Re: ZEEK THE GEEK ONLY

1 . Fostering Diversity in Communication

In your professional lifetime, it is likely that you will experience both the rewards and the challenges of working in a culturally diverse workplace. Businesses today are increasingly dealing with the impact of globalization, and the world marketplace is becoming increasingly more international. It is likely that you will soon (if you do not already) work alongside coworkers from different cultures; more and more, businesses are operating outside the borders of the United States. To succeed in this culturally rich environment, you will need to rely on strong communication skills and techniques and you will need to examine your own culture more closely and understand how different it is from others. Developing an intercultural proficiency will be critical for your success (Newman, 2014).

International businesses today rely on employees who are skilled in intercultural communication. There are many challenges with respect to intercultural communication. Such challenges are not limited to just language differences: cultural variables add to the complexity of working with people from other cultures. Business professionals, when communicating with people from other cultures, must maintain formality, show respect, and above all, write and speak clearly.

All individuals must understand that when communicating with diverse audiences, professionals must demonstrate respect. Such respect is most often expressed through one’s language choices with regard to ethnicity, gender, abilities, age, and other variables. The challenges are many when working in this diverse environment, but the benefits are many. A diverse workplace fosters a more productive and inclusive work environment. Because of this, leaders and managers typically look for those individuals who have are proficient in intercultural communication.

Intercultural Communication in the Workplace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUjaNLnWl6o

Summary: Organizational psychology professor Wendi Adair on intercultural communication in the workplace. Features skits she has developed and acted with students to illustrate some of the challenges people might face when communicating with people from different cultures at work or on campus.

2. Communicating via Bias-free Language

As is always the case when communicating in the workplace—and even more so when the message recipients are multicultural—it is essential to employ clear, sensitive, and bias-free language. Although writers rarely mean to offend, it is perhaps surprising to some people how casual turns of phrase can hide implicit biases that are hurtful to others.

Paying careful attention to one’s own and others’ ways of speaking and writing can help to build awareness of some of these heretofore hidden issues and help you avoid them in the future. For example, men and women are often stereotyped in different ways depending upon the culture, but rarely do the ways in which we communicate require us to perpetuate such stereotypes. Being careful to avoid gender-biased language is a major step toward increasing your cultural sensitivity. A simple first step is to use alternative language choices to avoid specifying gender when such specification is unnecessary or even potentially negative. Using words such as “person,” “executive,” or “representative,” and even “actor,” “waiter,” or “comedian,” etc. (as opposed to “actress,” “waitress,” or “comedienne”) provide sufficient information without introducing bias (on the part either of the communicator or the message recipient).

Click this link from Western Michigan University to see other examples of ways to avoid gender bias in language:http://wmich.edu/writing/genderbias

 

The same principles apply when communicating about different ethnicities, disabled individuals, and older individuals. Because bias exists in many cultures with regard to certain ethnicities, disabilities, and those who are not young, it is important to communicate in such a way as to avoid highlighting such differences where it is unnecessary and superficial to do so. For example, rather than saying, “the elderly,” a more objective phrase is “those over 65” (or whatever age is appropriate to the particular communication).

Rather than using the stock phrase, “confined to a wheelchair,” someone might “use a wheelchair.” Notice that we don’t have to avoid facts; but the way we communicate can certainly be less “loaded,” less prejudicial. Rather than saying, for instance, “the Latina cleaning lady,” we can refer to “the cleaner.” Such language usage conveys the needed information without promoting stereotypical attitudes or behavior.

Match the biased term on the left with the better term on the right.

3. Principles of Effective Intercultural Communication

According to Newman (2014), international communication, sometimes referred to as cross-cultural communication, takes place between people from different cultures. When a message is created by someone from one culture to be understood by someone from another culture, international communication is taking place. The study of appreciating diversity among people is known today as multiculturalism.

Signs in Hindi and English at a station on the railway linking Kalka to Shimla in the Himalayan foothills. Both languages are commonly used for signage throughout India.

Without international communication, international business would not be possible. Even though English may be the lingua franca—and thus the standard language for business—we must understand that there is no one standard for all business communication. Success in today’s global marketplace comes to those who appreciate and acknowledge differences among people. Adapting to the local language of business and understanding different cultures are both required if you want to do business abroad successfully.

