COLLABORATION, INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION AND
BUSINESS ETHICS
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
COM 259 - COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS AND THE PROFESSIONS
SPRING 2024
Brief Description:
Humans as social creatures always need other people. Despite having enough money,
enough intelligence and enough physical strength, he will always need an environment
where he can share, support each other and work together. Humans not only need religion,
science, or entertainment or art, but also togetherness. Everything is needed. Because with
religion life is more directed, with knowledge life will be easier, with art life is more
beautiful and with togetherness life will be more useful.
In a short definition, teamwork is a set of values, attitudes and behaviors within a team. So it
does not always consist of a group of people with the same style, attitude, or way of
working. The differences between teams are precisely the potential that will make a team
creative and innovative. To achieve good teamwork, it is necessary to foster positive
attitudes among team members. These include the habit of listening to each other so as to
create good communication, providing support to team members in need, and appreciation
of the contributions and achievements obtained from each team member.
The team will determine the smoothness of the organization's journey. Therefore, it is very
necessary to have good cooperation in carrying out responsibilities in the organization.
Material Description:
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN A TEAM :
Teamwork is a form of group work with complementary skills and is committed to
achieving pre-agreed targets to achieve common goals effectively and efficiently. It must be
realized that a team is a fusion of various individuals who become one person to achieve a
common goal. The goal is not a personal goal, not the goal of the team leader, nor the goal
of the most popular person in the team.
In a team what is needed is the willingness to join hands to get the job done. It may
be that one person does not get the job done or is not an expert in job A, but it can be done
by other team members. This is what teamwork is all about, the burden is shared for a
common goal.
Teamwork can be defined as a collection of individuals working together to achieve a goal.
The collection of individuals has clear rules and work mechanisms and is interdependent on
one another.
Teamwork consists of six types, namely:
1) Formal Team
A formal team is a team formed by the organization as part of the formal organizational
structure.
2) Vertical Team
A vertical team is a formal team consisting of a manager and several subordinates in the
chain of command of a formal organization.
3) Horizontal Team
A horizontal team is a formalized team that consists of several employees from similar
hierarchical levels but from different areas of expertise.
4) Teams with Special Tasks
A special task team is a team formed outside the formal organization to handle a project
with special interest or creativity.
5) Independent Team
An Independent Team is a team of five to twenty multi-skilled workers who rotate
through jobs to produce a complete product or service, and whose execution is overseen
by an elected member.
6) Problem Solving Team
Problem-solving teams usually consist of five to twelve hourly paid employees from the
same department, who meet to discuss ways to improve quality, efficiency, and the work
environment.
Team Advantage:
a. Increase information and knowledge. By working together, the resources of each
individual will be accommodated in this team, thus strengthening the team both in
information and knowledge.
b. Increases diversity of views. Team members with different backgrounds will provide
diverse views on a decision. This will strengthen the legality and quality of decision-
making.
c. Increases acceptance of a solution. A jointly decided solution will be better accepted than
if it was decided by an individual, such as the managing director of the company.
d. Improving performance levels. With the various skills of team members, team
performance is expected to be better than individual performance.
Team Weakness:
a. Teamwork allows for groupthink. Groupthink is the phenomenon of following the
consensus of the majority of team members over minority opinions that may be more
correct.
b. Allows for free riders. Those who make no real contribution, but because they join the
team, they are rewarded or rewarded equally well.
c. Allows decision-making to drag on. This is possible if no consensus is reached between
team members. As such, without good cooperation, the work team may come to nothing
and allow for negative synergies.
d. Hidden agendas. In a team there can be team members who have special goals that are
not necessarily in line with the team members as a whole. The existence of hidden
agendas from these team members will of course interfere with overall performance.
Characteristics of Effective Teams:
To be an effective collaborator in a team, each individual must bring valuable assets,
knowledge and skills to the team. A strong collaboration is expected to exchange
information, examine issues, resolve heated conflicts, and build on each other's strengths.
trust each other and work for the good of the team instead of focusing on personal agendas.
Effective teams have clear and shared goals, communicate openly and honestly, reach
decisions by consensus, think creatively and know how to resolve conflict.
