Intercultural Communication

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Intercultural Communication

• Mary Kay Chess

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Definition of Culture
A culture is a shared system of symbols, values,
beliefs, attitudes, expectations and norms for
behaviors. All members of a culture have similar
assumptions about how people should think,
behave, and communicate, and they all tend to act
on those assumptions in much the same way.
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Importance of Intercultural Communication

• Increasing workforce diversity
• Increasing globalization of world markets
• The world is shrinking
• The world isnt shrinking

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Stereotyping

• Opinions held or expressed about a group
• Imply a judgment of good or bad
• Do not allow for individual exceptions to the
  rule

Intercultural competence requires the ability to
think about generalizations without stereotyping.
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Intercultural Communications Exercise

• Situation Your company is putting in an ERP
  application in Singapore, England, Guatemala,
  India and US. This application will affect
  finance, manufacturing, procurement and planning.
• What intercultural considerations do you need to
  take into account when putting this application
  into those countries
• Team instructions
• Pick recorder
• Spokesperson

TIME
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Feedback
Effective feedback is the single most important
tool for enhancing individual and
team performance.
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Giving and Receiving Feedback
Giving
Receiving

• Complete message
• Situation
• Facts
• Interpretation
• Feelings
• Needs
• Appropriate Timing
• Permission
• Helpful/Actionable
• No hidden agenda (speaks to your intent to giving
  the feedback)

• Listen to understand
• Dont defend or explain
• Ask only clarifying questions
• Paraphrase back if appropriate
• Decide if problem-solving is appropriate
• Say Thank You

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Types of Feedback

• Reinforcing Feedback
• Specific information that calls attention to
  something that went well.
• Encourages the same type of behavior/attitude.
• Constructive Feedback
• Specific information that calls attention to a
  potential problem or a different way of doing
  something.
• Presents an opportunity to develop and deepen a
  positive behavior/attitude and/or change unwanted
  behavior.