We often take for granted the way we communicate with one another. Similar to everything else we learn, the way we make interpretations, create assumptions and form decisions is based on our cultural upbringing. In a multicultural organization, how employees communicate can set the tone and foundation for a learning culture. As discussed in my previous blog about the various types of communication challenges that arise, it is critical to promote a work environment that supports business and customer needs, while instilling unity and high employee morale. A productive workforce means creating an environment that supports diversity, while balancing the pressures of management, time and cost. There are many resources that provide communication tactics in a culturally diverse organization. However, I believe getting down to the basics is the best way to understand and implement techniques. I came across an article in AG Professional, “Multicultural Communication Tips for Today’s World,” that simplified the best way to promote effective communication. Below are four simple tips to keep in mind when interacting and communicating with others in your organization.
It is important to understand the way people comprehend, communicate and make decisions across different types of cross-cultural backgrounds. Although it may be difficult to interpret certain statements and behaviors, there must be a significant emphasis placed on the concept of acceptance and open mindedness. “The key to success is understanding and accepting the differences on a multicultural team, and then using them to enhance the way the team analyzes situations and makes decisions,” said Kelley Holland, in a New York Times article, “How Diversity Makes a Team Click.” We tend to be unaware of our own biases, placing stereotype and cultural assumptions on others. Creating an organizational awareness by providing diversity training ensures employees learn to be culturally mindful and gradually adaptable when communicating with people of different backgrounds. Employees need to feel not only accepted, but valued in an organization. By attentively listening to the concerns and viewpoints of others, employees will start to feel confident in the workplace. Active listening means paying attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues. According an article in Forbes, high-context cultures (Central European, Latin American, Asian, etc.) tend to incorporate their message through context, interpretation and non-verbal cues. On the other hand, low-context cultures (most English-speaking countries) expect direct messages face-to-face. Business leaders who recognize the importance of diversity training and take the time to make their employees feel appreciated, gain the benefits of a multicultural organization. Alongside establishing effective communication within the workplace, expressing interest in aspects of an employee’s life outside of the office can create a strong relationship. Regardless of cultural differences, people want to feel like they are a part of a community. Effective internal communications in a culturally diverse organization means being able to share and exchange ideas based on mutual awareness, respect and credibility. Implementing diversity training to improve communication in the workplace is mutually beneficial for employees and the organization, ensuring a high level of productivity and return on investment. With the increased globalization in everything we do, it is essential to establish and maintain effective cross-cultural communication. Workplace diversity can clearly create more opportunities than challenges. That said, we should place a strong emphasis on developing employees who are consciously aware of cultural differences and how to embrace to surface those opportunities. This is Part 2 of a three part series on intercultural communications. Part 1 addressed the complexity of culture and how it can impact communications when individuals from one culture interact with individuals from another. In this feature, we focus on the lessons we’ve learned from our cross cultural interaction and how you can use those tips to achieve impactful, successful cross-cultural communications. How can you improve intercultural communications? There are a number of strategies that can be used to better understand and improve intercultural communications. And, while it depends on the situation and what component of culture you are dealing with, the guidelines listed below can be used to help in any cross-cultural situation to make sure your message and intention is clear, and that you understand what others are saying. Tips for Achieving Successful Intercultural Communications: 1. Do your homework. If you know ahead of time who you will be speaking with or what country you will be visiting, it makes sense to research cultural norms and standards, and communication methods for that particular place. Do not walk into the situation unprepared if you can avoid it. 2. Ask. It might be uncomfortable for you and the person you are asking, but by showing your willingness to ask when you don’t understand or when you lack the cultural knowledge necessary to avoid cultural faux paux, you are demonstrating your willingness to learn more about a new culture and the prevailing communication norms instead of rushing through unaware. 3. Accept that you’ll commit errors. Choosing a Global Software Development Partner to Accelerate Your Digital StrategyTo be successful and outpace the competition, you need a software development partner that excels in exactly the type of digital projects you are now faced with accelerating, and in the most cost effective and optimized way possible. Get the Guide Even with all the research you’re going to do and the questions you’re going to ask, you will still make mistakes. Don’t take it personally, rather do your best to be self-aware, actively learn from your mistake and apologize if you offend anyone or cross boundaries. Mistakes will always happen, the problem begins when you don’t use a mistake as an opportunity to learn to avoid the same issues in the future. 4. Avoid colloquialisms, jokes, and idioms. Humor is culture oriented and until you have spent significant months or years learning it, jokes should be avoided as it can be easy to offend or belittle, and in professional situations that can spell disaster. Idioms should be avoided for a different reason, and that is that they vary greatly by culture and often aren’t translatable. In Colombia, “Hacemos la vaca” means to collect money to buy something together. It has no literal meaning and if you weren’t with someone who could explain, you would be very confused as to why people were making a cow. 5. Practice actively listening and observing. Listening is a highly regarded skill. When communicating with others from another culture, it is incredibly important to actively pay attention and listen to what people are telling you. Listening can help you understand that there isn’t one right way to conduct interactions. Additionally, varying viewpoints or ideas might contradict your own, but you’ll still need to listen respectfully. 6. Repeat or confirm what you think was being said. It can be helpful to repeat or confirm what you believe to have been the objective of the conversation. This process will help you avoid misunderstandings, especially when speaking different languages. Write it out if you have to, but make sure you align everyone’s understanding before moving forward. 7. Don’t ask yes or no questions. Instead, use open-ended questions to avoid confusion. With open-ended questions, the person with whom you are interacting must explain or clearly outline their point, making it easier to understand their response and the context surrounding it. 8. Pay attention to nonverbal communication. Communication is also extremely nonverbal. Pay attention to nonverbal cues such as intonation, eye contact, and posture. Observe how people conduct interactions with others from their same culture and follow their lead. Certain cultures avoid strong eye contact when speaking, so you’ll make someone highly uncomfortable if you are trying to force strong eye contact they are not used to doing the same. 9. Speak slowly and clearly. This will help you avoid mistakes and seeming nervous. Speaking slowly and clearly is often interpreted as being confident. Additionally, taking time to think before you speak can help you to avoid communication issues and words you might regret later. 10. Take a deep breath and enjoy it! It can be a challenge to communicate effectively with people from other cultures, and you are bound to find people with whom you can communicate more effectively and more enjoyably than others. Remember, that the whole process is a lifelong lesson in empathy, understanding, and self-awareness which can translate to vastly improved professional and personal interactions and successes beyond just intercultural communications. So, take a deep breath and start communicating! Join UsWhen we engage in teamwork, we have the power to change the world. Are you ready to be a changemaker? If you want to experience what it’s like to be in a multicultural setting. This can be an opportunity to broaden your perspective and interact with our clients and colleagues from different cultural backgrounds. As a global digital consultancy, Perficient is transforming how the world´s biggest brands connect with customers and grow their business. This could be the
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