Objectives

After completing the course, the learner will be able to better apply the following
skills in their daily work:

 Ask questions to develop cultural knowledge.

 Distinguish cultural perspectives.
 Build self-awareness.
 Recognize the complexity of cross-cultural
communication.
 Avoid stereotyping.
 Respect cultural differences.
 Employ active listening skills.
 Avoid culturally insensitive language and behaviors.
 Be flexible in choosing communication strategies.

Why Cross Cultural Awareness?

"...the single greatest barrier to business success is the one erected by culture." Edward T.
Hall and Mildred Reed Hall
Working, meeting, dealing, entertaining, negotiating and corresponding with colleagues or clients from
different cultures can be a minefield.
Understanding and appreciating intercultural differences ultimately promotes clearer communication,
breaks down barriers, builds trust, strengthens relationships, opens horizons and yields tangible results
in terms of business success.

» Our Cultural Awareness Courses

We offer a range of flexible, vibrant and effective intercultural workshops.
After coming to us with your request our team of intercultural experts will analyse and identify your core
needs. What's more, they will also suggest correlating areas that may be beneficial to you. A draft
course outline will then be proposed, alterations made if need be and once you are happy, we proceed.
We offer a comprehensive service, covering a vast range of countries, cultures, skills and sectors. See

which of our Our Clients have benefitted from our cultural awareness courses.

Barriers in Effective Cultural Communication in Business

Tue, 03/03/2009 - 11:09 — admin

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 We live in a culturally diverse world. People will encounter

individuals from different races, religions, and nationalities in their day to day encounters. There is often anxiety

surrounding unfamiliar cultures. What manners are acceptable? What will offend a person from a very different

background? It can be paralyzing to deal with other people if we do not know what to expect. The following

suggestions discussed in the manual, Becoming a Master Student, by Dave Ellis are applicable to people in a

variety of settings.

The desire to communicate is the first step in being effective. No matter what tools you gain in cross cultural

communication. The desire to connect with another human being is the bond that will express itself clearly. A

genuine effort to understand another person goes along way in the path to communication.

Lack of investment in cross cultural training and language tuition often leads to deficient internal cohesion. The

loss of clients/customers, poor staff retention, lack of competitive edge, internal conflicts/power struggles, poor

working relations, misunderstandings, stress, poor productivity and lack of co-operation are all by-products of

poor cross cultural communication.

Cross cultural communications consultants work with international companies to minimise the above

consequences of poor cross cultural awareness. Through such cooperation, consultancies like Kwintessential

have recognised common hurdles to effective cross cultural communication within companies.

Here we outline a few examples of these obstacles to cross cultural co-operation:

Lack of Communication

It may seem obvious to state that non-communication is probably the biggest contributor to poor

communication. Yet it continues to prove itself as the major problem within most companies.

Lack of communication with staff is not solely due to lack of spoken dialogue. Rather it relates to access to

information.
For example, not giving feedback (negative or positive), informing staff of decisions and actions that will affect

their roles or failure to properly communicate expectations are all ways in which information can be withheld

from staff. This will eventually result in an alienated staff base that feels divided from management and

superiors.

If managers are too selective in providing information, this can cause suspicion and jealousy among staff and will

eventually result in internal strife instead of cohesion.

A management which does not and will not communicate and interact physically with staff demonstrates a lack

of interest, trust and respect.

In the West it is often the case that communication lines are vertical. Staff report up to managers and managers

up to senior levels and so on. Ideally lines of communication should run both ways. Those with a subordinate

place in the communication process tend to feel estranged, indifferent and possibly even belligerent.

Lack of communication in all its forms is unhealthy. Companies and managers must be aware of how, what and

to whom they are communicating.

 Language  

Communication difficulties through language come in two forms:

Use of inappropriate language

Language carries with it subliminal meanings and messages transmitted through vocabulary, stress and tone.

The wrong use of words or emotions hidden behind phrases can send messages that affect staff self-perception,

confidence and attitude. Critical language causes poor interpersonal relationships and low self-confidence

whereas supportive language and tones has the opposite effect.