The particular behaviors of a group of people, their attitudes, and their customary traits combine to characterize culture (Newman, 2014). Understanding one’s own culture is a good thing, but it leads to destruction when individuals—especially in the workplace—begin to think that their culture is superior to others. That is what Barger (2014) refers to as ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is evident when individuals judge other groups as inferior based on the differences between cultures. It is our own limited experience with other cultures that causes us to make false assumptions about the culture and the ways of other people. Having such an attitude hinders understanding, communication, and good intentions among business partners. Read more about ethnocentrism from Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis at http://www.iupui.edu/~anthkb/ethnocen.htm .

Intercultural communication is becoming increasingly important, and all business communicators must acquire the necessary skills in order to be successful in this area. In a global marketplace, communicators will need to become aware of their own culture and how it differs from others. Business communicators must be able to overcome obstacles such as misunderstandings stemming from cultural differences. In the intercultural global marketplace of tomorrow (and possibly even today), employers, coworkers, and clients may be individuals from other cultures and other countries.

References

Barger, K. (2014). Ethnocentrism: What is it? Why are people ethnocentric? What is the problem? What can we do about it? Recognition and control of ethnocentrism as a basic methodology for understanding ethnic behavior...both our own and others. Indiana University Purdue University—Indianapolis. [Web site]. Retrieved from http://www.iupui.edu/~anthkb/ethnocen.htm

Newman, A. (2014). Business communication: In print, in person, online (9th ed.). Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.

What Is Culture, Anyway?

