Communication and Cultural Diversity in Management: A Self-Reflection

This reflective essay explores the critical role of effective communication in a culturally diverse management environment. The essay begins by emphasizing the significance of communication beyond mere message transmission, highlighting the mutual exchange of understanding between the sender and receiver. It then delves into the challenges of communication in a diverse workplace, including language barriers, accents, and differing interpretations of nonverbal cues. The author reflects on personal experiences, such as interactions with colleagues from non-English-speaking countries and encounters during international travel, to illustrate the impact of both effective and poor communication. The essay also discusses the importance of adapting communication channels and recognizing differing attitudes towards hierarchy and authority. Furthermore, it addresses the impact of cultural diversity on team dynamics and innovation. The author provides real-world examples of communication breakdowns and proposes solutions, such as seeking feedback, adopting programs to promote cultural understanding, and utilizing appropriate communication channels based on the size of the workforce. The essay concludes by reinforcing the central role of communication in organizational success and the importance of embracing cultural diversity. References are provided to support the arguments presented.

Communication and cultural diversity in management 1
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Communication and cultural diversity in management
Introduction
Effective communication is of great significance across several disciplinary globally. It
goes beyond simple act of conveying a message and receiving the message or focusing on the
message itself. It is the mutual exchange of understanding between the encoder and the decoder
of the message. Effective communication in the business management context aids managers to
successfully perform their broad functions which includes planning, organizing, staffing,
directing and controlling (Neuliep, 2020, p. 13). Organizations continue to face cultural
diversification in terms of its employees and the customers. Communication in our usual and
comfortable cultural zones is still challenging. Now communicating in a new cultural setting is
more challenging and maybe overwhelming. In this paper, I will reflect on the impact of
effective communication in a culturally diverse environment. Many topics exist under the
umbrella of communication but I will talk about communication in the face of cultural diversity
because I have experienced it and anticipates experiencing more of it in my profession in the
future.
Human resource department recruit employees from various cultural backgrounds. While
the marketing department always strive to realize growth in the market share of the business.
They source for markets among culturally diverse customers base. It cannot be denied that with
the globalization cultural diversity cannot avoided (Hurd, 2020, p. 1282). It is important for
managers to hone their communication skills to effectively handle their work force. It is
important to clearly comprehend the nature of communication among people with diverse

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backgrounds. The prevailing challenges and how to overcome them. People usually have
different interpretations of languages, signs and symbols used for communication.
Organizational diversity is a good thing and should be embraced by all managers. It
means that the company has recruited the best talent they need at various work stations. Diversity
inspire team work and innovation within the organization. But if managers themselves don’t
know have the right communication skills to foster this agenda (Darics, 2020, p. 7). Then
diversity may turn into chaos as opposed to increase in production levels. When there is
divergence in the sense in which message is decoded confusion and conflicts may emerge within
the organization. Obvious challenge with effective communication in diverse workplace is
language barrier together with accents and fluency.
Effective communication is core management skill that I feel I need to do a lot of
improvement in. I have faced a couple of challenges in communicating with people from
different cultures, people from English non-speaking countries. Although I have previously work
with colleagues with various cultural background while school assignments that required
working in groups. I still feel the need to hone my communication skills. Sometimes it easier for
the intended meaning to be misinterpreted if the message is not delivered through the right
channel (Oetzel, 2017, p. 5). During the holidays when I travel to foreign countries I have
encountered different people with varying cultural practices and different languages.
Communication skills have always turned to be of great help in these circumstances. But also
poor communication has been a hindrance for quality time experience in certain occasions.
I have served as the marketing director at the Managers Association Club in the campus. I
had the opportunity to interact with various members. I realized that communication is

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fundamental in ensuring success within the organization. It cuts across all the departments. There
was time when I was having conversation with a new member student of the club from China.
Accent was a great obstacle in our communication process. I was explaining to him the benefits
of joining the professional club. How the activities of the club are conducted. The mechanism of
handling challenges within the club. I found myself struggling to deliver the information to him.
Although we ended up as good friends but am not sure if he understood the exact information I
intended to deliver to him.
Effective communication involves using the right channel to deliver the message. In
scenarios where accent is the prevailing barrier as opposed to the language it advisable to choose
favorable medium that promotes mutual understanding and saves time in the process of
transmission and decoding the message. This ensures that effective understanding exists among
the employees (Crawford, et al., 2017, p. 64). Manager need to ensure that each and every
employ is well trained and equipped with all that they need to effectively communicate.
At a time communication may flop not because of the language barrier but due to lack of
the right attitude within the communicating parties. Different employees have different attitudes
towards hierarchy and authority. They may view the communication system and channels
differently (Clohisy, et al., 2017, p. 60). There are people who come from environment where
horizontal communication was more acceptable while others come a setting where they are used
to vertical communication channels. It is generally important for the managers to train their
employees on the accounts of the negotiation tactics, and help them adopt the organizations
communication channels.

