Cultural diversity Essay Example for Free

Cultural diversity Essay Cultural diversity is increasingly becoming as a significant part of many organizations and corporations. As such, problems that are concerned with intercultural and international communication occur and set in. Maintaining and nurturing effective communication techniques and methods within the organization is increasingly becoming a major concern for management and leaders of businesses and corporations. On the part of those in the organization, from the managers to the lowly staff, it is both an occasion for opportunity and challenge. The challenge for people today is truly real and necessitates action especially if one aims to make a niche for oneself. It is not an easy task considering that culture is one of the most difficult areas of study. It will take a lot of patience and persistence to be able to understand the culture of another – its complexity and composition and its traditions and taboos to be able to effectively communicate with one from another culture either through verbal language or in a non-verbal fashion. Another thing that must be taken into consideration is the fact that one is not dealing with one culture alone, but a host and in large probability, a mix of other cultures as well that are uniquely different from one another. There are, however, tried and tested principles which can be utilized and applied in order to achieve success in being able to communicate interculturally. The foremost and initial goal will be to encourage interaction, the basic thing to do is to speak in the simplest language to make the self understandable, send the correct message and make the instant connection. Next is to have the proper and correct set of values at work. It is also essential to withhold judgments and be able to show empathy and sensitivity for the cultural differences. Lastly, but equally as important, is to have the proper attitude and disposition – flexibility to make adjustments when needed and openness to learn and accept corrections. Individuals with intercultural communication skills are those with certain key competencies and characteristics and usually demonstrate open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, patience and self-awareness. These are the basic skills which help nurture a sympathetic, personal and intuitive approach to doing business. The social and cultural differences should be managed adeptly in order to decrease the prevalence of the consequences that may occur especially towards those that belong to the minority. In dealing with a multicultural population, free expression of thoughts, views and opinions should be encouraged especially in the workplace setting.By observing this, a sense of respect for the other person is conveyed, thus fostering trust and a harmonious working relationship. References: Blalock, M. ( 2006) Listen Up, Why Good Communication is Good Business. Wisconsin Business Alumni Update. University of Wisconsin Regent System. Chen, G. and Starosta, W. (2000). Communication and Global Society. New York: Peter Lang. Hochel and Roka (2008). Intercultural and International Communication for our Global Community