There are many problems in communicating clearly across cultural lines. They might be broken down into two broad categories. The first category is the problems of language and meaning. For example, “yes” does not necessarily mean “yes” in every culture. It isn’t easy to understand people clearly if we do not understand the social cues, which is much more than just language. If anything, the complexities of the social cues (body language) become even more complicated the further from home we go. It was much easier for me to communicate and engage students when I lived as an exchange student in England than talking with students in China today.
Communication is so much more than simply words. We need to understand actions and reactions. The pivot point for what communication is made of is the concept of meaning itself. If our version of meaning is so intertwined with our perceptions, experiences, and socializations, what does it mean to reproduce meaning across the gap of culture?
The world is getting smaller, and people of different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs interact more today than ever in history. As they do, good leaders need other tools and skills to effectively communicate with and engage people across these increasingly complex intersections. There are many kinds of cultures, including the obvious, such as nationality and race, and more subtle ones, such as workplace cliques and social groupings. Because people from different cultures have difficulty communicating and getting along, it will be a vital part of the 21st-century leader’s task to bridge these differences and use them to advantage and neutralize them.