Tips for Multicultural Communication1
1. Speak clearly and slowly. Get to the point quickly. Avoid long, complicated introductions. Slow down and enunciate your words. Use helpful phrases such as the “our main point is,” or “there are three reasons for…”
2. Avoid colloquial expressions. Do not use phrases that are culture-specific or do not translate well. Avoid phrases such as “don’t beat around the bush,” “we really nailed it” or “cut to the chase.” In addition, it is best to omit references to sports slang such as “we hit this one out of the park,” “it’s a slam dunk,” or “it’s way off base.”
3. Don’t tell jokes. Jokes do not translate well because they often rely on sarcasm, cultural references or subtly. Humor, on the other hand, can ...
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