2.1.1 CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION

1. Warm-up

  • Have you ever experienced a misunderstanding caused by cultural differences? What happened?
  • Do you think people from different cultures communicate very differently, or are the differences exaggerated?
  • What is the most culturally diverse place you’ve ever visited or lived in?
  • What do you think is the biggest challenge in intercultural communication?

2A & B: Vocabulary: Communication

Click on the arrows below the picture to try the 2 activities and find the discussion questions.

2C. Mini Case Study: “The Meeting That Went Wrong”

Context: A British project manager, Emma, and a Japanese client, Mr. Sato, have their first online meeting to discuss a new partnership.

What happened:

    • At the start of the meeting, Emma uses a very straightforward style and jumps directly into the agenda.
    • Mr. Sato, following his own cultural norms, expects some small talk first.
    • During the meeting, Emma frequently interrupts to ask questions, not knowing that this breaks the client’s turn-taking norms.
    • Mr. Sato stays silent for long periods, using non-verbal cues like nodding, which Emma interprets as disagreement rather than active listening.
    • Emma maintains strong eye contact on camera, but Mr. Sato looks away often due to different eye-contact conventions, which she finds confusing.
    • When Emma openly points out a mistake in the proposal, she doesn’t realise she is ignoring face-saving behaviour, which makes Mr. Sato uncomfortable.
    • The two also accidentally touch on taboo topics, such as internal company conflicts, causing more tension.
    • By the end, a clear communication breakdown occurs, and no decisions are made.

Discussion Questions

    1. Where did the two sides fail to show cultural sensitivity?
    2. Which social conventions were different in this situation?
    3. How did the misunderstanding of non-verbal cues affect the communication?
    4. Which actions damaged face-saving behaviour, and how could Emma have handled them better?
    5. How could both sides adjust their turn-taking norms in future meetings?
    6. What steps could prevent another communication breakdown?
    7. Which parts of this case study have you personally experienced in real life?

3A. Vocabulary 2: Verbs

3B. Discussion

Click on the question marks to see the discussion questions.

3C. Debate idea

Technology helps bridge cultural gaps more effectively than face-to-face interaction.

4A. Video Part 1

Watch the first part of the video (0.00-2.23) and look at the questions that follow:

To see the video click HERE.

4B. Discussion

  1. Have you ever experienced a situation where cultural differences affected communication at work or school? How was it similar or different to the examples in the text?
  2. Which approach to feedback (American or French/German) do you think is more effective in an international context? Why?
  3. How could awareness of these cultural differences improve teamwork in a global company?

5A. Video Part 2 (2.24-3.39)

  • Have you ever experienced cultural differences in a meeting?
  • Is silence considered positive or negative in your culture?
  • Which cultures do you think tend to speak more or less in meetings? Why?

5B. Listening for Gist

Watch part 2 of the video HERE and answer the following question:

5C. Listening for Detail

5D. Culture Comparison Task

5E. Role-Play: Multicultural Meeting

Choose a role card below (American, Chinese, Indian, German, Brazilian, etc.) with a communication style and goal.

Task:

Run a short business meeting (e.g., planning a product launch). Act according to the cultural traits on your cards.

Debrief:

  • Who dominated the meeting?
  • Who found it hard to speak?
  • What strategies helped?

🇺🇸 American Participant

Communication style:

  • Direct, fast-paced, informal
  • Comfortable interrupting
  • Likes quick decisions

Goal in the meeting:
Push the group to agree on a concrete plan today. Keep things efficient and action-oriented.

🇬🇧 British Participant

Communication style:

  • Indirect, polite, diplomatic
  • Avoids strong opinions
  • Shows disagreement subtly

Goal in the meeting:
Maintain politeness and avoid conflict. Try to suggest ideas gently without sounding pushy.

🇫🇷 French Participant

Communication style:

  • Direct and analytical
  • Challenges ideas openly
  • Focuses on logical argumentation

Goal in the meeting:
Critique ideas to improve them. Ask probing questions and highlight weaknesses in the plan.

🇩🇪 German Participant

Communication style:

  • Direct but structured
  • Formal, orderly, punctual
  • Values preparation

Goal in the meeting:
Ensure the meeting follows a clear structure. Ask for data, clarity, and logical steps.

🇨🇳 Chinese Participant

Communication style:

  • Indirect, high-context
  • Respects hierarchy
  • Avoids public disagreement

Goal in the meeting:
Speak only when invited. Try to build harmony and avoid saying “no” directly.

🇯🇵 Japanese Participant

Communication style:

  • Very indirect
  • Values consensus (nemawashi)
  • Silence is normal

Goal in the meeting:
Observe carefully, avoid interrupting, and show agreement subtly. Avoid open conflict.

🇮🇳 Indian Participant

Communication style:

  • Flexible, adaptive
  • Comfortable talking at length
  • May switch topics quickly

Goal in the meeting:
Offer many ideas enthusiastically. Build relationships through conversation.

