Communication Styles

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 Recognize
cultural influences on
communication
.
Adapt appropriately.

Communication │ goal

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What defines communication?
Process by which human beings interact.

What defines a message?

Human behavior which is reaches an audience and is intended to elicit a
response.

Messages are subject to interpretation! Messages can be sent

unintentionally!

Communication | defined
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Person from one Person from another
culture who wants to culture who wants to
communicate communicate

Cultural Experience Cultural Experience

Individual Experience Individual Experience

Encoded message Decoded message

Communication Channel

communication │ intercultural

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THERE ARE MANY COMMUNICATION STYLES

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Communication in short Rapid speech. Loud speech.
sentences.

Direct style of Indirect style of Periods of silence.

communication. communication.

Displays of emotion. Limited body language. Quiet speech.

Emotional volatility. Little direct eye contact. Reserved behavior.

Extrovert behavior. Lots of talk about food. Slowness to speak.

Extreme politeness. Lots of gesticulation. Talkativeness.

Communication | styles
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COMMUNICATION STYLES ARE CULTURE BOUND

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Get on your feet.

Ladies and gentleman ...

Get up, get up, come on What’s that

sound?
I have 4 words for you: I love this company.
Yes!

Communication │ culture-bound

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Communication │ co-verbal

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Communication in short Rapid speech. Loud speech.
sentences.

Direct style of Indirect style of Periods of silence.

communication. communication.

Displays of emotion. Limited body language. Quiet speech.

Emotional volatility. Little direct eye contact. Reserved behavior.

Extrovert behavior. Lots of talk about food. Slowness to speak.

Extreme politeness. Lots of gesticulation. Talkativeness.

Communication | national style

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COMMUNICATION STYLES ARE THE MESSAGES OF
TIME and DISTANCE

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 " Culture hides more than it
reveals and strangely enough what
it hides, it hides most effectively
from it’s own participants.Years of
study have convinced me that the
real job is not to understand
foreign culture but to understand
our own. "

Dr. Edward T. Hall (1914 - 2009)

Cultural Dimensions | hall model

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Cultural Dimensions | chronemics
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I’m afraid I can’t fit a meeting in
today.This morning it’s my
weekly team meeting.Then I’ve
planned two hours’ work on the
budget. I could see you
tomorrow at 11 o’clock,
between a visitor who leaves at
10:45 and a scheduled lunch
appointment.
Don’t worry about the
timing. Just come when you’re
ready. I have a few things going
on at the moment, but I’m
sure we can always squeeze in
a discussion of your problem.
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Cultural Dimensions | proxemics
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Cultural Dimensions | haptics
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COMMUNICATION STYLES ARE THE MESSAGES OF
ACTION

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Language is the most important defining element of culture and the
biggest barrier to cross-cultural business.The first question
about how well they communicate in English is directed at
Anglophones.The English, for example, do not recognize that
their language is a dialect of a world language and are often
difficult to understand.

The way language is used also differs from culture to culture. For
example, do people disguise what they think and feel with
humour, understatement, politeness and so on.

We all use a mixture of oral, written and visual communication but

the proportions vary. For most Italians what is spoken is more
important than what is written but the other way round for most
Germans.

Cultural Dimensions | mole model

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 Speaking Listening
Video conferencing, presentations, meetings, “The most important thing in communication
negotiations, interviews is hearing what isn't said.”
-Peter Drucker

Reading Writing
Contracts, documentation, correspondence Contracts, documentation, correspondence (e-mail,
fax, texting)

Communication | styles
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Communication in short Rapid speech. Loud speech.
sentences.

Direct style of Indirect style of Periods of silence.

communication. communication.

Displays of emotion. Limited body language. Quiet speech.

Emotional volatility. Little direct eye contact. Reserved behavior.

Extrovert behavior. Lots of talk about food. Slowness to speak.

Extreme politeness. Lots of gesticulation. Talkativeness.

Communication | styles
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COMMUNICATION STYLES ARE THE MESSAGES OF
SILENCE

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Communication Styles | silence
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Communication in short Rapid speech. Loud speech.
sentences.

Direct style of Indirect style of Periods of silence.

communication. communication. (acceptance, length)

Displays of emotion. Limited body language. Quiet speech.

Emotional volatility. Little direct eye contact. Reserved behavior.

Extrovert behavior. Lots of talk about food. Slowness to speak.

Extreme politeness. Lots of gesticulation. Talkativeness.

Communication Styles | silence

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COMMUNICATION STYLES CAN BE EXPRESSED WITHOUT
WORDS (NON-VERBALLY)

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Communication Styles | non-verbal
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COMMUNICATION STYLES CAN BE EXPRESSED ALONG
WITH WORDS (CO-VERBALLY)

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Communication in short Rapid speech. Loud speech.
sentences.

Direct style of Indirect style of Periods of silence.

communication. communication.

Displays of emotion. Limited body language. Quiet speech.

Emotional volatility. Little direct eye contact. Reserved behavior.

Extrovert behavior. Lots of talk about food. Slowness to speak.

Extreme politeness. Lots of gesticulation. Talkativeness.

Communication Styles | kinesics

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COMMUNICATION STYLES | What’s yours?

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 Speaking distance
Silence (acceptance, length)
Behavior (outgoing, reserved)

Politeness
Emotional display .
Body language
Eye contact
Gesticulation style

Length of sentences

Speed of speech

Volume of speech (loud, soft)

Communication Styles | exercise

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COMMUNICATION STYLES | What’s typical of your nation?

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COMMUNICATION STYLES CAN BE A PROBLEM

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Communication Style 76.00

Task Approach 53.00

Conflict Resolution 44.00

Decision Method 44.00

Communication Styles | problem

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NOT ALL COMMUNICATION STYLES ARE OBVIOUS

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 Color Meaning Region
Black mourning Europe, USA USA
sophistication
White mourning brides Japan USA

Red romance Many regions Ivory

mourning Coast France, UK
masculinity
Pink femininity Many regions
Yellow bridal gown India Most
femininity regions
Purple royalty death Europe Latin
America
Green nationalist color Egypt Islam
prophet
Blue masculinity Most regions

Communication Styles | chromatics

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