Challenges of Intercultural Communication

Challenges of Intercultural Communication
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In the global economy, there is increased interdependence among countries. At the same time, increased immigration to the U.S. has reignited interest on the challenges of intercultural communication. As people from diverse backgrounds interact, intercultural communication will play a more prominent role in the society. As a child of immigrant parents, my encounter with challenges of intercultural communication show, that there is a need to focus on ways to bridge the gap on intercultural communication. In any case, the role of teamwork and cross-cultural communication allows employees to handle tasks better and improve productivity. This essay highlights on challenges of intercultural communication.
One of the main challenges is that communication is at times difficult, and hence there is a need to focus on cultural sensitivity. This challenge arises because of unfamiliarity and difficulty in understanding cultural differences. At the same time, it may be difficult maintaining identity in a multicultural setting, while one may not be readily accepted by people of the dominant group. There is a need taking into account the role of stereotypes in influencing communication. In conveying messages, cross-cultural communication is an integral aspect to facilitating better understanding. As such, addressing the challenges of intercultural communication should take into account the role of communication preferences and stereotypes in influencing communication (Chitakornkijsil, 2010).
Even when people have a shared language, differences in communication styles results to difficulties .Different forms of nonverbal communication styles, volume, directness and tone vary across cultures. Non verbal elements are difficult to understand and in cases where they have overlooked, it has resulted to miscommunication and misinterpretations. The role of distance and body posture between the sender and receiver of messages has often influenced communication between people of different cultures. In interpersonal communication, the perceptions of communicative actors influences the communication process (Velde, 2009). Hence, even when using different communication styles there is a risk that this may affect the way people perceive work, and how they are likely to complete tasks.
Another aspect of intercultural communication is culture shock, where one experiences discomfort especially during international travels (Flanja, 2009). People living in a community typically share similar beliefs and understanding. In the workplace, one may deal with either workmates or clients from a different cultural background. Intercultural communication then becomes necessary, as this communication takes into account intercultural knowledge. Even though, it is more difficult to communicate with people from a different background, it is through learning, und...