How can you adjust your communication style to build global networks?

1 Understand your own style

Before you can adjust your communication style to others, you need to understand your own. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a communicator? How do you express yourself verbally and non-verbally? How do you handle feedback, conflict, and ambiguity? How do you prefer to communicate in different situations, such as formal meetings, casual conversations, or written messages? Knowing your own style can help you identify areas where you need to improve or adapt, and also appreciate the diversity of other styles.

2 Learn about the cultural dimensions

Communication styles are influenced by many factors, but one of the most important ones is culture. Culture affects how people perceive, interpret, and respond to information, emotions, and expectations. To communicate effectively across cultures, you need to learn about the cultural dimensions that shape communication styles, such as power distance, individualism vs collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs femininity, and long-term vs short-term orientation. These dimensions can help you understand the differences and similarities between your own culture and the cultures of your global network, and avoid misunderstandings and miscommunication.

3 Adapt to the context and purpose

Communication styles also vary depending on the context and purpose of the communication. For example, some contexts may require more formality, hierarchy, or protocol, while others may be more informal, egalitarian, or flexible. Some purposes may require more clarity, detail, or evidence, while others may be more vague, general, or suggestive. To communicate effectively in different contexts and purposes, you need to adapt your communication style accordingly. For example, you may need to use more or less directness, politeness, humor, or emotion, depending on the situation and the audience.

4 Use multiple channels and modes

Communication styles also depend on the channels and modes of communication. Channels are the mediums through which communication takes place, such as phone, email, video call, or face-to-face. Modes are the ways in which communication is delivered, such as spoken, written, or visual. To communicate effectively across channels and modes, you need to use multiple and appropriate ones for your global network. For example, you may need to use different channels and modes for different purposes, such as phone or video call for urgent or complex matters, email or chat for routine or simple matters, and face-to-face for building rapport or trust. You may also need to use different channels and modes for different preferences, such as spoken or written for different language levels, or visual or verbal for different learning styles.

5 Seek feedback and improvement

Communication styles are not fixed or static, but dynamic and evolving. To communicate effectively across cultures, contexts, and preferences, you need to seek feedback and improvement constantly. Feedback can help you assess how well you are communicating with your global network, and identify areas where you need to adjust or improve your communication style. Improvement can help you enhance your communication skills and competencies, and increase your confidence and credibility as a global communicator. To seek feedback and improvement, you need to be open-minded, curious, and respectful, and use various sources and methods, such as self-evaluation, peer review, coaching, mentoring, or training.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?