The following are characteristics of effective teams:
1) Same goal:
If all team members are rowing in the same direction, the boat will get to its
destination faster than if there are team members who are rowing in different, opposite
directions, or not rowing at all because they are confused about which direction to row. So,
make sure that the team has a goal and that all your team members know exactly what that
goal is, so they are sure which way to row.
2) High enthusiasm:
Rowers will row faster if they have high enthusiasm. High enthusiasm can be
generated if the working conditions are also pleasant: team members are not afraid to
express their opinions, they are also given the opportunity to show their skills by being
themselves, so that their contributions can also be optimized.
3) Clear roles and responsibilities:
If everyone wants to be the leader, then no one will row. Conversely, if everyone
wants to be a rower, there will be chaos because no one gives command for the same time
and direction of rowing. In essence, each team member must have their own clear roles and
responsibilities. The goal is for them to know what contribution they can make to support
the achievement of a predetermined common goal.
4) Effective communication:
In the process of achieving goals, there must be effective communication between
team members. The strategy: Don't assume. That is, if you are not sure all team members
know what should be the top priority to accomplish, don't assume, ask them directly and
give them the information they need. If you're not sure each team member knows how to do
or complete a task, don't assume they do, instead inform or show them how to do it.
Communication also needs to be done periodically for monitoring purposes (e.g., how far
has the team come? task is completed) and correcting (for example: whether there are any
mistakes that need to be corrected in completing the specified task).
5) Conflict Resolution:
In achieving goals there may be conflicts to deal with. But this conflict does not have
to be the source of the team's downfall. On the contrary, conflict that can be managed well
can be used as a powerful weapon to look at a problem from different aspects so that new
ways, new innovations, or changes that are needed to move faster towards the goal can be
obtained. If conflict occurs, do not ignore or avoid it. Conflicts that are not dealt with
directly will become like a cancer that eats away at the team spirit. So, existing conflicts
need to be controlled immediately.
6) Shared power:
If there is a team member who is too dominant, so that everything is done alone, or
conversely, if there is a team member who is too idle, then there must be something wrong
in the team that will eventually make the team ineffective. So, each team member needs to
be given the opportunity to be a "leader", to show their "power" in their respective areas of
expertise and responsibility. So that they feel partly responsible for the successful
achievement of the common goal.
7) Expertise:
Imagine a choir with members having only one type of voice: soprano only, tenor
only, alto only, or bass only. Of course the sound produced will be monotonous. Compare to
a choir that has members with different types of voices (soprano, alto, tenor and bass). The
resulting choir will definitely be more harmonious.
Team Collaboration:
Collaborating on reports, websites, presentations and other communication projects
gives teams the opportunity to capitalize on each person's unique presentation and
communication skills that can be used to create something that channels their individual
talents.
Guidelines for collaborative writing:
a. Choose collaborators carefully
b. Agree on project goals before you start
c. Give your team time to get to know each other before working together. If someone
hasn't had the chance to work together before, make sure they get to know each other
before working together.
d. Clarify individual responsibilities. As members will be interdependent, make sure
individual responsibilities are clear.
e. Create a clear process. Make sure everyone knows how the work will be managed from
start to finish.
f. Make sure tools and techniques are ready and compatible across teams. Even small
details like different versions of software can delay a project.
g. Check to see how things are going.
A wide range of tools can be used in collaborative writing to help teams with their writing,
including:
•
The use of content management systems, which manage and control website content and
can include features that help team members work together on web pages and other
documents. These tools range from simple blogging systems to more extensive
enterprise systems that manage web content across the entire company. Many systems
include workflow features that control how pages or documents can be created, edited
and published.
•
Wikipedia, is a website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit
existing material. Wikipedia allows all registered users to edit pages;
•
Virtual Office, is an online office that gives everyone in the team access to the same set
of resources and information.
Group dynamics
Group dynamics are the interactions and processes that occur among team members.
Productive teams tend to develop rules that are conducive to business, which are often
expressed as group norms. For example: some teams develop a simple approach to meeting
schedules that allows members to arrive 10 or 15 minutes late, while other teams apply rigid
rules to time commitments.
