EXPAT AND EXECUTIVE COACHING IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Make sense of life and work across cultures
Intercultural communication doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or exhausting. Whether you’re navigating life in a new country as an expat, working internationally, or aspiring to lead with confidence, this coaching supports your growth in ways that energize, not drain you. This coaching is designed for individuals who want to thrive across cultures by strengthening both intercultural communication skills and emotional resilience. We focus on your real experiences and everyday situations — not just theory — and support you in becoming confident, grounded, and authentic in any cultural context.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- A colleague said “interesting idea” and you later found out it meant no.
- You are doing everything right, and still feel more tired than the move explains.
- You moved for someone else’s career, and your own place in the new country is still unclear.
- You lead people from many cultures, and the same message keeps landing differently.
None of this means something is wrong with you. It usually means the meaning of what is said and done has shifted, and nobody gave you the key.
How I work: the Meaning Gap
“People don’t react to what was said. They react to what they think was meant.”
Most cultural friction is not about bad communication. Almost every misunderstanding lives in one of three gaps. In coaching we find out which one is open for you, and what to do about it.
Gap 01
Intention → Expression
What I meant and what I actually said. This gap opens before anyone else is even involved.
In our sessions: we look at how you usually say things, and what gets lost on the way. Maybe you are too vague so as not to sound rude, or you assume people already know the background. You practise saying the real thing in a way that feels natural to you.
Gap 2
Expression → Interpretation
What I said and what you understood. This is where culture has the most influence: same words, different meanings.
In our sessions: we use your cultural assessment to see your own defaults first, then how people from other cultures tend to hear the same message. You start to see what “yes”, “maybe” or “interesting idea” can mean in different places.
Gap 3
Interpretation → Reaction
People don’t react to what was said. They react to the story they told themselves about it.
In our sessions: we take real moments from your week, such as a short email, a silence in a meeting or a comment that stung. We separate what was actually said from the story that followed, and choose a response that keeps the relationship intact.
The gaps never close completely, and they are not meant to. The aim is to notice where they are likely to open, so a stressful moment becomes something you can understand and change.
Every coaching package includes your assessment and a personal action plan, so we start from a clear picture of you.
Who this is for?
You leave each session with something to try this week. We build on what already works, using positive psychology alongside the cultural work. And you start from a clear picture of your own communication style, which makes other people’s behaviour far less personal.
New in a country
You are working out how things really work: the unwritten rules, the humour, what people mean when they are being polite.
Moving for a partner’s career
You may have left your own job, routines and friends behind. Coaching gives you a space that is only about you: your identity, your belonging, and the life you want to build here.
International professionals
You work in a multicultural team and want to be understood, give feedback that lands and handle conflict with confidence.
Leaders of international teams
You want to understand why your team reacts the way it does, and to lead in a way that works across cultures.
TRANSFORMING IDEAS INTO REALITY
About your coach
I am Tanja Saarinen Chávez, an intercultural communication coach. I have lived and worked in seven countries, longest in Mexico, and I know from experience how it feels when the rules change and nobody tells you. I am a Certified Intercultural Communication Coach/Trainer and Certified Positive Psychology Practitioner, I hold an MBA, and I have trained over 1,000 people across Finland and Mexico.
“Tanja’s excellent moderating skills in the group sessions, and her engagement in individual coaching, made the process fruitful, providing a clear, actionable road map to harvest our talents and strengths.”
Bruno Duréault, Director, Finance and Operations’ Support, Finn Church Aid
FAQs
If you pay for the coaching yourself, the prices above apply. If your employer or company pays, ask for an offer and I will put one together around the person’s role and goals.
Do I pay myself, or does my company?
It is the method behind my coaching. Most misunderstandings happen in one of three places: between what you meant and what you said, between what you said and what the other person understood, and between what they understood and how they reacted. It is not a list of cultural dos and don’ts. You learn to notice where a gap opened, so the conversation afterwards can be curious rather than defensive.
What is the Meaning Gap?
No. If you live or work across cultures, in a multicultural team or with a multicultural family, this is for you.
Do I have to be an expat?
No. Coaching looks forward: understanding, skills and choices. If you are struggling with low mood or anxiety, a therapist is the right first step, and coaching can sit alongside it.
Is this therapy?
Yes. A single session works well for one specific situation, such as a difficult conversation or a job decision. Every package, including the single session, comes with your assessment and a personal action plan.
Can I do just one session?
Company
Good to know
Stay up to date on the latest news and expand your horizons!
©2024 Numinos Ltd | Intercultural Communication Training | Finland & Mexico