 In the class:

 Present the main ideas from the book chapter

 Questions and activities to make you think/check understanding
 Outside class:
 Study the book chapter
 At the end of the week, complete the online chapter quiz
 Final exam will be a test based on the book content!

TEACHING APPROACH
 Chapter 1
Succeeding in the
Social and Mobile
Workplace

BUS207 Business Communications

 Business
Communication Skills

The Importance
of Listening

Interculturality
Nonverbal
and
Communication
Globalization
HONOR CODE
3
Nonverbal Communication 4
 “We cannot not communicate” (Paul Watzlawick)

Nonverbal communication
includes all unwritten and
unspoken messages,
whether intended or not
Successful communicators
recognize the power of
Messages are even harder
nonverbal messages.
to decipher when the
However, their
verbal and nonverbal cues
interpretation strongly
do not agree
depends on context and on
one’s cultural background

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication (Dr. Alex Lyon): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOhLMEKLTKE&ab

 Nonverbal cues affect how a message is interpreted (or
decoded) by the receiver

Eye contact and facial expressions Body movements

(gestures and posture)

Time Space and territory Appearance

WORKPLACE-RELEVANT NONVERBAL CUES

 What meanings does eye contact
have in your culture?
Are they the same as or different
from North American ideas?

Eye contact

7
 Are facial
expressions
universal, or can

Facial expressions
they have culturally
specific meanings?

8
Gestures
Are there any gestures
in your culture which
are considered rude and
should be avoided?

9
 What are the
common features of
these peoples’
postures? What
does their posture
signal?

Posture (1)
10
 What do their postures tell
us about the types of topics
they might be talking about?

11
Posture (2)
Time

12
Space 13
Territory

14
Appearance
15
 Establish and maintain Interpret nonverbal Associate with people
eye contact meanings in context from different cultures

Use posture to show Probe for more Appreciate the power

interest information of appearance

Reduce or eliminate Improve your decoding Observe yourself and

physical barriers skills get positive feedback

MASTERING NONVERBAL SKILLS

 • Use strong, confident speaking voice (avoid fillers and jargon)
Verbal • Use active listening

• Notice how your emotions feel physically

Nonverbal • Be intentional and effective about your nonverbal communications

• Consider your audience

Visual • Use visuals that add value, are clear, and easy-to-understand

• Strive for simplicity (including effective and enjoyable writing)

Written • Review your written communications

WAYS TO USE THE TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

17
 18
Nonverbal Communication (Leyla Tacconi): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6NTM793zvo&ab
Intercultural Communication
19
 20
How does culture influence communication?
 21
English is the current lingua franca
 Comprehending the verbal and nonverbal meanings of a
message is difficult even when communicators share the same
culture, but when they come from different cultures, special
sensitivity and skills are necessary

Global business, new communication technologies,

the Internet, and social media span the world,
reducing distances; however, cultural differences still
exist and can cause significant misunderstandings

DEFINING CULTURE
22
 Culture
Culture may be Culture is a
defined as the powerful operating
complex system of force that molds the
values, traits, morals, way we think,
and customs shared behave, and
by a society communicate

DEFINING CULTURE
23
 Culture is not innate

Culture is learnt

For example,
Halloween

DEFINING CULTURE
24
 Culture is like an
iceberg

Visible behaviours
(clothing, food,
language)
Invisible forces
(assumptions, beliefs,
values)

DEFINING CULTURE
25
 Broaden horizons
Avoid
Flexible attitude
frustrations

THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERCULTURALITY

26
 27
THE FIVE KEY DIMENSIONS OF
Context

28
Individualism

29
Time orientation

30
Power distance

31
Communication style

32
 Low High

Direct verbal Intuitive,

interaction contemplative

Logical,
Words not
analytical,
taken literally
action-oriented

CULTURAL DIMENSION #1: CONTEXT

33
 Individualism
(low-context cultures; Collectivism
e.g. USA)
(high-context cultures;
e.g. Japan)

CULTURAL DIMENSION #2:

INDIVIDUALISM
34
The perception of time and how to use it are culturally
learnt
For example, ahorita (South
North America American expression)
Time is a precious commodity Other cultures Literally means right now,
Time is correlated with Time is perceived as an immediately
efficiency, money, and unlimited resource However, it can also mean in a
productivity minute, in ten minutes, or in an
hour, etc.

CULTURAL DIMENSION #3: TIME

ORIENTATION
35
 High-power-distance Low-power-distance
cultures cultures

Subordinates and supervisors are

Formal hierarchies
considered as equals

Authoritarian and paternalistic power Active participation in decision-

relationships making

CULTURAL DIMENSION #4:

POWER DISTANCE
36
 Context is more important
Words and important

High-context
Low-context than words

Straightforward More evasive

Impatience with Patience is a virtue

silence and delays

CULTURAL DIMENSION #5: COMMUNICATION

37
How do both technology and social media
affect intercultural communication?

38
Social media networks blur
cultural gaps

Despite globalisation,
regional and cultural
differences persist

HOW TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECT

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
39
 Stereotypes
Ethnocentrism

Oversimplified
perception

We judge others
by our own In fallacies, hasty
values generalisation

BECOMING INTERCULTURALLY PROFICIENT

40
41
 Listen without
Use simple English Accept blame
interrupting

Speak slowly and

Observe eye message Smile when appropriate
enunciate clearly

Encourage accurate Check frequently for

Follow up in writing
feedback comprehension

SUCCESSFUL ORAL COMMUNICATION WITH INTERCULTURAL AUDIENCES

42
 Consider local Use short
Observe titles and
styles and sentences and brief
ranks
conventions paragraphs

Avoid ambiguous Cite numbers

wording (e.g. carefully (e.g.
idioms or slang) figures or dates)

SUCCESSFUL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION WITH INTERCULTURAL AUDIENCES

43
Globalizatio
n

44
Diversity

45
 Understand
Seek training values and
differences

Learn about Make fewer

cultures assumptions

Build on
similarities

TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH DIVERSE AUDIENCES ON THE JOB

46
Cross Cultural Communication (Pellegrino Riccardi): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMyofREc5Jk&ab
 Effective negotiation in multicultural business contexts

Control your
Adapt the way you disagree
attitude

Avoid yes-no Careful with

Build trust
questions writing

ADDITIONAL READING:
GETTING TO SÍ, JA, OUI, HAI, AND DA
Erin Meyer’s Getting to Sí, Ja, Oui, Hai, and Da: https://hbr.org/2015/12/getting-to-si-ja-oui-hai-and-da
47
REMINDER: IF IT IS SAID THAT “WE DRESS TO IMPRESS,” WE
MUST ALSO WRITE TO IMPRESS
48
 Communication Business
technology communication skills

CONCLUSION

(Professionalism, Intercultural
education, listening, communication
nonverbal skills)
49
STUDY CHAPTER 1 AND
WORK ON THE END OF
TERM REPORT
50
 Chapter 1
Succeeding in the
Social and Mobile
Workplace

BUS207 Business Communications