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tips on Cross Cultural Communication

Cross-cultural communication is a skill that one has to develop over time. Words and body language go hand in hand in cross cultural communication so if your body language is not congruent with your words, the individual spoken to will stop listening to you.  It is important to be honest when  speaking to a person from a different culture. There is a tendency to underestimate an individual who does not speak English well. Hello, this person might be adept and usually is adept at interpreting body language as it is a language that does not lie.  The body speaks so quietly sometimes even the subject might not be aware of it.
At a recent Manitoba Law Society workshop, Dr. Mamamado Ka, facilitator, provided the following tips to help navigate cross-cultural communication:

-slow down your pace and speech

-separate your questions (instead of bunching more than one question together)

 -avoid questions posed in the negative

 -take turns in conversation -write down what you are trying to communicate

 -be supportive -double check meanings -avoid slang and idioms

-watch humour (may not translate)

 -maintain etiquette (this is helpful for people with high power distance, where social standing is important)

 -state objectives clearly -use terms consistently

 -rank issues by importance -minimize adjective/adverb use -minimize prepositional phrases -highlight actions, deadlines, and dates

 -spell check

tips on Cross Cultural Communication

Cross-cultural communication is a skill that one has to develop over time. Words and body language go hand in hand in cross cultural communication so if your body action is not congruent with your words, the individual spoken to will stop listening to you.  It is important to be honest when  speaking to a person from a different culture. There is a tendency to underestimate an individual who does not speak English well. Hello, this person might be adept and usually is adept in interpreting body language as it is a language that does not lie.  The body speaks so quietly sometimes even the subject might no be aware of it.

Here are some Ideas for cross cultural communication :

-slow down your pace and speech

-separate your questions (instead of bunching more than one question together)

 -avoid questions posed in the negative

 -take turns in conversation -write down what you are trying to communicate

 -be supportive -double check meanings -avoid slang and idioms

-watch humour (may not translate)

 -maintain etiquette (this is helpful for people with high power distance, where social standing is important)

 -state objectives clearly -use terms consistently

 
-rank issues by importance -minimize adjective/adverb use -minimize prepositional phrases -highlight actions, deadlines, and dates

 -spell check

The Beauty of Accents

What are accents? It the way we stress on certain parts of speech including the rhythm of our speech pattern. It is something we all have. We do not hear it in our own speech but quick to discern it when others speak.  It is like seeing clearly the mote in your brother’s eyes not seeing the even bigger one in your own eyes.

Many of us behave as though we do not speak with an accent. We go around feeling superior to those whose speech patterns are drastically different than our own and sometimes we treat these people as inferior. We sometimes erroneously link accents to a person’s level of intelligence. Not all accents are viewed as such. Accents that are European based receive such as French, German and Spanish (Spain) are some of the ones that are viewed differently.  However if you are from India, El Salvador, Nigeria or some other so-called third world country, your accents sometimes determine how you will be treated.

    If you are from a former British colony you would be familiar with the Queen’s English.  This is the type of English that is understood to be neutral or accent-less and it is against this gold standard that all other English speaking nations are measured against. Anyone who learns English are expected to master this speech pattern.

    Accents are part and parcel of who are as a people. Their roots go deep and particular to a cultural group and can be studied ad nauseum as to where and how it originated. It is part of our cultural heritage and no culture is superior to any other.  Those in privileged positions of power have created structures in which they place themselves at the top of the food chain.

    Canada is a multicultural, pluralistic society that embraces all cultures as equal and in fact encourages people to maintain their culture, language being one of them. We are a nation of many cultures, many languages and many accents.  Most people have to learn English when they arrive but they will speak English within the context of their own accents.  Our job is to recognize our difference and diversity and attune our ears and hearts to accepting differences. There is no other way.  Here are 10 ways to be culturally sensitive to accents that are different:

1. Be conscious of your own accent. You do have one.
2. Be conscious that you are speaking to an intelligent adult who may not speak your first language and may be having some difficulties pronouncing some of the words
3. Listen before you start asking pardon me, what, what with that dazed, glazed look in your eyes
4. Try putting yourself in the person’s shoes and imagine yourself trying to speak Chinese or Spanish
5. Be polite when asking for clarification or for the person to repeat by showing patience and respect
6. Admit that you are having difficulty understanding and if it is important enough suggest an interpreter e.g. in a meeting, evidence etc.
7. Ask the person to help you to understand and perhaps suggest if he or she would be more comfortable writing out the words you are having trouble with – some people can write perfect English but cannot speak the darn language.
8. Sometimes it is not important to understand every word listen for context and you will be able to get the drift of the conversation.
9.  Speak to the person in a normal tone. Speaking louder will not help and see the person as an intelligent equal.
10. Be present, open and send loving thoughts to the person. It helps the person to relax.

