For theTalaera speaksinsideOctober 11, 2022 11:09:17 am
Not understanding the differences between high and low context cultures can lead to serious misunderstandings at work. In this post, you'll learn about the different styles of communication between high- and low-context cultures and get some (super) easy-to-use strategies to ensure just that.cooperation between culturesit is smooth as silk. Cultural diversity paves the way for better problem solving, greater creativity and better innovation. However, if culture andlanguage barriersIf not managed properly, it can be a source of inefficiency, frustration, confusion and stress at work. language barrier We all have ingrained cultural norms, and when people from other cultures don't behave in accordance with them, we fall into the trap of basic stereotypes or misattribution. Our brains generally find it easier to use cultural stereotypes to understand the world around us. However, if we don't make an effort to understand how culture plays a role in how we communicate and collaborate, we could miss out on all the benefits of cross-cultural collaboration (and, worse, suffer from all the potential downsides). 🇧🇷 The first step is to create yourCultural Intelligence (CC)🇧🇷 What you consider "common sense" or best business practice is not universal. Other cultures may perceive them differently or express them with subtle (or obvious) differences. What works for one group of people may not work for another group in another culture. For example, in some Asian countries, good communication is indirect, implicit, subtle, layered and nuanced. Some Western cultures, on the other hand, see good communication as direct, concise, explicit, simple and clear. If your goal is to work successfully across cultures, you must accept differences, be open and willing to learn about different communication styles, and adapt your own to the situation. Important reminder! Culture is dynamic, not static. It is updated in real time and depends on several factors. Also remember that each individual is unique within a culture and may not fit the general characteristics of that culture. This means that learning communication patterns in different cultures can be extremely helpful, but you shouldn't expect everyone in that culture to communicate in this particular way. After all, although cultures are different from each other, no culture or cultural characteristic is better or worse than another. Different simply means different, neither better nor worse.How does culture affect communication?
Why should you educate yourself about high and low context cultures?
Working in a multicultural environment requires you to be able to identify and understand high and low context cultures. Also, you need to be able to adapt your communication style to the person you are interacting with. But what are the benefits of understanding the characteristics and differences between high- and low-context cultures?
1 - Avoid embarrassing or offensive mistakes
Have you ever heard the word KY? We really hope they never call you that! It is a term used inJapanto describe a person speaking loudly in a quiet environment or talking to a customer who has recently lost interest. This pejorative Japanese slang term means "kuuki ga yomenai" and literally means "unable to read the air".
You want to be able to "read the air" or understand context and underlying meanings, or avoid making embarrassing or offensive mistakes. For example, asking someone to give you a straight yes/no answer may be seen as embarrassing someone or forcing them to make a decision when they may not be able to.
2 - Avoid misunderstandings
What counts as good business or common sense varies widely from country to country. Find out what is considered appropriate in different situations and adapt accordingly. For example, high-context cultures (such as Indonesia) may not summarize key points during meetings or send an email explaining next steps. However, in low-context cultures (such as the US), a clean-cut, key-point summary is expected after a meeting, as this avoids confusion and sets clear expectations. when you are outUSAand you've just met someone from Indonesia, don't be surprised if you don't always get a follow-up email afterwards.
3 - Build stronger relationships (personal and professional)
Understanding how others communicate and how they value receiving information can be a game changer. Want to know if anyone from Japan appreciates your effort to get straight to the point during one of your first meetings together? A potential customer ofGermanyDo you get bored of constantly talking about an issue instead of tackling it head-on? And always find out about themPersonaAs an individual. Stereotypes and communication patterns exist and can help us make sense of the world, but seeing people for who they are is a step you should never skip.
4 - Increase the effectiveness of your marketing
Tailoring your message to appeal to high- and low-context audiences can simply make it more persuasive. It can help you create a more effective tone. Advertising and website design in high-context cultures tend to use more color, music, and visuals to provide more context. They also tend to have more detailed and advanced designs. Low-context ads and websites, on the other hand, tend to focus more on verbal information and linear processes.
