Communication

Different cultures communicate in different ways. Some cultures are more direct, some are less. The concept of direct and indirect communication defines to what extent cultures rely not just on what is said but also on non-verbal messages to express things. Of course we can only describe general tendencies. Even within one country there can be variations.

High context cultures are not used to a direct communication style. This means for example, that negative messages (critique, difficult situations) may not be addressed openly. People from high context cultures (like Afghan, Pakistani, Persian, Asian, Arabic, African, French, Italian) will rely on the fact that their counterpart will interpret the message correctly by reading ‘between the lines’, for example by observing the facial expressions, gestures, pauses in communication or by understanding the metaphors used (Hall, 1976).

Low context cultures like German, Dutch, Swiss and American culture, on the other hand say what they mean openly and do not pay much attention to the wording or to the ‘packaging’ of their words. ‘Yes’ means ‘yes, I agree’ and doesn’t mean ‘yes, I heard what you said’. Criticism is freely addressed, negative situations are talked about without taking the counterpart’s feelings too much into consideration because the aim of the communication is to improve the situation or get the job or task done better.

Cross-cultural challenges may arise when, for example a German police officer or NGO communicates with a refugee from a high context culture like Afghanistan. In the eyes of someone from a high context culture, the direct way of addressing difficult topics like flight, integration and responsibilities in the new society may seem too direct and hurt the refugee’s personal feelings.

Advice:

• If you come from a low context culture choose your words carefully
• Observe your counterpart’s non-verbal language to understand how he reacts to your words
• If you come from a high context culture, don’t hesitate to choose explicit wording when communicating with somebody from a low context culture. Otherwise they may not understand you what you mean.

Relationship orientation – rule adherence

Some cultures place more importance on relationships than on rules and the task at hand (Trompenaars, 1997).

Compared to some West European countries, such as Germany, Switzerland and other Northern-European regions, people from Arab and East-European often communicate on a more personal level. For people from those countries it is important to establish personal ground first before moving on to work activities or serious topics.

Especially in an NGO context this task-oriented attitude may lead to difficult situations. People from relationship-oriented countries may not ‘open up’ directly without a little bit of ‘warming up’ before moving on to serious topics.

In some cultures with a high relationship-orientation, adhering to rules may be less important. The reason for this is that the personal relationship is valued more than strict rule adherence. In such countries rules may be not observed for the benefit of a working relationship. If a conflict arises because of disobeying a rule, it may be helpful to engage on a personal level to reach personal commitment. Then chances are high that the conflict will be solved.

Advice:

• Make some small talk at the beginning of the conversation. This will help to build trust.
• Be ready to open yourself up even if it may seem strange to you to do so.
• Reflect not just on what you would “like” to say, but also on “how” you are expressing yourself.
• Be flexible in your willingness to build relationships.

Bibliography

Hall, E. T. (1976).Beyond Culture. New York: Anchor Books.

Trompenaars, F. (1997). Riding the waves of culture. 2. ed., London, Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing,