Cross Cultural Communication: How People from Different Ethnic, Racial and Cultural Backgrounds Interact (Essay Sample)

Cross-cultural Communication
Cross-cultural communication is based on how people from different ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds interact. It focuses on cultural subtleties limiting effective communication, trust, team participation and mutual cooperation needed for the interaction. Effectiveness of this particular type of communication is accelerated via a number of principles. First on the list is focusing on similarities. Despite coming from different backgrounds, finding a common ground based on work, families, interests, targets, and even cultures enhances success. Within a given organization or team, team leaders or managers are charged with ensuring their members perform under a similar goal. This helps address the need for a global team.
Acknowledging differences takes center stage in establishing cross-cultural communication rather than minimizing them. The moment team members agree and understand that all are not the same and have differing backgrounds helps the team move a step ahead. Only then can valuing the differences occur with recognition of individual needs. Not only are the differences acknowledged but so are the achievements in the group and plurality of individual identities. In this process, inquiring about other cultures helps eliminate assumptions that could present challenges along the way.
Respecting other backgrounds follows having learnt something about them. Keep in mind that what is presented initially may not be the case. Give time for others to explain their case or story. A sense of trust may need to be developed before marching ahead based on listening. With this, judgment or unwanted perspectives are avoided. Respect for the basic human need is also of paramount importance seeing that there exist both high and low-context cultures. While at it, it is important to treat all with respect and dignity while keeping an open mind.
Valuing diversity occurs over a series of steps considering it is an adaptive process. In the first place, a willingness to learn others’ culture must be encouraged and developed. Tribal cocoons, racial misfits and cultural hideouts must be outgrown. Existence of constructive interactions must not be in saying but in doing. While team member A may be inclined towards certain beliefs and practices, it is important for him or her to try out something from other cultures but not against his or her culture. For instance, one can attend a particular events or festival belonging to other cultures. In fact, such kind of diversity acceptance expands our minds and immediate circles to a point where cultural diversity is preserved.
Empathy is a form of acknowledgement only that team members see through other eyes. It is defined as an imaginative projection of self-consciousness on another individual. It involves considering what other people across other cultures go through, their likes and dislikes, their beliefs, and the reason for all that. For instance, why do Indians believe the cow is holy whereas it is taken as food in other cultures? There is certainly a reason behind their belief and once we hear the story, understand it and respect it can we walk in their shoes.
Perhaps the biggest barrier to cross-cultural communication is language. Barriers at this point refer to troubles people have to go through in interacting with others. Having come from different cultures, it is no wonder that we are comfortable conversing in local dialects. This presents a big challenge where others not familiar with the spoken language feel left out. On one hand, the comfort is beneficial to some but a nightmare to others since they feel omitted and sources of gossip. Mispronunciation occurring from different linguistic backgrounds leads to misunderstanding. An individual in the UK asking someone from Brazil to do something soon may end up disappointed owing to the different meaning of the word ‘soon’.
Cognitive constraints are one of the biggest barriers to effective communication. They provide a backdrop for comparison of new information and are frames of reference. Behavior constraints come in next taking the form of politeness. Maintaining eye contact when speaking to people of certain backgrounds, sensitivity of issues, physical closeness when interacting and many other cultural rules apply. They differ and imply that each culture, race or tribe takes a stand when it comes to verbal and non-verbal communication.
Emotional constraints exist especially when debating a pressing issue. While some may regulate their emotions, others explode and exhibit the worst forms of feelings openly. Rational aspects of the situation appear okay to some but hypocritical to others. These constraints catapult formation of mindsets concerning others t...