CHAP TER

Team and Intercultural

2 Communicatiobn

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

be able to
After you have finished this chapter, you should

small
LO1 Communicate effectively and ethically in groups.

LO2 Collaborate to improve team writing.

L03 Communicate with intercultural audiences.

LO4 Communicate with diverse populations.

1
Subuway Ad Was Pefect.
6 Gaps Response to Racist Gra{fiti on a

Richard Feloni, Business Insider

36 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication

CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
Gap Responds Swiftly
to Racist Comments
To represent the diversity of its
customers, Gap created an ad
featuring Waris Ahluwalia, an
Indian-American designer and
actor, and Quentin Jones, a
model and filmmaker. Much Gap
of the reaction was positive, @Gap
Gap was founded in 1969 with a single store in San Francisco. We are
but not everyone was happy committed to bringing you accessible style.
with the portrayal? A graffitied facebook.com/gap
version of the ad in a New
York City subway included
stereotypes of people wearing 15,663 1,431 312,908
TWEETS FOLLOWING3 FOLLOWERs Follow
turbans as bombers and taxi
drivers.

When Gap learned of the offensive comments, the company said nothing directly
about the controversy but published this statement
Gap is a brand that celebrates inclusion and diversity. Our customers and
employees are of many different ethnicities, faiths, and lifestyles, and we
support them all.3

In addition, Gap changed its Twitter banner to the original image. Support for the
company's response traveled throughout Twitter, with people thanking Gap and
promising to shop the store for the holidays.

Companies must embrace the increasing diversity of their employees and consumer
base. Gap took a risk, and the outcome seemed to outweigh the temporary backlash.

CHAPTER 2 Team and Intercultural Communication 37

 LO1 Communicate 2-1 Work Team Communication
effectively and ethically in By definition, people who work in organizations communicate with other people. Workinp
small groups. in small groups and with diverse groups of people is one of the most enriching-and
sometimes one of the most challenging-aspects of a business environment. In this
chapter, we'll explore ways that you can get the most out of your experience working with
and learning from others.
A team is a group of individuals who depend on each other to accomplish a common
more work than individuals workine
objective. Teams are often more creative and accomplish
alone; a group's total output exceeds the sum of each individual's contribution. As a manager, if
you work well as part of a team and can resolve conflicts, you will likely be seen as an effective

leader with potential for promotion.

On the other hand, teams can waste time and create a toxic environment. If you have worked
as part of a team, you know all too well that people don't always contribute equally. Someone
you might call a "slacker" is practicing social loafing, the psychological term for avoiding
individual responsibility in a group setting.
Two to seven members-with five often as an ideal-seem to work best for effective work
teams Smaller teams often lack diversity of skills and interests to function well, and larger
teams struggle with managing their interactions because two or three people may dominate
discussions and make key decisions.

2-1a The Variables of Group Communication

Three factors-conflict, conformity, and consensus-greatly affect a team's performance
and how much team members enjoy working together. Let's consider a situation when these
variables would come into play. Imagine that you worked for Disney when a young boy was
killed by a bus at the Florida theme park. To address this tragedy, you are working on a crisis
management team with managers from several departments: transportation, public relations,
human resources, and legal. To be successful, this crisis team needs to navigate the variables
that shape group communication, explained in Figure 1.

2-1b Initial Group Goals

Teams work more
effectively when the members know each other wel1-their strengths and
weaknesses, work styles, experiences, attitudes, and so on. Starting off by getting to know each
other improves the social dimension
of your work, which may make tasks go more smoothly and
help you enjoy the team experience more.
Small talk about friends, family, and social activities before and after meetings is
natural and helps establish a
supportive and open environment. Even in online meeting
environments, you can post a
profile to introduce yourself or spend time IMing to learn
about each other.

Too
often, decisions just happen on a team; members
may go along with what they think
everyone else wants. Instead, teams should agree on how
for they'll operate and make decisions;
example, consider discussing the following early on with
your team:
What if someone misses a deliverable or
team meeting? How should he or she
the team? What are the notify
What if
consequences?
situation?
someoneneeds help completing a task? How
should he or she handle this
What if two team members are
having a conflict? How should it be resolved?
Which decisions will be most
decisions? important
for the team? How should the team make those
38 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication
 The Variables of Group Communication Figure 1

Many group leaders work hard to avoid confiicd, but conflict is what group meetings are all about. on the Disnoy
Conflict: crisis team, you would want people to voice different opinions. The head of transportation might be confióe
aDout Dus safety, while the attormey is more cautious and suggests stopping all bus routes until the cause of u i
Should teams accident is property understood. Without conflict, teams miss out on productive discussion and debate.
avoid conflict?
However, healthy conflict is about issues, not about personalities. Interpersonal conflict, such as personal
artacks, can doom a team. If the head of transportation took the attorney's advice personaly ("You dont know

anything about transportation, and I've been doing this for 15 years"), the situation could get ugly
Contomity is agreement to ideas, rules, or principles. Crisis team members can disagree about whether the
buses should be suspended, but certain fundamental issues, such as when the group meets, should be agrego
Conformity to by everyone.
Should team
members try to However, too much conformity can result in groupthink, when people think similarty without independent
conform?
thought. Groupthink stifles opposing ideas and the free flow of information.
f the pressure to conform is too great, negative information and contrary opinions are never even brought out
into the open and discussed. What if the attorney never raises the question of suspending buses? The team
could make a bad decision, which might be apparent if another accident happened at the park.

Consensus means reaching a decision that best reflects the thinking of all team members. Consensus is not
Consensus: necessarily a unanimous vote or even a majority vote. With a majority vote, only the members of themajonity are
Should teams happy with the end result;, people in the minority may have to accept something they don't like at al. Butwitn a

always strive for consensus decision, people who have reservations can still support the idea. For example, the Disney team

consensu? might agree to suspend the bus routes for only two days.
Not every decision needs to have the support of every member. This would be too difficut and take too long. The
team shoud decide which decisions are important enough to get everyone on board.

