Effective Cross-Cultural Communication

Name: Effective Cross-Cultural Communication
Author: Mercedes Naficy D'Angelo

Facilitate effective communication across cultures

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Course: On-Demand

(soft music) Let's learn about cross-cultural communication, and how to help your team communicate effectively with each other. Differences in cultural values can impact your ability to communicate effectively. With the right training, you and your team will be able to set a foundation of ground rules that allow for mutual understanding in efficient, effective communication. There is another cultural value that impacts team members and team dynamics. This is risk versus caution. This cultural dimension is also called high versus low uncertainty avoidance. Certain cultures reward risk-taking while others do not because they prefer to avoid uncertainty. Risk carries with it the possibility of failure, and being comfortable with failure or mistakes ranges from country to country. The US, for example, has seen relatively few wars on its soil. It also has expansive natural resources and two growing seasons. An environment free of war where someone can take a risk on one crop with a knowledge that if they failed they still had another season to grow crops, work to create a culture comfortable with risk. This was further reinforced by pioneers risking everything to start new lives far away from the safety of their homes. The most common characteristic of US culture is entrepreneurialism, which goes hand in hand with individualism and risk-taking. But countries like Russia, for example, that have had turbulent histories under various imperialistic and communist regimes, tend to avoid risk. They also tend to be cautious about change. Keeping a low profile and not taking risks were matters of survival over many generations. Risk versus caution cultural values can impact a variety of important team interactions. Your team members from cultures who expect risk-taking will accept mistakes more easily. Your team members from risk-avoidant cultures are culturally patterned to avoid failure. Failure is seen as negatively impacting their professional reputation. This fear of failure could lead to withholding information, a lack of transparency, and a lack of initiative.

Intermediate Provider : Mercedes Naficy D'Angelo 3 Lessons · 7m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

Differences in cultural values can impact your ability to communicate effectively. Everyone has different communication styles, each with its own downfall. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflict among team members. Cultural differences also impact things like willingness to take risks. Training can help set a foundation of ground rules that allow for mutual understanding in effective communication. There are also steps managers can take to facilitate effective communication. So how can you establish rules of engagement for teams?

In this course, you will learn how to optimize cross-cultural communication by establishing rules of engagement and promoting understanding among employees of different cultural values. You will also learn how to lay the foundation for mutual understanding and effective communication among teams in your workplace. By the end of this course, you will have the knowledge to improve communication and reduce conflict in the workplace.

What You'll Learn

Identify the difference between risk-taking and cautionary cultural values
Optimize cross-cultural communication among employees of different cultural values
Establish rules of engagement for teams in your workplace
Lay the foundation for mutual understanding and effective communication among teams
Promote understanding to improve communication and reduce conflict in the workplace

Key Takeaways

Differences in cultural values can impact your ability to communicate effectively.
Differing communication styles, each with its own downfall, can lead to misunderstandings and conflict among team members.
Cultural differences also affect factors such as willingness to take risks.
Training can set a foundation of ground rules that allow for mutual understanding in effective communication.
Managers can take steps to facilitate effective communication, including establishing rules of engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn in this course?

You will learn how to optimize cross-cultural communication by establishing rules of engagement and promoting understanding among employees of different cultural values, and how to lay the foundation for mutual understanding and effective communication among teams in your workplace.

How can this course help my workplace?

By the end of the course, you will have the knowledge to improve communication and reduce conflict in the workplace.

What topics does the course cover?

The course covers Focus and Impact: Risk versus Caution Values Orientation, Cross-Cultural Communication, and Establishing Rules of Engagement.

Who is this course suited for?

It is suited for managers and team members who want to facilitate effective communication, since managers can take steps to facilitate effective communication and establish rules of engagement for teams.

Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®)

Professional Development Credits (PDCs): 0.25

Certification Program Categories:

Leadership & NavigationBusiness AcumenConsultationGlobal MindsetEthical PracticeRelationship ManagementAnalytical AptitudeCommunicationDiversity, Equity & Inclusion

KnowledgeCity is approved by SHRM as a Recertification General Provider to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). By taking the courses approved by SHRM, KnowledgeCity can award SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for HR knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™).