Group dynamics are influenced by several factors:
1. Roles assumed by team members
2. The team's current development phase
3. Team success in resolving conflict
4. The team's success in overcoming resistance
MAKING MEETINGS MORE PRODUCTIVE
Meetings are a key communication venue in today's business world that can be held
in internal conference rooms or over the Internet (virtual meetings). Well-organized
meetings can help solve problems, develop ideas and identify opportunities.
Making meetings better and more productive can be done in a number of ways:
1. Set up the meeting well:
Before starting the meeting, first make sure that the meeting is really needed. Once
convinced, proceed with the preparation viz: identifying the purpose of the meeting,
selecting the participants to join the meeting, choosing the time and facilities and developing
the meeting agenda.
2. Lead meetings efficiently:
Everyone in the meeting has an equal responsibility to keep the meeting productive.
When you are appointed as the meeting leader, you have extra responsibility and
accountability. For a meeting to be productive, you as the meeting leader must be able to
keep the meeting on track, get members to follow the agreed-upon rules, encourage the
participation of meeting members, encourage meeting members to participate actively and
close the meeting effectively.
3. Using technology in meetings:
The development of technology has spurred the emergence of virtual teams, whose
members work in different locations and interact electronically through virtual meetings.
Examples of technologies commonly used in meetings: email, virtual office (shared
workspace), videoconferencing, web-based meeting systems, and others.
Improving Listening Skills
Hearing can be classified into three types, namely :
1. Listening a content is listening to understand and retain the information in the speaker's
message.
2. Critical listening is listening to understand and evaluate the meaning of a speaker's message
on several levels, including the logic of the argument and the strength of the evidence.
3. Empathic listening is listening to understand the speaker's feelings, needs, and desires.
Regardless of the type used, effective listeners try to engage in active listening, making a
conscious effort to turn off their own filters and biases to truly hear and understand what the
other party is saying.
The listening process involves five activities namely:
1. Receive
It starts with physically listening to the message and acknowledging that we are
listening. Physical reception can be interrupted by noise, poor hearing or lack of
attention.
2. Interpreting (decoding)
Giving meaning to the voice based on values, beliefs, ideas, hopes, needs.
3. Remembering
Before acting on the information, we must store it for future processing.
4. Evaluate
Evaluate messages using critical thinking skills. In this case we must be able to separate
fact from opinion and evaluate the evidence.
5. Respond
After evaluating the speaker's message, respond to the message which can be done in
the form of verbal feedback (applause, smile, silence, etc.) and then act on what is heard.
The listening process can be hampered by various barriers, one of the most common of
which is selective listening. When people listen selectively, they only hear part of the
speaker's message, as they allow their mind to wander or they engage in defense listening by
seeking out information that threatens their beliefs or ego.
The characteristics of an effective listener are: actively listening, taking careful and
complete notes, often making eye contact with the speaker, staying focused on the speaker
and the conversation, elaborating on important points so that they can be understood,
adjusting the listening style to the situation at hand, giving nonverbal cues to the speaker
(such as: nodding if you agree, raising your eyebrows if you show surprise, etc.), asking
questions at the right time, ignoring differences in speaker style and focusing on the
speaker's message, distinguishing between main and supporting points, and looking for
opportunities to learn.
IMPROVING NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Nonverbal communication is the process of sending and receiving information
interpersonally, both intentionally and unintentionally, without the use of written or spoken
language.
Nonverbal communication is a collection of gestures, body movements, voice intonation,
attitudes and so on, which allow a person to communicate without words. Nonverbal
communication is important because signals can reinforce, weaken, or even replace verbal
messages.
The general categories of nonverbal signals are as follows:
1. Facial expressions
2. Movement and posture
3. Vocal characteristics
4. Personal appearance
5. A touch of
6. Use of time and space
Here are some ways to improve your nonverbal communication skills:
1. Understand the role that nonverbal signals play.
Nonverbal signals complement verbal language by reinforcing, weakening or replacing
words. And nonverbal signals reveal the truth to the listener rather than the spoken words.
2. Recognize nonverbal communication signals.
Remember that facial expressions, especially eye contact, play an important role in
revealing the type and intensity of the speaker's feelings.
