AIM Newsletter - Summer 2007 - Cross Cultural Communication

WELCOME to our Summer 2007 e-newsletter.

AIM Strategies® engages in periodic research to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by our clients in these economically demanding times. Based on this research, we have spent the past two years developing a series of booklets which address key issues in the business community. They will be published and available for purchase via Amazon and our website.

The first booklet in the series will focus on the topic of Cross Cultural Communication because of its increasing importance to 21st century organizations. The article that follows, 'Learning To Communicate Across Cultures', offers a sneak preview of our upcoming booklet, Communicating Through a Global Lens.

Enjoy this article; it is our hope that you find actionable ideas for your own organization. As always, your feedback is appreciated.

Yael Sara Zofi, CEO AIM Strategies®
Applied Innovative Management®
T: (718) 832-6767 / 6699, F: (718) 832-6660
www.aim-strategies.com yael@aim-strategies.com

Today, the global neighborhood is a reality for many organizations, and so they require people at all levels who are comfortable interacting with cultures other than their own. At its most basic, culture refers to a group, or community, whose members share similar experiences, worldviews and values. Up until a few generations ago, most Americans worked solely with local counterparts who shared similar backgrounds. Today, thanks to the pace of technology and globalization, it is probable your typical workday includes interaction with colleagues, clients or vendors from different parts of the globe.

As the pace of business transactions quickens, the ability to communicate with and manage people from other cultures is not just a necessity, it is a requirement. Confounded by language barriers, different worldviews and experiences, communication can be a great challenge. However, not meeting these challenges can be costly, setting a project back days, weeks or even months. Communicating effectively greatly augments your success when working and negotiating with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

L-E-A-R-N to communicate effectively across cultures ...

AIM Strategies® has identified five steps which you can take to prevent cultural miscommunication. They are described below, and form the acronym L-E-A-R-N, as follows:

Cross culture communication presents many opportunities for miscommunication. Active listening is a highly effective tool to prevent misunderstandings in such situations. We engage in active listening when we go beyond the literal meaning of spoken words to look for meaning through other contextual clues, such as gestures, actions, facial expression, tone and cultural background. An active listener checks with the speaker to ensure that s/he has accurately heard and understood a statement. The goal of active listening is to improve mutual understanding. For example, people from different cultures may use the same word in different ways. Repeating what you think you have heard confirms your understanding of the speaker's meaning.

Some argue that active listening is the most important skill one can develop to become an effective leader. By using the following techniques, you can show your conversation partner that you understand and appreciate the message he or she is trying to convey:

          • Nod when a person tells you something.
          • Make eye contact when speaking to someone and when spoken to.
          • Mirror the person's facial expressions in a genuine manner.
          • Communicate (give and receive) feedback.
          • Paraphrase what the other person has said to you.

To effectively communicate, a person must be able to understand and respond to cues in the environment and gauge the conversation partner’s intentions. In these situations you can tone down your language - avoiding harsh and / or difficult words - and adjust the timing and speed of your speech. Remember, the receiver interprets your communication attempts through a cultural perspective, so be sure to verify often that what you said is truly understood. The following skills are useful:

          • If the conversation appears to be coming to a close, conclude with a
              transition or sum-up statement. For example, "So you are saying that…."
          • Allow the other person to complete his/her thoughts - avoid dominating
              the conversation - even if you feel you have a lot to say.
          • If the other person appears bored and uninterested, ask where s/he
              would like the conversation to go. Change the subject and/or direction
              of the conversation. Ask questions to get him/her involved.

Avoiding ambiguity does not mean that you deliberately avoid situations that may prove to be ambiguous or uncertain. Rather, you prevent ambiguity by preparing and informing yourself as much as possible about your conversation partner’s culture so that you can react appropriately. When you become knowledgeable about these cultural norms and practices, you avoid uneasiness which often leads to frustration, which in turn hinders your ability to communicate.

          • These suggestions can help you build your confidence when interacting
              with people from other cultures:
          • Try to learn as much as you can about the other person's culture before
              hand - it helps reduce some of the ambiguity.
          • Ask questions to clarify issues of which you are unsure.
          • Nod and maintain eye contact.
          • Paraphrase what the other person says to be sure you understood
              correctly.
          • Ask the person to repeat him/herself when you don't understand.

Effective cross-cultural communication can be difficult if you have trouble showing respect for another's differences. Here we refer to the actual actions that display respect, not to the act of respecting. As we know, actions and behaviors are interpreted differently across cultures so you must be sure that neither your behavior or actions appear disrespectful. While different cultures vary in what they consider signs of 'showing respect,' (i.e.: "the bow" in Japan) following these general rules should lead to positive results:

          • Maintain eye contact, professional posture, a clear and welcoming
              tone/pitch, and display general interest.
          • Be punctual when meeting someone.
          • Use optimistic, positive terms.
          • Acknowledge others often.
          • Be polite by using the phrases 'please' and 'thank you; in the individual's
              native tongue.
          • Be aware of terms people use to explain themselves and the world
              around them.

Cultural norms often times dictate the nature of appropriate behavior. When interacting across cultures it is possible that someone’s behavior or actions may offend you. To avoid feeling this way, it is important to realize that your conversation partner probably had no intention of offending you or showing signs of disrespect. Therefore, suspend judgment and look to determine their true intentions.

• Avoid jumping to conclusions. Don't assume that what you understood to
be true is universally correct.

          • Respond in ways that are descriptive and non-evaluative. Avoid making
              judgmental comments based on your culture that lead to wrong
              conclusions. Avoid leaping to conclusions before considering several
              alternative possibilities.

           A)  Description - "Eric comes to work late every Monday."
           B)  Interpretation - "Eric doesn't care about the job."
           C)  Evaluation - "I'll give Eric the less desirable projects."

Now consider the three-step evaluation approach with the addition of one step:

A) Description - "Eric comes to work late every Monday."

Now, before you make an assumption, consider several interpreted reasons for Eric's behavior. For example:

          • He has familial obligations every Monday morning.
          • He gets stuck in after-weekend traffic returning from out-of-town.
          • He oversleeps after the weekend.
          • He doesn't care about the job.

Once you've formulated several competing hypotheses for Eric's behavior, you are ready to make your interpretation:

           B)  Interpretation - "Eric's tardiness could be due to a factor which may be
                out of his control."
           C)  Evaluation - "I will talk to Eric about his tardiness and learn more about
                what is going on."

The 'considering several options' step is the one that many people skip - leading them to make erroneous, and often biased, conclusions.

More then ever, success in the 21st century depends on one’s ability to communicate effectively across cultures. Successful leaders will master the various skills and incorporate the behaviors discussed in these pages. We hope that you find value in the five steps we have noted here, and that you will incorporate what you have L-E-A-R-N ed in your next cross-cultural conversation.

Written by Yael Sara Zofi and Susan Victor

Initial Research: Lauren Mutz
Updated Research: Saro Varjabedian
Editing: Susan Victor

AIM Strategies® Applied Innovative Management® is a results-driven Management Consulting firm specializing in the areas of: Global Leadership Development, Team Facilitation, Talent Retention, Performance Management and general Culture Change Services. To request information about AIM Strategies®, please click here, or see the following link: http:www.aim-strategies.com for more information about how AIM offers a personal, no-nonsense approach through the proprietary experiential learning methods (5D's™ Consulting/Training Methodology and the ACT™ Coaching Process). In upcoming issues of this newsletter, we'll update you on tips and techniques related to raising your innovative management IQ. Please forward this newsletter to your associates!