2-1c Constructive Feedback

Giving and receiving constructive feedback is critical to working through team problems. These
proven methods for giving and receiving criticism work equally well for giving and receiving
praise.

Acknowledge the Need for Feedback Emotional

Imagine a work environment-or a class-in which you never receive feedback on your INTELLIGENCE

performance. How would you know what you do well and what skills you need to develop?
Feedback is the only way to find out what needs to be improved. Your team must agree that How easily do you
accept feedback? How
giving and receiving feedback is part of your team's culture-how you'll work together. This way.
comfortable are you giving
no one will be surprised when he or she receives feedback.
feedback? Do you tend to
invite or avoid confict?

Give Both Positive and Negative Feedback

Many people take good work for granted and give feedback only when they notice problems.
In one study, 67% of employees said they received too little positive feedback. Hearing only
all.
complaints can be demoralizing and might discourage people from making any changes at
both
Always try to balance positive and constructive feedback. Figure 2 suggests ways give
to

positive and constructive feedback.

Use "" statements to describe how someone's behavior affects you. This approach focuses
on your reaction and helps avoid attacking or blaming the other person. Use the guidelines in
Figure 3, but adapt the model to your own language, so you're authentic and sound natural."

CHAPTER 2 Team and Intercultural Communication 39

 Figure 2 How to Give Positive and Negative Feedback

Speak lor yoursel. Use T stetements

Avold labels
Bedescrpove.
Stateobjectively what Words like
you saw or heard.Give unprofessiona
imesponsible, and
specific, recent
examples from your lazy are labels that
Own observations, if we attach to behaviors.
pOssible. Instead, describe the
behavlors and drop
the labels.
Don't exaggerate.
Be exact. To say, Don't refer to Instead of saying
"You often submit
"You never finish absent, anonymous
people ("A lot of work late," say, "I get
work on time" is
probably untrue people here don't annoyed when you
and untalr. like t when submit work late
you..". because It holds up
the rest of the team."
"T statements create
an adult/peer
relationship.

Figure 3 Using "" Statements When Giving Feedback

EXPLANATIiON
SEQUENCE
Start with a "When you.. . " statement that describes the behavior without judgment,
labeling. attribution, or motives. Just state the facts as specifically
as
"When you..." exaggeration,
possible.

Tell how the behavior affects you. If you need more than a word or two to describe the
"| feel.. it's some variation of joy, sorrow, anger, or fear.
probably just
feeling,
Now say why you are affected that way. Describe the connection between the facts
"Becausel..." you observed and the feelings they provoke in you.

Pause for
Let the other person respond.
discussion.)
"I would like.." Describe the change you want the other person to consider..
and why you think the change will help alleviate the problem.
"Because...
Listen to the other p son's response. Be prepared to discuss options and compro
What do you think?"
mise on a solution.

because [of such and such]." (Pause for

How the feedback will work: "When you [do this], I feel [this way],
it will accomplish [Y1. What do
discussion.) "What I would like you to consider is [doing X], because I think
you think?"
Example: "When you submit work late, I get angry because it delays the rest of the project. We needed your
research today in order to start the report outline." (Pause for discussion.) "l'd like you to consider finding some
way to finish work on time, so we can be more productive and meet our tight deadlines. What do you think?"

2-1d Conflict Resolution

As discussed earlier, conflicts are a natural and effective part of the team process-until they
become personal or distuptive. Most conflicts in groups can be prevented if a group spends
time developing itself into a team, getting to know each other, establishing ground rules, and
discussing norms for group behavior. However, no matter how much planning is done or how

40 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication

 conscientiously team members work, conflicts occasionally show up. Consider using these
strategies to manage team conflicts:

Ignore fleeting issues. Try not to overact to minor annoyances.

irrelevant topic
If someone introduces
an
during a meeting. you can probably
once
go.let it
Think of each problem as a group problem. It's tempting to defuse conflicts by
making one member a scapegoat-for example, "We'd be finished with this report now
if Sam had done his part: you can never depend on him." Rarely is one person solely
responsible for the success or failure of a group effort. Were expectations clear to Sam?
Was he waiting for data from someone else? Did he need help but couldn't get it from
the rest of the team? What is the team's role in encouraging or allowing behavior, and
what can each of you do differently to encourage more constructive behavior?
Be realistic about team performance. Don't assume responsibility for others'
happiness. You're responsible for being a fully contributing member of the team,
behaving ethically, and treating others with respect. But the purpose of the group is
not to develop lifelong friendships or to solve other people's time-management or
personal problems. If someóne is sick, you may decide to extend a deadline, but you do
not need to spend 20 minutes of a meeting talking about the illness.
Encourage al contributions, even if people disagree. You may not like what someone has
to say, but differences contribute to productive conflict. Try to respond in a nonthreatening.
constructive way. If the atmosphere temporarily becomes tense, you can make a light
comment, laugh, or offer a compliment to restore harmony and move the group forward.
Address persistent conflicts directly. If interpersonal confilict develops into a
permanent part of group interactions, it's best to address the confict directly.
Working through the conflict as a team may not be fun, but it will bring you to greater
understanding and a higher level of productivity. It takes a brave manager to say. "rd
like to talk about how we interact with each other at these meetings. It seems like we
often end up fighting-it's not productive, and someone usually gets hurt. Does anyone
else feel that way? What can we do differently?"

2-1e The Ethical Dimension of Team Communication

Ethics in
When you agree to participate on a team, you accept certain standards of ethical behavior.
cOMMUNICATION
One of these standards is to put the good of the team ahead of personal gain. In baseball, team
ethics are clear. If a runner is on base, the batter may bunt the ball, knowing he'll probably be
thrown out (i.e., the pitcher will get the ball to first base before he gets there). The batter makes
that the teammate advance a base.
the sacrifice for the good of the team, so can

and
Team members also have an ethical responsibility to respect each other's integrity
emotional needs. Everyone's ideas should be treated with respect, and no one should feel a loss
of self-esteem. Team members should be encouraged to produce their best work, rather than
feel criticized for not performing up to standard. When a baseball player hits a home run, the
entire team celebrates. When a player strikes out, you'll never see team members criticizing him.

the team's well-being-

Finally, each member has an ethical responsibility to promote
and sabotaging work. When New
refraining from destructive gossip, dominating meetings,
York Yankee Alex Rodriguez admitted using performance-enhancing steroids, for example,
his behavior created controversy and bruised the reputation of the entire team. One team
member's behavior can undermine the team's ability to reach its goals.

