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
