Warm-up
Cross-Cultural Communication
Cross-Cultural Communication
After this lesson you'll be able to...
- Use key cross-cultural vocabulary
- Describe cultural habits carefully, without stereotypes
- Use tend to, generally, can be, often and would to generalise and hedge
- Ask politely about customs and avoid misunderstandings
Get to know each other (3 minutes)
- Have you ever worked with people from another country? What was different?
- What greeting is normal in your culture? Is it different in other places?
- How important is punctuality in your country?
- Have you ever made a cultural mistake? What happened?
Say it out loud
Practise a careful generalisation. → In my country, people tend to arrive a few minutes early for meetings, but it depends on the company.
Fact worth knowing
Vocabulary
Cross-cultural vocabulary
Useful cross-cultural phrases
| People tend to be quite direct here. | Люди тут, як правило, досить прямолінійні. |
| In many cultures, it's polite to… | У багатьох культурах ввічливо… |
| It depends on the person and the situation. | Це залежить від людини і ситуації. |
| I'm not sure what the custom is. | Я не впевнений, який тут звичай. |
| Is it appropriate to…? | Чи доречно…? |
| I didn't mean to offend you. | Я не хотів вас образити. |
| Could you explain how this works here? | Чи можете пояснити, як це тут влаштовано? |
| That's interesting — it's different in my country. | Цікаво — у моїй країні це інакше. |
Try out the new words
Describe one cultural difference that surprised you. → One cultural difference that surprised me was …
Say how you adapt to a new culture. → To adapt, I usually … and I try to be open-minded.
Which word is it?
Fill in the missing word
Choose the correct word
Translate the phrase
Write each phrase in English.
Grammar
Generalising and hedging
| tend to | = usually does (a typical habit): People in meetings tend to speak one at a time. Managers tend to make the final decision. Negative: tend not to / don't tend to. |
| Adverbs and phrases | generally, usually, often, in general, as a rule, in many cultures, in some countries: Generally, meetings start on time. In some countries, people often arrive late. |
| can / may / might | to show that something is possible, not always true: Direct feedback can seem rude. Silence may mean agreement or disagreement. |
| would | for typical behaviour in a situation: In that situation, a colleague would probably say yes, but she wouldn't mean it. |
| Quantity words | most, many, some, a few, few, (almost) all, hardly any: Most people are open. Few managers say no directly. Avoid all, always and never: they sound like stereotypes. |
| Softening | it depends, in my experience, it seems that, I've noticed that: In my experience, people there value long meetings. |
| Careful! | NOT "People in that country are always late" (a stereotype). Say: People there tend to be flexible about time. NOT "tend to be" with a single event: "He tends to arrive late" (habit) vs "He arrived late yesterday" (single event). |
Which is safer?
Complete with the correct word
Soften the sentence
Rewrite the sentence to avoid a stereotype. Several answers are possible.
Correcting mistakes
Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.
Put the words in order
Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.
Say it about your own work
Describe how people in your country tend to behave in meetings, with one hedge. → In my country, people tend to … but it depends on …
Reading
Read: business across cultures
Business across cultures — what to expect
Working with people from other countries can be exciting, but cultural differences sometimes cause misunderstandings. Remember: these are generalisations. Individuals are different, and it always depends on the person and the company.
Communication. In some cultures, people tend to be very direct. They say what they think, and a "no" is a "no". In other cultures, people often prefer indirect communication. A manager would rarely say "no" openly; he or she might say "That will be difficult", which can mean no. In these cases, silence may mean disagreement, not agreement. Being tactful matters more than being quick.
Time and hierarchy. In many countries, punctuality is very important: you generally arrive on time, or a few minutes early. In some places, schedules are more flexible, and a meeting may start late. In a strong hierarchy, decisions tend to come from the top, and younger employees would not usually disagree with the boss in public. In flatter organisations, anyone can give an opinion.
Body language. Eye contact can show honesty in some cultures, but in others, long eye contact with a senior person may seem impolite. Greetings and personal space also vary. The best advice? Observe, ask politely and be open-minded. A simple question — "Is it appropriate to…?" — can save you from a serious mistake.
True or false?
The text says that all people in a country behave the same way.
In some cultures, "That will be difficult" can mean no.
Silence always means agreement.
Punctuality is important in many countries.
In a strong hierarchy, younger employees often disagree with the boss in public.
Long eye contact is polite everywhere.
Answer the questions
What is the writer's warning at the beginning?
How might a manager in an indirect culture say no?
How do decisions tend to be made in a strong hierarchy?
What is the writer's final advice?
Find the hedging language
Write the word (or phrase) from the text.
