As part of the World Affairs Council of Houston’s (WACH) recognition of various Houston Global Leaders of Influence, the WACH had the opportunity to interview David Morse, an honoree for 2020. Below summarizes this insightful dialogue of his achievements, answering of audience questions, and advice for being open minded on a global scale!
Morse’s Achievements
The interview immediately begins with a dive into his past and current achievements. While David Morse had an upbringing in chemistry, he currently serves as the president and lead of DBM consulting services. Through his time at DBM, he has succeeded with many successful commercial and technical agreements for international companies and government entities.
In addition, Morse has been a member of various chambers such as the United States Association of Energy Economics (Houston Chapter), German-American Chamber of Commerce, Australian-American Chamber of Commerce, and the United States Department of Commerce’s District Export Council! Morse has clearly kept himself occupied in various facets of international relations!
Morse’s Mindset
The focal point of conversation shifts to how he was able to garner the success he had today. As Morse notes, he actively searched for broad experiences. This along with his eagerness to gain information from various fields motivated him to join those various commerce groups.
Furthermore, in his career pathway, he came to an understanding that negotiation and working with people in collaboration was a skill he thoroughly enjoyed. As a result, he found himself more inclined to consulting services, where he could serve as a mediator of various deals and contracts.
Experiences with the World
When asked about his ability to speak languages, it was actually his children who stole the spotlight for this question! While Morse is fluent in German, many of the languages he had once known or attempted, such as Spanish and Arabic, have all been forgotten. His daughter, however, is currently learning her 5th language! A few he referenced included German, Arabic, and Farsi. As for his son, he is currently fluent in Bahasa, after living in Indonesia for three years.
Some of the advice he gives to the audience when interacting with foreign individuals was that at the end of the day, the person one is talking to is just another person! These individuals have way more similarities between us than meets the eye. By being curious and asking questions, it propels these interactions to find these similarities.
Finally, of all the places he has visited, one of the most interesting and surprising destinations concerns Saudi Arabia. While he lived in Munich, Germany, he would take frequent trips to Saudi Arabia. He was thoroughly captivated by the geographical landscape, and its beautiful contrast to the livelihood in Germany.
Conclusion and Final Advice
The dialogue closes off with advice he gives to the audience. No matter who you are, and where you are going, he encourages others to listen to each other! If your natural reaction is to talk, then you should learn and focus your energy on listening to other people. This enables them to become more patient and understanding of the people and world around them.
To watch this interview, visit the World Affairs Council of Houston’s Youtube channel, using this link: