Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Intercultural Communication
Intercultural Communication
Intercultural Communication
Introduction
Cultures are different. Some differences are obvious; we eat different food, speak different
languages and dress differently. Other differences are less obvious; the attitudes that
influence how we think and behave. It’s easy to understand and accept that one culture
may eat tortillas at every meal, while another prefers rice or bread. Understanding and
accepting cultural attitudes about things like time & responsibility is more difficult. Below
are some areas in which cultures may differ. As you read, think & identify the attitudes
which describe your culture and the cultures of your team members.
Other cultures believe that rules or principles should be applied to everyone. Your
relationship with a person shouldn’t influence how you treat them and it’s wrong to break
rules for a friend or relative. What is right is always right and honest – for everyone. Fair
treatment means treating everyone the same. You shouldn’t make exceptions to rules
because you know or like a person. It’s important to put your feelings to one side and look
at a situation objectively.
Time: Aware and Unaware
Members of cultures that are very aware of time believe that there’s a limited amount of
time so it’s important to think about time and how much time you have. It’s important to
always be punctual. Lateness wastes time. It’s important to follow a schedule & you
should do things when you say you are going to do them. It’s very important to plan ahead
so that you can use time wisely & get everything done. Proper planning can help avoid
problems.
In cultures that are less aware of time, people believe that there’s always more time. If
you don’t finish something today you can finish it tomorrow or some other time. It’s
acceptable to be late because there’s plenty of time. People are more important than time,
so they shouldn’t have to absolutely follow a schedule. It’s always possible to change a
deadline or schedule if something comes up. People are more important than time, so they
shouldn’t have to follow a schedule. It’s difficult to plan ahead because it’s hard to predict
what will happen.
An external control culture thinks you can’t control what happens to you. Every person
has some limits and it’s not possible to go beyond those limits. Some things are meant to
be & some things aren’t – it’s fate. Success comes from work & from good luck.
Communication: Direct and Indirect
In cultures which value direct communication people say exactly what they mean. It
is best to say what you want to communicate directly instead of avoiding the issue. If you
aren’t direct, then people won’t understand what the problem is. It’s important to be
honest even if you hurt someone’s feelings or make them uncomfortable. Conflict
may be appropriate and sometimes it’s unavoidable. The goal of communication is getting
or giving information, not making people feel good.
In cultures which emphasize indirect communication, people don’t directly say what
they mean. It’s better to suggest something or say it between the lines than to say it
directly. Direct communication may be offensive to people - you might say something that
hurts their feelings or causes conflict. Saying something indirectly is better because you
won’t offend or embarrass someone or cause problems in your relationship with them. It’s
always best to avoid conflict. One of the goals of communication is preserving a good
relationship with members of your group.
http://www.wwcd.org/action/ampu/crosscult.html
Six Fundamental Patterns of Cultural Differences
1. Different Communication Styles
The way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. One aspect
of communication style is language usage. Across cultures, some words and phrases are
used in different ways. For example, even in countries that share the English language, the
meaning of "yes" varies from "maybe, I'll consider it" to "definitely so," with many shades
in between. Another major aspect of communication style is the degree of importance
given to non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication includes not only facial
expressions and gestures; it also involves seating arrangements, personal distance, and
sense of time. In addition, different norms regarding appropriate degree of assertiveness in
communicating can add to cultural misunderstandings. For instance, some white Americans
typically consider raised voices to be a sign that a fight has begun, while some black,
Jewish and Italian Americans often feel that an increase in volume is a sign of an exciting
conversation among friends. Thus, some white Americans may react with greater alarm to
a loud discussion than would members of some American ethnic or non-white racial
groups.
1. Learn from generalizations about other cultures, but don't use those generalizations to
stereotype, "write off," or oversimplify your ideas about another person. The best use of
a generalization is to add it to your storehouse of knowledge so that you better
understand and appreciate other interesting, multi-faceted human beings.
2. Practice , practice, practice . That's the first rule, because it's in the doing
that we actually get better at cross-cultural communication.
3. Don't assume that there is one right way (yours!) to communicate. Keep questioning
your assumptions about the "right way" to communicate. For example, think about your
body language; postures that indicate receptivity in one culture might indicate
aggressiveness in another.
4. Don't assume that breakdowns in communication occur because other people are on the
wrong track. Search for ways to make the communication work , rather than searching
for who should receive the blame for the breakdown.
5. Listen actively and empathetically. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes.
Especially when another person's perceptions or ideas are very different from your own,
you might need to operate at the edge of your own comfort zone.
6. Respect others' choices about whether to engage in communication with you. Honor
their opinions about what is going on.
10. Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular
individual. We are all shaped by many, many factors -- our ethnic background, our
family, our education, and our personalities -- are more complicated than any cultural
norm could suggest. Check your interpretations if you are uncertain what is meant.
http://www2.pstcc.cc.tn.us/~dking/intercul.htm
• Seek information about the culture. Knowledge is power . Prejudice stems from
ignorance. Basic idea here: do your homework, don't make assumptions.
• Be other-oriented. As Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, we're not in Kansas
anymore. You can no longer rely on the assumptions of your own cultural heritage.
This is not to tear down the value of your own culture; it is to make you aware of the
richness that is available to you in other viewpoints. This also does not mean to try
to be something you are not. It does mean allowing the other to be whoever is rather
than who you think that person should be.
• Ask questions. Be prepared to share information about yourself, & be sensitive in
way you ask (you don't want to be perceived as prying). But open communication
helps in reducing the uncertainty that is present in any relationship.
• Develop mindfulness. This is another way of saying "be aware." Acknowledge that
there is a connection between thoughts and deeds, and become aware of your own
thinking and assumptions. Be conscious. Be active, not reactive. Be aware of your
own self-talk.
• Develop flexibility.
• Tolerate ambiguity. Communicating with someone from another culture produces
uncertainty, which can be uncomfortable. Learn to tolerate the discomfort until you
come out on the other side.
• Avoid negative judgments . Resist thinking that your culture has all the answers.
It has its strengths; so do other cultures.