‘We are very creative when it comes to solving problems.’
Renata Mariotti is Ynvolve sales manager, and Agostina Pozzuto is a sales representative for the Portuguese and Spanish markets. We asked them six questions about what it’s like to work at a Nijmegen-based yet very international company.
With 25 nationalities, Ynvolve is a very international environment. How does that benefit your work?
Renata: ‘It opens your mind to other types of solutions: in my country, we do it this way, but in another, it might work another way. And it changes the way you communicate. In some cultures, it’s essential to start an email asking people how they are doing and what they did last weekend, while for others, this is a waste of time – they want you to go straight to the point. Working in an international environment helps you with your soft skills, helps you be more flexible, and it teaches you to understand the other’s perspectives and eventually find different solutions.’
Agostina: ‘Exactly. It helps to have different inputs and different points of view from people who grew up differently. Also, by understanding someone else’s culture, you can prevent conflicts. And it makes me feel comfortable to know that almost everybody is on the same boat: at the end of the day, we’re all foreigners in the Netherlands, learning from each other – and, of course, from the Dutchies.’
Do you have an example of when you actually learned something from a colleague with a different cultural background?
Agostina: ‘One of my colleagues is from Peru, and he talks a lot about the Peruvian food culture. I was not aware of the importance of food in Peru. However, after he told me about it, I met a prospect from Peru and used food as one of my opening topics of conversation. It was effortless to get into a conversation. Those small things really help, and I learn something new almost every day. For instance, people’s styles of doing business differ. How you do business in the Spanish and Italian markets is completely different from that in Germany. In Germany, it’s about trust and showing knowledge, whereas in Southern Europe, it’s more about building a relationship. Renata and I went to a meeting in Spain where we spoke about work for two minutes. During the rest of the meeting, we talked about personal stuff.’
Renata: ‘It doesn’t mean that Germans are being less open to you or that they are less friendly. It’s just a different approach.’
Do you have an example of a successful cross-cultural collaboration that led to a positive outcome for the company?
Renata: ‘It helps when you talk to companies that have branches in other locations. We were doing business with an Italian company that just purchased a company in the Czech Republic.
Luckily, we not only have Italians working for us, but we also have someone from the Czech Republic. So, now we do not only know a little about what is important in that market, we also know about the cultural aspect. It helps open doors.’
Agostina: ‘It’s all about working with multinationals and understanding that every region has its own cultural identity that impacts how you do business.
Do you have an example of when you had to adapt your communication when working with a colleague from another country?
Agostina: ‘I think we are adapting every day. We are blending into someone who fits everywhere. For example, I’m at home now, working from Malaysia. Here, everybody is at least half an hour late – maybe even one hour late. Whereas in the Netherlands, they say: if you’re on time, you’re late. Since I joined Ynvolve, I have changed. Even right now, in Malaysia, I feel a little bad if I’m not on time – even if my friends totally understand. So, I think you do adapt, even if you hardly notice it yourself.’
Renata: ‘And you learn to read a room. You know when you can make a joke, have a chat, or when you need to go straight to the point. I’ve learned to pay close attention to whom I am talking to.’
In what way do international perspectives contribute to the innovation and problem-solving capabilities of the company?
Renata: ‘I truly believe it opens your mind and brings creativity. When you only have one culture, you take that as a rule: everybody takes lunch at twelve, and if your meeting is at one, you must be there at one. At Ynvolve, we are open to other points of view. If I have a problem, it’s nice to see how people can look at that problem from a completely different angle. Suppose I let Agostina, and a German colleague solve a problem. In that case, the German colleague might do that very systematically: What is the quality of the product, and what is the price that the client was expecting? Agostina might look at where the client’s frustration lies and what has made him so upset. That’s a completely different point of view on the same problem. And it’s important to pay attention to both sides of that story. That makes us very creative in solving a problem.’
How do you think the company’s commitment to learning and development has benefited your career?
Renata: ‘Part of the Ynvolve culture is our team spirit—we always think ‘team’ before ‘you.’
The fact is that no matter which team or which part of the company you work for, we are always open to talking, discussing, and helping each other. That gives you the space to have questions and to learn how things work – not only from your department but from different departments as well. It means you don’t have limits to learn or get deeply interested in what the company does, the product we sell, and your job itself.’
Agostina: ‘At Ynvolve, you feel you can learn about everything the company does. Even though it does not specifically relate to your job, that’s really useful. It helps us work together better, understand each other better, and eventually inform and serve our clients better.’
