Lessons in Global Collaboration
International collaboration is everywhere right now. Governments, nonprofits, research institutions, and companies all want to work across borders and for good reason. The challenges we face, from climate change to supply chains, can’t be solved by one country or one organization alone.
However, these partnerships are rarely straightforward. I’ve watched projects lose momentum not because people lacked expertise or resources, but because they struggled to communicate across cultures, didn’t set shared expectations, or just couldn’t build enough trust to move forward. Those small cracks can grow into gaps that stall progress for years.
I saw both sides of this while working at NOAA. Some of the most rewarding moments of my career were helping U.S. and Korean partners grow small pilot projects into major research initiatives. What started as half a million dollars in seed funding grew into tens of millions in follow-on investment. Those weren’t just projects; they were real bridges between communities, backed by people who were willing to put in the time to understand each other.
But I also saw how often things got stuck. Even when everyone cared deeply about the work, cultural misunderstandings or misaligned processes could hold back progress. It wasn’t a lack of will, but rather it was that people weren’t equipped with the right tools to navigate collaboration across borders.
That’s really what pushed me to start Basanese Global Consulting. I wanted to take what I’d learned and use it to help other organizations avoid those same pitfalls. Big firms can give you generic strategies, and training programs can raise awareness, but what was missing was someone who could connect cultural understanding directly to strategy and action.
For me, this work is personal. I’ve lived, worked, and studied abroad, and I’ve put a lot of energy into learning languages like German, Korean, and Japanese. Every time I’ve stepped into a new cultural context, I’ve been reminded how much is possible when you take the time to listen, learn, and adapt. And I’ve also felt how easy it is to miss opportunities when those efforts aren’t there.
When I think about the values that guide me, three stand out:
Cultural fluency matters. It’s not a nice-to-have; it’s at the heart of successful partnerships.
Keep it practical. People don’t need more abstract ideas; they need tools and approaches that actually work in practice.
Lead with authenticity. Real relationships beat surface-level connections every time.
This blog is a space where I’ll share thoughts and lessons on what it takes to collaborate effectively across borders. Some posts will be stories from my own experiences, others will be reflections on bigger trends I’m noticing, and hopefully some will spark conversations with all of you.
Starting something new is always a bit daunting, but I’m excited to see where this goes. If you’ve been part of international or cross-cultural work, whether it went smoothly or not, I’d love to hear your stories too. Because at the end of the day, that’s what this is about: learning from each other so we can do this work better together.