Fill in from the text
Why is this a good text?
Your own opinion
- Which of these differences have you seen in real life?
- Do you think it is possible to talk about a culture without stereotypes?
- What advice would you give to a new colleague from abroad?
Practice
Picture the meeting
Greet → Observe → Ask → Adapt. When you are not sure about a custom, a polite question is always better than a guess.
Match the phrase to its function
Put the words in order
Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.
Fill in the missing phrase
Describe it carefully
Write one sentence. Several answers are possible.
Translate into English
Write each sentence in English. Several answers are possible.
A cross-cultural fact
Speaking — Bridge the Gap
How to use this section
Your tutor plays a colleague or client from another culture. React in real time — greet, ask about customs, describe habits carefully, explain a misunderstanding and apologise. Use tend to, generally, can, may and "it depends" to avoid stereotypes.
Greeting a new colleague
Task: greet a colleague from another country and ask how people greet each other at work.
Starter: "Nice to meet you! How do people usually greet each other here? Is a handshake appropriate, or is something else more normal?"
Describing your own culture
Task: explain three habits of business life in your country, using tend to and one hedge.
Starter: "In my country, meetings tend to start a few minutes late, and managers often make the final decision. But it depends on the company."
Asking about customs
Task: you are invited to a business dinner. Ask about gifts, dress and time.
Starter: "Is it appropriate to bring a gift? And what time should I arrive — exactly on time, or a few minutes later?"
Understanding indirect communication
Colleague: "That might be difficult."
Starter: "Could you tell me more? In my experience, that can mean no. Is there something I could change to make it possible?"
Explaining a misunderstanding
Task: a colleague took offence at your direct feedback. Explain, apologise and rebuild trust.
Starter: "I'm sorry if I offended you. In my country, people tend to be direct, but I understand that it can seem rude. I'll try to be more tactful."
Disagreeing with a stereotype
Colleague: "People from your country are all very serious."
Starter: "That's interesting, but I think it depends on the person. Some people are serious at work, but many are quite relaxed."
Adapting your style
Task: you lead a team with three nationalities. Explain how you will adapt meetings.
Starter: "I'll send the agenda in advance so that everyone can prepare, and I'll ask for opinions one by one, because some people don't like to interrupt."
Full cross-cultural conversation — no stopping
Run through a meeting between two cultures with your tutor: a greeting, a question about customs, a misunderstanding and an apology — entirely in English.
Let's talk — reflection
- Which hedging phrase (tend to, generally, can, may, it depends) was the most useful?
- Did you notice any stereotypes in your own language?
- What will you do differently the next time you meet someone from another culture?
Cool down
Now I can...
- Use key cross-cultural vocabulary
- Describe cultural habits carefully, without stereotypes
- Use tend to, generally, can, often and would to generalise and hedge
- Ask politely about customs and avoid misunderstandings
Quick self-check
What does "tend to" mean?
Why should we avoid "always" and "never" when we describe a culture?
Which question helps you to avoid a mistake?
One more thing before you go
Tell your tutor one custom in your country that foreigners should know about. → Foreigners should know that in my country, people tend to …
Homework
- Do the exercises below and press Check in each one. Green = correct. Red shows what was expected.
- Do the writing and speaking tasks and tick them when they are done.
- Write your name and press Copy my result, then send the text to your tutor.
Words to remember
| a cultural difference | культурна відмінність |
| etiquette | етикет |
| direct communication | прямий стиль спілкування |
| indirect communication | непрямий стиль спілкування |
| hierarchy | ієрархія |
| punctuality | пунктуальність |
| body language | мова тіла |
| eye contact | зоровий контакт |
| a gesture | жест |
| a stereotype | стереотип |
| to be tactful | бути тактовним |
| to take offence | ображатися |
| to adapt to | пристосовуватися до |
| to be open-minded | бути відкритим до нового |
| a greeting | привітання |
| personal space | особистий простір |
Fill in the missing word
Choose the more careful sentence
Open the brackets
Correct the mistake
Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.
Translate the phrase
Write each phrase in English. Several answers are possible.
Write it yourself
Write a short guide (6–8 sentences) for a foreign colleague who is visiting your company: how people greet each other, how important punctuality is, and how decisions are made. Use tend to, generally and can at least once each, and avoid "always" and "never".
Practise out loud
Say your guide aloud as if you were welcoming the visitor. Check that you did not use any stereotypes.
Read aloud
Read the text "Business across cultures" aloud twice before the next lesson.
- 8.7 I wrote a guide for a foreign colleague (6–8 sentences)
- 8.8 I said my guide aloud
- 8.9 I read the text about cultures aloud twice