CG - Intercultural Communications Lesson

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Intercultural Communications Lesson

Before engaging in business communication with global clients, intercultural communication strategies should be studied.

Communicating Across Cultures

Business communication and procedures vary from country to country. There are a few topics that should be investigated and understood prior to engaging in business communication with global business clients and partners. The image below highlights those intercultural strategies. 

Intercultural Communication Strategies Clockwise strategies: Entertaining and Gifts, Nonverbal Communication, Rules of Punctuality, Recognition of Gender Roles, Research Business Meeting Practices, Verbal Communication Protocol, Communication Tool Preference 

Intercultural Communication Expressions

Take some time to review the following terms to gain a better understanding of global communication themes.

Achievement-based Culture -  individuals are evaluated on their track record

Ascription-based Culture -  status given to certain groups (i.e. older family members, important families, higher education attainment)

Deal-focused Cultures -  the producer with the best product gets the deal

Emotional Cultures -  extensive use of facial expressions and gestures

Neutral Cultures -  calmness is appreciated and little use of facial expressions and/or gestures are utilized

Relationship-focused Cultures -  mutual trust is the deciding factor for the deal

Systematic Working Environment -  detailed plans, deadlines, and action plans are important

Organic Working Environment -  creativity and flexibility are encouraged

Formal Communication Style -  the use of titles, politeness, and protocol are important

Informal Communication Style -  little use of titles, polite forms, and speaking plainly is encouraged

Overlapping -  interruptions are common and are a sign of interest

Turn Taking -  interruptions are uncommon and if occurs, indicates a sign of rudeness

Takeaway

Mastering global communication does not occur overnight. As you begin the quest of learning about business communications, customs, and practices, it may help to access resources such as travel books, consulate websites of countries, or short courses and/or seminars on business customs and practices. If you are enrolled in a public school, you may be required to complete a year or more of a foreign language. Enrollment in the course will assist in learning about the culture of the country and open doors for opportunities in the workforce. 

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