Awareness

Running Head: Cultural Cultural 1

Cross-Cultural Awareness and Respect

Cesar Cruz

Kaplan University

Human Relations in a Diverse Society

Unit 5

Toni Andres

September 28, 2010

Cultural 2

Miscommunication is likely to happen, especially when there are significant cultural differences between communicators. Miscommunication may lead to conflict, or aggravate conflict that already exists. These different attitudes and behaviors’ are more often than not conditioned by culture values, assumptions and perceptions that are instilled early on in life and are expressed in the way we behave and interact. These cultural influences are so deep that we act upon them instinctively in everything we do, from the way we stand and talk, to the way we deal with superiors, conflict management and decision-making. Since these differences are so deep and intuitive, they can often lead to substantial misunderstanding and miscommunication. Nowhere is this more detrimental than in an international workplace, where misunderstandings based on culture can make or break lucrative business deals, international mergers and any other type of cross-cultural working.

The journey is bound up with communication and conflict, since misunderstandings and miscommunication can cause and escalate conflict. Effective communication is often the key to making progress in a conflict. First, self-knowledge and self-awareness are needed. Without these, our seemingly normal approaches to meaning-making and communication will never be clear enough that we can see them for what they are: a set of lenses that shape what we see, hear, say, understand, and interpret. Second, cultural fluency is needed, meaning familiarity with culture and the ability to act on that familiarity. Cultural fluency means understanding what culture is, how it works, and the ways culture and...