Working at Novanta for two years, first in Bedford, Massachusetts, for our Robotics & Automation business, and now as an American working in Berlin, Germany, for our Advanced Surgery business, I’ve seen how our global organization is evolving. We’ve become more region-centric in manufacturing, go-to-market strategies, and customer support. I’ve been impressed by how willing people are to adapt as we grow more geographically and globally connected. These changes aren’t easy, but they reflect our strength and commitment to collaboration and solving complex problems.
Navigating Cultural Differences
This is my first permanent assignment outside the U.S., and while I’ve traveled internationally for business, in the military, and studied abroad, living and working in Germany has been a completely new experience. I underestimated the cultural adjustments. There are many similarities, but the biggest challenge has been learning different communication and problem-solving styles.
For example, Americans often begin presentations with the conclusion: “Here’s what you need to know,” followed by supporting details and a summary. In contrast, many of my German colleagues have been taught to start with a thorough explanation before arriving at the conclusion. Germany follows a principles-first approach, while the U.S. favors an applications-first approach. Neither approach is right or wrong; it’s just different. Without knowing those differences, someone working in a different culture can easily get frustrated, miss the point, or even make hasty or poor decisions.
By understanding these differences, I can provide more value to my team and help us communicate more effectively with U.S. stakeholders while respecting standard communication practices. Sometimes this means suggesting changes to presentation flow or clarifying expectations. My team has been fantastic and open to trying new approaches, but this has taken both time and trust. I constantly need to think of these cultural differences, remind myself to listen, ask questions, and summarize to ensure alignment.
As an American, I am not wired to receive and read things exactly the way they are presented in German. Because of this awareness, I try to be aware and work to overcome these barriers to be as effective as possible with my new team.
Working Together Across Cultures
As a guest in a new team and culture, I aim to understand rather than force change. I’ve learned and actively try to listen more, be patient, and to adapt my style. Working together requires humility, patience, and proactive learning.
I’m consistently humbled by the patience and efforts my team makes to speak English in all of our work meetings. I’m the only non-German native speaker, and I do not speak German, so every meeting that we have is in English, everyone else’s second language. It is truly incredible. I’m sure that working in a second language can be challenging and exhausting at times for my team. I try to be mindful of that and am consistently thankful to them. Sometimes they ask if they can switch to German to resolve something quickly, and I always say yes. It’s a reminder that cultural adaptation is a two-way street, and it can be consuming, exhausting, and frustrating for everyone involved.
The Benefits of Diversity
Joining this team has added to its diversity, and I believe diversity drives better results. Different perspectives lead to richer conversations, deeper problem-solving, and less groupthink. Cultural differences force us to be more vocal, aware, and collaborative.
For new team members, we need to create space for learning and participation. The faster someone new to a culture identifies and understands differences, the more successful they’ll be. New team members should do their best to prepare for the cross-cultural aspects and educate themselves. I think it is their obligation to learn as much as possible in advance, and keep learning on the job, taking advantage of others’ experiences and suggestions.
Cross-cultural collaboration and communication take time, but it’s worth it. This is how we build strong, globally connected teams and succeed together. Whether we are moving manufacturing to a different site, building robust supply chains, or improving our communication with international customers, we are focused on learning, understanding, being respectful, and adapting to build relationships and become a stronger and more impactful global team.