Cultural barriers free essay sample

Differences in race, sex, religious beliefs, lifestyle and sexual orientation are among many cultural differences that may affect how people communicate in the workplace. Resolving communications problems caused by cultural differences requires patience, understanding and respect. A major mistake is forming opinions before even engaging in communications. Opinions reached before an opportunity to discuss the matter makes resolving conflict difficult. Besides the obvious difficulty in understanding people whose language is different; there are other factors that challenge people who are trying to work harmoniously with others of a different background. People from different parts of the world have a different frame of reference, and they may display emotions differently and display different behaviors. Findings Language Barriers Language is a very complex thing, and communication between people speaking different languages is difficult. Language is a way of looking at the world, and even skilled translators can find it tricky to convey complex emotions and concepts, which can lead to misunderstandings. When you think about how often you misunderstand someone speaking your language, you can imagine how hard it is to get the full meaning from something a person with a different cultural background is saying to you. Hostile Stereotypes Inaccurate and hostile stereotypes of people from other places can be a barrier to communication in the workplace. Stereotypes are assumptions people make about the traits of members of a group. For example, a stereotypical American is thought to be impatient and arrogant as well as friendly and tolerant. The danger is entertaining stereotypes is that an individual is thought to possess characteristics that are ascribed to the group. Obviously, not all Americans are impatient and arrogant, nor are they all friendly and tolerant. Prejudging an individual can lead to misconceptions and barriers to communication. Behavior Differences Behavioral differences between employees of different cultures can cause misunderstandings. Every culture has guidelines about what is considered appropriate behavior. In some cultures, looking someone in the eye when they are talking to you is considered rude, while in other cultures refraining from doing so is considered disrespectful. Getting right to the point at a business meeting may be considered impolite by some, who expect to have small talk before the business discussion. Likewise, in some cultures, people talking to each other give each other space, while in other cultures, they stand close. These differences can be barriers to effective communication if they are not recognized. Emotional Display What is considered an appropriate display of emotion can differ from culture to culture. In some countries, displaying anger, fear or frustration in the workplace is considered inappropriate in a business setting. People from these cultures keep their emotions hidden and only discuss the factual aspects of the situation. In other cultures, participants in a discussion are expected to reveal their emotions. You can imagine what misunderstandings can arise if a businessperson displays strong emotion in the company of employees who feel that such behavior is out of place. Communication Challenges Cultural and language differences can hinder effective communication. Workers who are not fluent in the primary language used in the workplace may have difficulty expressing their needs or responding to requests from colleagues. If their job involves customer contact, they may have difficulty understanding a customer inquiry and provide incorrect or misleading information. A customer who is unable to clearly understand the worker due to a heavy accent or lack of command of the language may become frustrated and take his business elsewhere. Employee Resistance If an organization is attempting to convert from a homogeneous workforce to one that is more culturally diverse, some members of the original workforce may resist the change. They may be unwilling or unable to adapt to the ways of workers from different cultural backgrounds than their own and may even resent their presence. For management, resistance poses a significant challenge to creating a work environment that fosters teamwork and harmony, and employee morale may suffer if management cannot find ways to overcome this barrier. Development of Cliques A diverse workforce could lead to the formation of cliques where workers of similar cultural backgrounds or who speak the same primary language bond together. Individuals may have little social interaction with those outside of their clique, engaging them only out of business necessity. In culturally integrated work groups, some members may choose to speak their primary language with each other instead of the primary workplace language, leaving others to feel they are being excluded from the conversation. Management Style Managers may face the obstacle of having to adapt their management style to meet the needs of workers from a different culture. Workers from Latin American countries, for instance, often believe that asking questions of a supervisor are a sign of disrespect and that they should simply do as they are told. A supervisor who implements an open-door policy may become frustrated with the lack of input from these workers and have to take steps to convince them that their suggestions are encouraged and valued. Discussions Differences in race, sex, religious beliefs, lifestyle and sexual orientation are among many cultural differences that may affect how people communicate in the workplace. Resolving communications problems caused by cultural differences requires patience, understanding and respect. A major mistake is forming opinions before even engaging in communications. Opinions reached before an opportunity to discuss the matter makes resolving conflict difficult. Respect Treating people as individuals regardless of culture is sometimes a key to resolving communication issues. For example, it is improper to assume that a woman takes a certain position on a subject because she is a woman. Such generalizations can cause conflict in communication. Not all people who are members of the same culture will react to communication in the same way or offer the same opinion on a subject. However, it is true that cultural backgrounds may affect how people act, behave and communicate. But that does not mean people of a certain culture will all communicate or react to events in the same way. Knowledge Learning more about other lifestyles and cultures helps people avoid conflict in communication, particularly in multicultural settings. Information on cultural awareness is widely available in books at public libraries. Open and honest discussions about cultural differences with friends and colleagues are helpful as well. Learning more about cultural differences helps avoid jumping to unfair or wrong assumptions about a person’s statements or other communication efforts. Blame Conflict in communications between cultures also is avoidable when all parties resist assigning blame. Two companies merging staffs in a business transaction may have different styles of managing and working. Putting the teams together can cause an immediate clash of cultures, with problems intensified if both sides always blame the other for problems and breakdown in communication. Simply placing the blame on others is not constructive and can make communication problems worse. Listening Skills Focusing on listening well with an open mind also helps resolve cultural communications problems. Paying close attention to words used in a conversation or other form of communication can help resolve these problems. It’s also important to pay attention to the context of the discussion and the tone of the communication. Conclusion Recommendations Learning how to confront cultural barriers to communication is important in the workplace as well as personal life. Diversity is commonplace, and it can cause barriers to communication, but confronting these cultural barriers can have a positive impact on your life. The best way to confront barriers in an awkward intercultural experience is to talk, ask questions, and listen. By asking questions and patiently listening you are actively engaging and showing respect for cultural differences. In order to confront barriers in communication you must talk, ask questions, and listen. It is also important to think before you speak and act. If there is an awkward situation you do not want to make it more awkward by doing or saying something out of bounds. If you are unaware of another’s cultural differences it is easy to mistakenly offend someone. Remaining silent gives you time to think; it also prevents miscommunication . If you think about the way you say things, the things you say will be more effective in confronting cultural barriers to communication. Another important way to make awkward situations easier is to try to use examples to express ideas. I like drawing pictures to illustrate ideas and points. This is especially helpful when you do not speak a common language with someone. This allows you to clarify what you are trying to say and make sure there is no miscommunication. Reiterating what someone has said to you is another way to avoid awkward miscommunications and conflicts. Repeating what you think you heard is a good way to clarify. You do not want to act on miscommunication. When someone sees that you are reiterating what they have said to make sure you heard correctly, they understand that you are being respectful and trying to communicate successfully. There are several ways to confront cultural barriers to communication. Simply being respectful by being quiet may be a good idea, but it is also important to ask questions when you are confused and do not want to be offensive. If you are expressing that you are unaware of someone else’s culture, but you are interested in understanding this will show your desire to communicate. This is also good because it shows that you do not know and do not mean offense. When you confront cultural barriers to communication you are expressing your desire to communicate and this is the first step to confronting diversity barriers. References The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry and Human Resources Managers Appraisal Schemes. Author: Ruth Mayhew University of Utah: Examining Gender Differences in Technology Acceptance by Arabian Workers: A Survey Study,Author Chris Joseph The Multicultural Advantage; Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions; Josh Greenberg