Foreign Languages

These days, offices may have native speakers of over 50 languages all under one roof. It is important that the

main language of the office is established, whether it be English, French or Spanish. Once this is constituted all

employees should only converse in the main language. This avoids exclusion of staff who can not understand

other languages. In addition, a company should ensure that all its employees are fully conversant in the main

language. Language tuition should be seen as a necessity not a luxury.

Culture
International businesses with a highly diverse workforce in terms of nationality and cultural background face

challenges from the differences in language, values, belief systems, business ethics, business practices,

behaviour, etiquette and expectations.

Cross cultural differences can negatively impact a business in a variety of ways, whether in team cohesion or in

staff productivity. As we have seen above, different methods of communication are just one area in which cross

cultural differences are manifested.

In such multicultural companies, objective help may be needed through a cross cultural consultant who will show

teams and individuals how to manage communication and work together more cohesively and productively.

Company Culture

Company culture pertains to the internal culture of a company in terms of how it is managed. For example, does

the company view its different departments such as sales, production, administration and HR as closed or open

systems? A closed system is one in which a total lack of synergy exists between a sales and production

department due to the structure and communication lines between the two. A consequence of such

compartmentalization is that managers of departments have a tendency to become territorial. It is vital that team

work, team building and team spirit are encouraged in order to create open systems.

Such measures are especially valid in joint ventures and mergers whereby co-operation between two or more

companies requires their total commitment to an open system.

Understandably many companies are primarily focused on the financial and strategic side of company operations.

International businesses are now realising that many of their business problems have roots in man-management

and communication.

In summary, we can conclude that the biggest hurdle to effective cross cultural communication is a reluctance to

invest in the expertise and resources needed to overcome the problems as outlined above. Cross cultural hurdles

are easily negotiable with some objective and well-qualified assistance.--- Source: streetdirectory.com

Tips for Communication Between Multi-Cultural

Team Members
 1. Cross-cultural project managers need to be culturally
sensitive leaders.
The project manager of a cross-cultural team must act like a master conductor
bridging the differences in culture, background, and personality and motivating
everyone to work towards common project goals. As a leader, the project manager
can help steer the team past misunderstandings and miscommunication by building
a sense of trust and respect among the team members and by recognizing their
unique strengths, knowledge, and potential.
It goes without saying that the project manager of a multinational team should be
experienced in working with people from other cultures, must be articulate, and
passionate about his or her work.
2. All project professionals should receive cultural sensitivity training.
All the employees who will be involved in the project's front lines should receive
training in cultural differences and effective cross-cultural communication. It is
surprising how many businesses, big and small, neglect this vital step, whether for
lack of money, interest, or out of plain ignorance. But in many cases it ends up being
a costly oversight.
3. Empirical project data should be clearly presented and easily accessible.
One way to reduce possible misunderstandings among the team members in
particular is to make sure that all the objective facts of the project are presented
clearly and explicitly, and that this data is easily accessible to anyone who needs to
see it. Not only will this help to keep everyone focused and informed, but it will allow
each individual the space to process the information in their own way.
4. There must be a focus on building relationships not just on achieving
project goals.
In a cross-cultural project, it is safe to assume that misunderstandings will occur
along the way even with the best people and training. But how those
misunderstandings are handled is what makes all the difference. When importance is
given to maintaining respect for the individual team members and for what they have
to contribute (and not just on meeting project deadlines) it will help to foster a vital
sense of trust among them. Setbacks can then be turned into learning experiences.
In short, with a measure of sensitivity and forethought, cross-cultural
communications can be effective within any corporate environment.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-

management/articles/53680.aspx#ixzz163R1nX6G
Breaking cultural communication barriers

Move beyond stereotypes, break cultural communication barriers,

make cross cultural connections, and develop communication
skills. Understand differences in people.
Sponsored Links