2-2 Collaboration on Team Writing Projects LO2 Collaborate to

improve team writing
The increasing complexity of the workplace makes it difficult for any person to have the
time or expertise to write long or complex documents on his or her own. Team writing is
common in organizations for sales proposals, recommendation reports, websites, financial

CHAPTER 2 Team and Intercultural Communication 41

 that require input from people in different function.
ons
analyses, and other projects or
departments.

2-2a Applying Strategies for Team Writing

If and two friends want open an ice cr to
Let's take an example of a start-up business. you Cream
store and need funding--from either a bank or private investors-you would write a busina
iness
You would probably all do extensive research
to make sure the business is feasible. Th
plan. another write the marketinp na
you might have one person write the financial projections,
and so on, until you complete the business plan. No one person will have expertise in all ar
of planning your new business. When you present your idea to investors, each of you will crea
slides for your part of the presentation. And later, when you create a website, you may divide un
up
for that too. Consider the steps in Figure 4 when writing as part of a team.
the writing

Figure 4 Steps for Team Writing

Determine project goals: who is the audience, and what result do yoU want?
ldentily will you cover, and what deliverables
Project ldentifty project components: what research do you need, what topics
Requirements Wll you produce?
Decide how you'll share lInformation: how will you collaborate online, and when ill you meet in person?

Create a Divide work tainly: which tasks suit each team member's strengths and interests?
Project Plan
Create a project plan: who will complete which task by when? (See Figure 5 for a sample.)

Begin with an outline: what major sections in what order will be included in the final product?
Draft the Apree on a writing style: ditferent people wrte diferet sectons, what style willyou use (eg, how formal?
Writing
Share information: if one person will create the entire first draft for consistency, how will each team member provide
his or her expertise?

Allow enough time for editing the draft: finishing a first draft the day before a project is due does not leave enough time.

Revise the Provide feedback: see the tips for commenting on peers' writing (Figure 6).
Writing Make sure you have a single "voice" in the project the final report should be coherent and cohesive
Have each team member review the entire draft look for errors in content (gaps or repetition) and
effective writng style.

Finalize the Have everyone proofread the final document: you are all responslble for the final version
Project Be clear about delivery: who will submit the final version, in what format, and by when?

Figure 5 shows the start ofa simple project plan. You can create something much more detailed,
or keep it simple and build on these steps.

2-2b Commenting on Peers' Writing

Commentingg on a peer's writing is useful for both of you. Your peer receives feedback to
improve his or her writing, and you practice technigues to objectively evaluate others'-
and eventualy your ownwriting. When done effectively, giving, each other feedback can
build a sense of community within the team. Follow the tips in Figure 6 for commenting on
peer writing
42 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication
 Example of a Simple Project Plan Figure 5
WRITING A BUSINESS PLAN
WHO TASK
BY WHEN
Madeline Create wiki.
Apri 20
Madeline Draft an outline for the
business plan. April 22
Griffin Draft company overview
section (mission,
vision, etc.). Apil 24
Beata Draft management profiles.
April 24
Research local ice cream
Madeline shops and other
businesses for competitive analysis section. April 30
To be continued .

Tips for Commenting on Peer Writing Figure 6

Read first for meaning: comment on the large issues

organization, relevance for the audience, and overall clarity.
first-the Information
Assume the role of reader-not instructor. Your job is to help the writer,
the assignment.
nat to grade
Point out sections that you liked, as well as those you disliked,
explaining specificaly
why you thought they were effective or ineffective (not "i liked this part," but You
did a good job of explaining this difficult concept").
Use " language (not "You need to make this clearer," but was
contused here
Comment helpfully-but sparingly. You don't need to paoint out the same misspe
a dozen times.
Emphasize the writer when giving positive feedback, and emphasize the text
(rather than the writer) when giving negative feedback: ""m glad yoa usedthemost
current data from the annual report." "This ergument would be more persuasivetor
me if it contained the most current data." Communication
Avoid taking over the text. Accept that you are reading someone else's writng-not TECHNOLOGIES
your own. Make constructive suggestions, but avoid making decisions ordemands

2-2c Using Technology for Work in Teams

Although working in teams can be a challenge, online collaborative tools can help you manage
documents and deadlines-and may improve your team communication. More businesses are
using online tools and are finding these useful results: inmproved work processes and outcomes,
better collaboration, more contributions, improved knowledge management, less email, and
fewer meetings.*0
Wikis are websites where groups of people collaborate on projects and edit each' other's
content. At LeapFrog, the toy maker, a team of researchers, product designers, and engineers
A happy customer with one of
uses a wiki to "log new product ideas, tratk concepts over the course of their development, and
LeapFrog's interactive toys.
spark better collaboration between team members." Wiggio and Wikispaces are free and offer Product teams at the toy
enough functionality for smal team projects, whereas enterprise wikis offer more functionality maker use wikis to collaborate
and control for large companies and major projects. on new product designs.

CHAPTER 2 Team and Intercultural Communication 43

 functionality.
On Google Drive, you can sha
offer much of a
wiki's
others' work (Figure 7). If
vod
Google products comment on you're
and revise and
can still show revisions
ua
documents (Google Docs) Docs, you
rather than Google o
Microsoft applications this type of sharing doesn't
using features. Although
and "Comment"
tools may be Just enough
for simne
the "Track Changes" wiki, these
benefits-of using a
the functionality-or the

projects.