3. Pay attention to gestures and posture.
4. Listen to the vocal characteristics.
5. Recognize that listeners are influenced by physical appearance.
6. Be careful of physical contact.
7. Pay attention to the use of time and space.
Summary
The function of the team is that it can change attitudes, behaviors, and personal values and
can participate in disciplining team members. While the benefits of working in a team are
for decision making, negotiating, and negotiating. The purpose of working in a team is so
that members have the same vision and mission in completing tasks or work efficiently and
effectively. The difference between groups and work teams is that groups do not produce
positive synergy that can create a whole level of performance that is higher than the amount
of input while work teams produce positive synergy through coordinated efforts in
producing a level of performance that is higher than the amount of individual input.
Teamwork does not always consist of a group of people with the same style, attitude, or way
of working. The differences between teams are precisely the potential that will make a team
creative and innovative. Therefore, differences in the way of working in each team member
must be responded positively.
COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES IN A DIVERSE GLOBAL
MARKETPLACE
Opportunities in the Global Market
Thanks to communication and transportation technology, natural boundaries and
national borders are no longer the impassable barriers they once were. Local markets are
open to worldwide competition as businesses of all sizes seek new growth opportunities
outside their own countries. Thousands of U.S. businesses depend on exports for their
revenue. If you work for one of these multinational companies, you may be required to visit
or at least communicate with a wide variety of people who speak languages other than
Indonesian or English, and who live in cultures very different from your own. Improving
your cultural communication skills can support your career. In a recent survey, nearly 90%
of executives said their company's profits, revenue and market share would increase with
better international communication skills. Today's diverse workforce brings different
benefits to businesses: 1). a broader perspective of ideas; 2). a better understanding of
diverse and fragmented markets; 3). a broader talent pool from which to recruit.
Intercultural Communication Challenges:
Today's workforce is increasingly diverse encompassing a wide range of skills,
traditions, backgrounds, experiences, outlooks, and attitudes toward work that can all
influence communication in the workplace. Supervisors face the challenge of relating to
these diverse employees, motivating them, and fostering cooperation and harmony among
them. Teams face the challenge of working closely together, and companies are challenged
to coexist peacefully with business partners, and with society as a whole. The interaction of
culture and communication is so pervasive that separating the two is almost impossible. The
way you communicate is heavily influenced by the culture you grew up in. The meaning of
words, the importance of gestures, the importance of time and space, the rules of human
relationships, and many other aspects of communication are determined by culture. You
think, which naturally affects the way you communicate both as a sender and a receiver.
Intercultural communication is much more complicated than simply matching the language
between sender and receiver. Elements of human diversity can affect every stage of the
communication process, from the ideas someone deems important enough to share to the
habits and expectations - providing feedback. In particular, your instinct is to craft the
message using your cultural assumptions. But your audience members decode your message
according to their cultural assumptions. The greater the differences between cultures the
greater the room for misunderstanding.
Understanding the Concept of Culture:
Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations and
behavioral norms. Your cultural background influences how you prioritize what's important
in life, helps determine your attitude toward what's appropriate in certain situations, and
establishes rules and behaviors. Members of a particular culture tend to have similar
assumptions about how people think, behave and communicate, and they all tend to act on
those assumptions in much the same way. Cultures can vary in their rate of change, level of
complexity, and tolerance for outsiders. These differences affect the level of trust and
openness you can achieve when communicating with people from other cultures.
People learn culture directly and indirectly from other members of their group. You grow up
in a culture, you are taught by group members about who you are and how to best function
in that culture. Sometimes you are explicitly told what behavior is acceptable. You also learn
to observe which values that are best suited for a particular job. In this way culture is passed
down from person to person and from generation to generation.
Certain norms in one culture may not make sense to a person from another culture, but may
make sense to a person from that culture. Such coherence generally helps cultures function
more smoothly internally, but it can create disharmony between cultures that do not view the
world in the same way. Eventually cultures will give their members most of the answers to
life's big questions. This suppresses curiosity about life from other cultures.
Overcoming Ethnocentrism and Stereotypes:
Ethnocentrism is the tendency to judge other groups according to one's own group's
standards, behaviors, and customs. When people compare their culture to other cultures, they
often conclude that their own culture is superior. A more extreme reaction is Xenophobia,
the fear of foreigners, clearly business people who take this view are unlikely to
communicate cross-culturally successfully.
