Have you ever heard “reading the air?”
👇
Most people think they communicate well.
From emails to messages to meetings, a good chunk of any day requires the exchange of information.
Now think back. When was the last time someone misunderstood your message?
It’s probably not too long ago. It might even have been today!
Now imagine if you were communicating across cultures. The likelihood for miscommunication greatly increases, even when you are skilled in the language.
Today’s world of fractional employment, globalized teams, and international business all increase the opportunities for miscommunication.
Poor communication leads to:
• Lost sales
• Increased stress
• Unclear responsibilities
• Failure to complete tasks
• Lower morale and motivation
It’s ever more important to recognize and resolve, if not actually limit, communication issues.
📣 High-Context vs. Low Context Cultures
The styles of communication between different people from different cultures can be broken into two groups: high-context and low-context.
Low-context cultures communicate in a direct and precise manner. Information is primarily conveyed through words rather than contextual elements. There also is a more direct back-and-forth exchange of information to confirm and clarify meaning.
Example cultures: US, UK, and Germany
High-context cultures rely on underlying meaning and contextual clues to convey the message. There is more nuance in a message which needs to be successfully decoded to understand the meaning and intent. In fact, in Japan, the term is called “reading the air.”
Example cultures: China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia
No one culture is strictly high-context or low-context. All fall between the two extremes, sharing characteristics of both to varying degrees.
No one cultural style of communication is better than the other. The two are just different, which need to be realized if you want to limit miscommunication.
📣 In Business
The key to successfully communicating across cultures is easy and difficult at the same time. Easy because the answer is simple: You must be aware of the cultural context. Difficult because you must understand the culture context!
So which do you choose when communicating across cultures, high- or low-context?
To start, there needs to be understanding and empathy on both sides. “I’m sorry, I don’t fully understand…” and “Let me check that I follow your meaning…” are direct requests for clarity, and feel especially direct for a high-context culture, but prove helpful.
But ideally you should adopt the cultural practices where business is being conducted. If you are in Japan, a Japanese business style should dominate. If you are in Germany, a German style should dominate.
As a final word, one side should not be frustrated at the other side. Miscommunication is going to happen! So display patience and understanding.
PS. Have you ever made a mistake when communicating across cultures?
*****
📌 Working through a different communication style is never easy. By understanding, respecting, and adapting to different styles will improve collaboration and shared successes.
*****
📌 The idea to raise this topic was inspired by so many people from so many different countries here on LinkedIn. We share ideas and information, and sell out services, which means we increase the likelihood of miscommunicating.
Remember to be patient and give others the benefit of the doubt before growing frustrated!