For modern working professionals, navigating the cultural divides of a globalized world leads to strong relationships and long-term success. This is why a central focus of the University of Niagara Falls Canada (UNF)’s Master of Arts in Digital Media and Global Communications (MA) program is understanding what intercultural communication is and its importance across industries.
What is intercultural communication?
Intercultural communication is the ability to impart information to people from cultures outside of your own. It requires sensitivity towards someone else’s history, traditions, and social norms.
Intercultural communication examples
Intercultural communication examples exist throughout the professional world. Here are some that may appeal to MA grads:
Marketing
Successful marketing campaigns meet the needs of their target audience. Doing so in a different culture involves market research, creating content in multiple languages, and emphasizing the accomplishments of minority groups.
During the 2014 Super Bowl, Coca-Cola's “It’s Beautiful” commercial demonstrated intercultural communication at its finest. It showcases different ethnic communities while “America the Beautiful” is sung in various languages, highlighting the country’s changing cultural landscape.
Public relations
To help companies maintain a positive outward image, public relations professionals are often required to give interviews with international media outlets and write content for a global audience. As such, they pay close attention to their words and body language. For example, feet are considered unclean in India and should never be pointed towards a religious temple, deity, or another person. In press releases and social media posts, elements like a country’s currency, system of measurement, and phone number format must be used correctly.
Business relationships
No matter what industry you’re in, building relationships with partners and stakeholders involves an acute awareness of cultural differences. When presenting to a group of German executives, for instance, it’s best to remain formal and get straight to the point. In Thailand, however, personal questions are necessary for building rapport.
Intercultural communication competence
In addition to an awareness of speech and body language, many other personal competencies are needed for intercultural communication, including:
1. Self-awareness
Knowing any stereotypes and prejudices you may hold, even unintentionally, will help you better interact with people of different cultural backgrounds.
2. Empathy
The more you learn about someone, the better you can empathize with them. For aspiring communications and media professionals, empathy is crucial for telling stories that resonate with your audience.
3. Respect
By acknowledging that each person comes from a distinct cultural background and set of circumstances, you’re able to respect perspectives and decisions you might not agree with.
4. Emotional intelligence
While emotions are a universal human experience, how they’re expressed differs across cultures. Emotional intelligence is the ability to be sensitive to someone else’s reactions and consider how your own response could be interpreted.
5. Adaptability
In business situations, it’s important to communicate in a way that’s easy for your co-workers, stakeholders, and leaders to understand. Because of this, you must be adaptable in how you speak, listen, and use body language.
6. Patience
Mastering intercultural communication takes time. Be sure to slow down, absorb the information around you, and gradually incorporate communication best practices into your regular activities.
7. Positivity
Misunderstandings are common in intercultural interactions. Taking a positive approach will help you view them as an opportunity to grow and avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Improving your intercultural communication skills
There are ways to improve your intercultural communication skills without even leaving your hometown, such as:
Focused learning
Books, podcasts, YouTube videos, and websites with cultural overviews are all ways to learn about different cultures. Taking a course on intercultural communications, such as the one in UNF’s MA program, will introduce you to its theories and modern applications.
Conversations
If you know someone who emigrated from another country, ask them about their experiences. Doing so will help you develop empathy, respect, and patience.
Movies and TV shows
Watching a movie or TV show in its original language provides a closer look at a particular culture’s expressions, humour, and greetings.
Advantages of intercultural communication
Among the many advantages of intercultural communication, there are some that stand out:
Personal growth
Considering our own biases allows us to see if our current viewpoint needs to be altered or rejected, leading us to be more open-minded, compassionate, and willing to challenge harmful assumptions.
Inclusivity and innovation
Workplaces that encourage intercultural communication foster inclusive environments and good employee retention. Additionally, a culturally diverse workforce allows for a multitude of ideas and perspectives, enabling businesses to stand out from their competitors.
Final thoughts
In a digitally connected world, intercultural communication is a necessity. Using the latest technology, UNF MA students can navigate and transcend these cultural boundaries to create stories that spark creativity and make a tangible impact. If you want to discover your inner storyteller, don't hesitate to apply today.