Distorted views of other cultures or groups also result from stereotypes, which assign
various common attributes to a person based on membership in a particular culture or social
group. For example, assuming that an older colleague will be out of touch with young
people or that a yo u n ge r colleague cannot be an inspiring leader. Those who want to
show respect to others and to communicate effectively in business need to adopt a more
positive viewpoint in the form of cultural pluralism. When crossing cultural boundaries, you
will be more effective if you adapt your communication style to the new culture you
encounter, even integrating aspects of that culture into your own. Some simple habits can
help, such as:
• Avoid assumptions. Don't assume that others will act in the same way as you, use
language and symbols in the same way as you, or even operate from the same values
and beliefs.
• Withhold judgment. When people act in different ways, don't conclude that they are
afraid or that their ways are invalid or inferior.
• Acknowledge differences. Don't ignore the differences between other people's cultures
and your own.
Unfortunately overcoming entnocentric views and stereotypes is not easy, even for people
who are highly motivated to do so.
Recognizing Variation in a Diverse Workforce
You can start learning how people in other cultures want to be treated, by
recognizing and accommodating 8 types of cultural differences: contextual, legal and
ethical, social, non-verbal, age, gender, religion, and ability.
Contextual Differences. Every communication attempt occurs within a cultural context,
which is a pattern of physical cues, environmental stimuli, and implicit understandings that
equalize meaning between two members of the same culture. Yet cultures around the world
vary widely in the role of context in communication. In high-context cultures, people rely
less on verbal communication and more on the context of non-verbal signals and the
environment to convey meaning. The main role in high context cultures is to build
relationships rather than exchange information. In low context cultures people will rely less
on verbal communication and less on circumstances and cues to convey meaning. The main
role in low context is to exchange information. The differences between high and low
context are generalizations, but important to keep in mind as guidelines. Communication
tactics that work in high context cultures can backfire in low context cultures and vice versa.
Differences in Law and Ethics. Cultural context affects law and ethics, which in turn can
affect communication. For example, the meaning of a business contract can vary from one
culture to another. Whereas a manager of a U.S. company would tend to see a signed
contract as the end of the negotiation process, with all the details finalized, his counterpart in
many Asian countries views a signed contract as an agreement to do business, and only then
begins to negotiate the details of the deal. Ethical standards differ from culture to culture.
Making ethical choices across cultures can seem complicated, but you can keep your
message ethical by applying 4 basic principles:
1. Actively seek common ground. To enable the clearest exchange of information, both
parties should be flexible and avoid insisting that interactions be conducted strictly in
terms of one culture or another.
2. Send and receive messages without judgment. For information to flow freely, both
parties must recognize that values differ from culture to culture, and they must trust
each other.
3. Send honest messages. To ensure that information is correct, both parties must see
things as they are not as they would like them to be. Both sides should be fully aware
of their personal and cultural make-up.
4. Show respect. To protect the human rights of both parties, each should understand and
recognize the needs of the other and maintain the dignity of the other by
communicating without deception.
Social Differences. The nature of social behavior varies among cultures, sometimes
dramatically. Some rules of behavior are formal, and specifically articulated (like table
manners is a good example), whereas others are informal and learned over time (like a
comfortable distance to stand from a colleague during a discussion). The combination of
formal and informal rules influences the overall behavior of most people in society, most of
the time. In addition to the factors already discussed, social norms can vary from culture to
culture in the following areas:
• Attitude towards work and success. In the U.S. for example, there is a widespread
view that people who achieve positions through individual effort and initiative should
be admired.
• Roles and status. Culture influences the roles people play, including who
communicates with whom, what they communicate, and in what way. Culture also
determines how people show respect and signify rank. For example it would sound
strange to address a boss in the U.S. as 'Manager Jones'.
• Concept of time. People in low-context cultures see time as a way to efficiently plan
the business day, often focusing on only one task during the scheduled one, and seeing
time as a limited resource. However, executives from high-context cultures often see
time as more flexible. Meeting deadlines is less important than building business
relationships.
• Future orientation. Successful companies tend to have a strong future orientation,
planning and investing in the future, but national cultures around the world vary
widely in this viewpoint. Some societies encourage a long-term view that emphasizes
planning and investment - making sacrifices in the short term for the promise of better
results in the future. Others are more present-oriented, even to the point of seeing the
future as small and not worth planning for.
