Getting yourself prepared on living and working abroad

1
Getting yourself preparedon living and working
abroad

• An introduction on
• cross-cultural communication

2
Who we are

• Businet
• www.businet.org
• Petra GILLIS
• petra.gillis_at_arteveldehs.be
• University College Arteveldehogeschool
• Johan DEDEYNE
• johan.dedeyne_at_khbo.be
• University College Bruges - Ostend

3
Session 1

• When negotiating in Western countries, the
  objective is to work toward a target of mutual
  understanding and agreement and 'shake-hands'
  when that agreement is reached - a cultural
  signal of the end of negotiations and the start
  of 'working together'.  
• In Middle Eastern countries much negotiation
  takes place leading into the 'agreement',
  signified by shaking hands. However, the deal is
  not complete in the Middle Eastern culture. In
  fact, it is a cultural sign that 'serious'
  negotiations are just beginning.
• Imagine the problems this creates when each party
  in a negotiation is operating under diametrically
  opposed 'rules and conventions.'

4
Identify yourself
5
Write your answers down and share them with the
group

• While you were introducing yourself, which items
  do you feel very strong about and should be
  mentioned to present yourself properly? What is
  essential for you?
• Why are these so important? Try to describe this.
• Were there items that you forgot to mention and
  afterwards thought about? Or subjects that are
  although very important not to be mentioned in
  front of people you do not or hardly know? Why do
  you feel like that about them?
• Would you change your introduction of the
  previous days if you were e.g. on a hiking trip
  in India and youve met local people? What would
  you change and why?

6
Changes in time ?

• How might these circles change when you are
  abroad?
• For example, did you list your nationality in one
  of the circles? Or your social class? Did you
  list the languages you speak?
• How might these circles change in time?
• What could be the effect of those changes?

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What is culture ?
?
8
Joshuas story - 1

• During the third week of my 15-week stay in
  Venezuela, it became time to iron some of my
  clothes.
• Upon doing so, the iron fell off the ironing
  board and onto the tile floor. The piece designed
  to make the iron stand up had broken off, so I
  decided I had better tell my host mother what had
  happened.
• It wasnt easy, but with body language, showing
  her the iron, and my beginning-level Spanish, she
  understood what I had done. I could not help but
  notice she looked somewhat agitated and
  concerned.
• She fidgeted around with the iron for a while and
  left the room and went about her business. I,
  thinking it was not a big deal, went to class and
  forgot about the incident.

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Joshuas story - 2

• However, the next day I woke up to an empty house
  and a note addressed to me lying on the kitchen
  table.
• After an hour of using my Spanish-English
  dictionary, I figured out what was said.
• My mother, using many kind and genial words, was
  asking me to go into town to by the super glue
  that would repair the broken iron.
• This involved a great deal of uncertainty for me.
  In the beginning, I hated going anywhere in the
  city alone, so I called every person I knew and
  either nobody was home or they could not go with
  me.
• Not wanting to disappoint my host mom, I set out
  alone to find the glue.

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Joshuas story - 3

• On the note were the directions to get to the
  carpenters shop, so basically I knew where I was
  going.
• I needed to take the bus because it was too far
  to walk, and besides, I had been avoiding the bus
  as much as possible. Therefore, I felt it
  necessary to overcome my fear.
• However, as soon as I stepped onto the bus I knew
  I was going to have a problem because I got
  pushed to the back of the bus, which meant I was
  going to have to shout Por la parade, por favor
  at the top of my lungs to get off the bus.
• It is one thing to speak in Spanish, but it is an
  entirely different thing to shout in Spanish.

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The iceberg analogy
What do you see happening in Joshuas example?
Place these items on the iceberg above the
line What might be some deeper cultural
differences that lie below the surface? Place the
items on the iceberg as well.
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Answers

• Language his host is using Spanish, his Spanish
  is limited
• Indirect communication his host did not directly
  discuss the incident with him
• Formal and polite communication his hosts note
• Yelling on the bus people in the back yell to
  get off the bus

His own cultures emphasis on independence and
individualism His assumption that nothing being
said on the day of the incident meant that
nothing was wrong. The absence of words can mean
no conflict or no problem. His host countrys
rules of behaviour in public places.
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Joshuas story - 4

• Because of the success I had with the iron
  incident, my host mother gained a lot of
  confidence in me and we became the best of
  friends.
• So when I shattered the sink during my 10th week,
  there was no longer a need to write me a note to
  fix it. She told me that she would pay for half
  if I paid for the other half.
• Now, had I not done what at the time seemed like
  a rather insignificant thing go to the store
  and buy some glue breaking the sink could have
  been a very uncomfortable situation. Fortunately,
  I did what I was politely asked, and it benefited
  me greatly in the future.
• For this reason I believe there is nothing more
  detrimental in cultural adaptation than avoiding
  the uncomfortable.
• What is the worst that can happen? More times
  than often, the worst that can happen comes from
  the avoidance.

