Communicating Across Cultures

Communicating Across Cultures Communicating Across Cultures Communicating across cultures is challenging. Each culture has set rules that its members take for granted. Few of us are aware of ur own cultural biases because cultural imprinting is begun at a very early age. And while some of a cultures knowledge, rules, beliefs, values, phobias, and anxieties are taught explicitly, most of the information is absorbed subconsciously.The challenge for multinational communication has never been greater. Worldwide business organizations have discovered that intercultural communication is a subject of importancenot just because of increased globalization, but also because their domestic workforce is growing mora and more diverse, ethnically and culturally.We are all individuals, and no two people belonging to the same culture are guaranteed to respond in exactly the same way. However, generalizations are valid to the extent that they provide clues on what you will most likely encounter when dealing with members of a particular culture.High-Context vs. Low-ContextAll international communication is influenced by cultural differences. Even the choice of communication medium can have cultural overtones. The determining factor may not be the degree of industrialization, but rather whether the country falls into a high-context or low-context culture.High-context cultures (Mediterranean, Slav, Central European, Latin American, African, Arab, Asian, American-Indian) leave much of the message unspecified, to be understood through context, nonverbal cues, and between-the-lines interpretation of what is actually said. By contrast, low-context cultures (most Germanic and English-speaking countries) expect messages to be explicit and specific.Sequential vs. Synchronic Some cultures think of time sequentially, as a linear commodity to spend, save, or waste. Other cultures view time synchronically, as a constant flow to be experienced in the moment, and as a force that cannot be cont ained or controlled.In sequential cultures (like North American, English, German, Swedish, and Dutch), businesspeople give full attention to one agenda item after another.In synchronic cultures (including South America, southern Europe and Asia) the flow of time is viewed as a sort of circle, with the past, present, and future all interrelated. This viewpoint influences how organizations in those cultures approach deadlines, strategic thinking, investments, developing talent from within, and the concept of long-term planning.Orientation to the past, present, and future is another aspect of time in which cultures differ. Americans believe that the individual can influence the future by personal effort, but since there are too many variables in the distant future, we favor a short-term view. Synchronistic cultures context is to understand the present and prepare for the future. Any important relationship is a durable bond that goes back and forward in time, and it is often viewed as g rossly disloyal not to favor friends and relatives in business dealings.Affective vs. NeutralIn international business practices, reason and emotion both play a role. Which of these dominates depends upon whether we are affective (readily showing emotions) or emotionally neutral in our approach. Members of neutral cultures do not telegraph their feelings, but keep them carefully controlled and subdued. In cultures with high affect, people show their feelings plainly by laughing, smiling, grimacing, scowling, and sometimes crying, shouting, or walking out of the room.This doesnt mean that people in neutral cultures are cold or unfeeling, but in the course of normal business activities, neutral cultures are more careful to monitor the amount of emotion they display. Emotional reactions were found to be least acceptable in Japan, Indonesia, the U.K., Norway, and the Netherlands and most accepted in Italy, France, the U.S., and Singapore.Reason and emotion are part of all human communic ation. When expressing ourselves, we look to others for confirmation of our ideas and feelings. If our approach is highly emotional, we are seeking a direct emotional response I feel the same way. If our approach is highly neutral, we want an indirect response I agree with your thoughts on this.Its easy for people from neutral cultures to sympathize with the Dutch manager and his frustration over trying to reason with that excitable Italian. After all, an idea either works or it doesnt work, and the way to test the validity of an idea is through trial and observation. That just makes sensedoesnt it? Well, not necessarily to the Italian who felt the issue was deeply personal and who viewed any rational argument as totally irrelevantWhen it comes to communication, whats proper and correct in one culture may be ineffective or even offensive in another. In reality, no culture is right or wrong, better or worsejust different. In todays global business community, there is no single best a pproach to communicating with one another. The key to cross-cultural success is to develop an understanding of, and a deep respect for, the differences.This article is reprinted from the website of the American Management Association at www.amanet.org.

