Around the World - Acknowledging Cultural Diversity

When working with international teams, it is very important to consider different communication styles and cultural attitudes. Cultural diversity is not something that is going to go away tomorrow, enabling one to plan the strategies on the assumption of mutual understanding. To understand the language, culture, and thought process of the individuals at the global sites gives the ability to apply common sense at each site. When training personnel on communication skills, think about the communication style of the organization as a whole and ensure that their communication mechanisms are tailored to fit how the organization works. When people from a linear-active culture work together with people from a multiactive culture, it is likely that irritation will result on both sides. It has been said that humor crosses national boundaries with difficulty. There are a wide variety of team-building exercises and multinational corporations have tried all of them.