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Dealing with Cross-Cultural Communication
In a globalised world, communication is influenced by the most diverse factors, but mainly by cultural aspects. It is possible to observe specific principles that allow us to understand different cultures better and improve communication.
Culture is a complex and central concept in anthropology. It defines what is accepted in society and sets a norm for the way people behave, dress, speaks, etc. There are a diversity of cultures across nations and this can go beyond regional borders since it includes expressive forms like art, music, dance, ritual, religion, and technologies. I had never thought of cultural difference as a barrier to communication until I moved from Ceará, my home state in Brazil, to live in São Paulo. Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, divided into 26 states, has several regional cultures. For example, while Ceará’s culture is primarily Iberian-based, with indigenous and African influences; São Paulo is a state with substantial European influence, a mix of Portuguese, Italian, German and even Japanese influence too. This directly affects how people live, work and communicate. People from Ceará are known for their outgoing and humorous way; people from São Paulo are seen as introverted and stressed workaholics. Although overcoming this cultural barrier between states was a challenge, nothing compares to when I went to live in Australia. Although at first glance, these two countries look similar due to territorial extension and climate, there are significant differences in Australia, such as language (Australian English), the Australian well-developed economy and of course its Anglo-Celtic and English influences.
In my journey, I have learned that overcoming the different cultural barriers requires an adaptation in the way of behaving and, mainly, in the form of communicating. Being an observer of your environment and being flexible enough to adapt is the key to effective communication in different cultures. This becomes even more necessary if your work involves dealing with and engaging stakeholders from different cultures. Being a Business Analyst professional, I have to communicate the right information to stakeholders at the right time and…