6 Career Challenges You#8217;ll Face as a Recent College Graduate

6 Career Challenges You8217ll Face as a Recent College Graduate 6 Career Challenges You8217ll Face as a Recent College Graduate Making the move from college to your post-graduation life is one of the most exciting things you will ever do. You have your whole life before you and a world of possibilities.But that dream of possibilitydoesntalways pan out. Recent graduates frequently face challenges when making the transition from student life to the career world. Few people are able to land their perfect jobs effortlessly.Here are some of the common challengesyou may face as a new grad, as well as some tips on how to overcome them1. No Real World ExperienceMany employers prefer candidates with a little experience in their industry. Even though you have graduated with a degree and presumably know a lot about your industry, real-world job experience will make you more marketable.To gain some real-world experience, you should try to find an internship during your junior or senior year of college. If its too late to get the internship, reach out to your professors to see if they know of any companies looking for recent graduates.2. Unrealistic ExpectationsYou have a degree. Thats wonderful But so do most of the other candidates. You dont have experience in the field, you probably dont have many connections, and you likely dont have a lot of other experience thats applicable to your job search. Its not realistic to imagine that youll land your dream job right out of college or be running a company in three years. These things do, occasionally, happen but they are the exception, not the rule.Recognize that youll have to pay your dues before you can land anelevated location within an organization.3. Unsure How to Negotiate Salary and BenefitsYou might have been told that the salary you make directly out of college contributes greatly to your lifetime earning potential. This is because most of your raises from that point forward will be based on your current salary. Th e higher your starting salary, the better each subsequent raise will be.Unfortunately, most college graduates have no idea how to properly negotiate their salaries. They might be afraid they wont get the job if they ask for more money. The reality is that most employers expect you to negotiate. They frequently offer lower than they expect to pay so they have some wiggle room for negotiating. If you dont ask for more money than they offer, youre intentionally accepting less than they think the position is worth. So, take some time to brush up on your negotiating skills. Your future self will thank you.4. Poor Interview SkillsUnfortunately, this is another area that college frequently does not prepare you for. Many students graduate believing that if they have the degree, the skills, and the drive, theyll get a great job. The reality is that your interview is tremendously important. From the time you walk into the room until the time you send (or neglect to send) a thank-you card, you are being judged. One wrong answer could mean missing out on a great opportunity.Its a good idea to practice interviewing well before you graduate. Some colleges offer interview coaching, but you could also work with a friend or teacher. And before your interview, do some research. Be prepared to talk about the company and why you would fit in there.5. RelocationYou may be reluctant to relocate for a job, but as a recent graduate, you cant afford to be choosy. Depending on your degree and your area of interest, there might not be many positions for the career you want in your home state. Its also possible that an employer in another state will offer a better salary or more opportunities for career development. You should seriously consider relocating if a great job offer comes your way.6. Lack of DirectionRecent college graduates are frequently confused about their lifes paths. You might be torn between starting your career and pursuing furthereducation. You might want to travel be fore you get a job. Or maybe you really want to get to work, but you just dont know what you want to do.Unfortunately, there is no easy solution for this problem. Everyones journey is different. Eventually, things will start to become clearer. In the meantime, try new things, join clubs or organizations, meet new people, look for popular professions among previous graduates, and search for new jobs constantly. Eventually, something will click.Graduating from college is a huge accomplishment But as with any life transition, it comes with its share of challenges. These are some of the most common challenges faced by college grads. Are there any others you would add to the list? Have you experienced any of behauptung challenges? How did you handle them? Leave a comment below

Introducing the expanded motivating by appreciation inventory

Introducing the expanded motivating by appreciation inventoryIntroducing the expanded motivating by appreciation inventoryAlfruchtwein 200,000 individuals across the world have taken the Motivating By Appreciation Inventory. This inspired us to look for ways to improve the results the inventory provides. Over the past two years, we have deliberated, explored, and analyzed in order to create a new, expanded version which provides a fuller picture of how each person prefers to be shown appreciation and how they dont want others to express appreciation to them.The Expanded MBA Inventory builds off of the foundation laid by the Basic MBA Inventory report (which is totenstill available) by identifying each individuals Primary, Secondary and Least Valued Languages of Appreciation, along with the specific actions they value most within their Primary Language of Appreciation and from whom they desire those actions.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happ iness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreA deeper analysis provides the Expanded MBAI with valuable addition information. First, the respondents results are compared with over 175,000 others who have taken the inventory. Each persons results are shown in comparison to how frequently their specific results are obtained by others in the general workplace. And to communicate these clearly, the results are not only reported in numerical form but also illustrated through pie charts.Secondly, to help colleagues and supervisors get to the heart of the matter quickly, we ask each employee to identify the one most important act of appreciation to them. So that, if someone only communicated appreciation to them in one way, they would be sure to hit the mark.A question we hear frequently is What about Physical Touch why isnt it included in the report? Although we address this issue inThe 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplaceand also in our Appreciation at Work train ing, those who have not had access to those resources, are left wondering. So, in the Expanded version, we provide the context and reason for not assessing appropriate Physical Touch in the inventory.In our work with hundreds of thousands of employees, weve heard many people make informal comments about how they dont want to be shown appreciation. While the primary focus of the MBA Inventory is to identify the ways colleagues prefer to be shown appreciation, we felt identifying the actions to avoid would be valuable information to include so that well-meaning colleagues do not inadvertently make a mistake by using an undesired action and unintentionally create offense.We are excited about the new, Expanded version and have already received rave reviews about it from those who have taken it. The code for taking the Basic version of the MBAI that comes with a 5 Languages of Appreciation book, can be upgraded to take the Expanded version. Codes for the Expanded version can also be pur chased separately for both individuals and groups.We strongly encourage you to take the new,Expanded MBA Inventoryand experience a broader perspective of appreciation for you and your teamThis article first appeared on Appreciation Blog.