paper 05

Consider this communication model. Why do you think this model tends to break down when e-mail, broadcast or social media is used? Also, how do you think the emotional state of the sender and receiver effects communications?

Initial posts must be two paragraphs in length.

Replies to 2 classmates.

Replies must be one paragraph in length.

1

Many projects today are global in nature with team members and stakeholders spread across the world representing different cultures. Even projects managed in the home country with local resources may still have team members from different cultures. The potential for misunderstandings and miscommunication increases exponentially when these factors come into play. Cross-cultural communication requires a clear understanding of the different ways which people communicate and the steps that can be taken to minimize the inevitable miscommunications that this will bring. Cross-cultural communication requires that you make particular efforts to keep your communication clear, simple and unambiguous. It allows us the ability to utilize nonverbal behaviors which play a vital role when communicating person to person across cultures. Individuals of different cultural backgrounds react differently to body movements, facial expressions, eye movements, and the tone of our voice. I believe that cross-cultural communication is not useful for emails, broadcast messages or social media as information transmitted through these mediums may easily be misconstrued as certain verbiage and terms may be misinterpreted. Person to person cross-cultural communication allows you the ability to better gauge the way the recipient is receiving the message and to instantly make changes to your delivery if needed.

Communication is greatly influenced by the emotions of a person. The stronger our emotional state, the less likely a mutual exchange of understanding will occur. If the people involved in communication are not emotionally well, they will not be able to communicate properly. Anger, hostility or distrust can distort both the sending and receiving of the message. Such emotions may cause one to mask or overstate their true feelings. Feelings of stress or anxiety can cause something as simple as a genuinely concern to be interpreted as criticism. Constructive criticism made while a team member is emotionally fragile may be perceived as a personal attack. If possible, it is better to postpone communication if there is a strong likelihood that the intended receiver will misinterpret the message because of his/her emotional state.

2

Culture has been identified to influence how an individuals speaks and behave as supported by the works of researchers such as Edward Hall, Greet Hofstede, Clyde Kluckholn, Ferdinand Tonnie, Fons Trompenaars. These researchers have concluded that our cultural understanding of the world and all that concerns it ultimately influences an individual's style of communication. Cross cultural communication therefore refers to the communication that takes place between individuals who have differences in nationality ,gender, style of working or age. Looking at the communication model above i believe the model tends to breaks down when e-mails, broadcast or social media is used because it is void of personal connection and fails to convey the body language or facial expression of the sender which are a significant component of communication hence what the sender intention may be lost and the message misinterpreted.

As humans we absorb each others emotions as emotions are easily transferred from one individual to another through gestures and facial expressions this facilitates better understanding of the message being put across. Also, emotions stimulates an individual and facilitate responses. Individuals therefore channel their present emotional state into their actions. If an individual is not emotionally well such individual becomes distracted. A sender in such state will not be able to put words together that will adequately convey his/her intentions to the receiver while a receiver will have difficulty in listening, understanding or interpreting the message being put across.