DISCOVER DENMARK’S UNWRITTEN RULES

Danish culture workshops

Plan a Danish business culture seminar or presentation with Kay Xander Mellish.

A US-DK dual citizen, Kay’s “outsider” viewpoint offers insightful, amusing, and informative presentations – and help Danes and internationals learn, laugh, interact, and understand each other better.

Book Kay

Virtual or in-person presentation
.

Talks about Danish working culture: The unwritten rules

Danish workplace culture can be a challenge for internationals who don’t know “How to Work in Denmark” – the title of Kay’s most recent book.

Based on Kay’s own experience as an international working in Denmark, this presentation helps bring the unwritten rules of the Danish workplace to light and helps Danish colleagues examine their own expectations. It’s all about working together better across cultures.

This can take the form of talks about Danish working culture or a workshop that includes reflection groups and improv exercises.

Among the general topics we work with:

Hierarchy: newly-arrived internationals may be hesitant to challenge a Danish boss, in particular if they are here on a working visa. We did improv exercises on how a Danish boss might give an international team member “permission” to disagree.
Small talk: Danes are famous for wanting to get right to the task at hand, but other cultures often prefer a bit of small talk before getting to work. One improv exercise involved strategies for light small talk – how was your birthday party? – before getting down to business.
Blame culture: In work cultures with less of a social safety net than Denmark, the first response when things go wrong may be to look for someone to blame. We talked about tactics for redirecting the emphasis towards fixing processes to avoid future mistakes.
Positive feedback: Internationals who are new to the Danish workplace are thirsty for positive feedback, and they need more praise, and more frequent praise, than a Dane who feels secure and established.

Tailor to your team

Virtual or in-person presentation
.

Talks about Danish working culture: The unwritten rules

Danish workplace culture can be a challenge for internationals who don’t know “How to Work in Denmark” – the title of Kay’s most recent book.

This can take the form of talks about Danish working culture or a workshop that includes reflection groups and improv exercises.

Among the general topics we work with:

Hierarchy: newly-arrived internationals may be hesitant to challenge a Danish boss, in particular if they are here on a working visa. We did improv exercises on how a Danish boss might give an international team member “permission” to disagree.
Small talk: Danes are famous for wanting to get right to the task at hand, but other cultures often prefer a bit of small talk before getting to work. One improv exercise involved strategies for light small talk – how was your birthday party? – before getting down to business.
Blame culture: In work cultures with less of a social safety net than Denmark, the first response when things go wrong may be to look for someone to blame. We talked about tactics for redirecting the emphasis towards fixing processes to avoid future mistakes.
Positive feedback: Internationals who are new to the Danish workplace are thirsty for positive feedback, and they need more praise, and more frequent praise, than a Dane who feels secure and established.

Tailor to your team

Virtual or in-person presentation
.

Danes and Americans: Working better together

How can Danes survive and thrive when working with the energetic, excitable Americans? And how can Americans better understand Danish flat hierarchy, Janteloven, and humor?

In this presentation, Kay Xander Mellish – an American who has lived in Denmark for more than a decade – delivers insights and strategies for how teams from the two nationalities can work better together.

Based on her book “Working with Americans: Tips for Danes” and her website amerikansk.dk, Kay will help Danish and American teams, colleagues, and customers co-operate more smoothly.

Tailor to your team

Virtual or in-person presentation
.

Danes and Americans: Working better together

How can Danes survive and thrive when working with the energetic, excitable Americans? And how can Americans better understand Danish flat hierarchy, Janteloven, and humor?

Based on her book “Working with Americans: Tips for Danes” and her website amerikansk.dk, Kay will help Danish and American teams, colleagues, and customers co-operate more smoothly.

Tailor to your team

Virtual or in-person presentation
.

Welcome to Denmark

Are you welcoming new employees, corporate guests, tour groups, or new students to Denmark?

Kay Xander Mellish’s presentation “Welcome to Denmark” will explain the basics of Danish life – everything from the importance of being on time to the meaning of Jantelov to the best way to make Danish friends.

The “Welcome to Denmark” event is an entertaining, informative introduction to Danish culture that your audience of newcomers will enjoy.

Tailor to your team

Virtual or in-person presentation
.

Welcome to Denmark

Are you welcoming new employees, corporate guests, tour groups, or new students to Denmark?

The “Welcome to Denmark” event is an entertaining, informative introduction to Danish culture that your audience of newcomers will enjoy.

Tailor to your team

In-person presentation
.

The How to Live in Denmark Game Show

Looking for a fun event for your company or organization?

We use the format of TV game shows – which are popular around the world – to put participants at their ease and get them interacting with each other. “How To Live in Denmark Jeopardy” is one of our most popular games, along with “Who Wants to Pay Topskat?” (our version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”) and the mind-reading game, “What Would the Danes Say?”

It’s a great way for foreigners and Danes to relax and have fun together. Read more at our How to Live in Denmark Game Show website.

Tailor to your team

In-person presentation
.

The How to Live in Denmark Game Show

Looking for a fun event for your company or organization?

It’s a great way for foreigners and Danes to relax and have fun together. Read more at our How to Live in Denmark Game Show website.

Tailor to your team

“We had Kay Xander Mellish at our internal workshop on diversity and inclusion this spring. I have but one comment: she was fabulous! Don’t hesitate to engage her!”

Bo Skaaning JensenSenior Alliance Director, Alliance Management, Novo Nordisk

“Thank you for a very inspiring and engaging workshop! We got very good feedback and I really think these insights will help us grow as an organisation.”

Mihaela PopaPMO & People and Culture Manager, Global Wind Safety Organisation

Thank you for a good workshop. A few people came up to me straight after and said they felt the presentation was spot on. It is highly relevant to be mindful of the different cultures we are in Group IT.

Tanja Helene SkovbjergLead Business Solution Architect, IT Business Enablement, SimCorp

“Our event was focused on Scandinavian work culture and opportunities. Kay Xander Mellish, our keynote speaker, gave a presentation on the unwritten rules of the Scandinavian workplace – which were highly recognisable, honest, and relatable for many in the audience.”

AXBIT, GDANSK, POLAND

“We’re gonna go against our Danishness and give some positive feedback: It was a wonderful presentation – both entertaining and enlightening.

We think it will be one that we remember for a long time. You have our glowing recommendation.”

MAKEEN ENERGY

Kay Xander Mellish

An experienced journalist, Kay runs a consultancy that helps Danish companies communicate in English and is a popular keynote speaker on topics that include Danish business culture, how newcomers can fit into Danish society, and the “Danglish” that Danes often struggle with when speaking or writing English.

Kay is the author of “How to Work in Denmark” (2022), How to Live in Denmark” (2014 and 2017), “Top 35 Mistakes Danes Make in English” (2016), and “”Working with Americans: Tips for Danes” (2019) and “Working with Danes: Tips for Americans” (2020), available as a flip book.

She lives in Copenhagen, Denmark.