Many businesses today operate on a global scale, and our culturally diverse workforce is made up of people from different countries, ethnic backgrounds, races, religion, and family structure.

If you are to communicate effectively with all these different people, it is important to keep an open mind and try to learn as much as possible about their various cultures, and be sensitive to them.

What Is Culture?

Culture is a shared system of beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms of behaviour. Those of the same culture often have similar beliefs and theories on how people should behave, think, and communicate; and they all tend to act on those beliefs in much the same way.

From group to group, cultures differ considerably. When you communicate with someone from a different culture, you normally do so using the theories and beliefs of your own culture. However, when your audience receives your message, they do so based on the assumptions of their own culture. As a result of basic cultural differences, misunderstandings could easily occur, and often do.

How can you improve your cross-cultural communication skills?

• By recognising cultural differences

• By being willing to accept that other people have different beliefs and assumptions

• By being open-minded enough to know that not everyone has the same standards and theories as you

• By learning more about people from different cultures

• By constantly making an effort to improve your inter-cultural communication skills

Acknowledging Intercultural Differences

If you are to communicate effectively across cultures, you must not judge other people by your own standards. It is essential to retain an open mind, and remember that your own cultural background is not necessarily superior to anyone else’s.

Many people assume that other people’s attitudes and lives are like our own, but this is not so. Your aim should be to try to treat people not in the way you wish to be treated, but rather treat them the way they want to be treated.

Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own cultural background is superior to all others. This creates a barrier to effective communication, because the mind remains closed to new information.

Ethnocentric people tend to form pre-conceived judgements of different cultures based on one experience, or based on limited evidence. Perhaps they tend to take stereotyping a little too far and don’t keep an open mind so they cannot move beyond a certain stage. For example, when talking to Barbra Horsky, instead of looking at her as a special human being with unique qualities, ethnocentric people believe they are simply talking to “an Israeli”. Perhaps they believe that all Israelis are Jews who are outspoken, demanding, and aggressive, simply because of preconceptions and limited previous experience. Therefore, despite Barbra’s many unique personal qualities, the ethnocentric person cannot see beyond their fixed ideas – even when those ideas are wrong – so their mind remains closed.

If you want to avoid ethnocentrism, you should:

• Recognise Differences. Accept and acknowledge that there are distinctions between your own cultures and those of other people.

• Avoid Assumptions. Bear in mind that others may not act in the same way as you, and they may not  have the same fundamental theories or beliefs.

• Do Not Pre-Judge. If people act differently, do not automatically assume that they are wrong, that their way is unacceptable, or that your cultures and customs are more superior to theirs.

Checklist For Communicating Effectively Across Cultures
If you are to communicate effectively in a culturally diverse workforce, here is a checklist of points to remember. If you follow these tips you will be able to hone your leadership skills and communicate with anyone from any culture:

1. Show Respect

Learn how respect is communicated in different cultures (gestures, eye contact, symbols, signs, etc).

2. Show Empathy

Put yourself in the shoes of the recipient and imagine their feelings and their point of view.

3. Do Not Pre-Judge

Accept differences without judging, and learn to listen.

4. Be Open-Minded

Accept that you may have to change your habits or mind-set when communicating across cultures.

5. Avoid Distractions

Do not be distracted by things like appearance or dress.

6. Be Patient

Sometimes persistence will be necessary when communicating with someone from a different culture.

7. Look For Similarities

Try to find common ground, parallels, and connections.

8. Send Clear Messages

Make sure all your written as well as verbal and non-verbal communications are clear, reliable and consistent.

9. Recognise Your Prejudices

Learn to appreciate and accept when your theories and beliefs are different from other people’s.

10. Treat People As Individuals

Do not treat one person as being a stereotype of a particular group, but rather as a unique human being with individual qualities and attributes.

Visit the STTS Training page to find out more about Shirley Taylor’s work.

^{© 2016 Shirley Taylor. Shirley Taylor of STTS Training is a recognised leading authority on business writing and communication skills. For almost 30 years she has presented keynotes and training programmes that help people and organisations boost communication skills and develop great relationships both orally and in writing. Shirley is bestselling author of 12 books, including Model Business Letters, Emails and Other Business Documents, which has sold half a million copies worldwide and has been translated into many languages. If you would like Shirley to speak at your next event, visit www.shirleytaylor.com.
Edited by Michelle Sarthou
Image credit: Shutterstock}

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