By Craig Storti

THIS MIGHT BE a good time, as this column gets ready to celebrate its second anniversary, to define this word "culture" we've been throwing around, just assuming everyone understands it and its relevance to today's workplace. Most readers have an idea of what culture is, of course, and probably deal with culture—especially cultural differences— every day. But it might be nice to define what we mean by culture in this space and, just as important, what we don't mean. We don't mean capital C Culture, of course: literature, painting, music, that sort of thing. We're using the word in a much broader sense to refer to the way a particular group of people from the same background think and act. Most interculturalists (that really is what we call ourselves!) define culture using the famous iceberg metaphor, to suggest that there are both a visible (above the water line) and a larger, invisible (below the water line) dimension to culture. And then we put some words on the iceberg as follows: Values Beliefs Assumptions The things people say and do Culture has a visible component, above the water line, which we call behavior: the things people say and do. When you interact with someone from another culture, it's not their culture you are dealing with but everything that other person is saying and doing. In other words, you will encounter other people's culture in the form o/" their behavior; this is what you need to try to understand, interpret correctly, and ideally be able to anticipate. And those other people will be encountering jo«r culture in the form oí your behavior: all the things you say and do. But the whole point of culture, in a way, is that the visible dimension—the things people say and do—is neither accidental nor arbitrary. People aren't making this up as they go along or changing it when the spirit moves them. Behavior is largely predictable, or else there would be chaos. And it is the product of the invisible and subconscious dimension of culture (below the water line), the elements we have labeled HOW CULTURES DIFFER: Let Us Count the Ways values, beliefs, and assumptions. Values are what you have been raised to think of as good or bad, right or wrong; beliefs are those things you think of as true or real; and assumptions, the deepest level of culture, are those instinctive, internalized convictions you have about how the world works, what is usually referred to as your mindset or your worldview. Or where you're coming from. So let's pick a cultural assumption—attitude toward risk— and see how this all works. The chart (on page 11) presents the polar opposite extremes you're going to find around the world in terms of how different people in different cultures instinctively "feel" about risk, based on their cultural conIn the main text we selected one way that cultures differ—in their attitude toward risk—and we explained that a difference between cultures at the fundamental level, what we called a cultural assumption, leads to all manner of differences at the level of individual behavior. So what are some of the other fundamentals? • Attitude towards time (monochronic & polychronic types) • fi/lanagement style (decentralized & centralized) • Locus of control (internal & external) • Communication style (direct & indirect) • Concepts of rank and status (egalitarian & hierarchical) • Importance of face (less important & more important) • Concepts of right and fairness (universalism & particularism) • Concept of limits (unlimited possibilities & limited possibilities) • Concept of self/identity (individualist & collectivist) • View of human nature (benign & skeptical) • Task vs. relationship orientation • Attitude toward uncertainty (high tolerance & low tolerance) • Attitude toward power and authority (low power distance & high power distance) For each of these concepts, there is a range between the two polar opposites, leading to all kinds of behavioral differences. 10 PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 USA HIGH TOLERANCE Risk is a fact of life, built into almost any situation: it's not possible to factor all risk out of most decisions/actions; you can't know anything for sure until you try it; trial and error/experimenting are essential for learning, improving: nothing is ever perfect the first time (and we can always fix it later): making mistakes is how we learn: new is often better/is not threatening: there is always a better way of doing things: tradition should not be valued for its own sake: "the way we have always done it" can be improved: being creative and "thinking outside the box" are rewarded. Nigeria LOW TOLERANCE Taking risks and failing have strong negative consequences: you should not have to take risks if you do your homework: most risks (and their consequences) can be avoided if we do enough analysis/gather enough data: risk-taking is for those who are impatient or just lazy: mistakes can be avoided with careful planning: there is no need to "fix" things if we take enough time to get it right in the first place: tradition should not be lightly cast aside: there are good reasons for "the way we have always done things": what is new is unproven/should be approached with healthy skepticism. ditioning. If you come from the United States, chances are you have been socialized the way people are in highrisk-tolerant cultures; if you come from Nigeria, you have probably been socialized the way people are in low-risktolerant cultures, all other things being equal. Remember that this socialization has been an ongoing process since the time you were born, and the effects are almost entirely subconscious and instinctive. You don't realize you are risk tolerant/risk averse; you just naturally act that way. And voila: the crucial link between assumptions and behavior! And here's where it gets interesting: In many instances, individuals who are the products of risk-tolerant cultures are going to behave very differently from individuals who are the products of risk-averse cultures, and yet each type of individtial is going to consider his/her behavior normal and logical and the behavior of the other type to be abnormal and illogical. Or just plain wrong. Impact in the Workplace In today's workplace, youVe bound to have individuals of all different types, that is, some highly or moderately risk-tolerant types, and some moderately and highly riskaverse types. Needless to say, they're not going to see eyeto-eye on a lot of matters. And attitude toward risk is just one of many cultural assumptions that people have different ways of dealing with (see How Cultures Differ box). Fine, you say. I get it. People from different cultural backgrounds are going to think and act differently. My problem is I'm trying to run a business here, and I need everybody to be more or less on the same wavelength. If some of my staff are highly risk-averse and don't like to try new things, and some are highly risk-tolerant and like to shake things up—what am I supposed to do when it comes to implementing that new reporting system? Am I supposed to give the risk-averse types six months before they have to start using it and let the other group start after two weeks? Sorry, but that's not an option in the real world. Everyone has to start at the same time or this isn't going to work. We could go on, but you get the point. So what are we stipposed to do about cultural differences in today's multicultural workplace? Actually, you don't have to do very much at all except try to be more aware of cultural differences, educate yourself about what forms they take so you're not caught off guard when you encounter them on the job. They're real and they can pose challenges, but they can also bring great benefits to your workforce: multiple perspectives, novel approaches, creative solutions to problems. "So how do you answer my question about the riskaverse guy and the risk-friendly woman, both of whom have to start using the new reporting system?" Easy: you acknowledge that some of your staff are going to be happy and good at this, and some are going to be nervous and ham-fisted. And then you try to provide resources and support for the latter. It's really no different than dealing with any other difference among the various employees in your group, no two of whom are identical. You already treat all your staff as individuals, accommodating and capitalizing on their various personal qualities, allowing for their idiosyncracies. And culture is just one more variable, one more factor, that figures in the mix. PDJ Craig Storti, a consultant and trainer in the field of intercultural communications, is the author of seven hooks. His latest. Speaking of India, describes the common cultural flashpoints when Indians work together with No. Americans and western Europeans. He can be contacted at: [email protected] or learn more at his website: craigstorti.com. www.diversityjouinal.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 11 Copyright of Profiles in Diversity Journal is the property of Profiles in Diversity Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written

Storti, C. (2011). What Is Culture, Anyway?. Profiles In Diversity Journal, 13(1), 10-11.rmission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.