Intercultural Coaching differs from traditional intercultural awareness-, behavior- and communication training in several major respects:
| Intercultural Training | Intercultural Coaching |
| Subject of the personnel department | Subject of all departments and the top management |
| Personnel oriented | Objective oriented |
| Main focus on communication- and behavior aspects | Taking into account all aspects of intercultural management |
| Individual person in the center of attention | Organization / project team in the center of attention |
| Off-the-Job - Training | On-the-Job - Training as part of a change project |
| Reactive measure in case of problems | Proactive measure |
| Intercultural Training | More intercultural consulting and tailor-made performance training |
| International personnel development frequently not mature yet | International personnel development as success factor, combination of international corporate- and personnel development |
| Discrepancy between training and in day-to-day business practice | Realization and integration of the training in day-to-day business practice stands in the center of attention |
| Trainer as intercultural expert | Self-management by the “person concerned"; Trainer as intercultural coach |
Source: Interkulturelles Management, Rolf-Dieter Reineke/Christine Fussinger (publisher), Gabler Verlag, 2001, ISBN 3-409-11794-6, P. 7