The following article about the importance of linking language and culture in global business communication, written by Lorelei Carbolante, appeared in a recent edition of Mobility Magazine. Our Managing Director, Bhaskar Pant, was interviewed for the article; he talks about the need for customized training "enabling people to communicate interculturally in a way that produces respectful communication".

Bridging Cultures with Intuitive Communication

By Lorelei Carobolante, SCRP, GMS

Excerpted from article in MOBILITY Magazine, June 2004. You may see the full article on the World Learning website.

Intuitive communication goes beyond simple language proficiency to an understanding of cultural factors at work in a given country. Carobolante discusses the link between language and culture, and expands the idea of what training is needed for international business relations.

Clearly, the impact of today's global transition—and of rapid change in general—is producing a backlash all over the world, but the fluidity of shifting issues involving everything from miscommunication to security challenges is converging on global HR, responsible for identifying best practices to maximize employee effectiveness in foreign locations. As globalization continues to drive company growth, the importance of strategic alignment to employee positioning has led to multicultural and multilingual communication skills becoming the gateway to successful knowledge transfer, synergistic relationship development, and global team building while also improving productivity, controlling costs, and expanding market share.

By using a combination of cross-cultural and foreign language training before and on arrival in foreign locations to develop multicultural proficiency, employees also can manage potential security problems through gaining a better understanding of the local context, while reducing associated stress. Effective communication involving foreign business environments is essential, but it is only the first step on the road to building relationships that will support global synergy development while enhancing employee security abroad. Reaching the level at which communication functions as a foundation for building relationships that lead to innovation is the goal—where people become comfortable enough with the mechanics of expressing themselves that conveying a synthesis of nuances, perspectives, and insights occurs naturally.

Tailored Solutions (excerpted)

Many of today's global HR professionals and consultants recognize that the kind of preparation and training required to effectively communicate respect in multicultural environments does not involve a "cookie-cutter" solution that would work in every location—cultural diversity requires a customized approach. Bhaskar Pant, Managing Director, World Learning for Business, Brattleboro, VT, an expat twice during his career, suggests that "enabling people to communicate interculturally in a way that produces respectful communication is the key to developing a neutral perception that sheds the typical 'foreigner' vs. 'local' initial standoff. Especially during these times, one must be much more sensitive about other cultures and languages, and the context that local nationals are operating in—when this is internalized, communicating respect comes across almost automatically. Sensitivity and ultimately being able to intuitively be respectful provides a venue to become comfortable with one another and build trust. Our programs hit hard at these core issues," said Pant.

"We are currently working with a Japanese pharmaceutical company that has a research and sales office in the United States. Although they want to expand dramatically in the United States, Japanese employees had viewed their American counterparts with doubt involving judgments and decisions about how to go after the U.S. business. Despite some excellent recommendations on the part of American employees, overcoming suspicion and building trust proved to be difficult. Bilateral perspective training, specifically focused on Japanese and American cultural norms and business practices, helped to overcome these setbacks.

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Planning Ahead (excerpted)

Also important is how to avoid a last-minute foreign culture preparation for employees traveling abroad on business trips or assignments. Less than a decade ago, with the exception of legal restrictions, companies that expanded outside their home countries generally organized HR and relocation policies around headquarter home country norms, and only expatriated or international sales and marketing employees had any access to foreign country information.

Today, in recognition of the impact that multicultural issues have created, there is a trend by global companies to provide substantive specific information about countries where they do business, which can be accessed by employees on their intranet. For example, one multibillion dollar, semi-conductor manufacturing company posts up-to-date, comprehensive country information for each facility location so that employees can learn about the company across all cultures with which it is involved.

Promoting International English (excerpted)

As the current global transition continues to expand, it is not hard to recognize that International English has become the most important business and overall global communication tool, but International English is not the same language as that of any country whose first language is English, e.g., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or the United States.

It is a global "second language" that developed over time in response to business communication needs. Metaphoric expressions found in "mother tongue" languages are mainly cultural communication short cuts ("ways to say things") and do not maintain their meaning or translate directly into the international version of English.