• Use of manners. What is polite in one culture may be considered rude in another. For
formal etiquette rules are explicit and well-defined, but informal rules are learned
through observation and imitation. Respect and rank are reflected differently from
culture to culture in the way people are dealt with in their work environment. Rules of
polite behavior vary from country to country. Attitudes towards time, such as strict
adherence to meeting schedules, can vary around the world.
• Openness and Inclusiveness. Cultures vary in how accepting they are of people from
other cultures and people do not need to fit into the prevailing norms of a culture.
Reluctance to accommodate others can range from outright exclusion to subtle
pressure to conform to majority expectations.
• Use of communication technology. Do not assume that colleagues and customers
around the world use, although the use of mobile phones is high in most countries
around the world, the presentation of users with smartphones and broadband services
required for communication services such as video varies greatly.
Non-Verbal Differences. Non-verbal communication can be a useful guide to
determining the meaning of a message - but this situation only applies if the sender and
receiver assign the same meaning to the non-verbal signals. For example the simplest hand
gestures have different meanings in different cultures.
• Greetings. Do people shake hands, bow, or kiss lightly (on one side of the face or
both)? Do people shake hands only when first introduced or every time they say hello
or goodbye?
• Personal space. When people are talking, are they standing close together or further
away than you are used to?
• Touch. Do people touch each other on the arm to emphasize a point or slap each other
on the back to show congratulations? Or do they refrain from touching at all?
• Facial expressions. Do people shake their heads to indicate 'no' and nod to indicate
'yes'? This is common in Indonesia, but not in India.
• Eye contact. Do people make frequent eye contact or avoid it? Frequent eye contact is
taken as a sign of honesty and openness in the U.S., but in other cultures it can be a
sign of aggressiveness or disrespect.
• Posture. Do people slouch and relax in the office and in public, or do they sit and stand
up straight?
• Formality. In general, does that culture seem more or less formal than yours?
Following in the footsteps of people who grew up in the culture is not only a great way
to learn but also a good way to show respect.
Age Differences. In U.S. culture youth is often associated with strength, energy,
possibility, and freedom, and age is sometimes associated with declining strength and an
inability to keep up. But older workers can offer a wider range of experience. In Asian
societies, the oldest employees hold the most powerful jobs, the most impressive degrees,
and the greatest freedom, and decision-making authority. If an easier employee disagrees
with one of the senior executives, the discussion is never had in public. The idea of 'saving
face' - avoiding public embarrassment, is too strong. If a senior employee was wrong about
something, other employees would find a personalized way to communicate. Today's
workplace can have three, four, or even five generations working side by side. Each has
been shaped by dramatically different world events, social trends and technological
advances, so it's no surprise that they often have different values, expectations and
communication habits.
Gender Differences. Gender affects workplace communication in several important
ways. First, perceptions of gender roles in business vary from culture to culture, and gender
bias can range from overt discrimination to subtle and even unconscious beliefs. Second,
although the ratio of men and women in entry-level professional positions is roughly equal,
the share of management roles held by men increases steadily the further up the corporate
management ladder one looks. Third, evidence suggests that men and women tend to have
different communication styles. In general men emphasize content and results in their
communication efforts, whereas women place a higher premium on relationship maintenance
towards improved communication and equality in the workplace. Fourth, outdated concepts
of gender and sexual orientation continue to be a source of confusion, controversy and
discrimination. As one example, men are more likely to negotiate salary increases than
women. Men and women perceive assertiveness as a positive quality in men but negative in
women.
Religious differences. As one of the most personal and influential aspects of life,
religion carries the potential for controversy and conflict in the workplace - as evidenced by
the significant increase in the number of religious discrimination lawsuits in recent years.
Many employees believe that they should be able to follow and express the tenets of their
faith in the workplace. However, companies need to accommodate employee behavior that
may conflict with the demands of business operations.