High context cultures vs. low context cultures
When we talk about high context versus low context, it's important to remember that all cultures contain aspects of both. They are not fixed and isolated labels, but general and dynamic patterns of communication. First, we'll look at some examples where misunderstandings arise due to differences between high and low contexts, and then we'll delve into the specifics of both.
Examples of low and high context culture
See this conversation between Pablo Díaz, a Spanish manager, and he discusses with Mr. Chen, a Chinese official, about Sunday work. This example was adoptedthe culture cardby Erin Mayer.
- Mr. Diaz: It looks like some of us have to be here on Sunday to organize the customer visit.
- Mr. Chen: I see.
- Mr. Diaz: Can you join us on Sunday?
- Mr. Chen: Yes, I think so.
- Mr. Diaz: That would be very helpful.
- Mr. Chen: Yes, Sunday is an important day.
- Mr. Díaz: In what way?
- Mr. Chen: It's my daughter's birthday.
- Mr. Diaz: Good. Hope you like.
- Mr. Chen: Thank you. Thank you for your understanding.
Now watch this other conversation between Mr. Hutchinson (head of US IT) and Mr. Wong (Senior Computer Programmer, Malaysian born and raised). This example 3 is from the culture component (pub wise).
- Mr. Hutchinson: The program looks good and passed the test with only minor errors. When do you think you can get it into production? I don't see a production plan here. The changes must enter the system before the end of the month. It is possible? When do you want to drive it?
- Mr. Wong: Maybe you should check the requirements.
- Mr. Hutchinson: The mistakes were small. Quality control needs to know when it will go into production. Let's set the production date now. Just let me know when you'll fix the bugs. I will tell the QC.
- Mr. Wong: Maybe I can email you an offer. I'll talk to the team.
- Mr. Hutchinson: Can you tell me when you're going to fix this? No big deal here. (hands the program to Mr. Wong) Doesn't that seem like an easy solution?
- Mr. Wong: (watches the program but says nothing, as if he hadn't heard Mr. Hutchinson's suggestion)
- Mr. Hutchinson: Mr. Wong? just give me a date
- Mr. Wong: Yes, whenever you want is fine. (He hands the program back to Mr. Hutchinson)
- Mr. Hutchinson: I don't need it. (hands it back to Mr. Wong) Well, it has to be ready by the first of next month. OK?
- Mr. Wong: Yes, it's okay.
What these two conversations have in common is that one person thinks they are very clear and yet the other person misses all the clues. One of them uses thecontextindirectly tell the other person that they can't come on Sunday or that something is wrong, but Mr. Diaz and Mr. Hutchinson prevent them from receiving the message.
If you can identify with Mr. Chen or Mr. Wong, you may come from a high-context culture, whereas if you feel closer to Mr. Diaz or Mr. Hutchinson, your culture can be quite high-context. These concepts were first introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in his 1959 bookthe silent languageand best described in hisbeyond the cultureBuch 1976.
High- and low-context cultures are ends of a continuum that reflect how explicit or direct messages in a culture tend to be and how much they depend on context to convey meaning. Context here refers to any non-verbal elements that can influence how we understand a message, such as gestures, body language, hierarchy or relationships.
high context culture
Here are some key characteristics of high-context culture to remember.
High Context Cultures:Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China,not event that, and Saudi Arabia are among the most contextual cultures in the world.
Relationships:Components of these cultures tend to value long-term relationships. They often develop strong boundaries with people and there is a difference between those who are accepted as part of the group and those who are considered "outsiders". The structure of their relationships is based on interconnected networks and long-term relationships, and their shared history makes it easy for members of a group to understand the situation without having to use explicit words.
Concentrate on the context:Communication in high-context cultures involves using and interpreting non-explicit messages, reading between the lines, and being sensitive to the body language and social roles of others. People are expected to read between the lines and understand the context. To fully understand the meaning of the message, focus less on the words and more on contextual elements such as body language, social status, physical condition and tone of voice.
