if we don’t we’ll probably belong to a business community of practice that is global. The way we communicate across these boundaries can make the difference between success and failure.
With this book you should be able to communicate effectively with colleagues, suppliers and customers who come from different cultures, speak different native languages and live in different environments to your own. The chapters are:
| 1 | Listen and look; seek first to understand: with international communication there are some extra critical elements to this; |
| 2 | Say and write: nine simple and straightforward ‘rules’ to help you to get your message across to others across the seas; |
| 3 | Technology and media: how to make contact in order to be as effective as possible; |
| 4 | Taking the environment into account: this helps you to consider the differences in the working environments that exist between where you are and where they are; |
| 5 | Netiquette: eight secrets to help you to master the mouse; |
| 6 | Intercontinental differences: this chapter aims to try to highlight some of the major cultural differences between people from different nations, without slipping into racial stereotypes; |
| 7 | Communicating with a remote team: this chapter aims to distil the best practice for managing a remote team. |
It is easy to cause offence if you don’t understand the people you are communicating with. But if you understand them, you can be as successful as if you were communicating with your own family.
Communication is a two-way process. Many books on the topic, and many people, will start addressing the issue of communication by looking at the matter of transmitting information to another party. But receiving information, and understanding the environment in which your message is received, is critically important. This is particularly vital when you are trying to get a message across to someone who doesn’t speak the same language as you as their native tongue. Or someone who is in a completely different time zone or working environment. You may not be able to see each other so there may be no non-verbal cues to their real meaning. This chapter aims to help you to avoid some of the more common errors in international communication.
Listen to and for the ‘prepared speech’
When people are communicating in a non-native language they often prepare far more, and are much less spontaneous, than if they were talking in their mother tongue. One common element of this is a prepared speech which they may actually read from a script or they may have rehearsed to the point of memory.
There are several ways that you can tell when someone is reciting a prepared speech:
▪ They tend to plunge straight in with the minimum of ‘phatic’ communication.
▪ They tend to speak quite quickly with few pauses or hesitations.
▪ There is seldom any ‘um’ or ‘er’ in their speech.
▪ The delivery tends to be quite monotone with little modulation.
▪ If they are interrupted, they tend to lose the flow of what they were saying.
Listening to prepared speeches can be quite annoying for many people; the characteristics listed above don’t make interesting listening and the delivery style prevents (or at least discourages) you from asking any questions. However …
“To listen well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well” John Marshall, Chief Justice US Supreme Court, 1801–35
A prepared speech provides the speaker with a huge amount of psychological comfort that they are making their mark on the dialogue. It gives the speaker confidence that he or she is ‘present’ and contributing, when they may be struggling with unfamiliar words, phrases and sentence structure. If there are others involved in the dialogue who have the same concerns, it establishes a degree of camaraderie. So if you are on the receiving end of a clearly prepared speech and you find it annoying and are concerned that it is taking up time that could be spent on more pressing matters, tough it out!
▪ Listen.
▪ Thank the speaker.
▪ Summarize what you heard.
▪ Ask if others agree, or ask what parts they agree with.
▪ Offer you own opinions.
This may make initial meetings a little slow but in the longer run it will pay dividends as people recognize that they can communicate with confidence in a language which to them may be foreign.
Think about more than just the message people are giving you, be considerate of their need to be listened to.
‘Look’ for the indicators of cultural differences
Biologically all humans may be the same but our cultures are different across the globe. When you are communicating with people from a culture different to your own you need to be constantly looking out for signs that a cultural difference may be getting in the way of the message you are trying to get across.
Consider the areas where there may be different expectations or levels of comfort:
▪ Forms of address. The practice of using people’s first or given names varies from country to country. There are also differences regarding the use of titles with family names. Try to check before you meet/talk/contact someone. If you can’t find out in advance, ask at the opening of the communication.
▪ Greetings. Culturally appropriate greetings are immensely diverse. Different cultures expect or eschew different forms of handshake, kisses and ‘air-kisses’ (one, two or three?), hugs and bows. The exchange of business cards at a greeting is also culturally important to many peoples but of little consequence to others – make a mistake and the whole relationship starts on the wrong foot.
▪ Physical contact. In some cultures it is a friendly gesture to pat someone on the back or touch their arm, elbow or shoulder during a conversation. In other cultures this is seen as overly familiar or invasive, either can lead to embarrassment.
▪ Self-aggrandizement. In many cultures self-confidence is a positive plus, but in others a more humble, self-effacing attitude is more acceptable.
▪ Taking an interest in a person’s private life. Seen as evidence of caring in some cultures, in others it is seen as prying until or unless you are well acquainted.
You will be less likely to make any cultural faux pas if you find out, in advance, about the cultural ‘norms’ of the people you are going to interact with.
Whether or not you do, look out for signs that you may have committed a potentially embarrassing boob:
▪ Someone frowning when you wouldn’t expect them to be.
▪ A sudden silence immediately after you