Differences in Ability. Colleagues and customers with disabilities that affect communication
represent an important aspect of diversity. People whose hearing, vision, cognitive abilities,
or physical ability to operate electronic devices is impaired, can be at a disadvantage in
today's workplace. As with any element of diversity, success begins with respect for the
individual and sensitivity to differences. Employers can also invest in various technologies
that help people with disabilities perform activities that may be difficult or impossible. These
technologies include devices and systems that help workers communicate verbally and
visually, interact with computers and other equipment, and enjoy greater mobility in the
workplace.
Guidelines for Adapting to Any Business Culture
You will find specific tips for improving your intercultural communication skills. Here are 4
general guidelines that can help all business communicators improve their cultural
competence:
1. Be aware of your own biases. Successful intercultural communication requires more
than just an understanding of the other's culture.
2. Be careful in applying the 'golden rule'. You may have heard: 'Treat people the way you
want to be treated'. The problem with the golden rule is that other people don't always
want to be treated the same way you do, especially across cultural boundaries.
3. Tolerance, flexibility and respect. As far as possible, we try to manage our employees
and operations in the right way that respects the core principles of a particular country
or organization or culture.
4. Practice patience and maintain a sense of humor. Even the most committed and attuned
business professionals can make mistakes in communicating across cultures, so it is
imperative for all parties to be patient with each other. As business becomes
increasingly globalized, even people in tradition-bound cultures can make mistakes
learn to deal with outsiders and overlook the occasional cultural mistake.
Improving Intercultural Communication Skills
Communicating successfully between cultures requires a variety of skills (see
figure). You can improve your intercultural skills throughout your career by learning about
other cultures and languages, respecting communication style preferences, learning to write
and speak clearly, listening carefully, knowing when to use interpreters, translators, and
helping others adapt to your culture.
Learning about other cultures. Effectively adapting your communication to others
requires not only knowledge of the culture but also the ability and motivation to change your
personal habits. Fortunately you don't need to learn about the whole world at once. Many
companies appoint specialists for countries or regions, to give employees the opportunity to
focus on just one culture at a time. If your boss wants to do business internationally, it may
offer training and support for employees who need to learn more about a particular culture.
Even a small amount of research and practice will help you through many business
situations. In addition most people respond positively to honest and well-intentioned efforts,
and many business associates will help you if interested in learning more about their culture.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. People will appreciate your thoughtfulness and curiosity.
You will gradually accumulate enough knowledge, which will help you feel real and
effective in various business situations. Many websites and books offer advice on traveling
and working within a particular culture. Also try to read newspapers, magazines, and even
music and movies from other cultures. Movies can show you non-verbal customs even if
you don't understand the language.
Learn Another Language. As trade continues to become more globalized and many
countries become more linguistically diverse, the demand for multilingual communicators is
also growing. Being able to communicate in more than one language can make you a more
competitive candidate and open up a wider range of career opportunities. Even if your
colleagues or customers in another country speak your language, it is worth the time and
energy to learn common phrases in their language. Doing so not only helps you get through
everyday business and social situations but also shows your commitment to business
relationships. After all, the other person may have spent years learning your language.
Mobile devices can be a great help in learning another language and communicating with
someone in another language. A wide variety, apps and websites are available that help with
important words and phrases, grammar, pronunciation, word translation and even real time
audio translation. Finally don't assume that people from two countries who speak the same
language will speak the same way.
Appreciate Preferences for Communication Styles. Communication styles, including
level of directness, level of formality, media preferences, and other factors, vary greatly
from one culture to another. Knowing what to expect from your communication partners can
help you adapt to their particular style. Again, watching and learning is the best way to
improve your skills. But you can deduce some generalizations by learning more about the
culture. For example U.S. workers prefer an open and direct communication style; they find
other styles frustrating or suspicious. Directness is also valued in Sweden as a sign of
efficiency, but intense debate and confrontation are not uncommon. Italian, German and
Francis executives do not usually make colleagues feel comfortable with exams before they
criticize; doing so seems manipulative to them. Meanwhile, professionals from Japanese, or
Chinese, cultures tend to be less direct. Finally in general, business correspondence in other
countries is often more formal than the style used by U.S. business people.
Write Clearly. Writing clearly is always important, of course, but it's essential when
you're writing to people whose first language is not English. Follow these recommendations
to ensure your message can be understood:
• Choose words carefully. Use precise words that don't have the potential to confuse
with multiple meanings.
