In egalitarian cultures, an administrative assistant asking a visiting executive about his weekend is simply viewed as warm and friendly. But for those who prefer silence, realize that excessive periods of silence will be unnerving for individuals from many cultures. It allows time to reflect and simply be in each other’s presence.Īnticipate the meaning of “silence” for your interactions. For others, silence during a conversation is golden. For some, “silence” suggests there’s not much chemistry or interest in the interaction.
Many personalities and cultures fear the “awkward silence”.
The ideas that follow are part of what you can do as you prepare.ĭraw upon your understanding of cultural norms ( CQ Knowledge) and your ability to read cues in the midst of conversation ( CQ Strategy) to monitor the following areas: If you know you’re going to be interacting cross-culturally, spend some time to think about what and how you should communicate. Anticipating who would be there, what they could ask, and remembering various details of their lives is a social coping strategy utilized by many introverts.Īll personality types will be well-served by using this kind of approach cross-culturally. I was amazed when I learned that many introverts prepare for a social gathering by planning possible conversations ahead of time. Prepare like an introvert going to a cocktail party But there are few things we can do to engage in culturally intelligent chit-chat:ġ. And even if you did, those stereotypes might not apply to your conversation partner. In today’s increasingly, multicultural world, it’s impossible to learn the do’s and don’ts of appropriate chit-chat for every culture you’ll encounter. Will they understand this humorous reference? Should I say anything about what just happened in that meeting? Yet informal interactions are when we often experience the greatest sense of cultural differences. But casual conversation is an essential part of connecting with friends, colleagues and people we’ve just met. Some dismiss chit-chat as an unnecessary and annoying waste of time. But your overall likability and trustworthiness may more likely be judged based upon your informal conversation in the elevator or over lunch. Sometimes we spend so much time deliberating the ideal skills for cross-border negotiation and intercultural communication that we overlook one of the most important ones-small talk! What you say during a formal interview or meeting is important.
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