Cross-Cultural Communication 30-Day Challenge – Get Extreme With Clarity
Most people are confident of their own communication when they are having a conversation. After all, this is something we do every day. We do not often stop to ask ourselves what the other person understands and how this is different from what we want to say. Because of this, it is easy to feel confident within a cross-cultural conversation.
Clarity In Cross-Cultural Communication Tip 8
Today’s tip is to stop this confidence from leading us into culture blunders:
Ask questions to get specific information and avoid assumptions
Communication between different cultures is always full of surprises. And the trouble is that you might not know what to pay attention to. When your conversation is about specific details you must be sure to clarify these details as much as possible.
This is why you need to include questions and take the time to go over everything very clearly. The danger is that sometimes things are obvious to us but not to the other person. And sometimes both cultures can have different assumptions on the same subject. You must look at all of your assumptions and make sure they are understood by both parties. Don’t let any assumptions stop you from the asking questions you need to clarify your cross-cultural communication.
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
- International Sales Best Practice – Reach The Decision Maker
- International Market Research Essentials
- How Assumptions Kill International Sales
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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. |
