Laura Kriska is the author of “The Business of WE” and a leading cross-cultural consultant with more than thirty years of experience bridging gaps in diverse workplaces. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies on four continents helping thousands of professionals build trust across Us versus Them differences based on nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, age or any factor of identity. Her WE-building framework provides practical and actionable insights for creating a more inclusive and productive world.
Born in Tokyo, raised in Ohio and now residing in NYC, Laura has been navigating culture gaps her whole life. She regularly speaks on the topic of inclusion and conducts bilingual training sessions around the globe. Considered an authority on cultural integration, she is a regular lecturer and a TEDx speaker. She was the first American woman to work in Honda Motor Company’s Tokyo headquarters. This experience is the basis of her first book The Accidental Office Lady.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
My experience managing culture gaps in the workplace started with my first job after college, at Honda Motor Company’s Tokyo headquarters, as the only American woman among thousands of Japanese colleagues. Working in Japan, I recognized how many cultural norms I was unaware of because they were invisible – cultural differences that were at play beneath the obvious surface of what I could see or hear.
That first job experience inspired my interest in bridging cultural gaps between the United States and other cultures — working as a cultural consultant with organizations in various industries on four continents. The more I worked, the more I saw these culture gaps weren’t just overseas, but existed right here in the United States. I saw that Us versus Them dynamics were not only informed by geography but by many additional factors of identity including age, gender, race, sexual orientation and religion. That’s when I realized the tools I used as a global consultant could be helpful to anybody.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I hope my readers are inspired to take action to bridge gaps that are relevant in their lives, whether in the workplace or beyond. I want readers to be able to practice the three-step process — to foster awareness, self-assess, and take action—when facing an Us versus Them encounter. In doing so, I hope they’ll be empowered by their ability to affect change in their daily lives.
What are the top three tools you are currently using to write, publish, and promote your books?
I’ve been speaking on podcasts, which is a win-win as it helps to promote the book and increase my audience. Podcasts also allow me to have interesting conversations about navigating cultural gaps and creating a more inclusive world, which is one of my favorite things to do.
I’ve also used Canva and Instagram to promote my book on social media, highlighting relevant and important takeaways and marketing them in a way that is both professional and aesthetically pleasing.
Oh and of course asking my mom’s friends to tell their friends.
What were the top three mistakes you made publishing your book and what did you learn from them?
One mistake I made when publishing my book was not seeking the expertise of an editor earlier on in writing the book proposal. My original book proposal was 65 pages long and without the help of an editor to cut it down, it would have been much harder to sell.
Another mistake was taking too long to learn about different social media platforms and how I would best utilize them to promote my work. As a middle-aged woman, I was intimidated by social media and didn’t engage with it as much as I wish I would have before the book launched.
Lastly, something I’m doing now that I wish I had started earlier is blogging. By synthesizing my book into digestible takeaways and action-oriented steps, I’ve been able to build interest in the WE-building method.
When will you consider your book a success?
I will consider my book a success when I hear a stranger referencing it as a resource that helped them in their workplace and beyond.
WE-building is an untapped resource for building connection and inclusion among people no matter what their backgrounds. With honesty, humility and a genuine wish to narrow gaps, WE-building is a mission critical tool for our diverse and deeply connected world.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge I found in writing my book was second guessing myself and not believing that other people would find the WE-building message relevant and important. Reminding myself, and being reminded by others, helped me through this uncertainty. When I see the successes that result when people work together across differences, it helps me overcome the insecurity about sharing this message.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before publishing your book?
One thing I wish I knew before publishing my book is that these days authors do a large portion of the marketing and publicity on their own. If I had known this from the start, I would’ve begun planning the promotion of my book earlier on. I would have also focused on mastering at least one social media platform and surveying the corresponding analytics to measure my progress and success.
Use your story and use your network. Sharing the personal journey of writing and publishing a book has resonated in ways that I did not expect. For example, I shared a video on LinkedIn of myself opening a box of my newly printed books for the first time – surrounded by my family – which reached over 4,000 views and counting. I’ve noticed that personalized videos and posts where I speak directly to my audience are the most viewed, liked, and well-received. Use your personal expertise, experience, and following to your advantage!
If you had the chance to start your career over again what would you do differently?
I love my career. If I had the chance to start over, I would have become a cross-cultural consultant even earlier than I did. However, I do think my past experiences as an American working abroad shaped the path I’m on today and made me better and more connected to my job.
If you only had $1000 dollars to promote a new book, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
If I had $1000 to promote a new book, I would invest in a social media consultant or social media marketing courses to further my ability to self-promote and market my work.
My best piece of advice for aspiring or new authors would be to figure out what type of social media feels more comfortable to you and master it – set your book up for success from the moment you start writing it.
What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote is from the poet Richard Blanco who was the inaugural poet for President Obama. In Blanco’s book How to Love a Country, he writes:
“Overall, we’ve managed to move toward a more inclusive understanding of ourselves and acceptance of each other. Historically, though, we have wavered and are currently at a crossroads: Are we going to advance toward a broader definition of ‘we’ or will we retreat to a narrower one?”
Who should we interview next and why?
I am a big fan of Sheryll Cashin the author of Loving. I know she has recently completed a new book which I am very eager to read.
Pamela Newkirk, the author of Diversity, Inc., is an inspiration and a leader in the push for more effective diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace. I would love to hear her answers.
Three books I would recommend to authors would be: Loving by Sheryl Cashin, Diversity Inc. by Pamela Newkirk, and How to Love a Country by Richard Blanco.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram at @LauraKriska_author and on Twitter at @LauraKriska. My website is Laurakriska.com and my email is info@laurakriska.com. You can find my book The Business of We on Amazon.
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