Assignment 3-Activity 11-Intercultural Communication Conflicts
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Dav Sr. Public School *
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FIBONACCI
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Communications
Date
Nov 24, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by KidWildcatPerson631
Intercultural Communication Conflicts
Bhagwan Singh
Robertson College
PACE
Impact of diversity on the team performance
The team's diversity may boost their performance while also posing difficulties. On the one hand, the
team's diversity is probably helping them serve a larger spectrum of consumers because of their
language abilities and cultural awareness. The team has won more contracts than other teams as a
result of this. The team's good relationships with one another, as shown by their camaraderie and food
sharing, can help foster a healthy work atmosphere that raises morale.
Yet, diversity can also provide difficulties. Customer demands or requests may be misunderstood or
misinterpreted as a result of differences in communication methods and cultural norms, which may
result in unfavourable feedback. Cultural differences can also affect how team members approach
problems and solve problems, which can cause friction and affect productivity.
Examples of how the team’s diversity is impacting their performance:
Benefit: The team's diversity in terms of language skills and cultural knowledge is allowing
them to serve a wider range of customers. For example, a customer from Vietnam may feel
more comfortable speaking to a team member who is fluent in Vietnamese.
Challenge: Differences in communication styles and cultural norms can lead to
misunderstandings or misinterpretations of customer needs or requests. For example, a team
member who is used to a more direct communication style may come across as rude or abrupt
to a customer who is used to a more indirect communication style.
Strategies to enhance intercultural effectiveness and communication
techniques
I would advocate strategies like the following to improve communication and intercultural
effectiveness:
Promoting active listening is being attentive to the client's verbal and nonverbal cues and
clearing up any misunderstandings.
Developing empathy entails placing oneself in the customer's position and making an effort to
comprehend their viewpoint and wants.
Avoiding presumptions: This entails refraining from supposing based on cultural
preconceptions or individual biases.
Offering cultural training might involve teaching employees about the various cultural
backgrounds of the clients they serve as well as the various communication styles and
customs that can be present.
Examples of strategies to enhance intercultural effectiveness and communication techniques:
Active listening: Encouraging team members to repeat back what the customer has said to
ensure understanding. Asking open-ended questions to gain more information about the
customer's needs.
Empathy: Encouraging team members to use phrases such as "I understand how you feel" or
"I can imagine that would be frustrating" to show they are trying to understand the customer's
perspective.
Avoiding assumptions: Encouraging team members to ask questions rather than making
assumptions. For example, if a customer has an accent that is difficult to understand, instead
of assuming they are angry, the team member could ask for clarification.
Providing cultural training: Bringing in a speaker to provide training on cultural norms and
communication styles in the
countries the team serves. Having team members share their own
experiences and cultural knowledge with the group.
Teaching Team
I would conduct team meetings and training sessions on excellent customer service and cross-cultural
communication to impart these ideas. Role-playing games, case studies, and discussions about the
best ways to handle various client interactions may be part of these meetings. Also, hiring outside
consultants or trainers with experience in customer service and cross-cultural communication may be
beneficial.
Examples of how to teach these strategies:
Role-playing exercises: Divide the team into pairs and have them practice active listening and
empathy skills in a simulated customer interaction.
Case studies: Provide scenarios of difficult customer interactions and have the team discuss
how they would handle the situation using the strategies taught in training.
Discussions of best practices: Encourage team members to share their own experiences and
successful strategies for dealing with difficult customers or communication challenges.
Outside experts: Bring in a speaker or consultant with expertise in intercultural
communication and customer service to provide training and guidance.
Understanding the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity
A leader in this situation may find it useful to understand the Developmental Model of Intercultural
Sensitivity (DMIS), which offers a framework for comprehending how people and groups build their
intercultural competence. Six stages make up the DMIS, from denying cultural differences to adapting
to and integrating other cultural ideas. The leader may design training and assistance to match the
needs of the team and facilitate their development towards higher intercultural competency by
knowing where each team member is on this continuum. Also, it can assist the leader in foreseeing
upcoming difficulties and offering useful advice to lessen them.
Examples of how understanding the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity can help a
leader:
Recognizing where team members are on the DMIS continuum: A team member who is in the
denial stage may need more basic training on cultural differences, while a team member in the
adaptation stage may benefit from more advanced training on cross-cultural communication.
Anticipating challenges: A team member in the minimization stage may have difficulty
recognizing cultural differences and may inadvertently offend customers. A leader who
understands this can provide additional guidance and support to ensure that team member is
better equipped to handle diverse customer interactions.
Tailoring training and support: A team member in the adaptation stage may benefit from
opportunities to practice adapting to different cultural norms. A leader who recognizes this
can provide assignments or tasks that encourage the team member to stretch their intercultural
competence.
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