Collaborating in a Multicultural Environment

Working in a multicultural environment can offer rewarding experiences, allowing you to collaborate with colleagues who have perspectives and world views that are different from your own. But understanding those different perspectives can be challenging. Language barriers and conflicting cultural expectations can build walls between team members that prevent true collaboration. Honing up on your interpersonal skills will prepare you to break down those walls and put you on the path to success.

Active Listening

Active listening skills are a must. Focus your attention on the speaker and listen closely to what is being said. Ignore distractions. Don't try multitasking, and don't tune out because your colleague’s dialect, accent or unfamiliar speech pattern is frustrating. You also need to put your own thoughts on hold. In other words, don't stop listening because you're already thinking about how to respond. Wait until your colleague has finished talking, and then repeat back what you think you heard to make sure you fully understand. If she says you've got it wrong, ask her some probing questions until you get it right.

Observation

Observation is another critical skill that is linked closely with active listening. Pay attention to the body language of co-workers. Look for visual clues in facial expressions and body positioning to gauge how a colleague feels about the topic --- but be careful not to misinterpret non-verbal cues that might be culturally based. Your colleague might be avoiding eye contact as a show of respect. If you jump to the conclusion that she is being dishonest, odds are you will stop listening and observing, which works against your efforts to collaborate. While it is fairly easy to recognize frustration or anger, truly understanding non-verbal cues might take some time. Adjust your own responses to prevent conflict and build trust.

Verbal and Written Communication

In all forms of communications, think globally, not locally. Not everyone will be accustomed to the words and phrases you use every day. Even if your colleagues are from cultures in which English is the primary language, they can use words differently -- and it gets more complicated when English is a secondary language. Imagine how using the word "okay" in an email can be misinterpreted: The intent might be to say you understand, while the recipient might assume you are agreeing to or authorizing something. Try to put yourself in the recipient's mindset to construct a message that anticipates her questions and answers them up front. Avoid slang terms and colloquialisms. Use simple sentence structures. Provide clear facts and carefully constructed conclusions.

Adaptability

You might need to change some of your own work habits to adapt to the expectations of a culturally diverse team. Remember that not all of your colleagues will perceive issues, situations or concepts exactly as you do. Their thoughts will be formed by their own knowledge and experiences. You can learn from what they have to offer, if you pay attention and keep an open mind. Strive to be non-judgmental and empathetic to build a bridge to mutual respect.

References

Harvard Business Review: HBR Blog Network -- Listening Is Critical in Today's Multicultural Workplace http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/03/shhh_listening_is_critical_in.html

Creating WE: Vital Conversations -- Weaving the Golden Threads of Trust http://www.creatingwe.com/news-media/newspaper-magazine/430-vital-conversations-weaving-the-golden-threads-of-trust

Policies, Schmolicies! It's all just bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, right?

A communication policy? What's the point? Read "Technology and Workplace Communication Policies" HERE

A few more communication tips....

Do you know what it means to apply "active listening" to a conversation?

For a few more pointers on effective workplace communication, read "Types of Communication Techniques in the Business World" HERE

Communicating is one thing, communicating effectively is a whole 'nother story

I learned a very potent lesson about influence when I was a college student all those many years ago. I was called to sit on a jury in a civic trial. There were six of us altogether, five adults who were all my parents' ages or older, and me, a college kid who had never been to court, let alone had to sit on a jury. I was excited and raring to go. And then I was frustrated and disappointed. In my opinion, based on the facts at hand, there was no case at all, and yet we were instructed to determine a dollar value to be awarded to the plaintiff...based on a day-and-a-half's worth of medical information relating to injuries suffered by the plaintiff in a car accident. In that jury room, I adamantly shared my opinion that the plaintiff had failed to prove the defendant at fault. I had other opinions as well, and I still believe them to be of value. I now know there was one factor that was pure opinion and should not have been raised in that room, but my elders did not correct me.

That's just it, my elders did not correct me.They listened to me. I'm guessing now it was because I was a college student and I don't believe any of them had ever been to college (a retired construction worker, a housewife, etc). I was more educated than they were (although certainly not in the lessons of life), and, apparently, I communicated my points in an influencing manner.

