Mind-Set In Cross-Cultural Communication
My good Twitter friend @psitutor or Charmayne Paul, is an online academic mentor in Australia with many international students. Char has a video up on her blog where Edward De Bono presents:
An expansion of lateral thinking to be inclusive of a “possibility system” that places value on creativity.
I really enjoyed watching this video. There is a reason why I find creative thinking interesting. It has often helped me find the right solution for the most complex cross-cultural communications.
You see, a creative approach can often help get your message across and improve your international skills.
Creative Communication
In my early years living in a foreign country, I naturally started creating metaphors to communicate. When you cannot find the exact word you need in a foreign language, it is often easy to use the words you do know to create the picture you want to convey.
Later on in more difficult communications, I learned to step further back from the conversation and see if there was an action that could convey the message. This is where I learned not to ignore the possibility of action as a means of communication. You can often get faster understanding by showing people what you want to say instead of saying it. And sometimes complex messages can be transmitted by the simplest of actions… if you find the right one.
The key is always to find the right way that works. That’s not always easy. You need to stretch your mind.
Creativity Tactics Improve Communication
The is where creativity techniques almost always help.
When communicating with international clients, we need to get beyond our own mindset and the barriers of cross-cultural communication. We need to make the effort to meet the other person’s mindset. Hopefully they are doing the same, so the distance is not so great.
In practice, this can be difficult. But if you are used to creative techniques or lateral thinking, this exercise becomes easier.
Understanding how creative thinking works can help your improve your international skills. Creative thinking tactics can be the inspiration you need to find the right way to get your message across.
Here are some articles on Mindset In Cross-Cultural Communication:
- Cross Cultural Vision Is More Important Than Learning International Habits
- Communication Across Cultures Is Better With A Whole Brain Approach
- How To Acquire The Right Mindset For International Sales
- The Right Mindset For International Negotiations
And read even more in the…
Get International Clients International Sales Road Map
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Guide 5 – Connect With Your International Markets• How can you connect with your international clients?• What communication do you need to connect with international markets? Read about how to create your international marketing strategy. |
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Guide To Cultural Web Tools• How can you tweak your web site to improve your cross-cultural communication? |
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