That’s a Wrap | 5 Tips for Effective Communication

Well that’s it, I’ve come to the end of my amazing internship a GO Communications and its back to chilly Perth. Given the fact that so much of my stay in Kuala Lumpur was spent interacting with people from different backgrounds, I thought I’d round off by sharing my Top 5 tips for effective cross-cultural communication:

1.      Slow Down

Australians are notorious fast-talkers. We also have a habit of adding an inflection to the end of our sentence as though we are asking a question. All of this makes it tricky of foreigners to determine exactly what we’re saying. Try to slow down, keep your tone level and ensure your pronunciation is clear.

2.      Keep it Simple

When communicating cross-culturally try to keep everything clear and simple. Unfortunately is also means avoiding humour; Australian humour is very culturally-specific (sarcastic, dark and irreverent) and its best to avoid it until you know the person you’re communicating with won’t be offended.

3.      Be Supportive

Never forget that you’re not the only one feeling awkward. By encouraging the person you’re communicating with, you help build their confidence, give them support, it also helps to develop their trust in you.

4.      Check Meanings

Never assume the other party has understood you. Actively listen and then summarize what has been said either verbally and/or using email in order to very.

5.      Ask for Help

If the language barriers are proving too much it may be in everyone’s interest to employ a translator. A translator can be hired, or may even come in the form of a colleague, either way they can smooth the process and can also help to acknowledge cultural differences.

Anyway, thanks for reading everyone.

Best of luck in your internships and future P.R careers.

Molly