Cross-Cultural Communication
How to communicate clearly and respectfully across cultures at work: recognising differences in feedback style, hierarchy, time and context, running inclusive multinational meetings, and building shared team norms. For professionals in international and multinational workplaces — common in energy and industrial organisations — and for self-directed learners working with colleagues from other cultures.
52m
Total time
4
Competency levels
12
Lessons
What you'll learn
- Explain the main dimensions on which workplace cultures tend to differ — feedback directness, attitudes to hierarchy and time, and high- versus low-context communication
- Interpret unfamiliar behaviour generously, checking intent before judging a colleague's words or silence
- Adapt your own language for international colleagues by avoiding idioms, sarcasm and culture-bound references
- Plan and run meetings that work across cultures and time zones, so every participant can genuinely contribute
- Describe the practical realities of multinational crews and how to keep communication safe and clear within them
- Facilitate a team in agreeing explicit shared norms instead of leaving each culture's defaults to collide
Curriculum
Progress through each competency level in order.
1
Awareness
- 3mHow cultures differ at workKnowledge
- 2mReading intent generously, speaking plainlyKnowledge
- 7mAwareness check: cultural differences and clear languageAssessment
2
Knowledge
- 3mMeetings across cultures and time zonesKnowledge
- 3mMultinational crew realitiesKnowledge
- 8mKnowledge check: meetings, time zones and multinational crewsAssessment
3
Skill
- 3mBuilding shared team normsKnowledge
- 3mRun a cross-cultural communication reviewAssignment
- 7mSkill check: applying cross-cultural judgementAssessment
4
Mastery
- 3mLeading and coaching across culturesKnowledge
- 3mLead a cross-cultural capability improvementAssignment
- 7mMastery assessment: leading across culturesAssessment
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