Inter-Cultural Communication Principles and Team Behaviour

I would like to focus on inter-cultural communication principles and team behaviour since our group is quite an inter-cultural group with four members form Singapore, India, Vietnam and China.

First of all, the most important principle in inter-cultural communication is respect. Actually, every effective communication should be based on respect of each other; otherwise, communication may become quarrels or commands. Since people from different cultural backgrounds may have different values, religions, habits and so on, conflicts may happen more easily. Consequently, respect is even more important in this kind of communication. We may not expect every one to accept the same value, but we should respect and tolerate each other. Let us take Singapore, a multi-cultural country as an example. There are people from many different races and religions in this country and they live together harmoniously. This is the power of respect. 

Secondly, as a group, we should try to learn and understand the culture and value of each other. By knowing others’ cultural backgrounds, we can behave in the manners more acceptable to each other. In addition, learning others’ culture is a good beginning to build the personal friendship between each other. It is difficult to develop friendship if we only communicate about work without any more personal stuff. Thus, we should find some time to talk with each other about our culture and backgrounds as well as other interesting topics to build up the friendship.

Thirdly, humor is an excellent tool in inter-culture communication. With humor, we can solve many problems difficult to deal with formally. However, we must be cautious when we show our humor because people with different cultural backgrounds may have different understanding of the humor. As a result, sometimes, a kind joke can be interpreted as serious offense. Therefore, we should communicate humorously, but cautiously.

Finally, we should never assume when communicating with people from different culture backgrounds. Culture is quite different from one place to another, and some aspects may be just opposite. Thereby, it is dangerous if we often make assumption on others culture. On the contrary, we had better ask if we are not clear with anything. Asking will not only clarify our doubts, but also show our respect to them.

At the end of the blog, I would talk about the performance of our team. I feel the team is operating very well as everyone is quite responsible for his part. As a result, we have successfully followed our plan and finished all the scheduled tasks. However, we must admit that there still exist some culture barriers among us since we come from totally different countries and do not know each other before this module. Thus, we can apply the principles I mentioned previously to step over the barriers. I hope in the following weeks, we are able to get to know each others’ culture better and begin to develop our relationship as friends in addition to colleagues. For instance, we can talk about some interesting things every time before or after our meeting, have lunch or dinner together, and so on.

Principles of Communication and Team Behaviour

Hi

I would like to discuss on two major component that would either make or break a team. They are principles of communication and team behaviour. And I would like to share my views on the group so far.

Communication

Communication is probably the most important activity we do in our daily lives, which is to interact with one another. Communication comes in two forms, they are verbal communication and non verbal communication. Verbal communication means communication in written or spoken form. Anything else would be non verbal communication. For example body language, hand signs and many others. So the question now is why are we communicating? The answer is we communicate to convey our emotions, ideas or intentions to one another.

Here are six major principles that encompass communication :

1. Your audience
2. The intent
3. Topic
4. Timing
5. Location
6. Methods of communication 

If any one of the six principles is lacking when communicating with one another, there is a risk that the communication might turn out meaningless or no one would pay attention to it or even worse a conflict might arise from it. Making use of all these principles, communication between individuals or parties would be purposeful, directed, intelligible and interactive. The result of having good communication is extremely important, especially in a team oriented setting. This is so because with purposeful communication, people would be interested to know what you are trying to bring forth to them and why you are doing so. And they would start to think how the topic that was brought up would benefit the team. A well directed communication in the group often plays a part in how well the team carry out it's tasks. When communication is directed well to members of the team, there would be minimal confusion. And tasks would be carried out effectively. Intelligible communication can break down many technical jargon and help simplify the topic that is being discussed in the group. Without compromising on the purpose and content of the topic. Interactive communication is probably one of the most important principle out of the six principles that were mentioned. In a group setting if communication is not interactive, it might come across to others that there is disunity within the group. Or there is just one person in the group ordering the other members around or no one in the group is interested. As a result, what can be sure is that the outcome or the deliverables of the task would be of low quality.

Team Behaviour

The other important aspect in a team setting environment is team behaviour. As team behaviour determines the team cohesiveness, the willingness to work as a team, the significance of the aim of the team and the leadership quality present in the team. When team behaviour is positive, the team would naturally be cohesive, helping each other out when in need. Members of the group would carry out their task diligently to accomplish the goals set by the team. This would lead the team to be cohesive and 'tight'. Positive team behaviour would also bring out willingness to work as a team. Every team member would be willing to do his/her own part not for personal glory but for the success of the team. Positive team behaviour would strengthen the aim of the team. Accomplishing task would then not be the only aim but rather to establish a character that the team could relate to. Team behaviour often show how well a team is being managed, the leadership qualities of the leader in the group would come into question here. Good positive team behaviour generally means the group is being managed and led well by the leader. This means the leader has good leadership skills. Negative team behaviour would simply means, leadership is either non existent in the team or the team is not being led properly by the team leader. 

Conclusion

Therefore these two component mentioned above are critical and vital to the success of the team. 

My Views

I do believe our group is advancing well and everyone is doing his part to ensure the success of the group. 

I do note that there is a lack in interpersonal communication. Communication that exist in the team are extremely work oriented. I do believe that for the team to progress to greater heights, interpersonal communication in the team cannot be only taking place because of work. We have to open up and get to know each other really well and have interpersonal communication at all levels. Team behaviour is generally positive where everything is structured well and there is cohesiveness in the team. Everyone in the team is capable of leading the team as each one of us have our strengths that would benefit the team in different ways. 

Shawn Teo Chee Yong