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Cultural diversity is a reality that many people continue to face. I find it interesting and
impactful on the success of the organization. Several studies have been conducted on this study
by a range of academicians. The subject of cross culture communication has not been left behind
by researchers. I would like to emphasize that cultural diversity is both, how people perceive
themselves and the lens that they use to look at others (Gamil & Rahman, 2017, p. 242). It is
these perceptions that affect and influence their way of interacting and communicating
effectively. I highly anticipate working in a culturally diverse environment in the future as a
manager.
Study has established that all universal communication is affected by cultural difference.
Each set of culture have unique values and practices attached to them. This breeds great set of
assumptions on how to communicate effectively with others. When I was talking that new
member to our club, I was not sure if he understood my message (Tran, 2016, p. 92). I assumed
that everything was in place. Manager of a company should never assume that other employees
understands the message. This will cause communication breakdown which causes
misunderstandings, miscommunication and inaccuracies. This may impact negatively on the
production process.
Scholars have established stereotype, language barrier, varying communication styles and
nonverbal communication as the key cause for misunderstandings and miscommunications in the
business context.to effectively alleviate these challenges, it important for the managers to seek
for feedback (Razmerita, et al., 2018, p. 342). Programs that encourage employees to cope and
appreciate cultural diversity should be adopted by managers. For example offer employees
holiday package to various cultural settings.

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Size of the workforce or the number of people that the organization handles influences
the methods and medium of communications. Managers need to ensure that they adopt the
relevant communication channels to speed up message dissemination (Gamil & Rahman, 2017,
p. 123). As a manger, I would strive on how to master the art of communicating effective to
culturally diverse team. Employ both oral communication to chair meetings, conduct interviews
and interact with the employees in informal settings. And use written communication to
communicate to business reports to various stakeholders.
Conclusion
Business communication requires that information flow constantly within the
organization. Feedback is essential part of communication. It helps to establish if the message
was understood. All people should embrace cultural diversity and learn how they can
communicate effectively under varying circumstances. Communication is at the center of the
organization. It greatly influence success of the business.

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References
Clohisy, D. R., Yaszemski, M. J. & Lipman, J., 2017. Leadership, communication, and
negotiation across a diverse workforce. an AOA Critical Issues Symposium. JBJS, 99(12), p. 60.
Crawford, T., Candlin, S. & Roger, P., 2017. New perspectives on understanding cultural
diversity in nurse–patient communication. Collegian, 24(1), pp. 63-69.
Darics, E., 2020. E-leadership or “How to be boss in Instant Messaging?” The role of nonverbal
communication. International Journal of Business Communication, , 57(1), pp. 3-29.
Gamil, Y. & Rahman, I. A., 2017. Identification of causes and effects of poor communication in
construction industry. A theoretical review. Emerging Science Journal, , 1(4), pp. 239-247..
Hurd, J. M., 2020. The transformation of scientific communication: A model for 2020. Journal
of the American society for information science,, 51(14), pp. 1279-1283..
Neuliep, J. W., 2020. Intercultural communication: A contextual approach. 5 ed. London: SAGE
Publications, Incorporated.

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Oetzel, J. G., 2017. Effective intercultural workgroup communication theory. The International
Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication, 1(2), pp. 1-5..
Razmerita, L., Kirchner, K. & Nielsen, P., 2018. What factors influence knowledge sharing in
organizations? A social dilemma perspective of social media communication. Journal of
knowledge Management., 21(2), p. 342.
Tran, B., 2016. Communication (intercultural and multicultural) at play for cross cultural
management within multinational corporations (MNCs). In Handbook of research on impacts of
international business and political affairs on the global economy, 3(1), pp. 62-92.