Additionally, there are some important differences between the international version of English and the American version, making International English an important multicultural training component for American business travelers and transferees.

Business associates at a meeting in Italy may speak International English fluently, but participating in a discussion mixed with American English could lead to confusion. For example, being asked "whether we are all on the same page or not," requesting that the group "table the discussion" because "we have to be sure that we are covering all the bases," and the like. American English sometimes includes unique acronymic phrases, e.g., "best deal 4U" or "U2 can be successful." These ways of saying things in the United States are not part of International English, and when U.S. employees use them in meetings with foreign nationals, the message becomes unclear (some words "go in one ear and out the other"). That which remains becomes the complete message (minus the local metaphoric short cuts), often leading to unintended miscommunication, which may also adversely influence relationship building.

An HR manager from The Netherlands recently told me that he was amazed at how differently the rest of the world speaks English when compared to the American version.

"It is hard to understand why most Americans do not seem to realize that we do not understand what they are talking about when they say things like, 'we can't miss' (miss what?), 'it's a home run idea' (other than baseball fans, who knows what a home run is—why use it in a meeting?), or 'what's up anyway' (up where?)," he said.

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The Global Knowledge Economy (excerpted)

Moving forward, employees will be involved increasingly with international business travel or on short- and long-term assignments, and understanding when "yes" means "no" or vice versa, while competently communicating genuine respect will reduce misunderstandings and conflict—ultimately supporting business development while avoiding potential security problems, which is another recurring concern of employees who work outside their home countries.

This is so true: as a friend of mine in the high-tech industry recently reminded me, "from concept definition to product development, from design and manufacturing to distribution, the product often has traveled more than once around the globe before it gets to the customer."

The Role of HR Professionals (excerpted)

Worth considering is the fact that every step of the way, miscommunication or the ability to synergistically transfer knowledge and purpose make the difference between failure and success—which neatly brings us back to how these factors may influence HR professionals who are responsible for identifying best practices to maximize employee effectiveness in foreign locations.

First, enabling employees to function in a changing, diverse workplace is required where predictable outcome is impossible without multicultural competencies. This is an example of a key training area that aligns directly with business strategy, as well as security issues.

Second, because of global competition, radical rethinking to redefine business models and innovate will be necessary in addition to increasing productivity and doing more with less. Synergy can be developed only when employees achieve multicultural proficiency, as their ability to influence and be influenced by others will be expanded greatly.

Third, constant communication and information sharing across multiple languages and cultures is increasing, leading to more collaboration. In addition to achieving proficiency in foreign languages, a clear understanding of how to properly use International English as a tool for business as well as interpersonal communication will support relationship building.

Diversity in global workplaces will continue to increase, and creating best practices to accommodate new attitudes and values through understanding will be vital. Recent studies show that some of these should include:

1. Reinforcing the company's commitment to be a "global citizen" by actively maintaining up-to-date relevant country-specific information applicable to business locations to support understanding and learning rather than generic travel bulletins—all of which should be accessible to employees via intranet.
2. Organizing specific training or workshops (pre-, during, and post-assignment) that enable a more productive integration, within the local culture, i.e., intuitively communicating respect and authenticity, gaining proficiency in International English, learning applicable foreign languages, understanding non-verbal cultural messages, appreciating different points of view, and the like.
3. Communicating a corporate culture that values the acquisition of global perspectives through learning programs that incorporate more than just the general country overview information and do/don't recommendations previously used. Topics should include history, politics, religion, and other factors that influence behavior and thinking patterns (applicable to business and outside situations).

Building synergistic teams and relationships across different cultures requires a commitment to respect the people one meets, including all things that are important to them. It takes curiosity, motivation, research, learning, and communication to reach a point of understanding that fosters relationship building.

As one international transferee who has been on multiple assignments over the past 20 years put it, "How can you understand people if you don't know their [life] journey?"

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Lorelei Carobolante, SCRP, GMS, is a global management consultant, San Ramon, CA. She can be reached at e-mail lorelei@carobolante.com.

Excerpted and reprinted with permission from the author and ERC.org.

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