Introduction
A person’s cultural heritage is very influential in their communication ability. Values, beliefs, customs, and modes of interaction all shape a society’s culture. Cultural variations must be considered while communicating to convey the intended meaning. Misunderstanding and friction may result from ignoring cultural subtleties.
A Miscommunication Caused by Overlooking the Background
At my last employment, I was part of a multicultural team with people worldwide. In my thorough report, I used colloquial terms and cultural allusions that were common to me but unfamiliar to others on the team. This led to misunderstandings and further delays in the project as certain team members failed to grasp the intended intent (Levitt, 2019).
Applying Communication Principles to Prevent Misunderstandings
The following are the measures I will take to prevent future misunderstandings:
- learn about the various cultural backgrounds of my team or target audience via study;
- keep in mind that not everyone will understand idioms or allusions to pop culture;
- get input from the staff or my readers.
Role of the “You-Attitude” in Effective Communication
The “you-attitude” refers to a mode of communication that emphasizes the other person’s wants, needs, and points of view. If one takes this approach, one may make one’s communications more personal and more likely to connect with the reader (Nordquist, 2020). In the future, I will adopt the formulated method and
- take into account the reader’s requirements and interests while deciding how to organize my communications;
- talk about how everyone will benefit from working together and what they want to accomplish;
- do my best to answer the reader’s worries with information that is both pertinent and detailed.
Conclusion
Thus, it is crucial for efficient communication to understand and consider the background factors of communication. Misunderstandings may be avoided in the future via introspection, study, empathy, and the “you-attitude.” Working on communication abilities may improve knowledge, relationships, and results in many areas of life.
References
Levitt, S. R. (2019). Cultural dialectics in international teamwork Dynamics. International Journal of Business Communication, 56(3), 326–348. Web.
Nordquist, R. (2020). Guidelines for adopting the ‘you attitude’ in professional writing. ThoughtCo. Web.