HOW TO OVERCOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION?

KEEP YOUR COOL

• Try to avoid emotional responses

IDENTIFY THE ISSUE THAT MIGHT CAUSE CONFLICT

• Think about body language, the tone of your voice, facial expressions, gestures, posture

CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

• Try to see the issue from the other person’s point of view

SENSITIVELY RESOLVE DIFFERENCES

• Clearly and politely state your discomfort
• Take cultural differences into account

KEEP PREVIOUS INTERCULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN MIND

• Past misunderstandings may help you in future situations

ADDRESS DIFFICULTIES WITH APPROPRIATE PEOPLE

• If your own conflict resolution does not work, try to get advice from people with broader knowledge about and experience with intercultural communication or experts

GESTURES

• In some cultures, it is regarded as rude to gesture with your index finger

FORM OF ADDRESS

• In some cultures, it is seen as polite to address teachers and professors with their first name

PERSONAL SPACE

• In some cultures, people like to be quite close when talking to each other

https://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MCS/9362/Sterilisation%20disk%203/lo/7374/7374_00.htm

http://wilderdom.com/games/MulticulturalExperientialActivities.html

Gudykunst WB (2003). Cross-cultural and Intercultural Communication. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California.

Hemming P (1990). Cultural Awareness: Cross-cultural communications. Regency College of TAFE, Hotel School, Regency Park, SA.