Help with The Role of Cultural Values and Intercultural Communication
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DiscussionThreadReplies-TheRoleofCulturalValuesandInterculturalCommunication.docxDISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Reply to the 2 responses to the question: What limitations do you face in intercultural communication and how is this shaped by preferred cultural values?
Post 2 replies of at least 200 words each. Each reply must incorporate at least 1 biblical citation.
1st Response – DC
According to Ting-Toomey, Cultural Values refer to a set of priorities that guide “good” or “bad” behaviors, “desirable” or “undesirable” practices, and “fair” or “unfair” actions.[1] Everyone knowingly or unknowingly lives within communities that these values and these values will determine to what extent successful intercultural communication will occur. The author states, “Although each of us has developed our unique set of values based on our socialization and life experience, there are also larger values at work on a cultural system level.”[2] Everyone has and are guided by these beliefs. If truth is told, each individual experiences some limitations as related to intercultural communication and the adopted cultural values are influential in contributing to or relieving those limitations.
Power Distance is the area in which I face my greatest limitations in intercultural communication. Livermore asserts, “Power distance refers to the amount of distance that is expected between leaders and followers.”[3] Here in our culture, it is generally accepted that questions can be asked to a certain extent. For the most part, we live in a low-power distance culture. From a child, I have been taught to respect authority but there are times when I may be perceived to be disrespectful as I will as questions until I get an answer that I can accept and work with. It’s not an attempt to be disrespectful but rather an attempt to have a complete understanding of a situation.
I realize that this could become a problem if I were to visit another country/culture. Instead of being viewed as one who is seeking a clearer understanding, I may be thought of as rude, disrespectful, with no regard for authority. As I stated earlier, in our culture, asking questions is accepted. Authority in other cultures is reverenced as opposed to the U.S. where there is more equitable view of authority.
The key to overcoming limitations of cultural communication is to become more culturally intelligent. Cultural intelligence helps individuals become more globally aware and give the individual the ability to work effectively within various cultures. Livermore states, “A culturally intelligent leader can effectively manage people and projects whatever the cultural context.”[4] In my role as a school administrator before my retirement, I preferred to communicate with other parties, not from a stance of authority when possible, but would enter conversations from a view of equality. My school had a high Hispanic population which caused me to as questions of my Hispanic colleagues before I met with parents. I wanted to understand what limitations might be present and how I might be able to get around those limitations. I had no idea at the time that I was increasing my cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence can be learned and it is not a trait that individuals are born with. According to Livermore, “Cultural intelligence is a learned capability that builds on the other forms of intelligence needed by today’s leaders.”[5] It is essential for individuals, leaders or lay person, to work to increase their cultural intelligence. I our rapidly changing world where cultures are intermingling, CQ can and will lead to a higher rate of understanding, thereby decreasing the possibility of misunderstanding and confusion.
[1] Ting-Toomey, S., & Chung, L. C. (2012).Understanding Intercultural Communication (2nd Edition).Oxford University Press Academic US. 40
[2] Ibid, 40
[3] David Livermore, Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success, Second Edition. (American Management Association, 2015), 103
[4] Ibid, 26
[5] David Livermore, Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success, Second Edition. (American Management Association, 2015), 40
2nd Response – BB
In the class readings for this week, both Livermore and Ting-Toomey delineate broad categories of values held by different cultures and people groups. As I was reading through descriptions of different values, I attempted to discern which values resonated most with me, and how holding strongly to those values may limit my communication with those who hold different or even opposite values.
One thing that I realized about myself through the reading is that I have a strong preference for small power distance situations in the family, church, and work environments. Ting-Toomey states, “people in small power distance cultures tend to value equal power distributions, equal rights and relations, and equitable rewards and punishments on the basis of performance” (Ting-Toomey 2012, 48). Livermore writes that, “in low power-distance cultures, most people feel at ease socializing with their leaders and addressing them as peers” (Livermore 2015, 105). After reading about the power distance value, I realize I have most likely gained this value from my family and culture in the United States. There are some aspects to this value that I believe line up with the Bible. For one, it can appear to me to be a humbler way to approach others. In Romans 12:3, Paul instructs the Roman Christians to “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment” (ESV). Humility is an encouraged attitude in the Bible (Col. 3:12, Eph. 4:2). As I consider what it takes to disciple someone, I tend to believe that close relationship and personal honesty and sharing is helpful with someone you are discipling and that a large power distance would not be beneficial.
Yet as I reflect, I can see clinging too strongly to this cultural value could cause me to miss some benefit from those who value higher power distance. Livermore speaks of how high power-distance cultures tend to show a lot of “formal respect for leaders” (Livermore 2015, 104). As I read this, I thought of many of the verses in the Bible that reinforce this value. Exodus 20:12 instructs us to honor our parents. Paul tells Timothy that the elders who “rule well” should be “considered worthy of double honor” (1 Tim. 5:17, ESV). Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 to “respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord” (ESV). So, I can see how my preference for low power-distance could be a hindrance to my showing proper respect especially in cultures where that is valued. In the class video lection, Harper stated, “every culture has elements and fingerprints of God” (Harper, 2023). I can see this clearly in the power distance value.
I also realized that I highly value direct communication. I would much rather have everything out in the open so that no one is guessing. The words a person uses matters to me. Livermore states that people who value direct communication are defined as “low-context” (Livermore 2015, 117). This means that words are very important and should carry most of the meaning and not the context, body language, or what is not said. (Livermore 2015, 117).
But an overvaluation of direct communication can damage and limit my relationships. Livermore states, “indirect communicators are offended by what sounds like a blunt, rude style (Livermore 2015, 116). Even though I am communicating through what I see is a truthful loving way, it is not perceived as love. To really connect with someone and love them well, it is necessary to communicate in a way where they would perceive the love as much as possible. This takes a lot of listening and asking thoughtful questions as Chang points out (Chang 2021, 89).
References
Chang, C. Tim, and Ashley E. Chang. Christian Intercultural Communication: Sharing God's Love with People of Other Cultures. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing, 2021.
Harper, Melody. “Values and Intercultural Communication.” Class video lecture in GLST 650 at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, Spring 2023.
Livermore, David. Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success. New York, NY: AMACOM, 2015.
Ting-Toomey, Stella, and Leeva C. Chung. Understanding Intercultural Communication. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2012.
