Ask the Expert: Adapting to New Environments with Dr. Paula Caligiuri
Welcome to the first installment of Ask the Expert, a series designed to connect your most pressing leadership questions with insights from top experts.
Have you ever faced a leadership challenge or wondered how to navigate complex decisions? This series gives you the opportunity to ask your most pressing questions, and we’ll bring in experts—ranging from researchers to industry leaders—to provide well-rounded, evidence-based and practical answers.
Each question will be explored from two perspectives: first, through the lens of a researcher specializing in leadership, and then by an experienced professional who has applied leadership in real-world settings.
If you have a leadership question on your mind, submit it using this link —we’d love to hear from you!
Today’s question:
"If I am entering into a new environment or culture, how can I adapt? Are there specific methods or techniques that will make the transition smoother or quicker?"
To answer this, we are thrilled to feature Dr. Paula Caligiuri from Northeastern University. A distinguished professor, psychologist, and author, Dr. Caligiuri is a leading expert in cultural agility.
Dr. Caliguiri explains:
Adapting to a new culture or environment requires a combination of preparation, self-awareness, and active engagement. Developing cultural agility competencies will help you navigate unfamiliar settings with confidence. The transition will be smoother if you focus on three key areas:
-
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone – Embracing a new culture means leaning into uncertainty. Developing tolerance for ambiguity and approaching unfamiliar situations with curiosity will help you adjust more quickly. Use tools like myGiide to reflect on your own cultural values and how they shape your actions. Understanding your own perspective makes it easier to recognize differences without labeling them as “right” or “wrong.” The more open you are to new experiences, the better you’ll understand different ways of thinking and working.
-
Build Meaningful Connections – Engaging with people from different backgrounds strengthens cultural agility. Practicing perspective-taking, asking thoughtful questions, and focusing on relationship-building will help you form deeper connections and gain valuable insights. Identify cultural guides—individuals who can help you navigate the unspoken norms of a new environment. Understanding different viewpoints reduces misunderstandings and makes collaboration easier.
-
Stay Resilient and Reflect – Adapting comes with challenges, and mistakes are part of the process. Humility allows you to accept feedback, while resilience helps you keep moving forward. Approach new situations with a learning mindset, ask open-ended questions, and seek to understand the “why” behind behaviors. Admitting when you don’t know something and being receptive to feedback will accelerate your adaptation. Taking time to reflect on your experiences and adjust your approach will make future transitions smoother.
By stretching yourself, forming strong connections, and persisting through challenges, you’ll build the cultural agility needed to succeed in any environment.
Paula Caligiuri, Ph.D., is a DMSB Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University, psychologist, author, and expert in cultural agility, leadership development, and global talent management. As the co-founder of Skiilify, she helps organizations and individuals build the soft skills needed to succeed in an increasingly global and digital world. She is also the creator of myGiide, an innovative tool designed to enhance self-awareness and foster cultural adaptability. A prolific researcher and speaker, Paula has authored multiple books, including Build Your Cultural Agility and Live for a Living. Through her work, she equips professionals with the insights and competencies to navigate diverse environments with confidence.
Disclaimer
Here at Lead Read Today, we endeavor to take an objective (rational, scientific) approach to analyzing leaders and leadership. All opinion pieces will be reviewed for appropriateness, and the opinions shared are solely of the author and not representative of The Ohio State University or any of its affiliates.
