Interview Summery

Jordan-Evans. “Research overwhelmingly supports the notion that engaged employees are ‘in the know.’ They want to be trusted with the truth about the business, including its challenges and downturns.” Kaye, B., & Jordan-Evans, S. (2008, September 11). Tell them the truth. Fast Company . Retrieved January 27, 2009, from http://www.fastcompany.com/resources/talent/bksje/ 092107-tellthemthetruth.html . Cross-Cultural Communication Culture is a shared set of beliefs and experiences common to people in a specific setting. The setting that creates a culture can be geographic, religious, or professional. As you might guess, the same individual can be a member of many cultures, all of which may play a part in the interpretation of certain words.

The different and often “multicultural” identity of individuals in the same organization can lead to some unexpected and potentially large miscommunications. For example, during the Cold War, Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev told the American delegation at the United Nations, “We will bury you!” His words were interpreted as a threat of nuclear annihilation. However, a more accurate reading of Khruschev’s words would have been, “We will overtake you!” meaning economic superiority. The words, as well as the fear and suspicion that the West had of the Soviet Union at the time, led to the more alarmist and sinister interpretation. Garner, E. (2007, December 3). Seven barriers to great communication. Retrieved July 2, 2008, from Hodu.com: http://www.hodu.com/ barriers.shtml . Miscommunications can arise between individuals of the same culture as well.

Many words in the English language mean different things to different people.

Words can be misunderstood if the sender and receiver do not share common experiences. A sender’s words cannot communicate the desired meaning if the receiver has not had some experience with the objects or concepts the words describe. Effective communication. (2004, May 31). Retrieved July 2, 2008, from DynamicFlight.com: http://www.dynamicflight.com/avcfibook/communication . It is particularly important to keep this fact in mind when you are communicating with individuals who may not speak English as a first language. For example, when speaking with nonnative English-speaking colleagues, avoid “isn’t it?” questions.

This sentence construction does not exist in many other languages and can be confusing for nonnative English speakers. For example, to the question, “You are coming, aren’t you?” they may answer, “Yes” (I am coming) or “No” (I am coming), depending on how they interpret the question. Lifland, S. (2006). Multicultural communication tips. American Management Association . Retrieved July 2, 2008, from Chapter 8 Communication 8.5 The Role of Ethics and National Culture 398 http://www.amanet.org/movingahead/ editorial.cfm?Ed=37&BNKNAVID=24&display=1 . Cultures also vary in terms of the desired amount of situational context related to interpreting situations. People in very high context cultures put a high value on establishing relationships prior to working with others and tend to take longer to negotiate deals. Examples of high context cultures include China, Korea, and Japan.

Conversely, people in low context cultures “get down to business” and tend to negotiate quickly. Examples of low context cultures include Germany, Scandinavia, and the United States. This section draws on work by Hall, E. (1976). Beyond culture . Garden City, NY: Doubleday; and ideas in Munter, M. (1993). Cross-cultural communication for managers. Business Horizons ,36, 69–78. Finally, don’t forget the role of nonverbal communication. As we learned in the nonverbal communication section, in the United States, looking someone in the eye when talking is considered a sign of trustworthiness. In China, by contrast, a lack of eye contact conveys respect. A recruiting agency that places English teachers warns prospective teachers that something that works well in one culture can offend in another: “In Western countries, one expects to maintain eye contact when we talk with people. This is a norm we consider basic and essential. This is not the case among the Chinese. On the contrary, because of the more authoritarian nature of the Chinese society, steady eye contact is viewed as inappropriate, especially when subordinates talk with their superiors.” Chinese culture—differences and taboos. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2009, from the Footprints Recruiting Inc. Web site:

http://www.footprintsrecruiting.com/ content_321.php?abarcar_Session=2284f8a72fa606078aed24b8218f08b9 . Chapter 8 Communication 8.5 The Role of Ethics and National Culture 399 Figure 8.15 Gestures Around the Globe Adapted from information in Axtell, R. E. (1998). Gestures: The do’s and taboos of body language around the world . New York: John Wiley.

It’s easy to see how meaning could become confused, depending on how and when these signals are used. When in doubt, experts recommend that you ask someone around you to help you interpret the meaning of different gestures, that you be sensitive, and that you remain observant when dealing with a culture different from your own. Chapter 8 Communication 8.5 The Role of Ethics and National Culture 400 KEY TAKEAWAY Ethical, forthright communication applies inside a company as well as externally with the public. Trying to cover up or ignore problems has been the downfall of many organizational members. There are differences in word meanings and nonverbal communication. For example, in North America, the nonverbal V means victory or peace, but in Australia means something closer to “take this,” which could still fit if your team wins a championship but probably isn’t exactly what was meant. EXERCISES 1. How can you assess if you are engaging in ethical communications? 2. What experiences have you had with cross-cultural communications?

Please share at least one experience when this has gone well and one when it has not gone well. 3. What advice would you give to someone who will be managing a new division of a company in another culture in terms of communication? Chapter 8 Communication 8.5 The Role of Ethics and National Culture 401