Organisations with a diverse workforce, that do business globally or with customers from diverse backgrounds, rely on their employees to communicate effectively. The ability that an organisation has to deal appropriately with different cultures will directly affect its overall viability in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
Our culture influences our:
- Communication style, including voice tone, idioms, and preferred ways of speaking and interacting with others
- Body language, such as eye contact and preferences related to proximity
- Values, attitudes and beliefs over the right and wrong way to approach situations
- Concept of time.
It's easy in a fast paced business environment to think that you should act quickly, but cross cultural communication requires time to understand or to be understood. Keep in mind that jumping to conclusions can cause conflict.