14
Communication styles

• Map your own communication styles and compare
  with your team members
• Several varieties of communication behaviours.
• These 8 styles are grouped into pairs, each of
  which represents the end points of a continuum.
• Between each pair on the line, mark an X to
  indicate your personal communication style.
• Use your interactions with people in the host
  country as the basis for evaluation or ask a
  cultural informant.

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(1) Direct indirect communication

• Direct communication
• Communication is done using explicit verbal
  statements and represents exactly what the
  speaker means. There is very little beating
  around the bush there.
• Indirect communication
• Meaning is communicated using indirect means such
  as suggestions, body language, or pauses. This
  style often uses other people to resolve conflict
  instead of direct contact.
• You ?
• Direct --------------------------------
  -------- Indirect

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(2) Linear circular communication

• Linear communication
• This style is similar to direct
  communication as it gets to the point without
  going off on tangents. The communication
  progresses systematically along a straight line
  until the point is made. As such it is considered
  faster and more economical to the people who use
  it.
• Circular communication
• In circular communication, the person rarely
  states the point directly. Instead, a discussion
  proceeds in a roundabout way and incorporates
  many details until the point is reached. This way
  of communicating is similar to how stories are
  told
• You ?
• Linear -------------------------------------
  --- Circular

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(3) Detached attached communication

• Detached communication
• In detached communication, issues are
  discussed with calmness and objectivity. Emotion
  is kept at a minimum, and objectivity is
  preferred over subjectivity. People who use
  detached communication may feel that they are
  just being rational and fair.
• Attached communication
• This communication style is characterised with a
  high level of emotion and feeling. People
  communicating this way think that they are
  showing sincerity or personal concern for the
  topic and the person with whom they are
  interacting.
• You ?
• Detached --------------------------------
  ----- Attached

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(4) Idea-oriented relationship oriented
communication

• Idea-oriented communication
• In this form of communication, disagreement
  with ideas is stated directly, with the
  assumption that only the idea, not the person
  from whom the idea came, is being attacked.
  Phrases such as no offence, but I dont agree
  with you or agree to disagree are indicative
  for this style.
• Relationship-oriented communication
• In this communication style, disagreeing with an
  idea is viewed the same as disagreeing with the
  person who originated it. Intellectual
  disagreement in particular is handled more subtly
  and indirectly. This communication style
  emphasises interpersonal harmony and strives to
  maintain the relationship between people.
• You ?
• Ideas ---------------------------------
  Relationships

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How to learn about your host culture ?

• Should you bring a gift? If so, whats
  appropriate?
• How formal should you be with your hosts?
• What should you expect in terms of how to
  register for your classes or present yourself on
  your work placement?
• What are some major political issues facing the
  country?
• Knowing the answers to these questions will help
  you get off to a good start and will build your
  confidence.
• Also, many find themselves intimidated by the
  knowledge people from other countries have not
  only about their own politics, history and
  culture, but also about your own countrys
  politics and culture. Feeling insecure, its easy
  to shut yourself off from these conversations,
  further preventing you from gaining the knowledge
  you seek!
• Were not suggesting you know everything, but,
  rather, prepare yourself with a few key pieces of
  information.

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Suggestions for getting prepared

• People from the country and culture you are
  visiting
• Literature
• Films
• Newspapers and magazines
• Internet

Much of the above could be considered required
knowledge before you leave. You can think of it
as a great way to expand upon your cultural
literacy of the target group without a huge
expenditure of time.
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TEAM ASSIGNMENT - SESSION 1

• Look at the skills you and your team members
  listed for the profiler game.
• Does the view that your team members have on you
  correspond to your own personal view on yourself?
• What are the first impressions others have of
  you? Try to restrict it to positive impressions.
• Does this view correspond with your own personal
  view on yourself?
• What can be improved and how on those first
  impressions?
• How are your skills expressed (become visible)?
  E.g. how do you show your leadership qualities?
  The qualities lie underneath the surface of the
  iceberg, and how do they become visible?