How to manage intercultural communication THE EXPERT Effective communication is crucial to any business. Communication gone wrong can typically result in depressed Margaret Tokarek is motivation, poor flow of information and interpersonal conflicts Va STAR, a training company This is particularly true for multinational environments, where the specialising in communication in culturally and socially likelihood of misunderstandings can be much higher. Anyone concerned with creating a healthy working environment should know where to look c02232474 c0795849957 for potential trouble zones, as well as what measures can be undertaken to ) info/ivastar-events com ensure productive and smooth collaboration among culturally diverse staff. 飞以 6626。 CTOBER2006 Www. PeopLemAnagemEnt.Co uK
THE EXPERT Mai^aret Tokarek is managing director of Va STAR, a training company specialising in communication in culturally and socially diverse workplaces 5^01223 211474 2^07958491957 »info@vastar-events.com ... manage intercultural communication Effective communication is crucial to any business. Communication gone wrong can typically result in depressed motivation, poor flow of information and interpersonal conflicts. This is particularly true for multinational environments, where the likelihood of misunderstandings can be much higher. Anyone concerned with creating a healthy working environment should know where to look for potential trouble zones, as well as what measures can be undertaken to ensure productive and smooth collaboration among culturally diverse staff. 66 26 OCTOBER 2006 WWWPEOPLEMANAGEMENT.CCUK
PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON WORK WATCH OUT FOR RELATIONAL PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES CONFLICTS ey points In intercultural environments. it is The egalitarianism of corporate useful to define key work-related concepts organisations in Anglo-Saxon culture can be .Define key work-related concepts such explicitly and bring them to the attention an uncertain ground for individuals as"meeting"agenda"or "feedback".as of international employees. Basic business from hierarchical cultures. As a result they may evoke different expectations across cultures concepts such as"meeting","agenda"or senior employees may feel that their Help managers to recognise varying types "feedback"may evoke different expectations authority is being undermined in the UK,of contributions across cultures where staff have the right to confront Appreciate different understandings of In the UK, for example, most business criticise and challenge hierarch meetings faithfully follow an agenda On the other hand, junior staff from Use language clearly, and be aware of using and participants can feel free to propose hierarchical cultures may interpret the ambiguous statements or sarcasm. and discuss opinions, or question and British informality of the boss-subordinate Be aware that some cultures respond better challenge the ideas of others, Ho owever relationship as a sign that the relationship is to face-to-face communication than to email in other cultures, meetings may be transforming into friendship. What follows. Deal with potential problems quickly before occasions for senior employees to announce is a relational conflict originating from ready-made decisions to junior staff, people's different perceptions of their rights Offer cross-cultural integration sessions. while the agenda is simply a loose outline and obligations towards others of things to come, subject to many on-the Once it surfaces, the best way to address instance, are more likely to recognise the spot adjustments the conflict is through low-key interviewing, importance of decisions, or the urgency of aimed at establishing where perceptions announcements, when they receive them RECOGNISE DIFFERENT TYPES diverge. This knowledge can be used to raise face-to-face OF CONTRIBUTIONS individuals' awareness of the culture-specific Anglo-Saxon culture encourag sources of conflict. RECOGNISE AND DEAL WITH self-assertion and the pursuit of PROBLEMS PROMPTLY individual interests. This puts at a ENSURE CLARITY OF LANGUAGE Cross-cultural miscommunication in distinct disadvantage employees from HR managers should bear in multinational workplaces all too often goes cultures where modesty comes before self nd that vocabulary and language unnoticed. It's either brushed aside promotion, and where identification with style may be a source of many incidents off communicative hiccough, or blamed on a group harmony and interests is placed of miscommunication host of inherent character flaws on the part above an individuals own ambitions The British predilection for dry humour, of the speakers It's important that managers are taught sarcasm, irony or polite understatements This can not only create morale to recognise different types of contributions, may be taken the wrong way by people damaging tensions, but can also lead to and to tap into the potential of talented from other cultures. A manager who wants court cases and negative publicity for the professionals who may be culturally to disqualify an employee's proposal business. So it's vital that HR managers predisposed to keep a low profile. Feedback politely by saying: "I know where you're stay in tune with the way interpersonal gathered from a variety of sources can be coming from. Yeah, I think it sounds quite relationships develop. They should a useful way of understanding individual interesting, could well give the employee recognise simmering problems, and step in mployee contributions. before full-blown conflicts erupt In contrast, the statement: "I'm afraid OBSERVE THE COMMUNICATION it's impossible for us to take this interesting OFFER CROSS-CULTURAL OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL STAFF proposal any further, "followed by a few valid INTEGRATING SESSIONS Just because someone cans reasons, cuts out the ambiguity 8 all too often, managers in charge English doesn't mean that cultural of international teams are left with differences have been removed. Non-native CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE only their intuition to reconcile cultural English speakers often maintain their COMMUNICATION CHANNELS differences. However, when there are own culture-specific communication and Most day-to-day communication in pressures to get business projects off conventions of politeness, which can result UK businesses is done through emails and the ground and start producing results In misinterpretation written memos. They are read, responded to immediately, there is little time for mistakes For example, in China, the convention of and saved in relevant folders. or misunderstandings. liteness is exactly the opposite of the norm However, because of its impersonal t's important to offer international in Western business-getting straight to the and one-way nature, emailing can be teams training sessions in appropriate point. What many East Asians tend to do is considered second-best by people who ntercultural communication. These a fair amount of beating around the bush prefer a more personal touch, and sessions should aim to sensitise best policy is to assume differences uep e who like to receive information via the while they sound out the other speaker. Th team members to culture-dependent spoken word. Many Latin American discrepancies in their attitudes, values and South European and Arab cultures, for work styles.■ Www.peoPlemanaGementcoUk 26 OCTOBER 2006 67
PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON WORK PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES In intercultural environments, it is useful to define key work-related concepts explicitly and bring them to the attention of international employees. Basic business concepts such as "meeting" "agenda" or "feedback" may evoke different expectations across cultures. In the UK, for example, most husiness meetings faithfully follow an agenda, and participants can feel free to propose and discuss opinions, or question and challenge the ideas of others. However, in other cultures, meetings may be occasions for senior employees to announce ready-made decisions to junior staff, while the agenda is simply a loose outline of things to come, subject to many on-thespot adjustments. 2 RECOGNISE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTRIBUTIONS Anglo-Saxon culture encourages self-assertion and the pursuit of individual interests. This puts at a distinct disadvantage employees from cultures where modesty comes before selfpromotion, and where identification with group harmony and interests is placed above an individual's own ambitions. It's important that managers are taught to recognise different types of contributions, and to tap into the potential of talented professionals who may be culturally predisposed to keep a low profile. Feedback gathered from a variety of sources can be a useful way of understanding individual employee contributions. 3 OBSERVE THE COMMUNICATION OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL STAFF Just because someone can speak English doesn't mean that cultural differences have been removed. Non-native English speakers often maintain their own culture-specific communication and conventions of politeness, which can result in misinterpretation. For example, in China, the convention of politeness is exactly the opposite ofthe norm in Western business - getting straight to the point. What many East Asians tend to do is a fair amount of heating around the bush while they sound out the other speaker. The best policy is to assume differences unless similarities are proven. 4 WATCH OUT FOR RELATIONAL CONFLICTS The egalitarianism of corporate organisations in Anglo-Saxon culture can be an uncertain ground for individuals from hierarchical cultures. As a result, senior employees may feel that their authority is being undermined in the UK, where stafFhave the right to confront, criticise and challenge. On the other hand, junior staff from hierarchical cultures may interpret the British informality ofthe boss-subordinate relationship as a sign that the relationship is transforming into friendship. What follows is a relational conflict originating from people's different perceptions of their rights and obligations towards others. Once it surfaces, the best way to address the conflict is through low-key interviewing, aimed at establishing where perceptions diverge. This knowledge can be used to raise individuals' awareness ofthe culture-specific sources of conflict. 5 ENSURE CLARITY OF LANGUAGE HR managers should hear in mind that vocabulary and language style may be a source of many incidents of miscommunication. The British predilection for dry humour, sarcasm, irony or polite understatements may be taken the wrong way by people from other cultures. A manager who wants to disqualify an employee's proposal politely by saying: "I know where you're coming from. Yeah, I think it sounds quite interesting," could well give the employee false hopes. In contrast, the statement: "I'm afraid it's impossihle for us to take this interesting proposal any further," followed hy a few valid reasons, cuts out the ambiguity. 6 CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS Most day-to-day communication in UK businesses is done through emails and written memos. Tbey are read, responded to and saved in relevant folders. However, because of its impersonal and one-way nature, emailing can be considered second-best by people who prefer a more personal touch, and who like to receive information via the spoken word. Many Latin American, South European and Arab cultures, for Key points • Define key work-related concepts such as "meeting", "agenda" or "feedback", as they may evoke different expectations across cultures. • Help managers to recognise varying types of contributions. • Appreciate different understandings of hierarchy. • Use language clearly, and be aware of using ambiguous statements or sarcasm. • Be aware that some cultures respond better to face-to-face communication than to email. • Deal with potential problems quickly before they become full-blown conflicts. • Offer cross-cultural integration sessions. instance, are more likely to recognise the importance of decisions, or the urgency of announcements, when they receive them face-to-face. 7 RECOGNISE AND DEAL WITH PROBLEMS PROMPTLY Cross-cultural miscommunication in multinational workplaces all too often goes unnoticed. It's either brushed aside as a oneoff communicative hiccough, or blamed on a host of inherent character flaws on the part ofthe speakers. This can not only create moraledamaging tensions, but can also lead to court cases and negative publicity for the business. So it's vital that HR managers stay in tune with the way interpersonal relationships develop. They should recognise simmering problems, and step in before full-blown conflicts erupt. 8 OFFER CROSS-CULTURAL INTEGRATING SESSIONS All too often, managers in charge of international teams are left with only their intuition to reconcile cultural differences. However, when there are pressures to get business projects off the ground and start producing results immediately, there is little time for mistakes or misunderstandings. It's important to offer international teams training sessions in appropriate intercultural communication. These sessions should aim to sensitise team members to culture-dependent discrepancies in their attitudes, values and work styles. • WWW.PEOPLEMANAGEMENT.CO.UK 26 OCTOBER 2006 67