Chapter 16: Communicating with People

of Other Cultures

Chapter Outline

• Introduction• Important Communication Facts• Culture and Communication• Worldview• Cultural Values That Affect How We

Communicate• Conclusion

Important Communication Facts

• Five Foundational Truths about Communication:• Everything that we do communicates.• The goal of communication is always more than just to

impart information.• The communication process is more complex than most

people realize.• The communication process is dynamic, not static. • Developing communication patterns that build trust is

an invaluable missionary skill.

Culture and Communication

• Every human being is to a large extent a product of cultural values.

• Like individuals, cultures are not static. They are dynamic and always changing.

• People will always interpret your words and actions through the grid of their worldview.

Worldview

• A worldview is a set of belief systems that defines the ways we “lean into life.”

• It give us a mental map by which we “read” everything that happens around us—and it is also the set of rules by which we construct the mental map.

Cultural Values That Affect How We Communicate

• High and Low Context: Indirect and Direct Communication

• Orientation to Time: Polychronic and Monochronic Cultures

• Orientation to Self: Individualism and Collectivism

Low Context:

Meaning derived from verbal information

High Context:

Meaning derived from non-verbal and contextual information

Stored Information

(Non-Verbal and Contextual)

Transmitted Information

(Verbal)M

eanin

g

Stored Information

(Non-Verbal and Contextual)

Transmitted Information

(Verbal)

Mean

ing

Direct and Indirect Communication Compared

High Context

Low Context

Direct Communication

• The words used are central to understanding the message being communicated.

• Verbal openness is more important than protecting feelings or saving face.

• Does not value “beating around the bush.”

Indirect Communication

• The context in which words are used is central to understanding the message being communicated.

• Does not cause loss of face by communicating negative messages directly.

• Values reading the thoughts or intentions of the other without having to be told directly what they are.

Orientation to Time: Polychronic and Monochronic Cultures

Time is a reality for every culture. Our families and societies give each of us a “rulebook” that tells us how we are to perceive time and its importance in relationships. Social time, as opposed to pure clock time, has been called the “heartbeat of culture” (Levine and Wolff 1985). More than simply regulating seasons and days, social time is an integral part of every interaction in life.

Monochronic Cultures

• Time is viewed as a commodity available in limited amounts.

• Discrete units of time (seconds, minutes, hours, etc.) each have value; we value others by valuing their time.

• Important cultural values include: • Privacy (interruptions without permission are

unwelcome)• Promptness as defined by the clock• Schedules, which help us live “efficiently”

Polychronic Cultures

• Time is viewed as a point where you are and is not easily sliced into separate pieces.

• The value of a person determines how you handle time with them.

• Cultural values include:• Multilevel, simultaneous involvement (no one excluded

because of time)• Interruptions simply part of the rhythm of life• Promptness defined by the relationship rather than the

clock

Orientation to Self: Individualism and Collectivism

• The collectivist . . . • wants to fit in and belong to the group. • develops skills early in life that enable him or her to

blend into the group by changing behavior, and to some extent, even personality so as to not stand out.

• The individualist . . . • is taught to be unique and not simply follow the crowd. • sees conforming to group values as hypocritical, and

values being him- or herself whatever pressures the group brings.

Collectivistic Cultures Value . . .

• Belonging, fitting in• Occupying one’s proper place• Engaging in appropriate action • Sustaining social obligations• Promoting others’ goals• Being indirect: “reading the other’s mind”• Keeping conflict hidden; using indirect

resolution methods

Individualistic Cultures Value . . .

• Being unique• Expressing self• Realizing internal attributes • Avoiding social obligations• Promoting one’s own goals• Being direct: “say what’s on your mind”• Facing and resolving conflicts openly

Indirect Ways to Say No

• Silence or avoiding a direct response• Hesitation, postponement• Blaming a third party or circumstances• Acceptance but no action (relational or

power “yes”)• Diverting to another proposal or idea• Tepid approval

Conflict in Cultures

• Individualistic cultures • Have more conflict• Generally confine

conflicts to the individuals involved, and conflicts have less impact on the group as a whole

• Use direct methods to resolve conflict

• Collectivistic cultures• Have less conflict• Involve entire groups

in conflict, and everyone has to take a side according to collective obligations; thus, it is more serious

• Use indirect methods (including mediators) to resolve conflict

Conclusion

• Crossing cultures and effectively communicating God’s call to worship is tricky business.

• The annals of missionary history are full of shipwrecks that happened simply because the lines of communication were crossed and misunderstandings escalated to the point where relationships were broken.

Conclusion (cont.)

• Find appropriate training in intercultural communication even if you have no intention of becoming a missionary.

• In our increasingly globalized culture the ability to navigate cultural differences successfully is no longer an option.