Culture and Communication

If you are curious about what to do and what not to do in different cultures, look no further!

What to do:

 The intercultural consulting website, Kwintessential.co, offers a variety of unique and useful tips regarding what one should do when interacting and working with individuals from cultures different from one’s own. Building an understanding of other people’s cultures, and their ways of communicating and behaving will contribute to a more successful intercultural environment.

The following 10 tips illustrate how we can effectively communicate in intercultural situations.

1. Be Patient: Working in an intercultural environment can be frustrating at times. Things may not get done when expected, communication can be tiresome and behavior may be inappropriate. Patience with yourself and others helps move beyond such issues and addresses how to avoid similar incidents in the future.

2. Establish Rules: If working in a truly intercultural team, it may be necessary for everyone to take a step back and set ground rules. For example: how do we approach punctuality, meetings, communication, emails, disagreements, etc? It is always a good idea to try to develop the rules as a group rather than have them imposed.

3. Ask Questions: When you don’t understand something or want to know why someone has behaved in a certain way, it’s a good idea to ask. Asking questions stops you making assumptions, shows the questioned you did not understand them, and helps build up your intercultural knowledge.

4. Respect: The foundation of all intercultural communication is respect. By demonstrating respect you earn respect and help create more open and positive relationships.

5. The Written Word: Sometimes people who do not have English as their native language will read more proficiently than they speak. It is a good idea to always write things down as a back up.

6. Time: Not everyone in the world thinks “time is money”. Understand that for many people work is low down on the priority list, with things like family taking a much higher precedence. Do not expect people to sacrifice their own time to meet deadlines. It is good practice to always leave a bit of spare time when considering deadlines.

7. Humour: In an intercultural environment one person’s joke could be another’s insult. Be wary of differences in the sense of humor and also the acceptability of certain conversations and the like in a business environment.

8. Always Check: The easiest way of minimizing the negative impact of intercultural communication is to check and double-check. Whether agreeing something or giving instructions, a minute spent double checking all parties are on the same page saves hours of work later on down the line.

9. Be Positive: When faced with incidents of an intercultural nature steer clear of blame and conflict. Stay positive, analyze the problem areas and work as a team to build strategies and solutions to ensure the same never occurs again.

10. Self-Reflect: A good intercultural communicator not only looks outwards but also inwards. Take time to reflect on your own communication, management, or motivation style and see where you can improve as an individual.

 

What not to do:

America

• Do not advertise your personal business.
• Do not stick your tongue out at others because it is considered rude.
• Do not go hitchhiking because it is dangerous.
• Do not ask personal questions, especially if you are being invited into someone’s house for the first time.

Germany

• In Germany, you should never be late because everyone else will be on time.
• Do not send a german friend lilies or carnations; this symbolizes death.
• Do not stroll in a bike lane because you will get yelled at. Also, do not jaywalk because not one else does.
• Public drunkenness is frowned upon, so do not do it.

Italy

• When you are out and about visiting the beautiful places of Italy, eating is not allowed in museums and churches.
• Do not call anybody by their first names, until you are given permission.
• Do not talk about politics, Italian stereotypes, taxes, the mafia or world war two.
• Do not refuse an invitation to dine in an Italian restaurant.
• Do not drink to get drunk

Japan

• In Japan you should never be late for an appointment.
• Do not chew gum in working or formal situations.
• Do not shout loudly.
• When you laugh in Japan, and this mainly applies to women, you must put your hand over your mouth.

Switzerland

• Do not drink at a dinner party until, the first toast has been given.
• Keep your hands out of  your lap and elbows off the table.
• Smoking at the kitchen table is not allowed.
• When it comes to gift giving, do not give anything sharp. This signifies that you are severing off the friendship.
• Flowers should be given in odd numbers and if you are gifting flowers do not give  red roses, white lilies, carnations and white chrysanthemums.
• Do not put your hands in your pockets when you are talking to people.
• Do not point your index finger to your head. It is considered insulting.
• Never address someone by their first name until you are told to do so.
• When you are socializing do not ask personal questions. For example, topics such as salary and age.