Communicating Effectively Through Diversity

In many work situations,  you are surrounded by people of different cultures, religions, beliefs, and behaviors. You would not be together if you didn’t share common ground but the way that you communicate may differ from how others in that situation communicate. You need to learn to “speak” the same language in order to flourish together.

Doing business around the world is not an issue

Because of how advanced technology has become, you can meet with several people from every corner of the universe at once. Not only can you meet with them and speak with them but you can also see them (as long as you have the appropriate, compatible softwear and hardwear). Getting in touch is never going to be a problem. 

When it comes to communication, the words are often not enough. Diversity often needs training.

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There are certain customs that people from other cultures are serious about and you just can’t violate those customs or the other person will be insulted and that will not be good for business. It will leave a really negative impression and that is the last thing that you want or need when you are trying to establish a solid, successful relationship.

Your goal is clear

If you ask yourself exactly what you hope to gain when it comes to cross-cultural communication, it is probably that you wish to successfully impart knowledge to the other person not only in a way that he or she understands but also in a way that the other person can benefit (for their own sake) as well as serving to strengthen the relationship that you share.

Laying the foundation

When it comes to laying the foundation, the first thing that you have to establish is your common ground. If you are interacting, you must have common ground. There are solid reasons why you are establishing a business relationship. Once you have figured that out, you can go from there.

The fact that you are different (culturally) is not nearly as important as your common goals. In fact, it is those qualities of diversity that make the relationship so interesting and so valuable. It will become clear (if it hasn’t been from the very beginning) that there are a series of shared goals on which  you will need to focus.

There are different levels of objectives that you will want to address and complete successfully. There are the business’s goals, the team’s goals, and the individual goals. It is important (whenever possible) to state what those goals are very clearly from the beginning so that everyone is on the same page. When it comes to individual goals, they will not all be the same and that is exactly why it is so important to discuss everything from the beginning. The other thing to consider is the fact that the goals may change over time as the work is in progress. Goals can be highly subjective.

Keep everyone motivated

The goals that individuals are working on are each important to the person as well as to the team and the organization. Consistent motivation is essential for success. The goals are based on needs and even though the organization is made up of individual people, the successful functioning of the organization is the ultimate goal and each person (no matter where he or she is from and no matter how diverse the group is) contributes to that goal and the goal cannot be achieved without each and every person doing what he or she needs to do. 

Creating tasks

Just as much as the goals of the organization need to be established up front, the tasks (as much as possible) also need to be established from the beginning. They are part of the plan (or roadmap). The roles and responsibilities should be assigned from the beginning. 

Conclusion

Cross-cultural communication is essential in today’s business world. You will be faced with language barriers as well as differences in customs and beliefs. You should embrace them and learn as much as you can from the other person because he or she has a lot to teach, as do you. Always keep an open mind, have an acquaintenceship with the other person’s culture, listen to what they are telling you, and always make sure that you have a human connection with the other person. You will want to recognize how important the diversity is and how much it will enhance your business. 

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