Intercultural Communication

Communication in international context can be divided into two dimensions:

Interpersonal Communication and Technological Communication

Communication has different barriers:

-Physical barriers include noise, Physical Separation, Time and distance.

-The use of time and how cultures view time: punctuality, planning ahead future or past oriented etc.

-Language Barriers: Oral or written and Nonverbal

-Socio-psychological barriers: Status, gender and age differences.

Communication skills are important in intercultural communication. Awareness, Flexibility, capitalizing on differences and patience are some important skill to have and develop.

Intercultural communicators also have to be expressive speakers, empathetic listeners, informative managers, persuasive leaders and sensitive to feelings.

How can you measure if your communication approach is working for everyone in a multicultural context?

You can test your communication skills by asking others how they feel in a communication process with you. Kind of having a judge to tell you if you are being assertive in your communication process or not. You can also measure your skill by knowing how the other person feels. If he/she smiles or continues to talk, then you’ll know that you established a positive relationship, and you are doing a good job. In the other hand, if the other person doesn’t show much interest, and you feel as like he/she is not feeling so well then you are probably doing something wrong. You can always record yourself, this way you can test and be your own judge.

Not everyone has the skill of comunicating, its something that you eather are born with, or something you develop through practice and experience. Now something much more difficult is interacting and communicating with different cultures. Taking into account that they see the world in a diferent way, you dont speak the same language, you dont express the same way phiscally. A good intercultural comunication has to combine many skills to properly sustain a good comunication process with other cultures.

Reference:
1. Amasia. International Business, http://www.amasia.co.jp/eng/gif/Icebreakers-02.gif. Abril 2009.
2. Kwintessential. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cultural-services/articles/introduction-intercultural.html. Januanry 26, 2011.