Good communication:High-context communication is sophisticated, indirect, and subtle. People from high-context cultures often approach an issue indirectly, looking at it from many tangential or divergent perspectives. They are also quite intuitive, caring and interested in the collective.
Meet:During meetings, they cannot summarize key points or follow up with an email explaining next steps.
Forms of communication:In general, high-context cultures prefer oral communication because this is where they can best utilize the spatial situation and context. When communicating in writing, they often opt for longer forms of communication.
Stay quiet:People from high-context cultures are often content with silence. Since they don't rely on verbal communication as their primary source of information, silence actually conveys mutual understanding.
How low-context cultures might perceive:They may find cultures with little context too simplistic, too detailed, and suspicious. You may also feel that repeating messages is a waste of time.
Low-Context-Kultur
These are the main characteristics of low-context cultures.
Low context cultures:Low-context countries includeUSA, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands andGermany.
Relationships:Groups in low-context cultures tend to be more diverse and lack a common background. This means that communication should be so basic that as many people as possible can understand it. Based on this principle, communicators often assume that listeners know very little and almost everything needs to be said. The purpose and outcome of communication are considered more important than interpersonal relationships. Careful! Just because information has become simple, straightforward, and available to everyone doesn't mean that low-context cultures are easy to learn. There are many factors, rules and traditions that can take years to understand.
Focus on the words:Communication in low-context cultures requires much more attention to the literal meaning of words than to the surrounding context or body language. Rules are explicitly written or stated.
Good communication:Low-context communication is concise, simple, and clear. Messages are delivered and understood literally, and repetitions and summaries are appreciated. People from low-context cultures tend to be more logical, analytical or action-oriented.
Meet:It is expected that key points from a meeting will be summarized and written down to avoid confusion and set clear expectations. During a speech, the speaker usually starts by saying what he is going to talk about, then says it, and then tells the audience what he was talking about.
Forms of communication:Most communication is through oral language, preferring written communication. Email tends to send quick, frequent messages that get right to the point, and they also like to focus on basic questions (What's happening? Where is it happening? When will it happen? How will it happen?).
Stay quiet:Members of low-context cultures rely on words to convey meaning and may be uncomfortable with silence. You may feel the need to speak, as silence is often uncomfortable. Those who do not speak in a conversation or allow silence are perceived negatively. Silence somehow communicates a problem.
How high-context cultures might perceive:..As you can see in high context:undisciplined, secretive, lacking transparency and unable to communicate effectively.
Strategies for collaborating effectively with people from high-context cultures
High and low context cultures can understand each other, especially when there is mutual understanding and a willingness to conform. If you are from a (fairly) low-context culture (such as the US, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, the UK or Poland) and need to communicate with people from a high-context culture (such as Japan, Indonesia, Iran, China, Kenya,not event that, or Singapore), here are some effective strategies for effective cross-cultural communication.
1 - Agree on a communication structure
Identify your own communication style and that of your team members. Some may expect others to read between the lines, while others always say what they mean. As a team, it's important that you develop your own language and agree on a communication style that works for everyone. It must be based on an understanding of cultural differences and benefit everyone. Evaluate where communication often breaks down andlooking for helpto fill those gaps in communication or skills.
2 - Pay attention to non-verbal cues
People from high-context cultures believe that we have two eyes and two ears, but only one mouth, because we should see and hear more than we speak. Pay attention to body language, tone of voice, eye position and facial expression. Listen more carefully, considering social status and relationships. And remember that"yes" and "no" don't necessarily mean the same thingbetween cultures.
3 - Use open-ended questions to find meaning
Provide the canvas and let them paint. When communicating with people from high-context cultures,Stay away from yes/no questions🇧🇷 These are often leading questions and can be awkward for people from high-context cultures. Instead, use open-ended questions to find meaning.
Pay special attention to signs that the other person is feeling cornered. Be careful with these phrases as a signal to extract more information:I will think, I think so, I will do my best, it will be very difficult, but I will try.When you hear them, it might be a good time to delve deeper with open-ended questions.
Compare these two examples.