 
We live in a culturally diverse world. People will encounter individuals from different
races, religions, and nationalities in their day to day encounters. There is often
anxiety surrounding unfamiliar cultures. What manners are acceptable? What will
offend a person from a very different background? It can be paralyzing to deal with
other people if we do not know what to expect. The following suggestions discussed
in the manual, Becoming a Master Student, by Dave Ellis are applicable to people in
a variety of settings.
The desire to communicate is the first step in being effective. No matter what tools
you gain in cross cultural communication. The desire to connect with another human
being is the bond that will express itself clearly. A genuine effort to understand
another person goes along way in the path to communication.
Knowing about other cultures will help you develop your skills. Be proactive when
approaching a new culture. This is a learned skill which means it will require research,
practice, and growth. People from different backgrounds may have varied
approaches to conflict management, learning styles, family structure, religion,
and most other aspects of life. It is impossible to know the varied systems of all cultures, so
approach this process one culture at a time as you meet and deal with new people.

When dealing with diverse people look for similarities. Our goals, dreams, and
aspirations may be more alike than our skin color. Parenting approaches may differ,
but the common bond of a mother and a child crosses many barriers. Most people
have basic needs in common, like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that suggest all
people have physiological, safety, acceptance, self-esteem, and self-actualization
needs. Considering these things it is easy to see our essential common ground. And
this is where we can begin our comprehension of others.
Put your new information about other people into action. Make a personal inventory
of your own biases. Where has your ignorance held you back from appreciating other
people? What have you learned that makes this old paradigm obsolete? Help to
educate people in your family and group of friends about your new leanings. Be
careful. People become attached to their ignorance, and have difficulty accepting
new ideas. It may have taken you a while to gain the knowledge necessary to deal
with people. Encourage others to be open, but know that information is integrated
when a person is ready to accept it. Form alliances with people from different cultures
to know what challenges they have dealing with your culture. Help the general
community to grow by raising awareness and promoting fair treatment for all people.
It is important as you become a promoter of cross cultural communications that you
reach beyond stereotypes. These do not represent the population they seek to
identify. It is necessary to evaluate people on an individual basis. Stereotypes often
reflect the differences in socioeconomic status, religion, or dialect. These differences
are apparent in all races and cannot identify one specific group of people. It is
important to suspend judgment, avoid misconceptions, narrow perspectives, and
immature reactions. Stereotypes often contain a granule of truth, but this tiny truth
cannot characterize an entire culture. Getting the whole picture is being active, and
thinking critically about people and their behavior.
Ultimately the barriers that exist between cultures are weak We need desire,
information, and the willingness to take interpersonal risks to break them. An
individual’s ability to be open to new ideas and new people will go a long way in the
process of cross cultural communication. It starts with a smile and acceptance. It
leads to an exciting new world full of clarity and connectedness.

