--- title: Cultural Rules and the Global Economy description: When working in global sales, cultural norms vary and you must be adaptable. image: https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Blue%20vivid%20image%20of%20globe.%20Globalization%20concept.jpeg --- - [Services](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - - - [Services Overview](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - [Building Commissioning](https://melinkcorp.com/services/building-commissioning/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-and-balance/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-balance-faqs/) - - #### Why we do what we do “We’ll build a 7 figure new store and we’ll fight with the A/C or negative air pressure for months or years, all because the equipment was never set up properly, causing problems that extend for the life of the building. Your reports allow us to know everything is set the way it should be from the beginning.” *Director of Facilities for a national restaurant chain* - [Kitchen Hood Controls](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - - - [Intelli-Hood Overview](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - [Intelli-Hood FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-faqs/) - [Intelli-Hood Resources](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-resources/) - - #### Why we do what we do > “Our engineering department worked with the engineers from each of our hotel brands and fully evaluated Intelli-Hood. Everyone is convinced that this is one of our most cost-effective paths to sustainability.” > > *SVP Operations New Development at Leading Global Hotel Chain* [tel:15139657300](tel:15139657300) - [Services](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - [Building Commissioning](https://melinkcorp.com/services/building-commissioning/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-and-balance/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-balance-faqs/) - [Kitchen Hood Controls](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - [Intelli-Hood Resources](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-resources/) - [Intelli-Hood FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-faqs/) [About](https://melinkcorp.com/about/) - [Green Buildings](https://melinkcorp.com/about/melink-green-buildings/) - [Careers](https://melinkcorp.com/about/careers/) - [Contact](https://melinkcorp.com/contact/) # Green Link Sharing our expertise to help you succeed ![](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Allison%20Sternad.jpg) [Allison Sternad](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/author/asternad) 10/25/18 8:00 AM [Employee Owned](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/topic/employee-owned) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Between Milford, Ohio, and Barcelona, Spain, we have thousands of miles for you, kilometers for me, gallons of salted water for you, liters for me, pounds of earth for you and kilograms for me… Likewise, we have different ways to talk about the same thing, but sometimes for different things we try to use the same way, mistakes can be made... In terms of business, like the stone falling on the water, any new project will have an infinite number of concentric circles. The stone can be bigger or smaller but always will generate a wave, big or small as well. We will always face a person, with a better or worst day, with more or less problems, at home or at work, with a culture, an education, inside of an organization, with a culture and an education, sometimes with people above, sometimes under, sometimes both, in a county of a region in a state of a country integrated with the economy of 28 other countries, with special regulations at different levels, different languages, different cultures… Too complicated to be true? This is every single day of a sales in a global economy. Sometimes with more or less circles around each project, but this is the cruel reality nonetheless. In this scenario, it becomes fully necessary having an internal decoder, armed with miles of knowledge, gallons of passion and pounds of personal skills, but also kilometers experience, liters of patience and kilograms of attitude. How do you face this? It is easy; we build a rules structure trying include what we consider is “general” or “normal.” With these rules we don’t need to think about processes (internal or external), and we can be focused on what it is important: making a global impact. But what happens when it is out of what we consider “normal” in our home culture but acceptable in others? Here is when we need to show how flexible we are. It must not be a drama. This is life; different people thinking differently. However, it’s important to keep the mission in mind and work toward a common good for ourselves, fellow man, and planet. Being flexible does not mean breaking the rules because within these rules there are some red lines we must never cross in any culture, but we need to adapt ourselves to the situation. If we just can see the shadow of a tree is covering us, we will never be able to see the forest. We need to balance our flexibility with the opportunity cost and the risk it supposes. So, if you know the rules, because they are yours, and within these rules exist the red lines, it is just about how flexible you are to get the job completed. And everyone has their own way, their own flexibility. There is no miraculous recipe, just training your own flexibility to convince the Polish mechanical contractor and the French end-user with different arguments to be a collective success, because they have diametrically opposed interests for the same product or solution. To be truly global, you must be global in your thoughts and open to cultural norms wherever you may go.     ![Allison Sternad](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Allison%20Sternad.jpg) #### About [Allison Sternad](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/author/asternad) Allison Sternad is the Director of Marketing & Sustainability at Melink Corporation. She leads marketing creation, strategy, and execution for Melink’s five business units: Intelli-Hood® Kitchen Hood Controls, HVAC Test and Balance, Solar PV, Geothermal, and PositiV® Building Health Monitor. In addition, she also leads the sustainability efforts both internally and for Melink’s community outreach program. ## Most Popular Blog Posts ### Recent Posts ### VIEW BLOG POSTS BY TOPIC - [HVAC Test & Balance (50)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/hvac-test-balance) - [DCKV (49)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/dckv) - [Employee Owned (35)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/employee-owned) - [Energy Efficiency (27)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/energy-efficiency) - [Building Health (21)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/building-health) - [Climate Change (13)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/climate-change) - [Construction (10)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/construction) - [Commissioning (8)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/commissioning) - [Green (8)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/green) - [Renewable Energy (6)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/renewable-energy) - [Corp (5)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/corp) - [Zero-Energy Building (5)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/zero-energy-building) - [Electric Vehicle (4)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/electric-vehicle) - [Solar PV (3)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/solar-pv) - [HQ2 (2)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/hq2) - [Geothermal (1)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/geothermal) See all ## Most Recent Blog Posts ### Recent Posts ### Subscribe to Email Updates ## CONTACT US **Global Headquarters:** Melink Campus 5140 River Valley Road Milford, OH 45150 USA 513-965-7300 © Copyright 2025, Melink Corporation. 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