Yes-no question:
- We need to ship the order as soon as possible.Do you think tomorrow will be ready?
- I will do my best.
Open question:
- We need to ship the order as soon as possible.When do you think we could have it ready?
- Probably Wednesday or Thursday.
- Great, can I add that as our deadline?
- It is clear.
4 - Leave space between questions
Leave a space between a question and your answer. Your conversation partner might not be done talking yet! Or they could just think. Remember that high-context cultures tend to prioritize relationships and building relationships often takes a long time, so don't rush things!
Conclusion
Some cultures are moreonly, others need more context and others avoid itsay no🇧🇷 Start by learning what some of these differences are, such as:mattersyou should avoidconversationit's atamericanocould mean. But most importantly, develop yourcultural intelligenceand keep workingcommunicate effectively across cultures.
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FAQs
How are relationships viewed in high context cultures? ›
In a high-context culture, emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships rather than personal achievement. Members of high-context cultures are relatively comfortable interacting with others because a close-knit community has been formed, such as that of a family or religious congregation.
What is a high context culture? ›High-context cultures are more likely to be intuitive, contemplative, and concerned with the collective. Communicators in high-context cultures pay attention to more than the words spoken – they also pay attention to interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expressions, physical settings, and social settings.
What is an example of high context culture? ›What Is a High-Context Culture? High-context cultures are cultures in which subtlety and collective understanding rule the day. Many Asian and Arabic countries—like China, Korea, and Saudi Arabia—fall into this category.
What is high context in communication? ›In high-context communication, only a part of information is expressed verbally. A great portion of a message is being "read" from the context: the person, his appearance and nonverbal behaviour, personal history, the communicative situation, and the interaction process.
Why is context important in relationships? ›Context is important as it leads to a better understanding of the people around and your relationship with them.
How do you build relationships with different cultures? ›- Start with your own bias. ...
- Identify your intentions. ...
- Smile and say hello. ...
- Educate yourself. ...
- Spend time in unfamiliar spaces. ...
- Don't tokenize. ...
- It's not all about you. ...
- Don't appropriate.
Which of the following is not true about high-context cultures? Negotiations are lengthy.
How do high context cultures work? ›- 1 - Agree on a communication framework. Identify your own communication style and that of your team members. ...
- 2 - Pay attention to nonverbal cues. ...
- 3 - Use open-ended questions to find meaning. ...
- 4 - Allow space between questions.
Generally, high-context cultures prefer oral communications, while low-context cultures favor written communications. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages.
Why is high context communication better? ›The addressee is likely to understand all of the information even if they are unfamiliar with the cultural context. In high-context communication, on the other hand, a great deal of information is implied rather than explicit. An understanding of the cultural context is deeply necessary to understand the message.
What is a high context culture and how it will influence conflict handling? ›
People in High Context cultures may feel guided in conflict or decisionmaking by an unseen "hand" of social expectations that requires them to consider the entire context. A good person should think not only about what he or she wants. One should also be guided by duty, obligation, and roles in deciding how to respond.
What is the difference between high culture and low culture explain with examples? ›High culture commonly refers to the set of cultural products, mainly in the arts, held in the highest esteem by a culture. In contrast, low culture refers to such things as gossip magazines, reality television, popular music, yellow journalism.
What are the characteristics of high culture? ›High Culture - This is the culture of the elite and usually refers to artistic endeavors such as music, dance, theater, certain writing, architecture, etc. High culture is the realm of elites and once something becomes part of the popular culture elites will usually abandon the practice.
What is the main idea about high context and low context cultures? ›High-context cultures are those that communicate in ways that are implicit and rely heavily on context. In contrast, low-context cultures rely on explicit verbal communication. High-context cultures are collectivist, value interpersonal relationships, and have members that form stable, close relationships.
What do high context cultures tend to value and emphasize? ›High context cultures tend to put more value and emphasis on building trust and personal relationships. These relationships are mostly built upon face-to-face interaction and things that are left unsaid such as cultural norms, body language and how things are said or presented.