Online Collaboration
Figure 7 Google Drive for
000
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Communication
LO3 Communicate with 2-3 Intercultural
intercultural audiences. communication) takes place between people from
(or cross-cultural
Intercultural communication
created by someone from one culture to be understood by
different cultures when a message is
multiculturalism refers to appreciating diversity
someone from another culture. More broadly,
differences in countries of origin.
DInternational among people, typically beyond
COMMUNICATION business environment, managers need to
To be successful in today's global, multicultural
be the standard language for
appreciate differences among people. Although English may
business communication. If you want to
business, by no means do we have one standard for all
do business abroad, you need to understand different cultures and adapt to the local language
of business.
with a dozen hotel brands in 91 countries, Hilton Worldwide knows the challenges of
employees working and traveling internationally. The company's online resource "Culture
Wise" prepares employees to navigate cultural differences. For several countries, employees
learn about travel tips, business practices, employee development, negotiations, and
so on."

When we talk about culture, we mean the customary traits, attitudes, and behaviors
of a group of people. Ethnocentrism is the belief that an individual's own cultural group
is superior. This attitude hinders communication, understanding, and goodwill between
business partners.
Diversity has a profound effect on our lives and poses opportunities and challenges for
managers: opportunities to expand our own thinking and learn about other cultures-and
challenges in communication. Although you'll learn in this chapter about communicating
with people from different cultures, keep in mind that each member of a culture is an
individual. We generalize here to teach broad principlesfor communication, but you should
always adapt to individuals, who may think, feel, and act quite differently from the cultural
norm or stereotype.

44 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication

2-3a Cultural Differences
Cultures differ widely in the traits Emotional
cultures vary in how much they value. For example, Figure 8 shows that INTELLIGENCE
they emphasize individualism, time
uncertainty avoidance, formality, materialism, orientation, power
internationa
distance, To help you understand
and context
We can look at communication sensitivity" differences, compare your
and "low-context" cultures, the lastdifferences even more deeply through a lens of "high-context own culture with another
value
T.Hall, high-context cultures rely less on listed in Figure 8. According to anthropologist Edward via the Hofstede Centre
words used and more on subtle (geert-hofstede.com
communicators. Communication for these cultures is more implicit and
actions and reactions of
Icountries.html)"
among people. Silence is not unusual in emphasizes relationships
these cultures, as it could have
context cultures, on the other hand, great
use. In low-context cultures,
rely on more explicit communication-themeaning. Low
words people
tasks are more
style of communication, which we'll explore important than relationships, so
more when we discuss
people use a direct
See examples of high- and low-context how to organize a message.
cultures along a continuum in
Figure 9.

Cultural Values Figure 8

VALUE
HIGH LOW

United States
Individualism: Cultures in which people Canada
Japan
see themselves first as individuals and be- China
Great Britain Mexico
lieve that their own interests take
priority. Australia Greece
Netherlands Hong Kong
Time Orientation: Cultures that perceive
time as a scarce resource and that tend to United States Pacific Rim and
be impatient. Switzerland Middle Eastero
countries
France United States
Power Distance: Cultures in which man
Spain Israel
agement decisions are made by the boss
Japan Gemany
simply because he or she is the boss. Mexico Ireland
Brazil Sweden
Uncertainty Avoidance: Cultures in which Israel United States
people want predictable and certain Japan Canada
futures. Italy Australia
Argentina Singapore
Formality: Cultures that attach consider- China UnitedStat
ableimportance to tradition, ceremony, India Canada
Latin American
social rules, and rank.
countries
Scandinave
cOuntrles
Materialism: Cultures that emphasize as- Japan
sertiveness and the acquisition of money Austria Soandinav
and material objects. Italy cOuntris
Context Sensitivity: Cultures that em-
phasize the surrounding circumstances Asian and
(or context), make extensive use of body
Northen
African European
language, and take the time to build rela- countries countrles
tionships and establish trust.
To learn
more about cutural differences,
read Geert Hofstede, Culture's Co
quences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Orgenizatons Across
Nations, 2nd ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications)

CHAPTER 2 Team and Intercultural Communication 45

 McDonald's adapts its marketing to local
With restaurants in 119 countries,
a collectivist society,
McDonald's "Glad
Figure 9 High and Low markets. For example, in Latin
America,
rather than products
campaign profiled people
Context Cultures You Came" (#quebuenoqueviniste)
individualist societies (Figure
10).5
which it showcases for
High-Context Cultures cultures too. Site navigation for high.
websites for different
Companies customize their and new pages opening in
include subtle guidance
context cultures, for example, might to select new entry points for
the user
This strategy allows
several new browser windows. to have more linear thought
which tend
low-context cultures,
further exploration. But for pages will open within the
more explicit,
and new
cues may be
Japan patterns, navigational and forth easily"
current window, to allow
the user to go back
Arab Countries
Greece our own mental
flter, and that ilter is based on our
We all interpret events through example, the language of time is as
Spain and perspectives. For
Italy unique knowledge, experiences, of words. Americans,
Canadians, Germans, and
England different among cultures as the language Latin American and
about appointments;
France time conscious and precise
North America Japanese are very about time. For example, if your Mexican
Middle Eastern cultures
tend to be more casual
Scandinavian Countries
it's most likely mds o menos (Spanish
will meet with you at 3:00,
Geman-Speaking Countries
host tells you that he or she
for "more or less") 3:00.
American countries tend to favor lono
Asian and Latin
Businesspeople in both for a while before getting
deliberations. They exchange pleasantries
negotiations and slow cultures use silence during meetings to
non-Western
down to business. Similarly, many States and Canada tend
Low-Context Cultures
contemplate a decision, whereas businesspeople from the United
As a result, Americans and
silence in business negotiations.
to have little tolerance for would have been
and counterproposals that
Canadians may rush in and offer compromises
silence-and more patient.
were more comfortable
with the
unnecessary if they

Colombia
McDonald's Tailors Advertising in
Figure 10
Follow
MMcDonald's Colombia
@McDonaldsCol

McDonald's
"Nunca vamos a dejar de ir a
iNos e n c a n t a ! " #QuéBuenoQueViniste

pic.twitter.com/cZ3GV9zG7q
V i e w translation

Favorts Mor
RepBy 23 Retweet
Denieda Vaer Margarha y Hetale Colonbs

Comparte tu momento con

#québuenoqueviniste
Nosotros lo compertimos
conel mundo.

