Communication and Culture
Thinking about the cultural diversity that exists in my colleagues at school, neighbourhood, workplace, and by extension, my family. Considering all the aspects that makeup culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on. I do find myself communicating with each unique group differently.
Ways I communicate differently:
I use clear language. When communicating with a culturally diverse audience, I keep my language clear, concise and straightforward. I avoid jargon, slang terms, euphemisms and colloquial expressions that can pose a challenge.
I understand differences in body language. However, it can be surprising to learn that different cultures have very different practices regarding non-verbal forms of communication. For instance, in most countries, people do not greet each other by shaking hands, and some cultures find it disrespectful to engage in direct eye contact. Additionally, some cultures have different comfort levels when it comes to personal space and touching. When in doubt, leave at least one arm’s length between my colleagues and me, and keep your hands to myself.
I practice reflective listening or paraphrasing. When I am engaged in a conversation, paraphrasing or repeating the message back is a good habit to practice. This will help clarify meaning and eliminate issues that may surface as a result of misunderstanding. The same is true of written communication – I paraphrase to clarify any doubts I may have.
I am open and inclusive of other's cultures, perspectives and world views. Although it is natural to gravitate towards others who share my preferences and traditions, getting to know my fellow co-workers, classmates, neighbours and family members from culturally diverse backgrounds can help build relations and open up a world of new experiences. Bearing in mind that they may be new to this country and have challenges of their own, as they try to navigate a different language, customs and way of life.
At its core, cultural diversity is about accepting and respecting people’s differences and understanding that everyone is unique in his own rite. The same can be said for communication. To do it well, I need to understand my audience irrespective of the group in which they fall. Then, I craft my message in such a way that will make the most sense to them. When that audience is culturally diverse, the challenge is understanding their differences and being sensitive to how your message will be received.
Ways I communicate differently:
I use clear language. When communicating with a culturally diverse audience, I keep my language clear, concise and straightforward. I avoid jargon, slang terms, euphemisms and colloquial expressions that can pose a challenge.
I understand differences in body language. However, it can be surprising to learn that different cultures have very different practices regarding non-verbal forms of communication. For instance, in most countries, people do not greet each other by shaking hands, and some cultures find it disrespectful to engage in direct eye contact. Additionally, some cultures have different comfort levels when it comes to personal space and touching. When in doubt, leave at least one arm’s length between my colleagues and me, and keep your hands to myself.
I practice reflective listening or paraphrasing. When I am engaged in a conversation, paraphrasing or repeating the message back is a good habit to practice. This will help clarify meaning and eliminate issues that may surface as a result of misunderstanding. The same is true of written communication – I paraphrase to clarify any doubts I may have.
I am open and inclusive of other's cultures, perspectives and world views. Although it is natural to gravitate towards others who share my preferences and traditions, getting to know my fellow co-workers, classmates, neighbours and family members from culturally diverse backgrounds can help build relations and open up a world of new experiences. Bearing in mind that they may be new to this country and have challenges of their own, as they try to navigate a different language, customs and way of life.
I know your perspective of active listening and communication it's appreciated by those families you serve and your co-workers. This practice and work it's not easy and your perspective on diversity I know helps guide you through it.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherida,
ReplyDeleteThank you for yet another insightful post! I agree that finding the balance of how your message comes across to your audience when it is a multicultural audience is difficult but being very precise and clear I have found is helpful. Along with checking in to see if people have questions or need clarification. I also find that paraphrasing is so helpful to make sure to diminish miscommunications as the conversation is occurring. Thanks again!
Best,
Rebecca
Thank you for sharing such and insightful post! I think it’s very important to practice active listening because we may miss out on certain things when we do not listen effectively. When we use nonverbal communication, sometimes, our facial expressions, and hand gestures can be misinterpreted. Great blog post.
ReplyDeleteSherida, I agree reflective listening and reading body language is important in communication. Like you said, some people are uncomfortable with personal pace or eye contact. Appropriately reading ones body language would clue you in if this was an issue.
ReplyDeleteAll of your strategies are key for effective communication. Thank you for sharing!!