How to Improve Your Intercultural Communication
The expansion of the internet has allowed people to connect with others from all over the globe. With the ability to reach more people, challenges can arise when communicating with those who have a culture that is different from yours.
To start, what is culture? People use this word all the time, but what does it really mean? The definition of culture varies from person to person, but some defining features are language, customs and traditions, and values. Different cultures don’t necessarily have to take place in opposite sides of the world. For example, a serious business organization may have a different culture than a local art museum.
Whether you find yourself communicating with someone from another culture in your personal or business life, here are some tips on how you can work to improve your intercultural communication.
Understand your own culture and bias
This is one concept that many people forget when communicating interculturally. It may seem selfish, but take some time to realize your own cultural background. To best communicate with others, you need to realize your own strengths and limitations when it comes to communicating. For instance, if you know that you aren’t good at displaying nonverbal cues, then it would be a challenge to communicate with someone who relies heavily on those cues. Once you realize your own culture and biases, don’t be afraid to change for the better. You don’t have to change your entire life, but altering little things, like including more nonverbal cues into your conversation, can help your communication skills.
Research
Showing up to an exam without much studying wouldn’t make for a good grade (most of the time). So, when it comes with communicating with people who are different from you, come prepared. Take some time to learn about the culture of the person with whom you are trying to communicate. This might have been more difficult pre-internet, but now we are fortunate to have a wealth of information at our fingertips. Some sample things to research:
- Appropriate topics to discuss
- Which things does the culture value?
- Are there some topics that the other culture is uncomfortable discussing?
- How they interact with other people
- Do they conduct formal conversations?
- Do they expect a handshake when first meeting, or some other gesture?
Be observant
You would be surprised how the little things can help you to create or change conversation. If you notice someone feels uncomfortable regarding a certain topic you are discussing, you can use this information to change the conversation to a different topic. Observing can also help you to find commonalities between you and the person you want to communicate with. Are they wearing a shirt that represents your favorite show? Do they have a similar style to you? These are points that can help you to establish a relationship, or to have topics to talk about if the conversation starts to fail.
Remember that each person is unique
Don’t make assumptions on someone solely based on their culture. There are many resources that give an overview on dos and don’ts for many cultures, but it does not describe every person. That is why it’s important to get to the know the specific person you are going to communicate with. Just because someone is from a different culture doesn’t mean that they aren’t a human being, so remember to treat them with respect.
Next time you find yourself in a situation where you are communicating interculturally, hopefully these tips will help you to have a successful conversation.
About Noelle
Noelle Hobbs is a junior at GVSU, majoring in Advertising and Public Relations with an emphasis in Advertising, and a Double Minor in Digital Studies and Writing. She enjoys being a member of GrandPR because of the real-life experiences that it provides for her field. In her free time, Noelle can be found doing activities with her sorority (Alpha Omicron Pi), getting ice cream, or keeping up on her favorite TV shows.