Intercultural communication
Understanding the context
How do cultural differences influence communication, leadership, feedback, decision-making and trust?
Explore different expectations, make sense of behaviour and look beyond stereotypes.
Elisabetta Maurutto
Intercultural communication consulting and SOCIAL STYLE® training
Differences are inevitable. Misunderstandings don’t have to be.
Cultural expectations and individual communication styles shape the way we work together. Understanding both helps us communicate more clearly and collaborate more effectively across borders.
Prefer a conversation? Book a 20-minute video call
It’s about more than language
“We all speak English. Surely that means we understand each other?”
Not necessarily. Sharing a language doesn’t mean sharing the same cultural expectations.
The same words. Different meanings.
- A “yes” that doesn’t mean agreement.
- Direct feedback taken as a personal attack.
- Silence mistaken for approval.
- A lengthy decision-making process mistaken for a lack of interest or laziness.
Some of the most damaging misunderstandings happen when we assume we’re on the same page.
Cultural expectations and individual styles often lie beneath the surface. Learning to recognise them can make all the difference.
Power skills
From soft to power skills.
Among the top (26) skills identified by the World Economic Forum in the Future of Jobs Report 2025, as many as 8 can be classified as power skills and can be developed through greater cultural awareness.
Put your assumptions to the test
Are you sure you got the message?
You may know your IQ. But what about your CQ, your Cultural Quotient? It’s the ability to turn the challenge of cultural diversity into a competitive advantage, and it starts with awareness.
Five workplace situations. Several possible readings. A few surprises along the way.
Areas of intervention
Two perspectives.
One integrated approach.
Culture matters, but it never tells the whole story. Individual behavioural styles matter too. My approach brings these perspectives together, taking account of the individual, social and cultural levels at play in professional relationships.
SOCIAL STYLE® & Versatility
Understanding people
Even people who share a cultural background may communicate in very different ways.
Using TRACOM’s SOCIAL STYLE® & Versatility model, learn to recognise behavioural styles and adapt your approach to the people you work with.
TRACOM-accredited facilitator
The integrated approach helps us challenge snap judgements, recognise and reduce bias, and work together more effectively.
- Communicate with greater clarity.
- Build stronger working relationships.
- Prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary conflict.
- Navigate unfamiliar situations with confidence.
Who I work with
Businesses, teams, professionals.
Businesses and organisations
For multicultural teams, managers, HR professionals and anyone working with international colleagues, clients or partners.
Overseas offices, team communication, leadership and cross-border business relationships.
Professionals and expats
For people working internationally, relocating abroad or starting a professional career in Italy.
Understand the unwritten rules of a new environment and communicate with greater confidence.
Universities and research institutions
For researchers, lecturers and academic staff working in international environments.
Research collaboration, communication norms, organisational hierarchies and multicultural teams.
My approach
From insight to action.
A message that lands badly. A meeting where no one voices disagreement. Two colleagues who struggle to work together because their communication styles are worlds apart.
These are the situations I start with.
Real-life examples, case studies, guided discussions and practical exercises.
There is no universal formula for every culture or person. The most useful tools are awareness, observation and flexibility.
Experience and collaborations
Training partnerships
Organisations whose teams have taken part in training
TRACOM-accredited SOCIAL STYLE® & Versatility facilitator.
Training has been delivered both through direct partnerships and in collaboration with specialist training providers.
About me
Elisabetta Maurutto
Interpreter, translator, consultant and trainer.
I graduated from the University of Trieste’s Advanced School of Modern Languages for Interpreters and Translators and in 2001 founded my agency specialising in translation and multilingual communication. For over 25 years, at Linklab, I have worked with companies, institutions and professionals operating internationally.
Working as an interpreter and language mediator has given me a front-row view of something that is easy to overlook: when people from different cultures communicate, real understanding depends on far more than the words they use.
That experience sparked my professional interest in intercultural communication, which I now combine with training in behavioural styles.
I collaborate with MIB Trieste School of Management and Learnlight, and I am a TRACOM-accredited SOCIAL STYLE® & Versatility facilitator. I have also complemented my education with specific courses in intercultural communication and international business etiquette.
My work draws on practical experience, established frameworks and, above all, the real needs of the people I work with.
Contact
Let’s talk.
Looking to train a team or tackle a professional challenge? Let’s start here.