Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 52
GLOBAL
OUTLOOK
THE ADAPTATION OF
CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCE
BY DEBASHREE ROY, PH.D.
Today, a business' reach can span
across the globe with manufacturing
units, support, warehouses, shared
workplaces and distribution centers.
Global interdependence requires a shift
toward team collaboration across cultures
to sustain today's technology-enriched
business environment. However, it takes a
split second to alienate business partners
by unintentionally encroaching on cultural
norms or breaking intercultural protocols.
Culture is a shared pattern of values,
attitudes, beliefs, practices, ideas and
behaviors that define the way of life of a
group (i.e., a country, state, organization
or linguistic assemblage).
Competence is often mistaken for
knowledge or skill. While knowledge is
information processed by the brain - a
theoretical or practical understanding
of a subject - skill is the ability to carry
out a task, with determined results,
within a given span of time and energy.
Competence refers to the ability
to do the same task efficiently and
repeatedly with superior performance.
Hence, cross-cultural competence can
be defined as "the process of exchanging
meaningful and unambiguous information
across cultures in a way that preserves
mutual respect and minimizes conflict."
THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN
CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCE
Management consultant Peter Drucker
once said, "Culture eats strategy for
| 52
breakfast." This statement is even
more apt for communication across
cultures. Cross-cultural communication
can be defined as "a process of
exchanging, negotiating, and mediating
one's cultural differences through
language, non-verbal gestures, and
space relationships."
The art and science of communication
- both verbal and nonverbal - has
gained a lot of momentum recently.
Organizations are investing millions
in training on speaking properly and
adopting the conversational nuances
of business partners, even mimicking
communication styles.
WITHOUT
UNDERSTANDING
CULTURAL VALUES,
SPEAKING THE SAME
LANGUAGE CANNOT
MITIGATE POTENTIAL
COMMUNICATION
PROBLEMS.
A closer look at the challenges of
achieving cross-cultural competence
reveals that communication is more
than language. It also requires an
understanding of cultural values.
In addition, technology has made
overcoming language barriers easy; just
download an app, insert an earpiece
and receive an instant translation.
Other consequential aspects of
communication that impact crosscultural competence are:
* Body language and gestures: The
implications of gestures and other
body language vary from culture to
culture and include eye contact (some
cultures prefer direct eye contact
when conversing, while it may indicate
a challenge in others), head nodding
(considered "yes" in some cultures
and "no" in others), raising an eyebrow,
pointing a finger, and posture.
* Tone and pace: Tone conveys mood
and attitude in verbal and non-verbal
communication, and tonal variations
can easily lead to misinterpretations,
even within the same cultural group.
"OK" is a widely used English term.
Change your tone while saying
it, and it changes the message
conveyed altogether. Pace is another
aspect of spoken language that
can impact communication across
cultures. Speaking too quickly when
communicating with a non-native
English speaker can lead to gaps
in understanding and adversely
impact communication.
* Word choice: Jargon, idioms and
phrases that are commonly used in
one's cultural group often negatively
affect cross-cultural communication.
Even organizations have their own
lingo. For medical personnel, "stat"
means "immediately." In other
industries, it can be an abbreviated
version of "statistics."
https://www.communispond.com/insights/blog/2016/06/29/82/barriers-to-cross-cultural-business-communication/
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019
Preparing for the Future of L&D
Table of Contents
Do You Have this Key Leadership Skill?
How Learning Leaders Can Implement Brain-based Trends, Strategies and Solutions to Transform Corporate L&D
Cliché or Clarity? 3 Expressions That Can Enhance Your Learning Efforts
Leadership Trends for L&D to Consider
Building a Workforce for the Future
The Engagement Continuum
Design Thinking: Creating Authentically Learner-Centric Solutions
Trends 2020: The Broadening Role of L&D
The Future of Learning is Experiential
Clinging to 20th-century Learning Architecture Inhibits Your Ability to Deliver a 21st-century Learning Experience
Choosing Talent Over Tech
Go Grow Them: Using Crowdsourcing to Spur Employee Development
AbbVie: Engage Employees in Development, And Leave Them Wanting More
The Adaptation of Cross-Cultural Competence
How Technology is Shaping the Future of Workplace Learning
Using Technology to Support the Learner and Learning Professional Experience
Company News
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Cover1
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 2
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Preparing for the Future of L&D
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 4
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Table of Contents
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 6
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 7
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 8
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Do You Have this Key Leadership Skill?
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 10
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - How Learning Leaders Can Implement Brain-based Trends, Strategies and Solutions to Transform Corporate L&D
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 12
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Cliché or Clarity? 3 Expressions That Can Enhance Your Learning Efforts
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 14
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Leadership Trends for L&D to Consider
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Building a Workforce for the Future
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 17
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 18
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 19
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 20
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - The Engagement Continuum
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 22
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 23
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Design Thinking: Creating Authentically Learner-Centric Solutions
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 25
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 26
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 27
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Trends 2020: The Broadening Role of L&D
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 29
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 30
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 31
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 32
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 33
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - The Future of Learning is Experiential
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 35
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 36
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 37
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Clinging to 20th-century Learning Architecture Inhibits Your Ability to Deliver a 21st-century Learning Experience
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 39
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 40
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 41
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Choosing Talent Over Tech
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 43
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 44
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 45
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Go Grow Them: Using Crowdsourcing to Spur Employee Development
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 47
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 48
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 49
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - AbbVie: Engage Employees in Development, And Leave Them Wanting More
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 51
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - The Adaptation of Cross-Cultural Competence
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 53
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 54
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 55
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - 56
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - How Technology is Shaping the Future of Workplace Learning
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Using Technology to Support the Learner and Learning Professional Experience
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Company News
Training Industry Magazine - November/December 2019 - Cover4
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