How do you negotiate and persuade in a multilingual workplace?

A good example of this is the difference between British English and North American English. It’s different. I have a British service provider who lives in Argentina, and I have really had to be very compassionate and understanding of the way he communicates. I even had to google some of the words he has said to me before. It has taken me some time to get used to it, but it’s definitely worth working with him. Plus, it is just respectful in general to treat people from other cultures like human beings regardless of demographics.

Negotiate and persuade in a multilingual workplace by adapting communication styles, utilizing clear visuals, seeking common ground, and fostering a culture of active listening to bridge language gaps.

This is much easier said than done, particularly of the topic is complex. Most, if not all companies and professions have their own jargon, so not using it could be impossible. Also, checking for comprehension is potentially a little insulting, so sensitivity is required. Adhering to the list provided here would be extremely challenging for most, unless they were teachers. This requires training!

Use of simple language to explain leaves deeper meaning and motives. Generally, when we are preparing Management Information reports it is advisable to maintain the simplistic version of the document integrated with graphical representation of the data. This version is easy to understand for non technical users too. This helps in creating a cordial engagement with all stakeholders , grip their attention and helps them focus on main point. 1. Watch out for multi word phrases, which can be replaced with single word (Nominalisation) 2. Use words that you fully understand 3. Aim to communicate your point with fewest words possible

Ao negociar e persuadir em um ambiente de trabalho multilíngue, é crucial que sua mensagem seja clara e compreensível. Evite jarg?es, gírias, express?es idiomáticas, metáforas e frases complexas que possam confundir os ouvintes. Prefira uma linguagem simples e direta, repita os pontos principais e verifique se todos entenderam a mensagem. Use recursos visuais, como tabelas, gráficos e diagramas, e até mesmo storytellings para apoiar seus argumentos e ilustrar suas ideias. Dessa forma, você garante que sua mensagem seja bem compreendida, facilitando uma comunica??o eficaz, simples e inclusiva, essencial para um ambiente de trabalho diversificado.

As a result of Globalisation, many professional are working with global teams to better serve their client base. As a result Persuading and negotiating in multilingual workplace becomes a key skill. Firstly, you have to understand your audience,”I have observed that by being inclusive and open to understanding various cultural background helps us navigate through this”. Listening plays an integral role in this as in order to make your point it is important to understand what is being offered at its entirety. As Oscar Trimboli says, “Communication isn’t about what you say, it’s about what you hear, what you react to and respond, in short : it’s about how you Listen.”

I agree, however you need to know about the culture of your audience. Sometimes the non-verbal cues listed above have different signification and might be cultural faux-pas.

-In my experience, this is crucial. The truth is in the eyes of the beholder and thus your communication style must first and foremost be relatable and trustworthy. Only once that trust has been established, can you become more assertive and provide persuading guidance. One way to establish trust is to provide transparency and context of your approach. For example, if you're pitching something to someone in a different culture, you may say something like, "In our culture, it's common to hear X when we're talking about Y, and I say that to provide some context as to why you may see me do X from time to time. That said though, I like where you're going with this and I'm optimistic we can get creative with our approach."

Multilingual communication is not only about communicating in different languages. It is also about how communications are perceived in different cultures. For eg, in certain cultures the onus of understanding what is communicated lies with the listener, while in some other cultures this responsibility lies with the speaker. Another aspect to consider could be body language and facial expressions which vary from culture to culture, and they do add to the meanings of words. In that sense, multilingual communication is more nuanced than just the exact meaning of spoken words.

The start point is to be conscious of differences in cultural meanings .... of words, tones, tenor and references!! Some interactive fun may be the best way to set the stage.