que buenose viniste

Greem

46 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication

 Body language, especially gestures and
oursign for "okay"-forming a circle with eye contact, also varies among cultures. For
example,
money" Japan,
in and a
vulgarity in Brazil
our
forefinger and thumb-means "zero" in France,
contact important. In Asian and many Latin(Figure 11)." Americans and Canadians consider eye
full in the eye is considered an American countries,
irritating sign of poor upbringing. however, looking colleague
a

Same Sign, Different Meanings Figure 11

Thumb and foreinger

Most countrles: money:
OK algn France: something is
France: youTe a zero; Thumbe-up Thumbe-down Open paim
Japan: please gve me perfect; Australlac up yours; Most countries: Greece: an Insult dat-
Mediherranee: a vulgar Germany: the number
colns something is wrong ing to anclent times;
gesture one;
Brazl an obscene orrbad West Africa You have
Japan: the number five five fathers, an insult
gesture; Saudi Arablar 'm akin to calling
Moditerranesen
countriles: an winning; someone a bastard
Ghana: an insult;
Dbscene gesture Malaysla: the thumb is
Used to point rather
than the finger

The use of physical touch is very culture specific. Many Asians do not like to
be touched except
for a brief handshake in greeting. However, handshakes in much of
Europe tend to last much
longer than in the United States and Canada, and Europeans tend to shake hands every time
see each other, perhaps several times a day. In much of
they
Europe, men often kiss each other upon
greeting; if you don't know this custom, you might react inappropriately and embarrass yourself.
Our feelings about space are partly an outgrowth of our culture and partly a result of
geography and economics. For example, Americans and Canadians are used to wide-open
spaces and tend to move about expansively, using hand and arm motions for emphasis.
But in Japan, which has much smaller living and working spaces, such abrupt and extensive
body movements are not typical. Likewise, Americans and Canadians tend to sit face-to-face so
that they can maintain eye contact, whereas the Chinese and Japanese (to whom eye contact is
not so important) tend to sit side-by-side during negotiations.

Also, the sense of personal space differs among cultures. In the United States and Canada,
most business exchanges occur at about five feet, within the "social zone," which is closer
than the "public zone," but farther than the "intimate zone" (see Figure 12). However, both in
Middle Eastern and Latin American countries, this distance is too far. Businesspeople there
tend to stand close enough to feel your breath as you speak. Most Americans and Canadians
will unconsciously back away from such close contact.
Finally, social behavior is very culture dependent. For example, in the Japanese culture, who
bows first upon meeting. how deeply the person bows, and how long the bow is held depend
on one's status.

Before you travel or interact with people from other countries, become familiar with these
and other customs, for example, giving (and accepting) gifts, exchanging business cards, the
degree of formality expected, and how people entertain.

CHAPTER2 Team and Intercultural Communication 47

 Figure 12
The Toyoda family changed
the company name to
Toyota in 1937 for its
clearer sound and more
favorable number of strokes
for writing the name,
Akio Toyoda apologizes at a recall press
conference for Toyota Mptor Company.
48 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication
Personal Spaces for Social Interaction
DISTANCE (FEET)
1V2
12
PUBLUIC
CASUAL
SOCIAL
INTIMATE
2-3b Group-Oriented Behavior
As shown earlier, the business environment in capitalistic societies, such as the United States and
Canada, places great value on how individuals contribute to an organization. Individual efforts
often stressed more than group effort, and a competitive atmosphere prevails. But in other cultures,
originality and independenceof judgment are not valued as highly as teamwork. The Japanese say,
"A nail standing out will be hammered down." The Japanese go to great lengths to reach decisions
through group consensus.
Closely related to the concept of group-oriented behavior is the notion of "saving
face." People save face when they avoid embarrassment. When Akio Toyoda, the
Japanese president of Toyota Motor Corporation, apologized for many vehicle recalls, he
demonstrated emotion and great humility-far more than might have been expected of an
American business leader.
Human relationships are highly valued in Japanese cultures and are
embodied in the concept of wa, the Japanese pursuit of harmony. This
concept makes it dificult for the Japanese to say "no" to a request because
it would be impolite. They,are very reluctant to offend others-even if
they
unintentionally mislead them instead. A "yes" to a Japanese person might
mean "Yes, I understand you" rather than "Yes, I
agree." To an American, the
Japanese style ofcommunication may seem too indirect and verbose. At one
point during Toyoda's testimony before Congress, the committee chair said,
"What I'm trying to find out...is that a yes ora no?" To Japanese viewers, this
sounded rude and disrespectful.20
Latin Americans also tend to avoid an outright "no" in their business
dealings,
preferring instead a milder, less explicit response. For successful intercultural
communications, you have to read between the lines because what is left
unsaid or unwritten may be just as important as what is said or
written.
2-3c Strategies for Communicating Across Cultures
When communicating with people from different cultures, whether abroad or at home, use the
following strategies.
Maintain Formality
Compared to U.S. and Canadian cultures, most other cultures value and a much more
formalapproach to business dealings. Call others by their titles and respect names unless
family
 specifically asked to do otherwise. By both verbal and nonverbal clues, convey an attitude
of propriety and decorum. Although you may think these strategies sound cold, most other
cultures consider these appropriate.

Show Respect
Learn about your host country-its geography, form of government, largest cities, culture,
current events, and so on. Delta Air Lines missed a step when congratulating the United States
on a victory against Ghana during the World Cup. In a tweet, the company showed the United
States represented by the Statue of Liberty and Ghana represented by a giraffe (Figure 15).
Jokes ensued: the only giraffes in Ghana are at a zoo and a showing of The Lion King."