My lesson?

The power to influence isn't always about having powerful titles. It's more about how well you communicate.

Here are a few other pointers about improving your ability to get a message across in the workplace:

Read "Four Effective Styles of Communication" HERE.

Sometimes finding the meaning in a message is like finding the needle in the haystack....

Is your boss reading all of your emails? If not, reconsider what you're writing. Details are important, but managers have a lot of details to weed through every day. If your key points are buried amidst less critical details, do yourself a favor and provide those key points in a bulleted list at the start of your message.

Read the "Top Ten Communication Problems in the Workplace," HERE

But I sent an email !?

So you sent an email. Do you think that's all there is to communicating? Two of the biggest mistakes people make in communicating are assuming communication has actually taken place and assuming the message was understood.

Sending an email does not mean it's been read. You lose your first link in the communication chain right there. The second link involves the recipient both reading and understanding the message's intent. Even if you have evidence that your email was opened, don't count on that to mean it's been read. And even if the recipient has read it, that in itself doesn't mean the full content was fully understood.

How many emails do you get? Do you read them all? Do you really digest everything every one of them says?

Read "Two Types of Communication Errors in the Workplace" at The Nest, HERE.

But I can't talk to my boss! Well, you should....

A hands-off approach can be both good and bad. It can be good when your boss trusts you enough to leave you be. It can be bad when he doesn't even know what you're doing until and unless he finds himself on the hot-seat and in need of help...or finger-pointing.

Open-door policies are one thing. But how approachable is your boss, really? And how open are you to taking the reins in your own hand to get communication flowing?

Start to get some insight by reading "Communication Between Supervisor & Staff" at The Nest, HERE.

Virtual teams: It boils down to communication & collaboration

Virtual teams can face critical communication breakdowns that ultimately impact a team's ability to achieve its objectives. What else can go wrong?

Read "What are the Causes of Virtual Team Failure?" at the Houston Chronicle's webiste, "Chron," HERE.

Bad attitudes can cause stress, absenteeism, productivity/profit losses

If you've ever been frustrated or even angered by a colleague's bad attitude --- or worse, your boss's bad attitude --- then you know first-hand how negativity can affect you at work. How can you work effectively under such conditions? You can't. No one really can. And attitudes are contagious until the company itself suffers productivity and profit losses.

Read the "Effects of Negative Communication in the Workplace" HERE

Collaboration means more than just "teamwork"

What does it really mean to collaborate? Probably more than you might think.....

"Thinking" is key.

To get your thinking on the right track,read the "Definition of Collaboration in the Workplace" HERE. Then try to put these thoughts to work building a stronger team and improving the way you work with colleagues.

Why do I find it so hard to have a conversation with an engineer?

Developing good communication skills is harder than you'd think. You need to be able to reach people with your thoughts. And trust me, they can't see inside your head. You need to be able to express those thoughts in a way that their own heads can process. Since they haven't had your experiences, and your knowledge of things will differ, too...well, it takes practice! ;)

Being able to communicate effectively is even tougher for people who think in highly technical terms, like engineers. You can add another level of complexity if an engineer needs to be able to communicate with a multicultural, global team. Check out a few pointers in my article, "Importance of Communicating for Global Engineers" at The Nest.Read the article HERE.

Ideas to get your team off to the right start

If your team doesn't communicate well, what's the worst that could happen?

A team at NASA discovered an answer they would prefer never to have found when the Mars Climate Orbiter crashed into the planet upon arrival in 1999. That mistake cost millions. Your team might not face the same criticality of consequences, but you do want to strive for success, right? Get a head start with a few pointers on "Team Communication Strategies" at The Nest, HERE.

Communication and Success

Why is communication a factor in success in the workplace?

Without communication, you can't get anywhere. If communication is poor, incomplete or just plain wrong, you'll end up somewhere, but not where you're supposed to be.

How to strive for success through communication? Find the answer HERE at The Nest, "Why is Communication a Factor for Success in the Workplace"