Good communication skill is an indispensable component which can
influence the success path of an organization in contemporary times.
A broad range of barriers may arise that can compromise the quality
of communication and give rise to concerns such a misunderstanding,
conflicts, and friction. While working in a group setting, I had an
experience where a minor misunderstanding due to a communication
gap led to poor team performance. I was working along with three
other team members on a new project idea. One of the members
belonged to a different cultural background, and he was not opening
and presenting his ideas, unlike the other members. I felt that the
member was taking time to adapt to the team setting due to the
cultural difference. Culture is a key fact that can influence how
individuals interact and engage with others (Holliday, 2020). Instead
of considering the cultural difference factor of the team leader
started accusing the member and saying that he was not interested in
the team project and hence he was not showing any interest. The
issue further escalated as the team members started arguing with
each other, and the environment was filled with negativity and
hostility.
In order to ease the tension among the team members, I asked each
one of them to be respectful of their individual differences and
communicate accordingly. Although the issue ultimately got resolved,
it made me realize that working in a cross-cultural team may give rise
to communication barriers. The lack of understanding of one’s culture
can lead to misunderstanding and confusion and adversely affect the
harmony at the team level (Wien claw, 2021). In the globalized era
where individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds work together, it
is essential to take into consideration the cultural component while
communicating. For effectively communicating with others, the
cultural cues of other people must be given de importance (Bon
villain, 2019). It can help to understand the kind of body language
that must be maintained, the use of eye contact while interacting with
others as well as physical proximity. By integrating culture-related
elements in the communication process, it is possible to improve the
effectiveness of information flow and reduce the possibility of the
message to get distorted. For having good communication skills, the
cultural elements need to be integrated so that appropriate
communication styles can be adopted and the difference in culture
will not act as a barrier.
Reference
Bon villain, N. (2019).
Language, culture, and communication: The
meaning of messages
. Rowman & Littlefield.
Holliday, A. (2020). Culture, communication, context, and power.
The
Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication
,
39-54.
Wien claw, Ruth A. (2021). Communications in the Workplace.
Salem
Press Encyclopaedia, 2021. 8p.
