Unit 5 Discussion Board: Communication in Diverse Culture

Communication in Diverse Culture
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Communication in Diverse Culture
Importance of Culture Awareness in a Diverse World
In today`s world, people are operating in an environment that is diverse, particularly in terms of people`s cultures. There are different people who interact in the same environment and have varying customs, history, beliefs, and traditions. All these differences bring the need of understanding the diversity to enhance effective communication within the people, or passing of information to a group of people (Porter, McDaniel & Samovar, 2007). Understanding the cultural diversity helps us understand the changing attitudes of people in a given locality, and become sensitive of their existing values. Good understanding of different cultures helps prevent misunderstandings that may result when a person`s communication clashes with the underlying customs of a society. Through embracing the diversity of culture from the different background, there is the benefit of producing better results, because people feel that their beliefs are recognized and respected. Culture awareness makes people have good manners which make them respect and celebrate unique customs and culture of others, and therefore, encourages productive coexistence (Porter, McDaniel & Samovar, 2007).
Obstacles Faced When Communicating In a Diverse Environment
There are a number of barriers that prevent effective communication in an environment with diverse cultures and customs. The most significant barrier is language. More often, people find it hard to understand the language that is not part of their commonly used language in their communities (Connerly, 2005). This may make disposition of information very challenging from one person to another. Another common barrier is poor understanding of nonverbal cues used by different people, such as gestures. This is because the gesture may be uncommon in one culture or it may carry a totally different meaning (Connerly, 2005). For instance, shaking of hands is a common practice among Americans especially when a person meets with a new person. However, in other cultures like in Japan, bowing is replaced with handshaking (Connerly, 2005). The variation in tone may also carry different meanings in different cultures and may also be perceived differently in the same cultures. Expressions and words may have different implications and meanings to people from different cultural backgrounds. There are also several beliefs that some cultures may hold against other cultures due to historical antagonism or social tension; that may have occurred between some cultures (Connerly, 2005). To effectively communicate, a person should ensure that there is good masterly of the different cultures of people they interact with.
Importance of Understanding Diverse Customs and Culture When Communicating
Culture and custom understanding is essential especially in a...