🇧🇷 Brazilian Participant

Communication style:

  • Warm, expressive, relationship-focused
  • Flexible with time
  • Interruptions are natural

Goal in the meeting:
Keep the atmosphere friendly and upbeat. Prioritise harmony and personal connections.

🇰🇷 South Korean Participant

Communication style:

  • Indirect
  • Respect for hierarchy
  • Values group harmony

Goal in the meeting:
Avoid speaking first. Support the group’s decisions politely and show deference.

5F. Problem-Solving Case Study

Scenario: A manager complains that meetings with international colleagues are “chaotic and unproductive.”
Work in teams to create a list of cross-cultural meeting guidelines, such as:

      • Use a speaking order or hand signals
      • Ask quieter members directly for input
      • Allow pauses
      • Summarise before moving on
      • Set expectations in advance

Groups present their guidelines.

6A. Fix the Meeting – Script Rewrite

Practise transforming direct/impolite business language into polite, diplomatic meeting expressions.

You’re going to read a meeting that goes very badly. Your task is to rewrite it, so the participants sound professional, polite, and diplomatic, using the expressions in the box below:

 

Polite Language Bank
Perhaps the idea needs a bit more clarification.
Could we go back to what I was saying earlier?
If everyone agrees, maybe we could wrap up soon.
Shall we move on to the next point?
I feel we might be getting off track.
I’m not sure that will work. Maybe we could consider…
Shall we try to reach a decision together?
There might be some challenges with that plan.
Would you mind if I finish my point?

🔴 Direct Version

Abi:        No, that idea won’t work.
Ben:       Well, you didn’t explain it well.
Carla:    Can we move on? This is boring.
Abi:        You’re not listening to what I said.
Ben:       Stop interrupting me.
Carla:    We’re wasting time here.
Abi:        Your plan is unrealistic.
Ben:       Whatever. Just decide something.
Carla:    Let’s finish this quickly. I have better things to do.

 

6B. Now perform:

  1. The “Before” version – the more ‘direct’ script (funny / dramatic)
  2. The “After” version – the polite, professional script

7A. Video Part 3: Discussion

  1. Have you ever thought a culture works a certain way, only to find someone from a different culture saw it differently?
  2. Why might different people see the same culture differently?
  3. How can these differences affect teamwork?

7B. Watch the video HERE

7C. Reflection & Discussion

  • Have you ever judged a colleague’s work style without realizing it reflected your own cultural lens?
  • How can “knowing yourself” improve international collaboration?
  • Which of the three qualities Erin Meyer mentions—humble, curious, empathetic—do you think is most important? Why?

8. Speaking Task: Culture Communication Map

Students choose two cultures (their own + another) and compare them using the categories:

In pairs: One student presents while the other asks follow-up questions using diplomatic language:

  • Could you expand on that?
  • What do you mean by…?
  • Are you suggesting that…?

 

Country Direct vs Indirect Communication Emotional Expressiveness Formality Use of Silence Approach to Conflict Work Style
Japan Highly indirect. People avoid saying “no” directly and use subtle cues to show disagreement. Low. Self-control and calm behaviour are valued; public displays of emotion are rare. Very formal. Titles, honorifics, and polite speech are essential in professional settings. Silence is positive and meaningful. It shows respect, reflection, and careful thinking. Prefers avoidance and harmony. Conflict is managed subtly and privately. Strongly hierarchical. Seniority and rank guide decision-making and meeting dynamics.
Brazil More indirect than the US. People communicate diplomatically and prefer to preserve harmony, but can be direct in informal settings. High. Warmth, enthusiasm, and expressive communication are common and positive. Moderately informal socially, but business interactions may begin formally and become more relaxed once trust is built. Silence is uncommon and may feel uncomfortable. Conversations are lively and overlapping speech is normal. Conflict is often managed indirectly or through relationship-based negotiation. Maintaining good personal relations is key. More hierarchical, but personal relationships with superiors can reduce the feeling of distance.
Germany Very direct. People value clarity and precision; feedback is given honestly and explicitly. Low to moderate. Emotions are usually controlled in professional settings; enthusiasm is expressed carefully. High. Titles and formal language are important, especially at the beginning of professional relationships Silence is neutral or positive. Pauses are used for thinking and structuring arguments; not always uncomfortable Confrontational but rational. Problems are discussed openly, but in a structured, logical way. Generally hierarchical, but with respect for expertise. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.

9. Debate: “Is Cultural Adaptation the Responsibility of the Visitor or the Host?”

Group A: The visitor must adapt.
Group B: The host culture should be more flexible.

Prepare arguments in teams.

Click on the following link to download a copy of the pdf: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1me_6iJVJ_AXtjLHmnpt9wM1wx6J1p_dg/view?usp=sharing

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