Why is Cross-Cultural Communications Important?

Ever wonder why is cross-cultural communications important? Ever made a fool of yourself, but you had no idea what happened? A couple of negative examples.

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As the story goes, an American businessman made a great business connection with a Chinese company on paper. To seal the relationship and celebrate, the American invited the Chinese businessmen to a tour of the company and a dinner. The succeeded beyond everyone’s expectations. When the Chinese arrived at the dinner, the Americans wanted to give precedence to the Chinese and show American relaxed hospitality. The head of the Chinese delegation asked where they should sit. An American staff member told him to “sit wherever you’re comfortable.” The next day the Chinese left without signing any contract and walked away from the deal. When asked why, the answer was, “We were humiliated at the dinner.”

A cross-cultural communications specialist was called by the American company to try and figure out what went wrong. The answer? In the Chinese culture, hierarchy is extremely important. The American culture emphasizes equality more than the place a person holds in an organizational structure. The head of the Chinese delegation felt that he had “lost face” when he was greeted by a staff member and not the senior American delegate, and then he had been further humiliated by not being given the seat at the head of the table next to American senior official. Since the Chinese hide their feelings, nothing was said during the dinner. The damage had been done. The American expression of friendly relationships in the business world turned out to be an outright insult to the Chinese.

Even the Europeans can have major misunderstandings among themselves. A Dutch worker gave a presentation to his British employer. The British said the presentation was “fine.” The next day the Dutch worker was told that his employer was not pleased because some things were missing in the report. What happened? Did the British employer lie? No, the British are not as direct as the Dutch. The Dutch communicate directly. If it’s “fine,” then it’s fine. If it isn’t, the Dutch say so immediately. The British say it’s fine when they mean that it’s “not good enough.” Nobody is wrong within their own culture.

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A positive example. An American was hired to work in an Australian company in Brisbane. During the first three weeks, the Australians treated like the prince of a kingdom. Everybody went out their way to make sure he had everything he needed and more. However, the entire staff went out together on Friday evenings to local restaurant and Karaoke bar. They never invited him. During the third week he noticed how “rude” they all were to each other. Sarcasm seemed to be the normal response to a colleague, no matter the issue.

On Friday morning of the third week, he witnessed an exchange between two colleagues that he found particularly funny. Without giving it too much thought, he mad a mild sarcastic comment about their behavior. The entire office went dead quiet. As he looked around, he wondered if he had made such a bad mistake that he might get fired. A few seconds later, one of the office staff started clapping. The place erupted into laughter, and every one in the room began sarcastically criticizing him. When his boss immediately invited to the evening party at the Karaoke bar, everyone cheered. He discovered that the Australians used sarcasm to show friendship to one another.

Not everyone finds themselves dealing with international situations. Let’s take a walk through the world of cross-cultural communications in situations that might surprise you.

Why Should We Care?

If you have chosen to live in the woods, avoiding civilization except for a handful of locals, and you never watch TV shows depicting people from other cultures, you have no reason to concern yourself with religions or cultures. If, however, you fall into one or more of the following categories, you will need to understand how religions permeate every aspect of every culture.

International Relations

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Madeleine Albright, the American Secretary of State from 1997 to 2001, wrote a book in 2006, “The Mighty and the Almighty.” She described how international politicians needed to understand the religions of the world in order to do a better job of maintaining peace in the world. Governments should use religious leaders to support and explain U.S. foreign policy.

     “Diplomats in my era were taught not to invite trouble. And no subject seemed more inherently treacherous than religion.”


     “Looking at what was going on in the world, it was evident that religion and the force of religion and people’s interpretation of how they saw God, really is very much a part of international relations. Rather than keeping religion and religious leaders out of things, we need their help.”


     “Our diplomats are very well trained and they are very capable. But, they have not really focused on religion per se as a subject of study. A Secretary of State has economic advisors and arms control advisors and environmental advisors. And so, I would advocate having religious advisors that are complementing all the other advisors.”


     “I think they [religious leaders] could be used prior to negotiations at high levels among different parties. And then, have religious leaders validate some of the decisions that have been made after negotiators have finished.”

See?

Cross-cultural communication is fundamentally necessary for international relations. So when you take the FSO exam (Foreign Service Officer exam), walk into the room with cross-cultural communications under your belt and take a front row seat.

~~(https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/officer/fso-test-information-and-selection-process/)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

Religions can impact various aspects of business, such as:

  • Customs and etiquette: Certain religious practices or beliefs dictate appropriate dress, greetings, or behaviors in business settings.
  • Schedules and holidays: Religious holidays and observances affect business operations, schedules, and availability of employees or partners.
  • Attitudes towards business practices: Some religions have specific views on topics like lending, interest rates, or the role of women in the workforce.

By studying the religions prevalent in their target markets, business people can better anticipate and adapt to these cultural nuances, leading to more successful negotiations, partnerships, and overall business relationships. And avoid massive misunderstandings that destroy relationships and not just single business deals.

After a person understands the place of religions within cultures, then cross-cultural communication training becomes essential for business people, as it helps them develop the skills and awareness needed to navigate diverse religious and cultural contexts.

This training can cover topics such as:

  • Understanding the core beliefs, practices, and traditions of major world religions
  • Recognizing and respecting cultural differences in communication styles, decision-making processes, and business etiquette
  • Developing strategies for effective cross-cultural negotiations and conflict resolution

Without this training, business people may encounter humorous or even disastrous misunderstandings due to a lack of religious and cultural awareness. For example:

  • A Western business executive unknowingly scheduling a meeting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when many employees may be fasting and less available. He lost the deal and was never allowed to return.
  • A company representative offering a pork-based product to a Muslim or Jewish client, unaware of the religious dietary restrictions. Same results.
  • A manager inadvertently offending a Hindu employee by touching their head, as it is considered disrespectful in some Hindu traditions.

