Cross-Cultural Communication 30-Day Challenge – Get Extreme With Clarity
We all carry our own cultural baggage. Some people think that everyone else should be like them. In cross-cultural communication this does not work very well… at least not for the person with this attitude.
Clarity In Cross-Cultural Communication Tip 11
Today’s tip is the first of five centered on awareness. Before you can improve clarity, you need to be aware of your cross-cultural communication.
Be aware of the cultural flavor of your own language
Now, first let me say that I don’t believe anyone should change their cultural baggage. But you do need to be aware of it in international business. It is a fact of life that some people will react to you according to your culture. The more you are aware of the visible attributes of your culture and how others react to them, the better you will navigate through your cross-cultural conversations and maintain clarity in communication.
One useful tactic is instead of focusing on the cultural differences, look for the similarities. These similarities can be on a:
- Personal scale, for example similarities in hobbies
- Regional scale, for example similarities in moral backgrounds
Being aware of the cultural flavor or your own language can help you get beyond the differences and establish a connection where effective communication is possible.
Use this tip as a starting point. Think about what this means to you. Not sure what you think about this? There are a few links below for suggested reading to get you started. Follow each of these tips this month to improve your cultural skills.
Further Suggested Reading & Viewing
- Americans Need International English Too
- Is International English In Your Future?
- Do You Use English Or American Spelling?
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Where To Get Your CCCC Tips Every Day In June:
- Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge 2 – Get Extreme With Clarity
- By following me on Twitter @CindyKing
- By using the Twitter hashtag #cccctips
Get All CCCC Tips:
First Month: Short tips to think about
There are 4 Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges in 2009. Cross-cultural communication can be overwhelming. International business professionals are often too busy to take the time to improve their cross-cultural communication skills. This is why this challenge is divided into 4 specific areas of improvement and why the tips are very short.
| Challenge | Why | When |
| Mindset | It all starts here | March 2009 |
| Clarity | Your first priority | June 2009 |
| Trust | To bring in sales | September 2009 |
| Personal Development | For strong cultural skills | December 2009 |
These 4 different aspects of cross-cultural communication are what I found to be the most important to me throughout my 25 years of international sales and marketing. You can read more about the other monthly challenges here:
- 2009 Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges
- Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge 1 – Expand Your Mindset
Don’t forget to download the Free Mini-Poster from the first monthly challenge to Expand Your Mindset
Use Your Cultural Skills to Get More International Sales
Second Month: Short review on how to use the cultural tips to get more international sales
Are you an international business professional? Then don’t stop at this month’s challenge. After each monthly Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge, the following month reviews each one of these tips once again, this time together the corresponding International Sales Best Practices.
This is where things get fun. You will see where to put your cultural skills into practice to get more international sales. Turbo charge your learning by going through the cross-cultural communication tips once again, this time looking at them from a sales angle and through the eyes of an international sales professional.
 | Want to learn how to avoid cultural blunders? Subscribe to this blog feed. Need to turbo charge your cultural skills? Get my short cross-cultural communication tips. Ready for serious international marketing? Skype me or email me & let's grow your business. |
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the useful info. It’s so interesting
Glad you think so James
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head! I have traveled a fair amount and people consistently tell me that Americans want to keep their culture (or as you say, their cultural baggage), basically, saying that most Americans dont show a whole lot of reverence for other cultures. This is something that the ones who do happen to have that understanding often are fighting an uphill battle.
A little etiquette can go a long way!
Hi Lindsey, of course I agree with you.
But right now I let myself get too frustrated with contacts from Asia that come in through the web – where they take too long to get to the point… and often end up being a waste of my time when I do enter into the long drawn out set of emails to try to find out the details.
To get beyond this I do like to look at the big picture of cultural dimensions. Yes, most Americans wear the banner of high Individualism, and most Asians wear the banner of High Context communication. But then I try to figure out where I am with regards to that and how to adapt to these situations. Because often if I find a way to adapt, the other party eventually picks up something and things improve.
Trouble is that I come from a tiny country that is never on any of these scales, and my own culture has morphed from living abroad a lot
And I forgot to say, I like the image of cultural “baggage”. Because I don’t think people should focus on changing their cultural makeup. If you are in a cross-cultural relationship that is one thing, your personal investment is probably quite high.
But if you are in international business, what should you do? Well if you think of it as a piece of luggage that you carry around, you can mentally put the luggage down on the floor beside you while speaking to international clients.
I actually use a mental trick (instead of the baggage image) whenever I come across someone from a different culture who is outside of my personal network. I do a mental 45° turn in my brain. Although I might physically be facing the person, I am not facing that person straight on with regards to my full cultural profile – and there is some professional etiquette in there.
This is so true, “Some people think that everyone else should be like them.” From what I have seen while traveling, American tourists are among the worst offenders. It can be rather embarrassing.
Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills´s last blog ..Gas Station Wisdom From a Modern Day Sage
Hi Jonathan,
Oh don’t be too hard on the American tourists, I’ve had some experiences with other nationalities that were so pronounced they were comical
- Swiss Germans who think no else speaks their language can get very “cocky” as tourists.
- And I do wonder if Australians can be even more brash than Americans – it is almost scary
But then I’ve met some wonderful Swiss and Australians with excellent international skills. So generalizations are hard. We all have to learn to adjust to others.
…And when Americans develop a minimum of cultural awareness, I think they are usually great people to have in an international team.