Delta Air Lines Misrepresents Ghana Figure 13

Delta
Deita
Follow

Congrats team #USA! Nice goal

@clint dempsey@soundersfc! #USAvGHA
#USMNT #DeltaSEA
pic.twitter.com/7C8iRzPzoa
Reply a Retweet *Favorite More

When interacting with people from other cultures, withhold judgment. Although different
from your own, attitudes held by an entire culture are probably based on sound reasoning. Listen
carefully to what is being communicated, trying to understand the other person's perspective.
Expect to adapt to different cultures. For Japanese business practices, it is not uncommon
for the evening's entertainment to extend beyond dinner. You can expect a second round of
drinks or an invitation to a coffee shop. Refusing a drink during social business engagements
may even be considered rude or impolite. If you're not a drinker, think about how you would
handle the situation in advance.

Communicate Clearly
To make your oral and written messages understood, follow these guidelines:
Avoid slang. jargon, and other figuresofspeech. Expressions such as "They'll eat that
up" or "out in left field" can confuse even a fluent English speaker.

CHAPTER2 Team and Intercultural Communication 49

 examples.
concrete

B e specific andillustrate
your points with write a summary of points
covered
summarlze
frequently, understanding.
and encourage
feedback, her
Provide and solicit for his or
counterpart
in a meeting, ask your allow time for
meeting to
before the
questions. (distributed
handouts
Use a variety of media: on. choose yourwords
models, and so to be
condescending);

reading), visuals, as
not so slowly
and slowly (but
Speak plainly counterpart,
or worse, it
on your
be lost
carefully. may
humor is risky-it
U s e humor
sparingly:
different cultures are
may offend someone. with,
business and avoid
comfortable
are more
about, and of
international

the benefits
more
know
People who because they reap
effective managers
more

misunderstandings.

Inclusion
2-4 Diversity and
LO4 Communicate with States
diverse populations. Within the United Each year, the
United States
United States.
within the companies-and a
have much diversity opportunities for
Of course, we tremendous
which creates
even more diverse,
becomes communicators.
business
few challenges for

2-4a The Value of

Diversity would you allocate work when
is exactly the same. How
in which everyone thinks the
Imagine a company ideas when everyone
How would you generate new
everyone has
the same skills?

same way? People from

provides richness
and strength for an organization.
Diversity among employees make better decisions,
solve problems,
varied backgrounds and
perspectives help companies
to work.
more interesting place
and create a much
seek employees from different
the need for diversity and actively
Companies recognize Fitch's focus on diversity is prominent
on the
retailer Abercrombie &
backgrounds. Clothing
career pages of its
website (Figure 14).

Figure 14 Abercrombie & Fitch's Careers Website

Abercrombie
&Fitch

O1VERSIY& NCUUSTON

ANIAOA
PE

1EA SUREME:T K ACCouuTAgLI

ITERAL ETERKAL
COMMUICA TION

50 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication

 Many companies today go beyond thinking simply about diversity-which tends to focus
on numbers of people-and strive for inclusion. Do all
at work? Are they able to contribute fuly to an employees feel included and welkomed
organization, or do invisible barriers prevent
people from participating in relevant meetings, making significant decisions. getting their ldeas
implemented, and getting promoted? Focusing on an inclusive work environment ensures that
all employees can reach their fullpotential with a company.
As you look at companies' websites, you'll see that many of them, like Abercrombie & Fitchs
refer to both diversity and inclusion. State Fam, the insurance company, defines diversity and
inclusion as follows:

Diversity is the collective strength of experiences, skills, talents. perspectives,

and cultures that each agent and employee brings to State Farm. It's how we
create a dynamic business environment to serve our customers.
Inclusion is about respecting and valuing the unique dimension each agent
and employee adds to the organization. We recognize that agents and
employees are at their creative and productive best when they work in an
inclusive workenvironment.
PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra K. Nooyi believes bringing our whole selves
to work is the key to inclusion:

The only way we will hold on to the best and brightest is to grasp them
emotionally. No one may feel excluded. Its our job to draw the best out of
everyone. That means employees must be able to immerse their whole seves PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi
in a work environment in which they can develop their careers, families and to work.
promotes bringing our whole selves
philanthropy, and truly believe they are cared for.3
Nooyi wants people to be who they are at home and at work-not playing a role on the job.
One of hereight leadership lessons is "Put your whole self into the job: head, heart and hands."
We work (and live) best together when we know each other. This requires us to be vulnerable
dificult to share we who are and ask for what's
sometimes and awkward other times. It can be
ourselves and accepting what we
important to us. But this kind openness-both revealing
of
an inclusive work environment.3
learn about others-is essential to

2-4b Diversity of Thought

often jump to differences in race and sex, but
When people think of diversity or inclusion, they witha team,
more complex and interesting. When you're working
the concept of diversity is far
Karen sees only problems, Kai jumps
how differently everyone approaches a project.
you notice
wants to put together a schedule.
right to a solution, and Stephanie
and approach? We all come from different places
What causes these differences in thought
us. Growing up in a large family, practicing Judaism,
living
and bring with us what has shaped
being diagnosed with Asperger's, being gay-these
in an urban area, struggling financially,
The Chancellor's Committee on Diversity at
make us who we are.
qualities and experiences of experiences and
Francisco, defines diversity as "The variety
The University of California, San mental or physical abilities,
which arise from differences in race, culture, religion,
perspective
orientation, gender identity, and other characteristies.
heritage, age, gender, sexual
within a group all think and act
our notion that people
Diversity of thought challenges reveal. You may hear people in
than our skin color, age, or sex
alike. We are far more diverse no more diverse than
referred to as "diverse," but they are
underrepresented minority groups
members of a minority group as well)."
White males (who are likely
and nuanced kind of
new frontier...a more powerful
Deloitte calls diversity ofthought "the for example,
can manage thought diversity,
diversity." The consulting firm offers ways managers the "right" answers and
candidates who don't always get
by hiring for skill gaps and considering
Team and Intercultural
Communication 51
CHAPTER 2
 by encouraging debate and facilitating tension, rather than avoiding it." This thinking a
tension is consistent with team communication, discussed earlier in this chapter: a Cer
certain
degree of conflict is healthy and necessary for organizations.

