Cultural Quick Tips Page 2

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Say Good Morning!
Greetings are an important part of daily life. What we say and when we say it varies by culture around the world. For example, by saying hello to people in the morning, we are acknowledging the other person and their importance to us. For high context cultures, which are located in the Mediterranean, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, it is considered rude and cold not to say good morning to each person that is met, no matter how late in the morning. When people from other cultures come to the USA, they often interpret the lack of greetings in the American workplace as unfriendly. If you are working in a multi-cultural workplace, use your morning greetings to reach out to your coworkers and create a more friendly environment at work.

Are you in my space?
Cultures around the world have different ideas about how much personal space is needed to feel comfortable. In the US, while geographic variations exist, the American culture overall places a high value on having personal space. Think of how often you have heard "you're in my space." In many cultures, keeping the typical American distance of an arm length away would be considered cold and impersonal. Our sense of personal space extends to our offices and our cubicles, with people often feeling that other folks who walk into "their space" at work, without being invited, are rude. When working in a multicultural environment, pay attention to how much personal space you and other people need. Then explain or adapt as needed so that neither one of you feels that their personal space is being invaded.

What are you really saying?
Have you ever had an interaction in which no-one was on the same page? Sometimes when you feel like everyone is on a different page, the confusion comes from the unspoken clues and statements that are being communicated and interpreted differently. In most situations, what is not said is as valuable (and relevant) as what is being said. When you start communicating across cultures, the challenge in understanding the non-verbal cues and messages is exponentially harder. Thus, when we are participating in multicultural communication, we need to pay particular attention to what we are saying and understanding verbally and non-verbally. The next time you are communicating across cultural lines (however they are defined), stop and ask yourself what messages you are sending both verbally and non-verbally. Also ask yourself if what you are interpreting from the other person is an accurate reflection of their true meaning. If in doubt - ask for clarification. It will mean you will both be clear about what you are really trying to say.

What Kind Of Moment Are You Having?
When we have a "moment" with someone from another country we typically assume that we are having a cultural "moment" because we are from different cultures. In reality two other factors may be coming into play: personality and issue. Someone who has a different personality, no matter where they are from, will occasionally have clashes with us – creating "moments" of misunderstanding. Likewise, if we are playing different roles (ie. parent and child, or manager and employee) we will also see an issue from a different viewpoint. The next time you have a "moment" stop and ask yourself: "PI or C?" or "Am I having a Personality Moment , an Issue Moment or Cultural Moment? Once you are able to clarify what kind of "PIC moment" you are having, then you can respond more effectively and appropriately.

What's Your Culture?
When we learn about other cultures we often think about it as "us " understanding "them". But when developing a deep understanding about cross cultural issues, we must first start with understanding ourselves or "us" understanding "us". Take a moment and think about how you see the world. How have your education, traveling, gender, faith, children, sexual orientation, hobbies,  and/or  recreational interests shaped who you are? What celebrations and rituals are important to you?  These elements collectively form your unique cultural identity, the lens through which you see the world. In this sense, every encounter we have with another person is essentially a cultural exchange, not just those with someone who obviously speaks, eats, dresses or appears differently. The next time you interact across cultures, share who you are, too. This will help us to learn from each other and not just about each other.

Getting Specific
While it can be helpful at times to understand the region of the world where someone comes from, this is useful just as a general introduction. Vast cultural differences exist between countries in Asia and in South America even between neighboring countries such as Colombia and Venezuela. Just as Americans take pride in their regional backgrounds, people from other countries take pride in their own specific cultural heritage. When you meet someone who is from outside the USA, ask them which country instead of which region of the world they are from. Then make it a point to learn about their country's holidays and traditions. By doing so, you will honor the specific cultural background that is an integral part of who they are.

Ringing in the New Year
For those of us living in the USA, the New Year is linked to our calendar but for many people around the world, the New Year celebration is a lunar holiday (its celebration depends upon the cycles of the moon). Many Asian countries celebrate what is commonly called the Chinese New Year, this year which will be celebrated January 22-24,2004. But this is not true for everyone -the Mongolians will celebrate it starting February 24 for example. For many people this is the largest celebration in the year so ask them when they celebrate the New Year, and then make sure that you pass along New Year greetings for them when the time comes around.

Ask Open Ended Questions
When we function in a foreign language, we have a tendency to say yes when we are asked a question, even if we don't understand what was asked. This is even true when we are asked "Do you understand?" The next time you are interacting cross culturally, ask an open-ended question such as "Can you tell me what you need to do next?" instead of "Do you understand?" If the person is unable to answer what they need to do, then you know that you need to explain further.

Meeting Communication Across Cultures
We all know communication is key to ensuring good relationships, no matter who we are communicating with. But, when communicating across cultures, it is even more important. If you are having meetings with participants from different cultures, put more of your communication in writing than you normally would. Under each agenda item, put bullet points of topics to covered and key issues that need discussion. This ensures that everyone (even those with more limited English skills) can feel confident that they are understanding what is being presented.

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