Here are four tips to help you improve cross-cultural communication in your organization. 1. Embrace Agility The inabili

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Here are four tips to help you improve cross-cultural
communication in your organization.
1. Embrace Agility
The inability or unwillingness to adapt to change is a common
barrier to cross-cultural communication. Often, people are
reluctant to accept new things due to an unconscious fear that
doing so will change their culture or belief system in some way,
Goodman explains. If these assumptions are not questioned, actions
can be detrimental to personal and organizational growth. By
becoming aware of unconscious barriers or subconscious biases,
people can become more open to adapting.
“When an organization becomes too set in its ways, it can halt
improvements because they are not open to trying different ways of
doing things,” Goodman says.
Instead, organizations need to be focused on continuous
improvement, which requires a certain degree of flexibility and
willingness to try different ways of doing things. Unfortunately,
there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this problem. Rather, the
best way to address the issue often involves getting started on an
individual level.
To begin, consider stepping out of your comfort zone and trying
new things in the workplace. In terms of cross-cultural
communication, one of the best ways to embrace this idea is to try
new methods of doing things in ways that can help you better
understand the perspectives of others.
2. Be Open-Minded
Similarly, closed-mindedness is another barrier to
cross-cultural communication that can hinder the success of an
organization.
“People get caught in the trap of thinking that there is one
right way to do things and everything else is wrong,” Goodman
points out.
On a personal level, becoming more open-minded can be as simple
as learning more about an idea that you wouldn’t have considered
otherwise. Being exposed to new viewpoints and making the effort to
understand them can have an impact on how you make decisions moving
forward.
On the other hand, when you’re in a situation where you must
work with a closed-minded individual, Goodman suggests you ask
questions and look for opportunities to offer a range of thoughts
for your audience by providing reliable and valid pieces of data.
Leveraging accurate data can be a powerful tool when convincing
someone to consider other ideas. By discussing options and
listening, you can build trust.
However, presenting this information in an effective way can be
a challenge. If people feel overwhelmed by the information or do
not trust its validity, it can have the opposite effect. Be sure to
carefully identify and present the information to successfully
encourage others to approach other ideas with an open
mind.
3. Facilitate Meaningful Conversation
A lack of communication in an organization can exacerbate
cultural differences between individuals. In an environment that
does not allow for open communication, people tend not to speak up
or share comments and feedback with one another.
So, how might members of an organization facilitate open
conversation and freely interact with each other? Although the
organizational culture is unlikely to change overnight, making the
effort to spark conversations on the individual level can be a step
in the right direction.
“One of the best ways to get started is to connect with someone
who might have a different perspective from your own,” Goodman
remarks. “Start a conversation with someone in another department
and ask questions, and try to gain a better understanding of their
point of view by actively listening.”
Not only will this allow you to gain an understanding and
appreciation for another person’s perspective, but it will also
help to build strong relationships in the workplace. Goodman
recommends “being curious, asking questions, and being open to
different points of view.”
Encouraging meaningful interactions also has a significant
impact on the overall environment by creating a comfortable space
where team members can openly share their thoughts and
ideas.
4. Become Aware
Another important step to improving cross-cultural communication
in the workplace is to become more culturally and
self-aware.
On a personal level, you should make an effort to acknowledge
your own implicit biases and assumptions that affect the way you
interact with others. Although this may be easier said than done,
you can start by making a conscious attempt to empathize with your
audience and gain a better understanding of their point of
view.
At the organizational level, Goodman recommends starting with an
audit of internal communications. Throughout this process, you
should be asking how your mission and company values are defined,
whether or not they are inclusive, and whether the team’s various
cultures have been taken into account. Performing this analysis
will give you a good idea of the state of your corporate culture,
including areas in your organizational communication strategy that
you can improve to better serve your team members and achieve your
goals.
Share the top key point in this article. Also, share and discuss
examples of how cultural communications have been effective or
ineffective in your work experience.