Tips to understand other cultures - Intercultural Communication

We define culture as a dynamic and shared meanings, attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviors that are transmitted over the time from a group members to others (They are parents, teachers, media, etc.). Cultures are not homogeneous but each one has different characteristics that have developed over the time influenced by different circumstances.

Culture is learned and shared. It is a knowledge that allows people to communicate with others and interpret their behavior. This means that the interpretation of other's behavior will be influenced by our culture itself, that we have learned. Therefore, when we are faced with another person who comes from another culture, we tend to "judge " or "understand" the behavior from our perspective, which can lead  prejudices, stereotypes, etc. that impedes clear communication with the another person. In the workplace this will move to unclear policies, increased costs in projects due to delays, employees, colleagues or bosses dissatisfied with personal and team's performance creating a vicious circle of conflict. In the area of interculturalism this is a toxic element called -ethnocentrism produced usually with the belief that one's own cultural group is better or more evolved than the other or simply a misunderstanding that there are other perspectives and that behavior can have other causes.

But how to get out of this vicious circle within the field of business?. Among the most efficient tips are those effectively listen, give feedback to the person with which you are communicating (either verbal or nonverbal ), present problems as mutual, mix the positive with the negative feedback, provide feedback on an appropriate time, use the "I " Whenever possible, be specific and so on.

It is very important to be prepared for what the other culture and the other should be prepared on our as well and that it is possible to find a new field of understanding where business or personal relationships are more efficient.  You should talk to people individually, is a very important element . Always in private, Whenever possible.

Here is a video of two minutes where languages ​​do not need to understand the importance of a team is in clear communication, having a good predisposition to avoid more serious consequences such as those seen in the same (time approx 2 minutes).

http://youtu.be/HD4KQM6KZow

Paula de Figueiredo

PM Intercultural Agent

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