Conclusion

Hey guys,
This is my last post for this blog and I really enjoyed doing it. In my opinion Communication Across Culture is very significant because it brings a lot of awareness to people and it's very interesting to see how people evolve from what they were to what they become due to multiculturalism. I hope you all like my blog.
- Zara Khan

How to Improve your Intercultural Communication – 10 Quick Tips

Here are the ten tips to improve Intercultural Communication ;

1) Slow Down
Even when English is the common language in a cross cultural situation, this does not mean you should speak quickly. Slow down, speak clearly and ensure your pronunciation is intelligible. Don´t be afraid to ask native-english speakers to slow down, or to repeat things or to explain points again. They also need to realise that speaking more slowly helps intercultural communication.

2) Take Turns
Cross cultural communication flows better when people take turns to make a point and to really listen to each other.

3) One Question
Try not to ask double questions such as, “Do you want to carry on or shall we stop here?” In a cross cultural situation, the listener may only comprehend one question.

4) Avoid Negative Questions
Many cross cultural communication misunderstandings have been caused by the use of negative questions. For example, “Aren´t you satisfied with our progress?” In English we answer ‘yes’ if the answer is affirmative and ‘no’ if it is negative. In some cultures a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ may only be indicating whether the questioner is right or wrong. For example, the response to “Are you not coming?” may be ‘yes’, meaning ‘Yes, I am not coming.’

5) Be Supportive
To work in another language requires confidence and feeling comfortable. Giving encouragement to professionals whose English is good but not perfect.

6) Write it Down
If you are unsure whether something has been understood, write it down and show the other person or check with them. This can be useful when using large figures.

7) Check Meanings
When communicating across cultures never assume the other party has understood. Be an active listener and summarise the main points of what has been said.

8) Avoid Excessive Use of Jargon

Professionals working in multinationals often use an excessive amount of jargon in their day to day activities that people outside of their company often don´t understand.

9) Humour
In many cultures business is taken very seriously. Professionalism and protocol are constantly observed. Many cultures will not appreciate the use of humour and jokes in the business context. Humour can be used, but think carefully whether it will be understood and that it won´t cause offense.

10) Maintain Etiquette
Many cultures have certain etiquette when communicating and doing business. Do some research and ask colleagues about cultural differences when communicating and doing business.

Multicultural Day in the Workplace

It has been 10 years since Canada, by Royal Proclamation, designated June 27 as Multiculturalism Day to celebrate the diverse communities across the country.In a video message on the occasion, Charles Sousa, Ontario minister for citizenship and immigration said, “We are grateful for the contributions of those who’ve settled here and shaped our province.” he added, “On Multiculturalism Day, we commit to building a province based on equality, inclusion, and democracy. And we honour our rich cultural mosaic.According to Canadian Heritage, the federal agency which is responsible for national policies and programs that promote Canadian content, foster cultural participation, active citizenship and participation in Canada’s civic life, and strengthen connections among Canadians, “it is an opportunity to celebrate our diversity and our commitment to democracy, equality and mutual respect and to appreciate the contributions of the various multicultural groups and communities to Canadian society.”

Quoting  a former governor general Adrienne Clarkson, Sousa said, “‘Canada is at once a mirror of global diversity and a beacon that may guide other nations.’ Today, and throughout the year, let us celebrate the richness that our multiculturalism provides.”

Here's the link of the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dVTF-3GDqb4

Pictures of Culture Communication

Here are some pictures relating to communication across culture,

Importance of Communication in the Workplace

• Creates Job Satisfaction
• Lesser Conflicts
• Increases Productivity
• Better Work Future
• Formation of Relationships
• Proper Utilization of Resources

Not only in workplaces but some of the above factors also apply to cultural communication for instance; Formation of Relationships.

A video on communicating within different cultures

Similarities and differences across cultures in the workplace

The similarities and differences across cultures in the work place can make a huge difference between the success and failure of a business. Diversity is common place in many work place environments. Utilizing and understanding cultures, their similarities, and their differences will allow a business and work place to thrive. This essay will define culture and discuss the similarities and differences of cultures across the workplace. It will also discuss the impact of culture on the work place.

Ten strategies for Overcoming language barriers

1. Speak slowly and clearly.

Focus on clearly enunciating and slowing down your speech. Even if you’re pressured for time, don’t rush through your communication. Doing so often takes more time, as miscommunication and misunderstanding can result and you’ll ultimately have to invest additional time in clearing up the confusion.

2. Ask for clarification.

If you are not 100% sure you’ve understood what others say, politely ask for clarification. Avoid assuming you’ve understood what’s been said.

