LEADING IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD – VI

Drawing precipitated conclusions in the area of communication during multicultural interactions can cause, among others, misunderstandings and low productivity.

Let’s see why it is important that you improve your communication in environments of cultural diversity and how you can avoid hasty conclusions.

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One of the important areas that a global leader must develop is understanding, managing, and assimilating the style of communication used by others; as well as the non-verbal expressions.

I imagine you have noticed how in team conversations, some interrupt others and even raise their voices while someone else is speaking. For some, this behavior reveals anxiety, lack of respect, or lack of interest towards the person who is talking.

For others, this is common and is a sign of active participation in a conversation, it shows interest, and it is a way to create a good group atmosphere where people are having a good time.

As human beings, we tend to judge without knowing the facts involved in specific situations and often would like the rules that we know and feel comfortable with to be applied by those with whom we interact.

However, in teams and in multicultural environments, the values, beliefs, and behaviors behind each action are less obvious than you can imagine and do not always allow generalization and application of personal norms.

A good foundation for effective communication in this globalized era is not imposing our communication style and not having a negative attitude towards different styles of communication. This tendency simply shows a lack of cultural understanding.

In this globalized era in which we live, it is important to know that there are those who value direct and open communication, while others prefer an indirect and more conservative approach. Each individual, group, and organization has different styles of communication based on its own culture.

What can I do as a global leader to avoid jumping to conclusions? Some ideas to keep in mind that are always useful when trying to achieve success in this area are:

1. The first thing is to understand that developing this ability is a process and that in some instances it may not be pleasant since it will require your acceptance of new communication styles and adjustments.
2. You can find it useful to give the “benefit of the doubt” to those who need it even if the situation is not in their favor.
3. It is also important to not use gestures or facial expressions when listening carefully to others to avoid appearing like we are disapproving of what they are saying.
4. Before jumping to conclusions, listen and ask questions with the intention of understanding others or knowing what the facts are, in order to avoid saying or doing things that others may perceive as wrong.
5. If the matter is not significant or relevant, forget it. If it is, try to have all the information possible in order to avoid drawing conclusions.
6. If you have a conversation for the first time with a stranger, carefully observe the person and the information presented to you. Do not get carried away by general elements such as nationality, how they use their eyes, the way they are dressed, or how they speak to determine what kind of person they are.

There are several options that can help you improve your ability to avoid jumping to conclusions too soon, especially in the area of ​​communication.

• First, I suggest that you improve your ability to connect with others. LEADINFORCE can help you in that effort to connect effectively with others, by increasing your influence in each situation, as well as by relating and identifying with people in a way that increases your influence with them.
• Second, increase your cultural awareness. We can also help you identify how culture impacts interactions, business effectiveness, communications, and leadership. In addition, we can help you understand the “why” behind common behaviors that are influenced by culture, how to minimize misunderstandings, maximize productivity, and see results and success.

Even though this is a very broad topic, it is necessary to develop these basic skills in order to achieve success as a global leader and to avoid jumping to conclusions. Therefore, start putting these ideas into practice knowing that they can serve you in every area of your life.

LEADINFORCE can help you in this effort. Do not hesitate to let us know how we can help you, your team, and your organization.

You can start achieving better results today! Let’s talk about how LEADINFORCE can benefit you, your team, and your company

Question:  How can I improve my leadership and avoid making conclusions in a rash way?