How to handle cross-cultural differences in business | Maria Pastorelli | TEDxNYUShanghai

Summary

In this engaging talk, the speaker reflects on their cross-cultural experiences living in Shanghai, highlighting the importance of understanding and navigating cultural differences. Using personal anecdotes, like the hot water incident in a restaurant, the speaker explores how communication styles vary across cultures and how these differences can lead to misunderstandings. The core message emphasizes the need for open conversations, curiosity, and responsibility in communication to foster collaboration and bridge cultural divides. The speaker advocates for building connections and promoting inclusivity in an increasingly globalized world.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cross-cultural communication is essential for success in a globalized world, as diverse backgrounds bring growth and innovation.
• 🌍 Experiencing cultural differences firsthand, like in the case of the hot water in China, helps people understand the nuances of international communication.
• 🍽️ Simple cultural differences, such as how water is served in China vs Europe, highlight how diverse and complex global communication can be.
• 💡 Global collaboration is now more common than ever, accelerated by the internet, globalization, and events like COVID-19, making cross-cultural skills crucial.
• 🤝 Learning to navigate cultural differences can foster more inclusive environments where people can collaborate despite their differences.
• 🔍 Understanding cultural differences involves recognizing the complexity of human behavior, beyond simple frameworks that categorize people into national or cultural groups.
• 💬 A key communication challenge when working across cultures is the difference in communication styles, such as direct vs. indirect communication.
• 🙋‍♂️ The importance of 'face' in Asian cultures means that people often avoid direct confrontation or negative feedback in public, which contrasts with more direct European communication styles.
• 🧠 Our brains tend to rely on patterns and shortcuts, which can lead to stereotypes and miscommunications when we don't take the time to understand cultural differences.
• 🎯 To effectively bridge cultural gaps, we must engage in continuous, open conversations about how we communicate, acknowledging our biases, preferences, and privileges.
• 💬 Building bridges requires taking responsibility for your own communication and being proactive in asking questions and listening attentively to others' perspectives.

Q & A

What cultural difference does the speaker highlight in their experience at a restaurant in Shanghai?

The speaker points out the cultural difference in how water is served. In China, when you order a glass of water, it is typically served hot, whereas in Europe, cold or room temperature water is more common.

What does the speaker say about the importance of diversity in global collaboration?

The speaker emphasizes that diversity leads to growth and impact. It brings people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives together, which is essential for effective collaboration in the globalized world.

How does the speaker describe their personal connection to China?

The speaker shares that their connection to China comes from both their mother's work in Hong Kong in the 1980s and their own personal dislike for math, which led them to study cross-cultural communication.

What challenge do people often face when working in cross-cultural teams, according to the speaker?

People often struggle with differences in communication styles. For example, individuals from Eastern cultures may communicate indirectly, while those from Western cultures tend to be more direct. These differences can lead to misunderstandings and frustrations in a team setting.

Why do different communication styles between cultures lead to frustration, according to the speaker?

The speaker explains that when people from different communication cultures meet, one side may view the other as rude or passive. For instance, a direct, task-oriented style may be perceived as aggressive in a high-context, indirect culture, and vice versa.

What is the 'Goldilocks zone' the speaker refers to in terms of communication?

The 'Goldilocks zone' refers to the idea of finding a balance between acknowledging differences in communication styles and working towards better understanding and collaboration, without ignoring those differences or oversimplifying them.

What strategy does the speaker propose for improving cross-cultural communication?

The speaker suggests having conversations about how we communicate, which includes being aware of our preferences and biases, asking questions from a place of curiosity, listening actively, and giving people time to process information.

How does the speaker suggest we deal with our brain's tendency to categorize people and cultures?

The speaker advises against relying on stereotypes or categorizing people into neat groups. Instead, we should acknowledge that while our brain likes patterns, we should be open to learning and understanding more about others' differences, rather than taking shortcuts.

What role does responsibility play in cross-cultural communication?

The speaker emphasizes that individuals must take responsibility for their own communication, especially when working across cultures. By doing so, we can help bridge gaps and foster better understanding.

What is the speaker's ultimate message about building bridges in a globalized world?

The speaker's message is that by having open, ongoing conversations about how we communicate, we can start building small bridges that lead to a more inclusive, less divided world. Each individual can contribute to making global collaboration more impactful.