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| TELL US YOUR STORYFeatured Article
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If you are a foreign born professional, we would like to hear from you. We are very interested in the story of how you have created a successful and prosperous life in the United States.
We would be happy to feature your story in a future issue.
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OUR PROGRAMS
Transforming
accents from
communication
barriers to
charming
cultural flavors!
Individuals-Groups
Basic Level:
Compton P-ESL: 2008 Revision!
Specialized:
Medically Speaking
Regional Dialects:
Speak Standard, Too!
Idioms:
MIAE (Mastering the Idioms of American English)
Advanced:
MEEC (Mastering Effective English Communication)
RULES for Medically Speaking (Rules for Using Linguistic Elements of Speech)
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We are passionate about helping our clients speak English clearly and with confidence! YOU CAN DO IT and we will help you! In addition, you can be a valuable resource for your management team if your company conducts business in your native country.
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Go to our Archive Home Page to read more fascinating newsletters.
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We at Triangle Speech Services are licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who specialize in foreign accent and regional dialect modification.
This month's "Our Story" was contributed by several of our clients. All have lived and worked in this country for several years or longer and most received their higher education here also. One has an American spouse who manages the family business in her native country.
I asked them to talk about important cultural differences that would impact on doing business successfully in their native countries which included China, India, South Korea and Thailand.
In addition, I review a short article in the DiversityBusiness.com 08 Spring/Summer Magazine, "Can You Speak the Language of Business with Other Cultures?"
Conclusion? The "keepers of the keys" to multicultural understanding and cultural competence are the gifted foreign-born, multilingual professionals employed in the very U.S. companies who do business globally. Ask them! Listen to them! Enlist their help and advice!
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The Keys to Doing Business in My Country...
[The clients who contributed to this story included two I.T. Professionals, a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, a Ph.D. candidate in Nursing and a candidate for ESL certification.]
Body Language: In India the gesture of repeatedly shaking the head "No" many more times than is normally done in the U.S. does not mean "No." It means, "I am listening." Prolonged, direct eye contact is not a sign of confidence and openness, rather it is considered disrespectful when one is speaking with someone of superior rank and it is considered provocative and inappropriate if done by a man who is speaking to a women.
Paying for business meals has a special meaning and ritual in China. Every Chinese business person present, including those who are considered "guests" may strongly insist on paying in order to "save face" and earn respect. It is a delicate dance best negotiated with the guidance of a company rep who is a Chinese native.
Those dedicating a new business office or branch in India would be horrified by a ribbon-cutting ceremony complete with champagne! The Hindu purification ceremony or "puja" would be considered the proper, sacred and auspicious way to bring blessings and success to a new enterprise. Again, it is best to consult with a native.
The keys to successful negotiations in Thailand include (1) having the recommendations and assistance of a trusted Thai national, (2) taking time and patience so that the Thai business people will develop trust in the company representative and the company itself, (3) observing proper Thai etiquette which includes avoiding the appearance of impatience, hurry and conflict even while negotiating most major contract points. Patience, respect and trust and working with a Thai national are the keys.
In "Can You Speak the Language of Business with Other Cultures?" (Spring-Summer 08 Issue of DiversityBusiness.com magazine) Elisabete Miranda of Translation Plus, Inc. writes about the differences in personal space protocols in America vs. Brazil, the embarrassment of mistranslations and the different interpretations of "on time" and "getting down to business." As in Thailand, the latter is considered "pushy" and getting to know potential business partners through social engagement and small talk is considered essential.
Finally in hospitals in South Korea, families routinely perform the personal patient care usually done by nurse's aides in this country--and not just for pediatric patients. In the U.S. their expectations might need to be sensitively considered.
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The Keepers of the Keys
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 It is important for management to seek out the foreign born professionals who work for them and engage them in dialogue. Ask them about cultural differences in the areas of: body language, personal space, eye contact, greeting and closing rituals, dining rituals, business meeting protocols, establishing trust, negotiation rituals and protocols.
In addition, here are three valuable resources recommended by my colleagues in CORSPAN, the Corporate Speech Pathology Network:
The Cultural Dimensions of International Business, by Gary P. Ferraro, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Prentice Hall, 1997.
(This book for business professionals introduces cultural anthropology and its relationship to cross-cultural business enterprise.)
Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in Sixty Countries, by Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway and George A. Borden. Adams Media Corp. 2006. (An easy, informative read of cultural practices that impact international business communications.)
Mind Your Manners: Managing Business Cultures in Europe, by John Mole. Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2001.
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We invite you to click on Triangle Speech Services to visit our informative website. If you are a corporate manager or HR specialist we hope you will take the initiative to encourage your foreign born employees to share their knowledge of the culture and customs of their native countries. And again we recommend this article from HR Compliance Law Bulletin, "How to address concerns over employees' accents." We hope this month's newsletter has informed and inspired you and we encourage you to contact us if you have questions about communication and foreign accents!
Sincerely,
Judith L. Bergman M.A. CCC-SLP, Founder & Director
Triangle Speech Services |
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