Cross-Cultural Barriers at Work & How to Overcome Them
- Language (Verbal and Non-verbal) Verbal communication is central to every social interaction. ...
Many problems arise in our workplace today as a result of the barriers cultural diversity imposes on cross cultural communication. Cross-cultural communication barriers such as anxiety, uncertainty, stereotyping, and ethnocentrism are caused by inadequate cultural knowledge and the lack of intercultural communicative skills.
A pioneer in the field of intercultural communication, LaRay M. Barna identified six stumbling blocks on the road to a successful intercultural exchange:
assumption of similarities, language differences, nonverbal misinterpretations, preconceptions, and stereotypes, tendency to evaluate, and high anxiety.Some of the most common cross-cultural issues and challenges in the workplace are differences in:
Communications styles Attitudes toward conflict Approaches to completing tasks Decision-making styles Attitudes toward disclosure Approaches to knowledge
These are the signs there are cross-cultural communication barriers in the workplace:
- The use of unprofessional language. ...
- Resistance arising from the preference of some for a more direct communication style, which can be interpreted as angry or disrespectful
More items,
×Cross-cultural communication barriers in the workplace include:
- Language barriers, including verbal and non-verbal communication
- Differences in norms, traditions, and values
- Prejudices and stereotypes
- Ethnocentric bias
- Differences in communication styles, attitudes toward conflict, approaches to completing tasks, decision-making styles, attitudes toward disclosure, and approaches to knowledge
- Misinterpretations of nonverbal cues
- Assumptions of similarities
- High anxiety
Friendship between an unrelated male and female
A cross-sex friendship is a platonic relationship between two unrelated people of differing sexes or gender.
There are multiple types of cross-sex friendships, all defined by whether or not each party has a romantic attraction to each other, or perceives that the other is interested.
A few theories have been developed to explain the existence of such friendships.
Research has been done on why men and women initiate these relationships, how they are perceived by others, implications for children with cross-sex friendships, among others.
Cross-sex friendships can also create problems for those involved if either or both have or ever had any romantic feelings for the other.