2-4c Strategies for Communicating Across Differences

Communication, particularly language, is an important part of helping8 people feel comfortat
ble
feel about themsel
with people affects how they
to express alternative ideas. Howwe interact
and ultimately how they contribute to the organization. Following are tips for communicati
Emotional cating
INTELLIGENCE across differences

What about your Race and Ethnicity

because someone lont.
background affects how in the United States. Just
Race, ethnicity, and heritage are complex He could be adopted, from
you comnmunicate with that person identifies with it. a
like a particular race doesn't mean "Where are you from
others? What biases may American. Repeatedly hearing
mixed-race home, or a third-generation
get in the way of your his entire life.
can get tiresome for someone
who has lived in the States
relationships with others?
unclear. By 2050, although the non-Hispanie
Even our definition of "minority" is becoming
no one group will represent
a
majority of the
White population will remain the largest group,
United States." Will we all be
"minorities"?

evolving. The U.S. Census Form allowed

Terminology used to refer to groups constantly
is
their origin and race (Figures 15 and 16). But
people to select from several categories identify
to

Figure 15 Question 8 on the U.S. Census Form

origin?
8. Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin
Yes, Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano
Yes, Puerto Rican
Yes, Cuban
Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin-Print origin, for example,
Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on
Argertinearn, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan,
**

Question 9 on the U.S. Census Form

Figure 16
or more boxes.
9. What is Person 1's race? Mark X one
white
Black, African Am., or Negro
American Indian or Alaska NativePrint
name
ofenrolled or principal tribe.7

********

Native Hawaiian
Asian Indian Japanese
Guamanian or ChamoTo
Chinese Korean
Vietnamese Samoan
Filipino
OtherPactficIslander-Print
Other Aslan-Printrace, for
race, for example, Fijian, Tongan,
example, Hmong, Laotien, Thai,
Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on. andso on.

Some other racePrint race

52 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication

even these categories may not apply to how each person prefers to be identifhed. Some White
Americans prefer the term Europeon American or Coucasian, and some Asian Americans prefer to be
identined by their country of origin-for example, Chinese Americon or Indonesian Americon. Others
prefer different designations. What we call ourselves is not a trivial matter. The terms used to refer
to other groups are not ours to establish, and it's easy enough to use terms that others prefer.

Sex and Gender ldentity

of course, more differences exist within each gender group than between groups. We should be
careful not to stereotype and wrongly assume that oll women or all men communicate or behave
in one way. And yet, recognizing that common differences do exist may help us understand each
other better and improve communication overal (see Figure 17)."

Differences in Male and Female Communication Patterns Figure 17

MALE FEMALE
Communicate primarily to preserve independence and
Communicate largely to build rapport
status by displaying knowledge and skill
Prefer to work out their problems by themselves Prefer to talk out solutions with another person
Are more likely to be critical Are more likely to compliment the work of a coworker
Tend to intemupt to dominate a conversation or to change Tend to interrupt to agree with or to support what
the subject another person is sayling
Tend to be more directive in their conversation Emphasize políteness
Tend to internalize successes and to externalize failures:
Tend to externalize successes and to internalize
"That's one of my strengths." "We should have been given failures: "I was lucky" ""m just not
more time."
at good that
Speak differently to other men than they do to women Speak differently to other women than they do to men

Again, these differences are best thought of along a continuum, with plenty of overlap
between men and women. Also, for most of us, whetherwe'remale or female is an easy question,
but for some, it's not so straightforward. What a culture defines as male or female may not fit
how an individual self-identifies. For example, a transgender person may not identify with his or
her biological sex or socially defined gender. An individual's biological sex may be different from
what we can see. Therefore, male or female pronouns (he or she, him or her) may not work for
everyone, and we should be open to other labels to describe one's gender identity. Recognizing
these issues, Facebook offers more than 50 gender options for user profles."
In addition to accepting potential differences, we can improve working relationships by
avoiding gender-specific language. Follow the strategies in Figure 18 for using inclusive, gender
neutral language.

Age
Because people are living and working longer, more generations are represented in the
workforce. Much has been written about differences among the generations, but according
to recent research, some of these differences-particularly the negative effects-may be
overstated. According to one study of approximately 100,000 people in 34 countries within
North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, 42% of employees say they have experienced
differences
intergenerational conflict at work, but the same percentage say that generational
improve productivity. These numbers are very consistent by generation and geographic region.
Between 68% and 75% of employees do adapt their communication style for colleagues from
different generations; however, the method people prefer for communicating (e.g., face-to-face
or email) is similar across generations and countries.334

CHAPTER 2 Team and Intercultural Communication 53

 Figure 18 Strategies for Inclusive, Gender-Neutral Language
1.Use neutral job titles to avoid implying thata job is heldbyonly men or only womer
men.
INSTEAD OF USE
salesman sales representative, sales associate
male nurse nurse

waitress server

stewardess light attendant

businessmen employees, managers
2. Avoid words and phrases that unnecessarily imply gender.

INSTEAD OF USE
best man for the job best person for the job
executives and their wives executives and their partners
you guys everyone
housewife homemaker
manmade artificial, manufactured
mankind people, human beings
manpower human resources, employees

3. Use appropriate personal titles and salutations.

f a woman has a professional title, use it (Dr. Martha Ralston, the Rev.
Deborah Connel).
Follow a woman's preference in being addressed as Miss,
Mrs., or Ms.
Ifa woman's marital status or her preference is unknown, use Ms.
If you dont know the reader's sex or gender, use a gender-neutral salutation
(Dear Investor, Dear Neighbor, Dear Customer, Dear Policyholder). Or, youmay
use the full name in the salutation (Dear Chris Andrews, Dear
Terry Brooks)
4. Avoid he or his as generic pronouns (eg, "Each manager must evaluate his
employees annually"). This is debatable, but is easy enough to workaround with
these alternatives:
Use plural nouns and pronouns. "All managers must evaluate their employees
annually" (But not: "Each manager must evaluate theiremployees annually
which uses a plural pronoun to refer to a singular noun)
Use second-person pronouns (you,your). "You must evaluateyouremployees
annually."
Omit the pronoun. "Each manager must evaluate
employees annually
Use his or her (sparingly). "Each manager must
evaluate his or her employees
annually."
Avoid using "one" as a singular pronoun, which is considered tooformalfor
business communication in the United States.