3. Frequently check for understanding.

Check both that you’ve understood what’s been said and that others have fully understood you. Practice reflective listening to check your own understanding (e.g. 'So what I hear you saying is…') and use open-ended questions to check other people’s understanding. Ask, 'what's your understanding of this process?' instead of 'is that clear?'

4. Avoid idioms.

Business language is often contextual, and therefore culture specific. For example, in the US, baseball terms are used extensively: ‘Straight off the Bat,’ ‘Ballpark figures,’ ‘Out in left field,’ ‘Touch base,’ ‘Strike a deal’. As a good general rule, if the phrase requires knowledge of other information—be it a game or metaphor—recognize that this may make your communication more difficult to be understood.

5. Be careful of jargon.

Watch the use of TLAs (Three Letter Abbreviations) and other organizational language that may not be understood by others. If you use them, provide in parentheses a description of what these are so others can learn to use the same language you do.

6. Define the basics of business.

In international business contexts terms such as: ‘success’, ‘doneness’, ‘meetings’, ‘punctuality’, etc. may mean different things to different people. Spend time early in your communication defining what these mean to you and others. Invest in building a shared vocabulary.

7. Be specific.

Spell out your expectations and deadlines clearly. Instead of, ‘Please get back to me shortly,’ say ‘Please email the completed report by 5 pm Eastern Standard time on Wednesday, February 21.’

8. Choose your medium of communication effectively.

Carefully choose your form of communication (phone or video conference, email, instant message, etc.). Be mindful not to ‘overuse’ email. While useful, there are times when the medium is likely to be ineffective. When a message is complex and complicated or there is tension or conflict that needs to be resolved, switch to another medium.

9. Provide information via multiple channels.

Follow phone calls with emails that summarize what’s been said. When possible, provide presentations, agendas, etc. in advance so those working in their non-native language can get familiar with materials.

10. Be patient.

Cross-cultural communication takes more time. If not at all times, certainly initially you cannot expect your communication to occur with the same speed and ease as when you are communicating with someone from your own culture.

Benefits of Communication

Today more than ever, business is conducted in some kind of multicultural environment ‐ at the office or with customers and colleagues abroad. Many companies, however, do not offer their personnel the necessary training to succeed in the global marketplace. Misunderstandings and poor communication are the result. Furthermore, employees are unable to manage cultural differences, expatriates suffer from culture shock thus negatively impacting the company's productivity and foreign assignments end prematurely. All the above translate into major costs and losses to companies.

In fact, the main reason for failure in international business is not the lack of technical expertise or good will, but rather cultural illiteracy and the lack of people skills.

Knowledge of a foreign language is a key element in communicating across cultures. It not only promotes understanding and mutual respect by allowing for dialogue in another's tongue but also gives an insight into foreign cultures and different ways of thinking. In fact it is believed that the language we speak not only expresses but also determines the way we think!

Learning a new language broadens our horizons, builds and strengthens relationships while allowing us to take advantage of new opportunities.

In view of the subtle yet powerful impact of culturally conditioned behavior on international business transactions, cultural competence is now recognized as a critical element to succeeding on the global stage. Intercultural or cross-cultural trainings combine a company's business skills with the necessary people skills. They provide management and staff with the knowledge and tools to develop general and specific intercultural skills in order to work more effectively with international clients or colleagues. Employees having received formalized cross-cultural training are more effective in leadership roles, are good communicators and valuable company ambassadors. Incidents of culture shock are reduced and the premature return rate for expatriates drops dramatically. 

For a company, cross-cultural training is an investment that pays, yielding the benefits of increased productivity, successful business relationships, and the avoidance of costly misunderstandings.

How to communicate across cultures

Communication across cultures is important because as technology advancement induces the market and workforce become internationalized, it is necessary to understand and learn the skill of intercultural communication. By defining the significant characteristics of one’s culture, it will provide us with the concept and insight that enable people to compare and contrast to that of their own culture. Moreover, respecting other people’s traditional habits will bring about comfortable feeling towards them and vice versa. For the communication process, proper manner must be learned, such as patience and humble attitude. Achieving intercultural proficiency is an important step for the written messages, while being familiar with local formats and the use of short sentences and short paragraphs can improve the quality of communication. At the same time, striving for clarity, using correct grammar, and citing numbers precisely are also significant in the written communication. In addition, communicating orally with intercultural people requires eye contact, posture, and gesture so that minimize the miscommunication. Lastly, a diverse workforce benefits consumers, work teams, and business organizations. As a result, this enhances communication skills among diverse workforce audiences and creates stronger relationship, which increases productivity. In this case, seven steps have to be taken, which are: Training, understanding the value of the differences, no expectation of conformity, learning about your cultural self, making fewer assumptions, building on similarities and adapting a communication style.