural backgrounds.
There are many opportunities for learning, but learning means most of all “exposure to new things” – it might be decisive to make people think differently in a globalized world.
Be it on how we think and develop business, how we think in terms of innovation and how we are able to make the world a better one.
Why not offering much more of “exchange” to all kind of people, social workers, teachers, managers, but also people who need new inputs. Exchange programs combines with local cocreation to solve and overcome challenges help to see the work with different eyes.
Learning by doing, learning by imitating – that is what works so well in our children. It works independent from the age, the different social backgrounds, and in many different surroundings (rural/urban background; professionals /startups/kindergarten partnerships…).Relationships make the difference.
Let’s develop together solutions for a globalized world and bring more people together. If the sustainable development goals should be achieved and be based on sustainable solutions – not just some single best solutions and a media campaign here and there – we need to invest much more in relationships, experience and connect to each other, shouldn’t we?
Go India, go future! 