Cross-Cultural Trust, Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution: Global Goals

Dear friends,

Now seeems to be the time to write to you about the ultimate importance of working toward Cross-Cultural Trust which leads to the opportunity for Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution.  We in our global work place, our global living place, are now interacting constantly through the various means like the e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, YouTube, video conferencing and many more. 

As we have discussed in past blog entries,  each of us carries within us the values of the national culture where we were born and/or grew up.  These national cultural values drive us to make the choices we make on a dailky basis, to vbalue whagt we value.  The national cultural values differ from one national culture to another.  Sometimes these values differences are great like from the north to the south pole, and sometimes these national cultural values differences are small, and perhaps difficult to identify.  The daily connection each of us can make with individuals across the globe from where we are living, or working, does highlight, bring to the forefront, hit us right between the eyes, with the differences among national cultural values.  The constant communication also can highlight the misunderstandings that can and do occur between individuals from differing cultures, trying to communicate with each other. Communication e.g., one individual talking, writing, sharing photos, sharing videos in our constant global connectivity, may not then really "communicate" with another individual, because a wall of cultural misunderstanding can easily arise from the differing national cultural values, blocking both individuals' desire to "communicate".

How can we begin to take down the walls built by cross-cultural mis-understandings?  How can we then build stronger, more enduring pathways to real communication?

One way I suggest is to begin by hononring who each of us is culturally. What values are within us that write/direct the way we may choose to speak, and/or make any series of choices hourly?  Daily?  Then when we( knowing we bring with us our national cultural values, mindset) are going to try to truly, honestly communicate with an individual or individuals from another culture, shouldn't we then learn  the cultural values that drive/direct that other individual's choices on an hourly, daily basis?  I am suggesting that having "cultural integrity" in our communication with those of other cultures , means we must knowingly take who we know we are into the communication, with respect (not buy in) for the other national cultural values that will drive the responding communication.  This will help both sides trying to communicate sculpt their initial comunication and all responses in  a manner that sets up the communication to be genuine, truly reaching the other individual.

More later on this set of thoughts!!!  The more we can genuinely communicate, with respect for cultural differences, the more can begin to build the cross-cultural trust and thus opportunity for cross-cultural dispute resolution necessary for improving the odds that we in our constant connectivity globally do honestly COMMUNICATE.

Warm regards,

Jane

Jane E. Smith
LiSimba Consulting Services, Inc.
www.lisimba.com
Telephone:  612-802-1240

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