How does context improve relationships? ›Context is importance because it helps you connect and create a relationship with the reader. It helps you communicate your point of view clearly making it easier to understand. It allows you and others to be more creative.
What does context of relationship mean? ›My definition of a contextual relationship is two individuals have something in common while developing a meaningful relationship. Their relationship exists in a context of time, setting, and purpose. It involves one person needing help and depending upon the other person to provide that help.
How do social context affect relationship and communication? ›A crucial facet of the social context is the status relationships have amongst various people. As a result of this actuality the social context means that people usually change the way they communicate in accordance to the proclaimed status of the person whom they are engaging with.
How does culture influence you in building relationships? ›Every culture affects our personal habits and preferences. In interracial relationships, personal habits might cause issues the same way they would when they are acceptable in one country but not tolerated for long in another. A lot of interracial couples mistake cultural influence for personality flaws.
How can learning about different cultures strengthen relationships? ›By learning and understanding different cultures, you understand why people do things the way they do. When you identify with other people, you sympathize with their situation. This facilitates understanding and prevents misunderstandings.
Why is it important to bring cultures together? ›
It helps dispel negative stereotypes and personal biases about different groups. In addition, cultural diversity helps us recognize and respect “ways of being” that are not necessarily our own. So that as we interact with others we can build bridges to trust, respect, and understanding across cultures.
Which of the following is generally true about high-context cultures? ›Which of the following is true about high-context cultures? High-context cultures use feeling to present their ideas on social media.
Which of the following is a characteristic of a high-context culture conversation? ›Both group association/oneness with the group and mutual dependency are characteristics of high-context cultures.
Which of the following are included in high-context communication? ›High-Context Communication
High use of nonverbal elements; voice tone, facial expression, gestures, and eye movement carry significant parts of a conversation.
To accurately understand human behavior, psychological scientists must understand the cultural context in which the behavior occurs and measure the behavior in culturally relevant ways.
What are the differences between high and low context cultures when it comes to marketing? ›Whereas low-context cultures focus heavily on words to convey the message, high-context cultures rely on imagery and non-verbal elements to provide additional context and engage with the audience.
How does cultural context affect communication? ›The way you communicate is deeply influenced by the culture in which you were raised. The meaning of words, the significance of gestures, the importance of time and place, the rules of human relationships—these and many other aspects of communication are defined by culture.
How do you manage communication in high context culture? ›- Communication is indirect, implicit, subtle, layered and nuanced.
- Non verbal cues like tone of voice, eye movements, gestures and facial expressions carry a great deal of meaning.
Use neutral terms and open body language.
When managing the conflict, speak in a calm, agreeable manner. Use neutral language and separate the other person from the problem. It is better to speak in “I” language, as opposed to “you” language to avoid the other person feeling attacked.
- Probing for the cultural dimension. The resolution process should start from the parties' acknowledgment that their conflict contains a cultural dimension. ...
- Learning about other cultures. ...
- Altering organizational practices and procedures.
What is the strongest cultural influence on your approach to conflict? ›
The strongest cultural factor that influences your conflict approach is whether you belong to an individualistic or collectivistic culture (Ting-Toomey, 1997).
Is high culture more valuable than low culture? ›Low culture tastes, in contrast, fall outside of these particular preferences. Because high culture is valued more highly than other forms, several advantages are bestowed upon those who participate in high cultural activities.
What is high culture in sociology examples? ›High Culture refers to cultural products which are perceived by some to be the pinnacle or creative achievement and thus to have a higher status in society. Examples of 'high culture' include classical music, opera and ballet, classical literature and historical works of art and sculptures…
What is the difference between high and low distance cultures? ›This is the way people in a society relate to each other on a hierarchical scale. A culture that gives great deference to a person of authority is a High Power Distance culture, and a culture that values the equal treatment of everyone is a Low Power Distance culture.
What is high culture quizlet? ›High culture. The consumption patterns, mannerisms, beliefs, amusements, leisure activities and preferences of society's elite (those with advanced education and/or high economic capital.
