Communicating Across Cultures
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Source: Herringshaw, Doris I., M.Ed., CFCS. (2001). Communicating across
cultures. Retrieved December 3, 2004 from the Ohio State University
Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences website: http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm01/FS03.html
Many adults assume that everyone is "just
like me" unless they look different. To make the assumption
that we are all alike would be the same as to assume that
all cars are alike or all mothers-in-law act the same way.
Needless to say, these are not true or fair statements. |
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Assumptions about cultural background influence how people interact
with each other. Culture refers to the many diverse ways in which
human practices and beliefs differ among groups. Culture includes
religious, social, political, and family customs. It is not uncommon
for different cultures to have different values related to allocation
of time, family conversations, or views of education. Many of
these practices and beliefs may be different than your own.
Frequently, many people find cultural
conversations very uncomfortable. For someone to be more
comfortable, they must first know what their beliefs
are and be accepting of their own actions and ideas.
There are several steps to make conversations across
cultural lines easier.
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Build mutual understanding.
To build a mutual understanding, it is necessary
to respect differences and listen for more than words. Listen
to ideas, viewpoints, and experiences. Have true respect for
other individuals. Do not judge or question, but listen to
life experiences and values and try to understand what is happening.
Remember, you cannot judge because you have not "walked
in their shoes."
 Listen
with an open mind.
When learning about a culture, put your feelings
aside and listen. It is a teachable moment for both parties
to engage in telling their stories. Sometimes we offend people
and do not even realize that it has happened. Simple statements
like "those people" or "they are all alike except
you of course" can be very offensive. Many times these
statements create misunderstanding between individuals. The
more culturally diverse situations you are in and the more
you know about other cultures and their people, the better
you become at bridging differences. You may find that there
are agreements on some issues. The best way to undo misunderstanding
is to talk about the issues. Avoid mean spirited remarks and
narrow viewpoints.
Do something.
After learning more about cultures and people
from different backgrounds it is important to help others understand
the differences. Each person needs to realize that having a
different background or culture is just different. You can
help improve communications across cultures by taking action.
The simplest support of other cultures is to correct false
statements that people make about them and interrupt jokes
or stories with the truth. You can also involve people from
diverse cultures in your groups or ask them to present their
cultural knowledge to others. Usually people are more fearful
of the things they do not understand so help to inform them.
Focus on relationships.
Move beyond the words and into the quality of
communications. Everyone has heard it said that to have a friend
you must be a friend. Relationships involving different cultures
take time, work, patience, and understanding. In relationship
building, find other people who are interested in different
cultures and value diversity. It will be easier to understand
when several people talk about what they are experiencing.
Overall,
to become more proactive on building bridges between cultures,
bring other people into your conversations. It may
be easier to express a viewpoint when several people understand
the culture. The more you learn about other cultures the
more comfortable you will be in diverse situations.
References and Resources
Adams, M., et al., (Eds.). (2000). Readings
for diversity and social justice. New York: Routledge.
Cox, T. (1999). Cultural diversity in organizations. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Cross, E. (2000). Managing diversity—The courage to lead.
Westport, CT: Quorum Books.
Cushner, K., & Brislin, R. (Eds.). (1997). Improving intercultural
interactions: Modules for cross-cultural training programs
(Vol. 2). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Mathias, B., & French, M.A. (1996). 40 Ways to Raise a
Non-racist Child. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
Wiseman, R., & Shuter, R. (Eds.). (1994). Communicating
in multinational organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Woodhead, M., Faulkner, D., & Littleton, K. (1998). Cultural
worlds of early childhood. New York: Routledge—The Open
University.
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