MILITARY

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The military often operates in diverse cultural and religious environments, both domestically and internationally. Understanding the religious beliefs and practices of the local populations is crucial for building trust, avoiding unintentional offenses, and ensuring effective communication and cooperation.

For example, a lack of awareness about the religious significance of certain symbols or gestures could lead to a humorous misunderstanding, such as a soldier unknowingly making an offensive hand gesture that is considered sacred in a particular religion. On the more serious side, a lack of religious understanding could result in a horrible misunderstanding, such as the desecration of a holy site, which could inflame tensions and jeopardize military operations.

MISSIONARIES

Missionaries, by the nature of their work, interact extensively with people from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. A deep understanding of the local religions and customs is essential for building rapport, effectively communicating the missionary's message, and avoiding unintentional offenses. Funny misunderstandings: a missionary accidentally scheduling a meeting during an important religious holiday. Horrible misunderstandings: a missionary unknowingly desecrates a sacred object or space, leading to conflict and the potential for violence.

REFUGEE WORKERS

Refugee workers often assist people who have fled their home countries due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. Understanding the religious beliefs and practices of the refugee populations is crucial for providing culturally sensitive support, addressing their spiritual needs, and facilitating their integration into new communities. Funny misunderstandings: a lack of knowledge about religious dietary restrictions, leading to the unintentional serving of prohibited foods. Horrible misunderstandings: a refugee worker fails to recognize the religious significance of certain items or rituals, leading to the inadvertent disrespect or desecration of sacred objects or practices.

EXCHANGE STUDENTS

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Funny misunderstandings: an exchange student unknowingly wearing inappropriate attire to a religious ceremony. Horrible misunderstandings: without thinking about the implications or impact, an exchange student makes a funny joke about the host’s religion. This could lead to social ostracization or even physical harm.

EXPATS

Expatriates, or individuals living and working in a country other than their own, must have a deep understanding of the local religions and customs to thrive in their new environment. Funny misunderstanding: an expat accidentally invites a national over for lunch and serves a food that is forbidden in that religion. Horrible misunderstandings: an expat hurts a sacred animal in that culture. This can lead to legal issues, social exclusion, jail time, or even deportation.

NEIGHBORS


Even within a local community, understanding the religious diversity of one's neighbors can help foster greater acceptance from the locals. Funny misunderstandings: a lack of knowledge about religious holidays or customs, such as a neighbor unknowingly scheduling a noisy event during a neighbor's religious observance. Horrible misunderstandings: a neighbor fails to understand the distance relationships of foreign neighbors and hugs the neighbor’s wife.

TOURISTS


Nationals usually extend more grace to tourists, because the nationals understand the ignorance inherent in a tourist and sometimes the arrogance and ethnocentricity. Tourists also support the local economy, so the nationals can’t afford to offend them. Funny misunderstandings: a tourist unknowingly taking photographs in a sacred space. Horrible misunderstandings: a tourist offers to pay for a service, not knowing that his offer is deemed illegal or immoral in that religion.
In conclusion, understanding the role of religion in different cultures is essential for effective cross-cultural communication and successful interactions in a wide range of professional and personal endeavors. By studying religions and developing cultural awareness, individuals can avoid misunderstandings, build stronger relationships, and navigate diverse environments with greater sensitivity and respect…and stay out of jail.

WHY ARE RELIGIONS SO IMPORTANT?

Yet, world religions aren't some marionette mastermind, controlling the strings of cultures for amusement. Instead, think of them as an attempt to give visible and concrete answers life’s most pressing and important questions:

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  • What is life all about?
  • Why do I exist?
  • Does my life have any meaning?
  • Is there life after death?
  • What’s it going to be like?
  • How do I get there or how do I avoid a life of suffering after death?
  • And how do I have to live now in order to get the best deal in the next life?
  • And how do I treat people in other religions and cultures who differ, and maybe even disagree with me about how humans have to live in the world today?
  • Who sets the standards for achieving maximum happiness now and a nebulous guarantee of a happy afterlife?

Even atheists want to talk about a God who doesn’t exist. Some atheists want to reject a higher authority, while others are true seekers and haven’t found any answers that satisfy them. Their religion becomes their own values.

When we don’t take their questions seriously, we inadvertently reject the very reasons for that religion’s existence. And when the nationals realize that we not only do not have answers to those vital and fundamental questions, but that we aren’t even asking the questions, they no longer take us seriously when we say that we want to develop long-term relationships with them. They will simply label us as tourists, or even think that we are lying and have ulterior motives for wanting to get to know them.

NEW BEGINNING

So we need to regroup and enter their world by asking the same questions for ourselves, even if we don’t arrive at any satisfying answers. Removing ignorance will provide us with our best chance of fostering empathy and paving the path to deeper relationships, and maybe even local and world peace.

By acknowledging the religious undertones of a community, and by asking their questions about ourselves, we can build bridges instead of fences, dispelling rejection for acceptance.

Far from being a relic of the past, world religions are living, throbbing entities that continually influence and shape the ebb and flow of cultures and societies.
So, the next time you're hauling your suitcase somewhere, or having a cross-cultural potluck dinner, remember: a pinch of religious understanding could be the key to unlocking the heart of cultures.

TheManCarriesASuitcase

APPLICATION #1: Look around in your own environment and notice other cultures than your own. Have you noticed them before? Why or why not? In this course you will learn what’s different about those cultures from your own, but for now, what differences do you notice now? Do those differences excite you? Why? Do they scare you? Why? Be honest with yourself. Your journey is just beginning.

What’s next? The Two Fundamentals:

Worldviews and Religions

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