How does high culture differ from popular culture quizlet? ›High culture is usually the culture shared by the "elite". Someone who collects museum quality art and goes to the ballet is seen as cultured so they hold high culture. This isn't seen as better by sociologists but it is seen as different from popular culture. Popular culture is the dom, "low culture".
What does a high performing culture look like? ›A high-performance culture is a culture in which employees perform well because they are engaged, valued, and continually learning. This gives their work a greater purpose, instilling in them a continuous improvement mindset and a dedication to the organization's mission that drives performance.
What is high context culture example? ›What Is a High-Context Culture? High-context cultures are cultures in which subtlety and collective understanding rule the day. Many Asian and Arabic countries—like China, Korea, and Saudi Arabia—fall into this category.
What are examples of high context culture give 5 examples? ›- Japan and other countries located in Asia.
- Brazil and other countries located in South America.
- African tribal groups and most countries located in Africa.
- A majority of the Middle East, including Iraq and Iran.
In high-context communication, only a part of information is expressed verbally. A great portion of a message is being "read" from the context: the person, his appearance and nonverbal behaviour, personal history, the communicative situation, and the interaction process.
Which of the following is not true about high context culture? ›
Which of the following is not true about high-context cultures? Negotiations are lengthy.
What type of communication do high context cultures rely on? ›High-context cultures often exhibit less-direct verbal and nonverbal communication, utilizing small communication gestures and reading more meaning into these less-direct messages.
How can context affect relationships? ›The effect of the social composition of the meeting context on similarity in personal relationships could be in two opposite directions. If one wants to meet a similar person, and the context is full of similar others, the context will have a positive (or stimulating) effect on similarity in the relationship.
How can context impact relationships? ›Context has everything to do with the “why.” As a leader, helping your colleagues understand the “why” is powerful. As someone in a long-term relationship, helping your partner understand the “why” is equally powerful.
How do high context cultures differ from low context cultures with regard to relationships? ›Within high-context cultures, people rely on their networks of friends and family, viewing their relationships as part of one large community. In low-context cultures, relationships are not viewed as important figures to identity.
How does culture affect peoples relationships? ›Different countries have cultural norms that people conform to, and these norms directly influence how individuals in intimate relationships communicate. These norms also affect other behaviors and attitudes that significantly affect relationships.
What context refers to the relationship? ›Social context refers to the relationship between the sender and the receiver. The social environment, social context, sociocultural context or milieu refers to the immediate physical and social setting in which people live or in which something happens or develops.
What is the relationship of context and communication? ›Context is made up of the parts of communication that influence the meaning of a message. Context has an influence on the communication process. Contexts can overlap, creating an even more dynamic process.
What are the benefits of context? ›Context provides meaning and clarity to the intended message. Context clues in a literary work create a relationship between the writer and reader, giving a deeper understanding of the intent and direction of the writing.
Why is it important to build relationships with patients? ›A strong patient-provider relationship facilitates cooperation and provides greater opportunities to learn about a patient's unique health needs. This enables providers to better connect patients with the treatments and resources to improve overall health.
Which one is better high or low context culture? ›
Generally, high-context cultures prefer oral communications, while low-context cultures favor written communications. When it comes to emails, texts, and online messaging, low-context cultures use it to fire off quick, frequent messages.
How culture influences the way we communicate and form relationships? ›Culture can influence how we communicate verbally via the words, phrases, metaphors, and culture-specific slang between two or more people. It also affects what topics are deemed appropriate for conversation based on cultural norms/values present within a culture's social environment.
What is cultural relationship example? ›At the same time, cultural relations are also broader than the interplay of national interests in that they include cross-national interactions such as emigration and immigration, tourism, educational exchange, missionary and philanthropic activities, and various movements to promote human rights or the protection of ...
How does culture affect relationships and teams? ›Cultural differences affect teamwork as a result of three key areas: Communication styles: In some cultures, it's considered rude to speak directly, whereas in others it is encouraged. This can cause miscommunication, resentment and confusion.