It's best to be aware of potential differences but-as discussed throughout this section-not
to judge people based only on their age. Assuming that an older worker doesn't understand
technology or that a younger worker doesn't understand the business is unfair to individuals
and may lead to bad business decisions. Also, avoid age-biased language, such as referring to
people as "old," "senior citizens,"or worse.

54 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication

Sexual Orientation
Although same-sex marrmage is now legal and has become
more accepted in the United
States, can gays and lesbians
bring their whole selves to work? Can
their social and family lives, just as
they speak about
straight
about theirs? To pave the way for others, people
talk
Tim Cook wrote "Tm proud to be Apple CEO
gay in an open letter
in Bloomberg&usinessweek" In his
chapter in Possion and
Purpose, Josh Bronstein talks about his decision to "come
out-to be openly gay at work:
The energy required to hide
my identity from those
who l assumed wouldn't like it distracted me
from
the work I was being paid to do. Since On The Tonight Show, actor Jonah Hill apologized for homophobic remark.
then, being
has
openly gay only helped me professionaly-e benefited from a
sense of community and a professional network that
stronger
spans functional silos, more
confidence when speaking with senior leaders, and the comfort of
able to use accurate
always being
pronouns.
Homophobic and heterosexist language is still far too common and should never be used in
the workplace. Jonah Hill, actor and outspoken supporter of rights, insulted an aggressive
gay Show
paparazzo with a homophobic slur. He apologized on The Tonight
Iwanted to hurt him back, and I said the most hurtful word that I could think of
at that moment. I didn't mean it in the sense
of the
word.... [but] that doesn't
The word Ichose was grotesque, and no one deserves to
matter. say or hear
words like that.... Ive been a
supporter of the LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer/questioning] community my entire life, and Icompletely let
the members of that community and everybody else down...
Ability
Managers who want to hire the best employees for their companies go beyond the legal
requirements and accommodate people with disabilities. One way to think about people is that
were all diferently abled"-each with strengths as well as areas that need development o
accommodation. You may have a great eye for design but need help with construction. No one
is perfect.
Always, everywhere, avoid using language like, "Are you deaf?" "He's a little slow,"or"What
are you, blindP" Jokes about people with disabilities don't go over well.
Instead of using potentially disparaging language, use "people-first language" which
respects people's dignity and avoids labels." With people-first language, you identify the person
before his or her disability: for example, say, "Alejandro is a sophomore who has epilepsy" rather
than referring to "the epileptic"-there's much more to Alejandro than his disability. Also avoid
referring to someone as "handicapped."We still have "handicapped" parking spaces-an outdated
term-but, when referring to people, a handicap may imply a limitation and a disadvantage. A
high school in Texas printed yearbooks that referred to some students with special needs as
"mentally retarded." Understandably. parents and students were "shocked" and "appalled."39
The best approach for communicating with people with disabilities is to use your natural way
of speaking and natural eye contact. Try to be yourself.

Religion
Whether we were raised in a certain tradition or adopted it later in life, religion helps people
create meaning in their lives. At many companies, discussing religious beliefs, Iike political
beliefs, is discouraged. But some companies allow people to practice what is most important
to them during the day. Technology companies, for example, are beginning to use prayer rooms

CHAPTER 2 Team and Intercultural Communication 55

 as a recruiting tool. In Alight Internet service provider Gogo is bulding dedie ated spaces
Muslims and others to use for prayer or meditation for
At the same time.people who don't practice religion should not be forced to do so. Unless th
organization is identihed with a particular religion, and new hires know this before acceat
job, employees may not want to for example, pray before business meals.
acceptimg a

Be mindful about religious differences. Not everyone wants to hear "Merry Christmas"
its not their holiday. Try to avoid assumptions based on appearance, names, or the major
ity.

Income Level or Socioeconomic Status

Wealth has become a polarizing issue around the world. In the United States, for exs
about-and backlash from -the so called
xampie,
the Occupy Movement has inspired protests
-

are under hre for paying low o

"one
percent of earners, and McDonald's and other companies Nages
In the office, family background and income level maygive
people an advantage. Someone raised in a family of busines
executives may understand important work behaviors, fo
example, what to wear and how to interact with senior level

WE ARE managers. What if someone can't atford to wear tailored

WORTH
clothes or go out to lunch with the team? Try to be sensitive
to financial pressures and how they can affect relationshi
and perception.

MORE!
IGHTFOR1S
Other Characteristics
What else do we bring to work? Veteran status, political
views, whether we have children, and many other qualities
make each of us unique and full contributors to

Workers protest tor higther wages at At Donald's. organization. We all members of difterent groups with
are

different customs, values, and attitudes.

2-4d Offending and Taking Offense

In a truly inclusive working environment, we encourage differences rather than squelch them
This kind of management inspires diversity of thought and ultimately leads to better decisions

But this isn't necessarily an easy way to work, and sometimes, we mess up. We make
otfend. In her book
and use terms that unintentionally
assumptions that aren't accurate
Maura Cullen tells about using the word biackmai
35 Dumb Things Well-Intended Pawple Say.
found to have racial connotations." Was the woman being
during a meeting, which someone with coerced and
didn't; she simply replaced the word
overly sensitive? Who's to judge? Cullen could understand each other better.
then spoke with her colleague after the meeting so they
we take risks-
we bring our whole selves to work,
We have to be our own advocates. When
to educate coworkers who don't know you and what
and we have responsibilities. You may have
you need.
have every right to say so, but try to address
When something offends you at work, you
wont improve your working relationship or
issues rationally. Calling someone a racist likely of the
the tips for team communication at the beginning
change the person's behavior. Use
feedback and resolving conflicts. With this approach, you'l
chapter for giving constructive
feels valued and wants to work.
contribute to the type of place where everyone

56 PART1 Foundations of Business Communication