Communicating Across The Globe: Part 2
Or so you think. But that’s not always the case with this gesture. I interact with people across the globe and they have all made it easy for me by speaking English, but I’m not so easily off the hook with face-to-face communication. Gestures have a sneaky way of illuminating differences, making us look silly or offending our audience.
During a recent video conference, the speaker ended his presentation with the familiar “thumbs up” gesture to indicate “all good.” An Aussie conference participant looked startled and then a little amused. “All good” is probably not what came to mind first for him.
In Australia, the “thumbs-up” gesture is obscene if the thumb is in motion. Moreover, this gesture will not serve you well in a number of countries including Turkey or with the older generation in Japan.
As video conferencing becomes more popular, a little awareness can help us all stick to only the messages we wish to convey and increase the likelihood that things will be “all good.”
Communicating Across The Globe: Part 1 Italians aren’t the only ones who talk with their hands. We all do. But one thing is certain – not all gestures share a universal meaning across the globe. Here are a few examples.
The “OK” sign: thumb and forefinger touch to form a circle, the other fingers go straight up.
Familiar and unobjectionable in the US, this sign can be confusing or deeply insulting in some regions.
While the “OK” sign means the same in Canada, the US, and most of Europe, it means “money” to the older generation in Japan. In Australia, it means “zero.” Using it will earn you blank looks in most of China and Russia, where it is seldom seen. Worse yet, it can be an obscene name in parts of Germany.
The V-sign: means “peace” or “victory” in most of the Western world, when the is palm forward. But watch out, it’s obscene in many areas to make this gesture with the back of your hand facing the viewer. To complicate things, doing it the opposite way is obscene in some regions of Germany. Japan has embraced this gesture: the V-sign - facing either way, is a common photo pose.
International body language is tricky. We are invisible in
audio conferences but
video conferences allow us to communicate on multiple levels. There are a number of benefits that come with video conferences – just be aware of what might be conveyed through certain gestures.
The business landscape is changing and more employees are working virtually. The benefits are easy to identify: money saved on facilities, flexibility, a 24/7 workforce and hiring based solely on talent - not location. This list goes on.
What about the challenges? Specifically, those associated with communication and collaboration? Dispersed workers still need to work as cohesive teams so what can be done to ensure success?
Changes in management along with technology offer the support that can allow remote employees to be as effective and productive as office-based colleagues.
Technology enables the virtual marketplace but management must also change to reflect, enable and support this new way of working. Trust and performance metrics are increasingly more important.
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We know – it’s nowhere near the same experience if you record it and watch after you have already heard the outcome of the game. So, conferencing may be the next best thing to taking off work to watch. Just remember to utilize the mute button on your remote and monitor your excitement to avoid sudden outbursts.
Here are some other suggestions for effective conferencing over the phone:
Be prepared. If you are hosting the conference, aim to dial in at least five minutes before the scheduled start time. Remember the other participants can’t talk to each other if you are not there. Ensure everyone knows that you are hosting the call and has the correct dial in numbers and passcodes. Like any other meeting issue an agenda prior to the call and advise participants of the estimated start and finish times.
Be organized. Get the name of each person on the call so that everyone is aware of who has been able to join the call. Use the handset when possible and mute the line when not speaking or if you really need to get out a verbal response to the game. Activating broadcast mode will ensure that the meeting is not disturbed and locking the conference call will not only avoid interruptions from latecomers but will also enhance the security of the call. If you are hosting and need to leave the call early, activate conference continuation. This will allow participants to continue speaking. A recording of the conference is a useful resource - especially when distractions may be involved.
Be polite. Avoid making side noise or walking around the room as voices can fade in and out. Be aware that when you use talk mode, all the participants can hear you. Switch it off if you are not speaking or don’t want your comments heard. Definitely mute the game.
Be Enthusiastic. Remember your voice accounts for 78% of your effectiveness on the telephone. Speak clearly. When asking questions, direct each question to a specific participant whenever possible as open discussions can be confusing when several people are participating. Channel some of that positive futbol enthusiasm!
What does it even mean these days to be international? Is “global” the same thing as “international?” How do you create a meeting environment that is both culturally sensitive and culturally neutral? Is that even possible? I think I’ve contradicted myself.
There is no simple answer, and we’ve certainly tried a lot of different things. But the best description of how we approach the question is the old catch phrase “think globally, ACT locally” (originally attributable to at least six different individuals, according to Wikipedia). And, yes, the pun is intended… A little recognition or acknowledgement of cultural differences goes a long way in my experience.
Perhaps the hardest thing about international conference calls is not the cultural differences, but is the dreaded time zone issue. No matter how you slice it, if the call has people all over the world, someone is going to be in their pajamas!
Sometimes, the global conference call can produce some unexpected (but humorous) results, like the time I was on a conference at midnight in London (where I was living at the time) and one of the Denver participants (5 p.m.) fell asleep and was snoring into the call. It sounded like a lawn mower was being run right next to the phone, and it brought the conversation to a grinding halt as we tried to figure out first what the noise was and then who it was. Needless to say, that was a call I will always remember.
Here are a few tips to help you have a successful international meeting.
Time zone converters are your best friends when it comes to finding a time that is appropriate. Try this one: Time Zone Conversion Tool for Global Meetings
Start meetings on time. All cultures have different approaches to what is acceptable in terms of “on time”, but you will never go wrong if you start your conference exactly when you have scheduled it to start.
Provide as much notice as possible to your meeting participants, especially if you are asking them to meet outside of their normal work day.
Speak slowly and enunciate clearly on your call. Even different accented versions of the same language can sound foreign when you speak quickly. Think British, Australian, and American English – do we really all speak the same language?
Above all, if you are the person who has to get up really early or stay up late, do everything in your power not to fall asleep on the call!!!!
‘Til next time!