• Shorten. Use simple sentences and short paragraphs, breaking down information into
smaller chunks that are easier for readers to process.
• Use lots of transitions. Help the reader follow your train of thought by using national
word and phrase transitions.
• International correspondence addresses are written correctly.
• List the numbers and dates carefully. In the U.S. 12-05-18 means December 5, 2018.
Dates in Japan and China are usually expressed with the year first, followed by the
month then the day; therefore to write December 5, 2018, in Japan it is written 2018-
12-05. Similarly, in the U.S. and UK, 1,000 means one with three decimal places, but
it means one thousand in many European countries.
• Avoid phrases, idiomatics, and business jargon. Everyday writing, and writing is full
of slang phrases, and idiomatics- phrases that mean more than the sum of their literal
parts. Examples from U.S. English include 'Knocked one out of park' and 'More bang
for Buck'. Audiences and may not know what they are talking about when using such
phrases.
• Avoid popular culture humor and references. Popular entertainment jokes and
references rely on culture-specific information that your audience may be completely
unfamiliar with.
Speaking and Listening Carefully. Language varies greatly in the significance of tone,
speed, and volume, which can create challenges for people trying to interpret the explicit
meaning of the word itself as well as the overall feel of the message. The English word
'Progress' can be a noun or a verb, depending on which syllable you emphasize. In Chinese
the meaning of the word Ma, depends on the tone of the speaker; it can mean mother, horse,
or scolded. And Arabic speech can sound excited or angry to an English-speaking U.S.
listener. To ensure a successful conversation between parties who speak different native
languages or even regional variations of the same language, speakers and listeners alike need
to make accommodations.
Speakers should customize their message content and their delivery style to
accommodate the needs of their listeners and the situation of the conversation. For example,
if you are speaking in person or through an electronic connection that includes a video
component, you can use hand gestures and other non-verbal signals to clarify your spoken
message. But when you don't have a visual connection, you should be more careful to
convey your meaning through words and vocal characteristics alone. Instead listeners should
be tolerant of accents, vocabulary choices, gestures, and factors that might distract them
from hearing the meaning of the speaker's message. When speaking to people whose native
language is different from yours, remember that even processing everyday conversation can
be difficult. For example, speakers from the U.S. sometimes string together multiple words
into a confusing word.
To be more effective in intercultural conversations, speak slowly and clearly, but
avoid talking to others by overusing words or simplifying sentences. As the conversation
progresses, ask for feedback to ensure your message is being received. At the end of the
conversation, check back to make sure you and the listener agree on what has been said or
decided. As a listener, you need practice to understand vocals. The key is to simply accept
what you hear without jumping to conclusions about meaning or motivation. Let the other
person finish what they are saying. If you interrupt, you may miss something important. You
are also showing a lack of respect.
Using Interpreters, Translators and Translation Software. You may encounter business
situations that require the use of interpreters (for oral communication) or translators (for
written communication). Interpreters and translators can be expensive, but skilled
professionals provide great value. Keeping abreast of current language developments in a
particular country or culture is also important to avoid embarrassing mistakes. In marketing
and advertising, being in tune with contemporary culture is essential. Some companies use
back translation to ensure accuracy. After a translator encodes a message into another
language, a different translator retranslates the same message into the original language.
This back translation is then compared with the original message to find any errors or
discrepancies. The time and cost required for professional translation has encouraged the
development of computerized translation tools. Specialized software tools, mobile apps and
online services such as WorldLingo and Google Translate offer various forms of automated
translation.
Helping Others Adapt to Your Culture. Everyone can contribute to successful
intercultural communication. Whether younger people are unfamiliar with the formalities of
a large company, or colleagues from another country are working on a team with you, look
for opportunities to help people adjust and adapt their communication style. For example If a
non-native English speaker makes a mistake that could damage their credibility, you can
offer advice on the right words and phrases to use. It's also likely that as you help, you'll
learn something about the other person's culture and language too. You can also take steps to
simplify the communication process. For example, Oral communication in a second
language is usually more difficult than written forms of communication, so instead of asking
a foreign colleague to provide information in a conference call, you can ask for a written
response or in addition to a live conversation.
