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Cross-Cultural Communication 30-Day Challenge – Get Extreme With Clarity
This is the last tip in this series to get extreme with clarity in cross-cultural communication. And we end with a basic best practice and yet it is the hardest. Like most of the other cross-cultural communication tips to succeed in today’s tip it takes personal effort and practice.
Clarity In Cross-Cultural Communication Tip 30
Here is today’s tip:
Try to see your communication from the other person’s viewpoint
Of course, if when we are able to see things from the other person’s viewpoint, it is easy to communicate clearly. We understand what needs to be explained and how to approach the communication. We know how to make the connection for an effective conversation. Clarity of communication become obvious.
But it is not easy to see your communication from the other person’s viewpoint.
Beginner’s Over Confidence
It often seems to me that we are more confident in our understanding of the other person’s viewpoint when we are novice in cross-cultural communication. It is often only with experience that we realize just how far we are from being able to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes and seeing things as he sees them.
Personal Limitations
In practice, after spending years working with specific cultures I can look back and see my own limitations. Of course, compared to others I have a very intimate understanding some cultures. For example my understanding of the French, Malay, British and Canadian cultures as a “foreigner” goes very deep. But I have encountered barriers within myself that stop me from becoming “native”.
Of course, I usually have an excellent understanding of the viewpoints of the people from these cultures. I can anticipate reactions and adapt my communication to improve clarity for the other person. But I will always communicate with these cultures from my own personal cultural standpoint.
In international business, this level of cultural understanding is usually more than enough. As I mentioned earlier, with experience you realize the distance that separates you from other cultures. This is because you become aware of your own limitations.
What’s Next
Leave a comment below and tell me how happy or frustrated you are with your understanding of different cultural viewpoints and how this effects your international business.
Cross-Cultural Communication Calendar
Look out for the calendar for 30 days to get extreme with clarity, published later this week and free to download.
International Sales Best Practices
Just like with the last Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge, we will review each of these tips to see how they fit into international sales best practices.
Build Trust
Our next Cross-cultural Communication Challenge will be on trust and it will be in September.
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
- Cultural Perception Of The Use Of Information
- International Perceptions Of Obama’s Inauguration News Coverage
- Customizing Content For Your Clients
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. |
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Excellent tips and your final tip reminds me of a famous saying by a philosopher “We find fault with others because we always judge others by our own standards and not by their standards.” Our scale of rating will not be apt for others, so we need to be on others shoe to comprehend their reasons and views. Just juxtaposing to your text!!
Thank you for sharing the quote! That is a good one… will add it to my list of quotes.
Yes, I think we should be aware of our own “standards” and keep in mind that others have different ones. What I find interesting is just how many things these “standards” influence. for example, our different “standards” in friendship and politeness make it a challenge when living abroad.
nice tips…very interesting blog
mike´s last blog ..Billy Jean Michael Jackson
Glad you like it Mike