It’s no secret that effective communication is central to the success of any organization, regardless of industry. But in order to truly understand what it takes to communicate effectively; you must first understand the different cultural factors that influence the way people interact with one another.
Our world is more interconnected than ever before, a fact that has given rise to many changes in the ways that businesses and organizations operate. Workplaces are more diverse, remote teams are scattered across the country or around the world, and businesses that once sold products to a single demographic might now sell to a global market. All of these factors have converged to make cross-cultural communication a vital part of organizational success.
In my experience working with large global brands with offices all around the world, it’s difficult communicating effectively. In today’s rapidly changing professional world, it’s critical to gain an understanding of how cultural elements influence communication between individuals and groups in the workplace. Developing strong cross-cultural communication skills is the first step in creating a successful work environment that brings out the best in all of an organization’s team members.
To be successful in any industry, organizations need to understand the communication patterns of employees, customers, investors, and other audiences. Awareness and willingness to adjust allow for the exchange of information regardless of cultural values, norms, and behaviors that may vary between audiences.
Given the different backgrounds that each audience comes from, it is critical to understand how culture influences communication, and how this can impact organizational processes. Patty Goodman, PhD, the faculty lead for cross-cultural communication in Northeastern’s Master’s in Corporate and Organizational Communications program, says, “Effective cross-cultural communication is essential to preventing and resolving conflict, building networks, and creating a satisfactory work environment for everyone involved.”
Additionally, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that culture has a significant impact on productivity. As such, it is important to be cognizant of the fact that “employees from different backgrounds are motivated by different incentives and react differently to various management and communication styles.”
Four tips I have used over the years to help improved cross-cultural communication are:
- Embrace Agility – The inability or unwillingness to adapt to change is a common barrier to cross-cultural communication.
- Be Open Minded – closed-mindedness is another barrier to cross-cultural communication that can hinder the success of an organization.
- Facilitate meaningful conversation – A lack of communication in an organization can exacerbate cultural differences between individuals.
- Become Aware – become more culturally and self-aware.