Navigating Culture - January

Welcome to Country Navigator’s January Newsletter. This month we’re looking at perhaps the most important skill for success in the global business world. And also, a skill that often gives us the most headaches.

?NEWSLETTER CONTENT:

• You guessed it - we’re talking about communication
• Communicate with Impact
• The year of the rabbit
• Masterclass: Reimagining Innovation
• Latest blogs

YOU GUESSED IT - WE’RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION

The good news is that you’re not alone if you find communication difficult. One piece of research has shown that 86% of surveyed employees, corporate executives, and educators blame workplace failures on ineffective communication.

So, why does this keep happening?

The answer is simple, although the process is much more complex.

Every time we communicate, what we say or write is translated by the person who receives the message. We all use our perceptual filters to interpret the messages we receive. And when we communicate with someone whose filter is different from ours, it can feel as if they’re coming from a different planet. Just imagine telling a joke to a teenage kid. They’ll roll their eyes at you even if it’s the best joke in the world!

Culture shapes these filters. It gives us not just the words, but the tone, conventions of acceptability and style of communication.

Imagine you offered a colleague your best homemade cheesecake, and they said no, what do you do next? Do you try to find another colleague that wants to try it, or do you ask again? In some cultures, it’s considered impolite to accept the food the first time it’s offered. Or what if you offered it to someone in Bulgaria, and they just shook their head? You might be surprised to find out they just signaled ‘yes’.

In some cultures, declining an offer with a direct ‘no’ might be considered rude, so they often rely with subtle cues and nonverbal communication to say no rather than saying it directly. In others - a simple and direct ‘no’ would be enough because it’s clear and straight to the point. This is the difference between implicit and explicit communication styles.

COMMUNICATE WITH IMPACT

Miscommunication can come at a great cost. It can lead to failed projects, lost deals, and even a multi-million-dollar Mars Climate orbiter crashing into Mars’s atmosphere.

So, how do you communicate effectively?

Be an active listener, instead of quickly assigning meaning, ask questions, check for understanding and be curious.

Don’t interrupt - leave a short pause before replying to leave room for everyone to understand better and voice their own opinions.

Learn about your own style and try to understand the style of those you communicate with. The WorldPrism model of culture gives you a great insight into how you and your colleagues from other cultures work and communicate. If you don’t have access, contact us and we’ll set you up with a trial license in no time.

For more helpful tips and insights on how communication works and how you can develop effective, global communication skills, join our FREE Masterclass: Reading between the lines - Communicating across cultures on February 9 at 3 PM (CET). You can register here.

THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT

On January 22, more than 20% of the world will gather to celebrate The Chinese New Year and welcome The Year of the Rabbit. In China, you’ll hear it being called chunjie (春节), or the Spring Festival. The date marks the end of the cold days and the beginning of planting and harvests, as well as new chapters and fresh starts.

Did you know that more fireworks are set off in the world that night than any other? As in the myth about the monster Nián (年), setting off firecrackers can ward off evil spirits and bad luck.

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