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How do we communicate effectively with the person of other cultures?

The importance ofCommunicating Effectively across Culture: Your organisations global success

requires more than just the ability to offer the right products and services to the right markets. It alsorequires the right people with the right skills, the capacity to be culturally intelligent and adaptable to the

needs of each international market.

n an increasingly competitive global marketplace, being culturally aware and the ability to communicate

effectively across cultures is more than a nice-to-have skill. It is now a key competency for all 21st

century employees.

Most attitudes and behaviours are conditioned by culturevalues, assumptions and perceptions that areinstilled early on in life and are expressed in the way we behave and interact. These cultural influences

are so deep that we act upon them instinctivelyin everything we do, from the way we stand and talk, tothe way we deal with superiors, conflict and decision-making. As these differences are so deep and

intuitive, they can oftentimes lead to misunderstanding and miscommunication. Nowhere can this bemore detrimental than in an international workplace, where misunderstandings based on culture can make

or break lucrative business deals, international mergers and any other type of cross-cultural working.

Communicaids Communicating Effectively across Cultures course will raise your cross-culturalawareness and sensitivity towards the cultural issues that impact on the workplace, allowing you to

communicate more effectively and efficiently across cultures.

Benefits of Communicating Effectively across Cultures course

Communicaids Communicating Effectively across Cultures will enable you:

Gain a greater understanding of how culture impacts on business communication Raise your awareness and sensitivity towards the underlying attitudes, values and behaviours of

people from other cultures

Develop new skills and strategies to manage, motivate and lead multicultural teams Enhance your ability to identify potential causes of cross-cultural conflict and learn new

strategies for managing them

Improve your ability to forge stronger and more profitable relationships with internationalcolleagues and clients

Who should attend Communicating Effectively across Cultures

Communicaids Communicating Effectively across Cultures course will be of benefit to you if:

You work in an international environment

Your organization is growing its business beyond national borders You and your staff are increasingly working with colleagues in other countries Your staff is becoming more culturally diverse You are involved in multinational projects and programes

Communicating Effectively across Cultures Course Content

What is cultural awareness and what does it mean to have cross-cultural awareness skills?

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Cultural values and attitudes (time, space, group dynamics, authority, tasks, relationships) Communication styles Cross-cultural management skills Communicating more effectively across cultures Developing cross-cultural awareness skills Language issues

Understand relativism:

some things are relative to some particular frame or reference, such as a language or a culture.

Understand that people from other cultures might have entirely differently value systems than yours, but

still not be explicitly wrong

.Give proper personal space:

Different cultures have different norms regarding what personal space is public (in which other

humans can stand and converse with you) and private (reserved only for your dear ones). For example:

Arabians do not share the concept of "personal space" that Americans have. It is considered offensive to

step or lean away while talking to an Arab! Make sure you create proper distance between others when

you talk. If you're unsure, you can always ask the others what they would like

.Do not belittle their religion:

Remember, most people believe passionately in their religions, and what strikes you as unreal,

may be his constant truth. If you have trouble dealing with it, you may wish to skirt the topic of religion

altogether

Learn to recognize physical cues:

The gamut of Cultures contain a physical-gesture kaleidoscope. Often when people visit other

countries, they get lost and miss subtle cultural cues, which leads them to misinterpret others. The use of

irony, the implication of a laugh, are many times visible only through the squinting of the eyes, the

shaking of the hand, which a cultural outsider might miss.

Know relationship differences:

Many foreigners think American relationships are superficial (with a brief "Hi, Jim", and never a

backward glance). Americans might think relationships in other cultures are too sentimental. So, know

that if a person strikes you as too voluble or withdrawn, it may be considered normal in his culture.

Learn about their culture:

Learn about the greetings, the goodbye rituals, the before-meal ceremonies, the food, the clothes.

If some catch your fancy, you might even try them! This will help you understand people from other

cultures.

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Accept there may be lapses in communication:

Even the best communicators fall short when jumping across the vast cultural chasm. Humor and

non-defensiveness are the best bridges at such times.

Ask:

There is no better tool for effective communication. If something strikes you as funny or

inappropriate, if you feel the other person is neglecting you or is offended, simply ask him what you can

do to remedy the problem. Grievances are like silence- broken when they are spoken out