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Communicating Across Cultures
The term communication describes the process of sharing meaning by transmitting messages through media such as words, behavior, or material artifacts. Unfortunately, the communication process (see Exhibit 4-1) involves stages during which meaning can be distorted. Anything that undermines the communication of the intended meaning is typically referred to as noise. The primary cause of noise is that the sender and the receiver each exists in a unique, private world thought of as her or his life space. The context of that private world, largely based on culture, experience, relations, values, and so forth, determines the interpretation of meaning in communication. People filter, or selectively understand, messages consistent with their own expectations and perceptions of reality and their values and norms of behavior. Culture shapes who communicate with whom, what they talk about, and how they communicate. It influences how messages are formed, their meanings, and when messages can be sent, noticed, or understood. Communication is a complex process of connecting the sender’s and receiver’s perspectives, where the sender bridges to the receiver’s life experience. This knowledge of cultural noise—the cultural variables that undermine the communication of intended meaning—will enable us to take steps to minimize that noise and so improve communication. When a member of one culture sends a message to a member of another culture, intercultural communication takes place.
Trust in Communication The degree to which one can communicate effectively largely depends on how similar the other person’s cultural expectations are to our own. Effective communication depends on how closely the other person's cultural expectations match our own. Create a clear and calculated basis for mutual benefit. Improve predictability Develop mutual bonding through regular socializing and friendly contact.