The Public Relations (PR) industry is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships
between clients and customers. Through areas such as brand management, advertising, media
relations and crisis management, PR practitioners seek to foster interest, trust and belief in a
product or company.
PR practitioners are aware of how best to carry this out when dealing within their own
nations and cultures, however, when dealing with a foreign audience it is critical that cross
cultural differences are recognised.
By way of illustrating the impact cross cultural awareness can have on the success or failure
of a PR campaign a brief example can be cited:
Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in Southeast Asia by emphasizing that it "whitens your
teeth." They found out that the local natives chew betel nuts to blacken their teeth because
they found it attractive. Had the PR company behind this campaign analysed the cross
cultural issues related to Pepsodent's product, the failure of this PR campaign could have
been avoided.
Cross cultural differences can make or break a PR campaign. It is therefore crucial that PR
practitioners dealing with PR campaigns that incorporate a cross cultural element analyse
likely cross cultural differences. A few key areas shall be highlighted in order to help PR
practitioners begin to consider how culture may affect future projects.
Language and Culture
In order for a PR campaign to be successful abroad, an appreciation of the target language
and its cultural nuances is necessary. The PR and advertising industries are littered with
examples of poor translations and a lack of cross cultural understanding leading to PR failure.
For example, when Ford launched the 'Pinto' in Brazil they were puzzled as to why sales were
dead. Fortunately they found out that Brazilians did not want to be seen driving a car
meaning 'small male genitals' and promptly changed the name.
Translation of documents, slogans and literature must be checked and double checked for
meanings and cross cultural nuances. This should not only take place between languages but
also within languages. Even in English there are cross cultural differences in meanings. For
example, the airline UAL headlined an article about Paul Hogan, star of Crocodile Dundee,
with, "Paul Hogan Camps it up" which unfortunately in the UK and Australia is slang for
"flaunting homosexuality".
The Spoken Word
Areas where the spoken word is used in PR, such as press conferences or interviews, should
be prepared for within a cross cultural framework. In short, speaking styles and the content
used differs across cultures.
British and American communication styles are described as 'explicit', meaning messages are
conveyed solely through words. Correlating background information is deemed necessary
and divulged, ambiguity is avoided and spoken words have literal meaning. In many other
cultures, communication is 'implicit'. The message listeners are likely to interpret is based on
factors such as who is speaking, the context and non-verbal cues. Spoken words do not fully
convey the whole story as listeners are expected to read between the lines.
With relation to content, speakers must be aware of the cross cultural differences in humour,
metaphors, aphorisms and anecdotes. In addition, references to topics such as politics and/or
religion can be a very sensitive issue in other cultures.
When the spoken word is used the cross cultural distinctions of the target culture must be
incorporated in order to help the speaker appeal to and identify with the audience.
The Written Word
Press releases, features and copywriting all require a certain amount of cross cultural
sensitivity when being applied abroad. Journalistic traditions, writing styles, news worthiness,
delivery systems and whether a 'free press' exists are all areas that will affect how the written
word is tailored.
In addition, the most important point, from a cross cultural perspective, is how to write in a
way that engages the readers in that society or culture. Some cultures may prefer colourful
and inspirational writing, others factual and objective. Some may be motivated by language
that incorporates a religious or moral tone, others by a money-orientated or materialistic one.
When writing, the first step should always be to look at and integrate the cross cultural
particulars of the target audience.
Communication Channels
PR practitioners employ many different communication channels when trying to circulate
information relating to their campaign. The main channels of communication in the UK or
America are the radio, the press, TV, internet and public spaces. However, these channels
may not always be applicable abroad.
In many countries the radio, TV or newspapers may not be the primary source of information.
Literacy rates may be poor and/or radios may be expensive. In Africa, only 1.4% of the
population have access to the internet. Even where such channels of communication do exist,
such as TV, some methods used by PR practitioners, namely guerrilla marketing, would be
interpreted differently in foreign countries. For example, interrupting live TV may be laughed
at in the UK but in other countries it would be seen as irresponsible and rebellious.
The usual channels of communication in some countries would simply have no effect in
terms of PR. In such countries, local alternatives need to be sought such as religious leaders,
tribal chiefs, school teachers or NGO's. Information coming from such figures will not only
reach the audience but be perceived as more credible than if it were from foreigners.
PR Materials
The use of publicity materials in PR campaigns such as logos, slogans, pictures, colours and
designs must all be cross culturally examined. Pictures of seemingly innocuous things in one
culture could mean something different in another. For example, a company advertised
eyeglasses in Thailand by featuring a variety of cute animals wearing glasses. The ad failed
as animals are considered to be a low form of life in Thailand and no self respecting Thai
would wear anything worn by animals. Similarly, logos or symbols are culturally sensitive. A
soft drink was introduced into Arab countries with an attractive label that had a six-pointed
star on it. The Arabs interpreted this as pro-Israeli and refused to buy it.
Conclusion
The above cited areas are but a few of those that require decent cross cultural assessment by
PR practitioners if they wish their international and cross cultural campaigns to succeed. The
aim of implementing a cross cultural analysis in PR is to build campaigns that target the
audience as best as possible, meaning appealing to their world view while avoiding offense.

Neil Payne is Managing Director of Kwintessential. Visit their site at:

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Payne