跨文化交际课程unit10

The followings are a few characteristics that can impede empathy : Diverse Cultural Backgrounds Constant Self-Focus Stereotypic Notions About Gender, Race, and Culture Self-Protective Behavior
Practice Effective Listening
• Cultural differences in how people engage in listening are a reality, so we need to recognize and respect such culturally based differences in listening style.
Intercultural Communication
Lecture 10 : Venture into a new culture: becoming competent
Review
Cultural factors in international business management Corporate culture Development of teamwork Strategies for international marketers
Motivation
• It means that you possess a personal desire to improve your communication abilities.
• For intercultural communication to be successful, you must be motivated to go beyond personal boundries and attempt to learn about the experiences of people who are not part of your daily life.
• Examine your personal attitudes Not only do you need to know the values, attitudes, and perceptions of your culture, but you also need to aware of your own belief system
• Skills means "as a competent intercultural communicator you must be able to listen, observe, analyze, and interpret and apply these specific behaviors in a manner that enables you to achieve your goals".
Improving your intercultural communication skills
How to understand this sentence ?
The question which one asks oneself begin, at last, to illuminate the world, has become one's key to the experience of others.
• Understand your communication style
• Monitor Yourself All people have unique ways of interacting. We must be sensitive to the feedback we receive and candid in the reading of that feedback.
• Secondly, we should be clear about the roadblocks to empathy.
According to what you have learnt, can you list some of the possible roadblocks to empathy ?
• Firstly, we should learn to understand empathy
Although we have focused primarily on culture, we also are concerned with the interpersonal aspects of intercultural communication.It is best to view empathy as a complex activity composed of many variables.
Intercultural Communication Competence
What are the intercultural communication competence ?
According to Spitzberg, Intercultural Communication Competence refers to the behavior that is appropriate and effective in a given context.
a. Cultural differences in listening behavior may be categorized as direct listening and indirect listening.
• In direct listening cultures such as France, Germany, and the United States, people listen primarily for facts and concrete information. Listeners in these cultures also confront speakers directly and feel comfortable asking questions.
• Character is the ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱum and total of a person's choices. In many ways, your character is composed of both your personal history and how you exhibit that history.
• Or we can say it is the ability to recognize and understand another person's perceptions and feelings, and to accurately convey that understanding through an accepting response.
• Thirdly, since we have discussed the difficulties related to practicing empathy, we should develop the skills necessary to be effective in the practice of empathy. Pay attention: Being focused during an interaction is the first step toward improving your empathic ability; Communicate empathy: empathy is a reciprocal act; you and your communication partner must be expressive; Engage Only in Culturally Accepted Behaviors; Learn to Accept Differences: Competent intercultural communicators are person-centered, sensitive, and kind, have experience with different cultures, want to learn about cultural matters, and are good at these processes.
Sensitivity and Character
• It involves being flexible, patient, empathie, curious about other cultures, open to diversity, and comfortable with others.
Components of intercultural communication competence
• motivation to communication • an appropriate fund of cultural knowledge • appropriate communication skills • sensitivity • character
Knowledge and Skills
• Knowledge means that you are self-aware and understand the rules, norms, and expectations associated with the culture of people with whom you are interacting.
According to Kim, Intercultural Communication Competence refers to the overall internal capability of an individual to manage key challenging features of intercultural communication: namely, cultural differences and unfamiliarity,,inter-group posture, and the accompanying experience of stress.
How to get experience to improve our skills of intercultural communication ?
Tips
• Be aware of your culture Your first step toward knowing yourself should begin with your own culture
However, to monitor yourself well is such a difficult task, we should learn to be empathic and practice effective listening.
Be Empathic
• Empathy is the ability to sense, perceive accurately, and respond appropriately to one's personal, interpersonal, and social environment.
Main Content
• How to become a competent intercultural communicator ?
• What are the dynamics of entering into a new culture ?
• What are the ways to promote the development of an intercultural ethic ?