PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

Lesson 3: Diversity and Intercultural Communication

After our discussion, you will be able to:

1. demonstrate an awareness of cultural diversity
2. demonstrate an understanding of how cultural diversity affects communication
3. value diversity and improve intercultural competence
4. appreciate the benefits and challenges of cross-cultural communication
5. connect and communicate across cultures

Everyone is unique!
 According to science, each person is genetically unique
 Except for identical twins, each person has a unique genetic disposition
 This uniqueness is even more heightened because of individual experiences

Humans are formed by forces other than genetics

 family background
 religious affiliations
 educational achievements
 socio-cultural forces
 economic conditions
 emotional states

No two people can ever be the same!

 This situation –the diversity of people and cultures–impacts communication
 People interacting with those coming from unfamiliar cultures may have difficulties in communication
 Most people tend to conclude that miscommunication results from a speaker’s lack of proficiency in a
language
 What is not realized is the fact that even with excellent language skills, people may still experience
miscommunication

Culture and Communication

Analogy of Cultural Iceberg
o Icebergs peak over the water, revealing just a small portion of their total mass.
o Culture is similar in that people at first just see a small portion of a person's culture based on things
such as clothing, appearance, speech, grooming, etc.
o However, these observations comprise just a fraction of a person's culture. Just like with a physical
iceberg, a cultural iceberg contains essential characteristics beneath the surface.
 Countries, areas of a country, companies, and even functions within a company can have different
cultures, as can online and face to face social networks.
 Men and women exhibit cultural differences, as do generations.
 Often, these differences are thought of as diversity and this diversity impacts communication

Layers of Culture
 National level: according to one’s country
 As most nation are composed of culturally different regions and/or ethnic and/or religious and/or
language group
 According to whether a person was born as a male or female
 Which separates grandparents from parents from children
 Associates with educational opportunities and with a person’s occupation or profession
 According to the way employees have been socialized by their work organizations

Generational Differences
 Label Dates of Birth Generalized Traits
Patriotic, dependable, conformist, respect
1925 – 1945
Traditional authority, rigid, socially and financially
75-95 years old
conservative, solid work ethic
Workaholic, idealistic, loyal, competitive,
1946 – 1964
Baby Boomers materialistic, seek personal fulfillment,
56-74 years old
values titles and the corner office
Self-reliant, adaptable, cynical, distrust,
1965 – 1979
Gen Xers authority, resourceful, entrepreneurial, tech
41-55 years old
savy
Entitled, optimistic, civic minded, close
Gen Y 1980 – 2001 parental involvement, value work-life
(Millennial) 19-40 years old balance, impatient, multitasking, team-
oriented
No nonsense, competitive, connected,
2002-
Gen Z socially-responsible, customizers, plugged-
Below 19 years old
in, self-reliant

Communicating in High Context and Low Context Cultures

 How people communicate with one another varies wildly from culture to culture.
 In our fully globalized times, it is more important than ever to understand these differences and where
they come from.
 One way to reach such an understanding is through the high and low context culture framework,
developed by anthropologist Edward T. Hall.
 In 1976, Hall proposed that cultures can be divided into two categories—high context and low context.
 The concept has been a popular frame of reference since its introduction 40 years ago and is used as a
training tool to this day.

High Context vs. Low Context Continuum

 LOW-CONTEXT CULTURE
Tend to prefer direct verbal interaction
Tend to understand meaning at one level only
Are generally less proficient in reading
nonverbal cues
Value individualism
Rely more on logic
Employ linear logic
Say no directly
Communicate in highly structured messages,
provide details, stress literal meanings, give
authority to written information
HIGH-CONTEXT CULTURE
Tend to prefer indirect verbal interaction
Tend to understand meanings embedded at many
sociocultural levels
Are generally more proficient in reading nonverbal
cues
Value group membership
Rely more on context and feeling
Employ spiral logic
Talk around point; avoid saying no
Communication in simple, sometimes ambiguous
messages; understand visual messages readily

Communication dynamics in high and low context cultures

When communicating in a high context culture such as Mexico, Japan or the Middle East, you might
encounter the following:
 Large amount of information is provided in a non-verbal manner, e.g. gestures, pauses, facial
expressions
 Emphasis on long term relationships and loyalty
 ‘Unwritten’ rules that are taken for granted but can easily be missed by strangers.

When doing business in a low context culture, such as Germany, Switzerland or the US, on the other hand,
you might find the following:
 All meaning is explicitly provided in the message itself
 Extensive background information and explanations are provided verbally to avoid misunderstandings
 People tend to have short-term relationships
 People follow rules and standards closely

Blocks to Intercultural Communication

Ethnocentrism
  Viewing other cultures and making judgments based on what is normal in your own experience and
culture.
 This assumes that one’s own culture is superior to others.
 Someone with an ethnocentric view might describe a practice from another culture as “weird” or
“wrong” because they are using their own frame of reference (what they think is normal) to judge
something they are not familiar with.
Discrimination
 Discrimination is differential treatment based on unfair categorization.
 It is a denial of fairness prompted by prejudice (the negative attitude toward individuals who belong
to groups considered different than the dominant group)
 Racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ageism etc.
Stereotyping
 Stereotyping is generalizing about the attributes of a particular social identity group without regard
to individual diversity within the group.
 Usually is negative, but in all cases is limiting and ignores the history and social context for its
creation.

The Benefits of Intercultural Proficiency

1. Avoiding ethnocentrism
Ethnocentric reactions can be reduced through knowledge of other cultures and the
development of increased intercultural sensitivity
2. Practicing tolerance and empathy
This means trying to see the world through another’s eyes. It means being less judgmental and
more eager to seek common ground.
3. Practicing patience
If a foreigner is struggling to express an idea in English, we must avoid the temptation to finish
the sentence and provide the word that we presume is wanted. When we put words into their
mouths, our foreign friends often smile and agree out of politeness, but our words may in fact
not express their thoughts.

Successful Oral Communication in Intercultural Environments

1. Learn foreign phrases
In conversations, even when English is used, foreign nationals appreciate it when you learn
greetings and a few phrases in their language
2. Use simple English
Speak in short sentences (under 20 words) with familiar short words. For example, use old
rather than obsolete and rich rather than luxurious or sumptuous.
3. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly
Avoid fast speech, but don’t raise your voice. Over punctuate with pauses and full stops. Always
write numbers for all to see.
4. Observe eye messages
Be alert to a glazed expression or wandering eyes—these tell you the listener is lost.
5. Encourage accurate feedback
Ask probing questions and encourage the listener to paraphrase what you say. Do not assume
that a yes, a nod, or a smile indicates comprehension.
6. Check frequently for comprehension
Avoid waiting until you finish a long explanation to request feedback. Instead, make one point at
a time, pausing to check for comprehension. Do not proceed to B until A has been grasped.
7. Accept blame
If a misunderstanding results, graciously accept the blame for not making your meaning clear.
8. Listen without interrupting
Curb your desire to finish sentences or to fill our ideas for the speaker. Avoid being accused of
listening too little and talking too much.
9. Smile when appropriate
 Roger Axtell, international behavior expert, calls the smile the single most understood and most
useful form of communication in either personal or business transactions. In some cultures,
however, excessive smiling may seem insincere.
10. Follow up in writing
After conversations or oral negotiations, confirm the results and agreements with follow-up
letters. For proposals and contracts, engage a translator to prepare copies in the local
language.