International Communication: A Communication Skills Tip

I am in an international relationship and I know first-hand how culture influences communication. Being that I only have survival Portuguese skills and my fiancé’s fluent English has limited vocabulary, we communicate on a multitude of levels. First, there are gestures. Add to that, the sound effects. Add to that, half sentences with dynamic pitch. And finally, add fine-tuned listening skills. Sometimes, it even takes trusting the sense of what is being said. Because, one thing is for sure, I don't always understand his English. But I do understand him and I do find we have a very rich communication. Revisiting Tim Borchers functions of interpersonal communication from last week and remembering that "building a context of understanding" is one reason we look to integrate our ideas with others, you can understand how challenging it is to exchange ideas in another language. In the beginning of my training and development career, I was teaching ESL. I have seen thousands of international speakers of English go through a variety of emotions and challenges to get their ideas out. I found that the theatre techniques I brought to the classroom were most helpful in reducing fear and bringing people's true personalities out. Ph.D. Terrence A. Doyle says that "by understanding some of the systemic differences in the communication processes, structures and interaction patterns of a culture, we can acquire greater competency to deal with differences." As an ESL teacher, I witnessed the merging of cultures and the slow development of intercultural relationships. It made me much more respectful of the differences we have as people of varying nations. My desire to travel grew and my exploration of the world is one of my strongest passions. My experiences have shown me that in order to be successful in today's multi-cultural workforce (and to be successful in your communication in general), there are key elements we can keep in mind. I offer three tips for your intercultural communication. First there is enthusiasm. Keep your delivery lively and energetic when you are involved in a communiqué to build rapport and get the other parties engaged. Second, we have creativity. Talk about things that interest you and that you know interest others. And spice up your communication by looking for alternative ways to say the same-old-thing. And finally, repetition. Repeat what others are saying to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Not only will you be better off down the road, but it will show others that you are paying attention. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week, please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.