How to Communicate Well With People from Other Cultures

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This article was written by Maureen Taylor. Maureen Taylor is the CEO and founder of SNP Communications, a leading communications company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been helping leaders, founders, and innovators across industries improve their messaging and delivery for nearly 30 years, working with leaders and teams at Google, Facebook, Airbnb, SAP, Salesforce, and Spotify. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved after it receives enough positive comments. This article has 13 testimonials from our readers, giving it reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 508,265 times.

To build good relationships with people from other cultures, it is essential to learn to communicate with them verbally and non-verbally. You can make things easier by learning about their culture and practicing tolerance. Armed with the knowledge of how to communicate effectively, you can learn from people of other cultures and share your own with them.

1. 

   Familiarize yourself with the culture beforehand.[1]

   A little knowledge can go a long way. If you have time before you travel or meet someone from another culture, try to take the time to learn the do’s and don’ts of that culture. You can find information about it in online resources such as those offered by the National Center for Cultural Competence.[2]

2. 

   Expect differences. Different cultures speak differently, will be more or less direct in showing emotion, may or may not expect to engage in small talk, and exhibit other differences in communication.[3]
   When communicating with people from other cultures, be prepared to encounter such differences, including those you were not aware of.

3. 

   Understand hierarchies. When interacting with another culture, there may be unwritten rules about social hierarchy that you are not used to.[4]
   [5]

   For example, you may come from a culture where men and women are expected to interact equally with each other, but you may need to interact with someone from a culture where men may talk more in a mixed society. Similarly, you may be communicating with someone who expects a younger person to let an older person do the talking most of the time, while expecting people of all ages to communicate equally.

4. 

   Be open about communication difficulties. If you misunderstood someone or you think he or she misunderstood you, say something about it. Avoid being rude or insulting, but patiently explain the problem. It’s usually better to be open than to let a communication problem get out in the open, as it can lead to bigger problems later.[6]

   • If you think you didn’t understand what someone was trying to say, try saying something like, “I’m not sure I understand you. Can we go over it again?”
   • If you think someone misunderstood you, try saying something like, “Let’s go over things to make sure we’re all on the same page.” You can also let the person know that you are asking questions.

5. 

   Be respectful and tolerant. Each culture has its own set of dominant values, beliefs, and biases. Signs of this can appear in communication with people from other cultures. However, basic communication is not the time to judge people based on those differences. Instead, respect them for who they are and tolerate them.[7]
   You might even learn something new.

   • Even if cultural differences come up explicitly in the conversation, be tolerant and open-minded instead of arguing. For example, if you are an American and someone comments on the tendency of Americans to focus on work, say something like, “Yes, many Americans do take work seriously, and there are many reasons why. Why don’t you tell me more about how your culture thinks about work?

   EXPERT ADVICE

   “Remember: innovation, creativity and intelligence are without age, without culture, without colorand no gender.”

   

   maureen taylor

   Maureen Taylor, an expert in public speaking, is CEO and founder of SNP Communications, a leading communications company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been helping leaders, founders, and innovators across industries improve their messaging and delivery for nearly 30 years, working with leaders and teams at Google, Facebook, Airbnb, SAP, Salesforce, and Spotify.
   maureen taylorPublic speaking expert

6. 

   Be patient. Communicating with people from other cultures can be enlightening and rewarding, but it also has its challenges. Expect that not everything will go quite smoothly or be fully understood. Be patient with others and ask them to be patient with you.

1. 

   Speak clearly and slowly, if necessary. Refrain from shouting unnecessarily or treating others as if they don’t understand.[8]
   Raising your voice does not facilitate understanding and can be considered rude. Similarly, even if there are difficulties in communicating with people from other cultures, don’t treat other people as if they are not intelligent. Communication difficulties arise from cultural differences, not intelligence problems.

2. 

   Be correct. Be courteous and use formal forms of address until it’s clear that it’s not necessary (such as a business contact telling you to use names).[9]
   Depending on the cultures you interact with, this may include addressing others:

   • By name and surname
   • by last name only
   • With a title like “Mr.” or “sir”
   • Use of formal pronouns, if they exist in the language used for communication.

3. 

   Refresh your knowledge of foreign languages. If you are going to communicate with people who speak another language, try to learn a few basic phrases beforehand. Your situation may not require or allow you to be fluent in a foreign language, but you can still try to learn something.

   • Practice the basics, including: “Hello,” “Please,” “Thank you,” “How are you?”, etc.
   • Take a phrase book or electronic device with you that can help you find the phrases you need but don’t know.
   • Be patient when others try to use your language.

4. 

   Try to use the dominant language if you belong to a linguistic minority. If you are communicating with people who speak another language, try to use their language at first, or as much as you can. Even if you can’t say anything more than “hello” and “how are you?” in their language the gesture is usually appreciated.

5. 

   Avoid slang and profanity. This is important, unless you are absolutely sure how it is used in another culture. The inappropriate use of non-standard or obscene language can make it difficult to understand and can be perceived as highly offensive. Because slang and profanity are complex and highly context-dependent, it’s best to avoid them altogether unless you’re absolutely sure you know how to use them correctly.[10]

1. 

   Use “open fist” gestures. In some cultures, pointing with the index finger, making the “ok” sign, and other common gestures can be considered offensive. Since you may not know which gestures could be confused in this way, stick to the “open hand” gesture.[11]
   For example, try to use your whole hand if you need to show something.

2. 

   First, take an official position.[12]

   Keep your feet on the ground, sit up straight, don’t use your hands too expressively, and otherwise maintain a more or less conservative posture. This is because some positions can be considered offensive to others. For example, showing your feet is considered rude in some cultures, so you don’t want to cross your legs so your soles stick out.[13]

   • If it’s clear that less formal behavior is acceptable, you can do the same.

3. 

   Understand the rules about touching. Some cultures can expect more physical contact between people during communication than other cultures. For example, some cultures may shake hands or touch more easily than others.[14]

   • Don’t take it offensive if another culture is more or less physical than you’re used to in communication. The exception is if you believe you have been hurt or abused. If you don’t feel comfortable, let others know.
   • A good rule of thumb is to be conservative in the way you touch people from other cultures when you interact with them. However, if he seems to be using more physical contact, do the same if you’re comfortable with that.

4. 

   Know how to make or avoid eye contact. In some cultures, looking another person in the eye while talking is considered a sign of sincerity and interest. However, in other cultures it can be considered disrespectful, confrontational, or a sign of sexual interest. Instead, some cultures think that not looking a superior person in the eye when communicating is a sign of respect.[15]

5. 

   Expect different facial expressions. It is common for different cultures to use facial expressions differently. For example, Americans may smile frequently, while other cultures may view excessive smiling as a sign of superficiality. When interacting with people from other cultures, you may notice that they make more expressive faces (to show happiness, sadness, frustration, etc.) than you are used to, or you may notice that they do not show much expression.[16]

   • Most communication is non-verbal, regardless of culture. However, you can focus on the content of what was said and ask questions for clarification if necessary. For example, if someone reacts to something you say with an unexpected smile or laugh, you might need to say, “Actually, I’m serious.”

6. 

   Respect the amount of personal space the situation requires. Some cultures may require more personal space than others. If you are interacting with people from another culture and find that they are moving closer or further away from you than you are used to, they are not necessarily invading your space or trying to avoid you. Just try to follow their prompts about personal space and communicate as best you can.[17]

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