Holidays can open doors to understanding different cultures

Ten Ways You Can Use Cultural Holidays to Open Doors of Engagement

For many of us Christmas has come to represent a universal holiday. We assume everyone celebrates Christmas, go on a buying spree and spread good cheer to one and all.  The world has changed slightly and there are many in our midst that do not celebrate Christmas. In fact they may have never heard about Christmas in the way we celebrate and make such a big fuss out of Santa Claus.  Workplace are being super sensitive by expressing the season in a more generic fashion.  However if you are a Christian, instead of fearing to say the word Christmas or to express any sentiments about the holiday here are some of the ways you can use the holiday to open doors of friendship and understanding:

1)  Seek first to understand something about the person, ask them if they celebrate Christmas and then go on to explain some of your family traditions around the season

2)  If the person is not a Christian and does not celebrate the season, you can still offer hospitality by inviting them to your Christmas dinner to a holiday open house if you have such a thing;

3)  Explain the difference between Santa Claus and Jesus Christ.  Santa Claus gives all good girls and boys gifts whether you are Christian or not, perhaps they might want their children to have a visit with Santa

4)  Be curious, ask them how they celebrate important holidays and the foods they eat and the traditions surrounding such event.

5)  Show genuine interest in their custom and perhaps express an interest to witness such an event – this might garner you an invitation to their home during their important holiday.  In this way you create new understanding and friendship with someone from a different cultural background.

6)   To be inclusive instead of workplace Christmas Party, the event can be called End of Year get together either at a restaurant or potluck.  With potluck everyone gets to bring in something cultural and the event engages everyone and workers get to sample different kinds of foods and drinks.

7)    Since holidays are about family, employees can be encouraged to decorate a tree with family pictures and lights and maps of the various parts of the world from where staff originates.

8)  In terms of spirits there is already inclusion – wine from France, Spain, Chile, South Africa, rum from the Caribbean, add a couple more – from other parts of the world. Be sure to include nonalcoholic beverages as well as some religions forbid its adherents to drink alcohol.

9)  Encourage people to come in clothes commonly wear in their countries of origin

10) Cultural Dances is always a big hit. Use it.

 

Why are minorities not progressing as fast as white male in the workplace – Negative Stereotypes! Prejudgments! – That’s why

 

Negative stereotypes of people benefit no one but the persons making those judgments, especially if those persons are in positions of power with the ability to confer benefits on others. How you perceive a person will determine the benefits/opportunities you give them.  It important for managers, leaders, personnel officers, doctors, etc. who have power in their hands over the lives of others to constantly check themselves and their perceptions to ensure that they are not moving blindly in  the darkness of negative stereotypes and overlook the facts.

At a recent diversity Conference in Washington D.C, Dr. Claude Steele, social psychologist, drawing from his groundbreaking research that examined the impact of stereotypes and identity on the achievement and underachievement among blacks and women, confirmed that the threat of being stereotype is crippling to people who are negatively stereotyped.

"When you feel under threat, you know that based on an identity you have, something bad could happen. You don't know whether in fact it will happen. You don't know precisely what could happen or when or where it could happen," he said. "It's like having a snake loose in the house. It's a terrible feeling. When you are in this situation, most of your cognitive resources are devoted to vigilance."

   When you feel under threat you become hyper vigilant and lose confidence in your ability because you start to second guess yourself and blaming yourself.

Steele said this anxiety often manifests itself in psychological and physiological ways, including distraction, increased body temperature and increased heart rate, all of which diminish performance levels.

"If you care about what you are doing, the prospect of being judged is upsetting and distressing and disturbing,'' he said.”In a situation like this, it takes cognitive resources away from a relaxed engagement with the task at hand and that undermines your performance."

Other researchers argue that stereotype threat undermines academic achievement both by interfering with performance on mental tasks, and over time, by prompting students to protect their self-esteem by disengaging from the threatened environment. (Aronson, Joshua; Quinn, Diane M.; Spencer, Steven J).

   Stereotypes are like marks set in concrete. They remain there unless someone deliberately digs them out.  How can we dig out the stereotypes we have of others? I will try tackling that in my next entry.