Light of Reason Political Blog          

Define Your Terms to Solve Cross-Cultural Communication Problems

By Ethan Becker, author of Mastering Communication at Work

So you think you can do business internationally just because you send your employees overseas? You’ve sent your employees to the HR cross cultural class. They learned how to kiss, bow, and shake hands, and now you’re ready to do business internationally, right?

But … wait. Something’s wrong. Why isn’t your international business thriving? Why are you still running into problems with your international counterparts telling you “yes” one day and then not following through?

After working with clients in South East Asia since the 1990’s and living in Malaysia with my family for almost a year conducting research and coaching senior leaders of some of the largest organizations in the region, I’ve gained insight into this pesky long-lasting conundrum that so many international teams have faced: cross-cultural communication problems. Not only have I explored the communication psyche of the senior level executive, but I’ve also studied the perspectives of the multiple levels throughout the ranks. So my insight into this problem is well rounded. I’ll share the problem, and most importantly, how to help minimize it.

The Problem.

The cross-cultural communications problem is a breakdown in the meaning of verbal language and body language. Here are some examples: [...]

March 20th 2012
Tags: Personal Blogs

No Comments

Study: Differences in Strategy and Challenges Among CEOs in Emerging and Mature Economies

Top executives in Europe and the U.S. say global political and economic risk, and government regulation are their most pressing concerns, while Asian CEOs name innovation as their top challenge, closely followed by human capital—attracting, retaining, and rewarding talent. So finds The Conference Board CEO Challenge 2012 , a global ...

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: Students outline vision for education ahead of federal budget

Students are bringing forward their budget priorities in this year's Alternative Federal Budget, "A budget For The Rest Of Us". Students' recommendations for increasing access to post-secondary education are included in the document released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The Alternative Federal Budget shows that a ...
March 14th 2012
Tags: Personal Blogs

No Comments

Science Applications International Corporation Reaches Settlement with U.S. Attorney and City of New York

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) [NYSE: SAI] has reached a settlement with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the City of New York concerning the CityTime automated workforce management system. Under the terms of the settlement, SAIC will pay $500.4 million in restitution and penalties, and ...
March 12th 2012
Tags: Personal Blogs

No Comments

Governor Mitch Daniels to Discuss “The Most Predictable Crisis” with No Labels Community

On Tuesday, March 13 at 11 a.m. eastern time, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels will conduct a town hall teleconference with No Labels members across America to discuss the dire state of America's finances and ways to fix the current budget crisis. "Everyone in Washington knows America's fiscal situation is completely ...

Statement From National Coalition for Safer Roads on Support for Speed Enforcement Technology

Today, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) released a new report, "Survey of the States: Speeding and Aggressive Driving," on the role that speeding plays in traffic deaths. Speeding continues to be a factor in one-third of traffic deaths every year, while almost every other area of highway safety ...

Search

The archives run deep. Feel free to search older content using topic keywords.

Browse by Category