Seven Tips for Building Cross-Cultural Relationships

Here are our top ten tips for effective cross-cultural communication:

• Maintain etiquette. Many cultures have specific etiquette around the way they communicate.
• Avoid slang.
• Speak slowly.
• Keep it simple.
• Practice active listening.
• Take turns to talk.
• Write things down.
• Avoid closed questions.

To ensure that we are ‘culturally competent’ we need to:

1. Be prepared. Learn about cross-cultural communication and other cultures.
2. Be aware of your own cultural values, assumptions and expectations.
3. Explain key differences when necessary. The most important ones are often invisible.
4. Help newcomer.

• MANAGING CULTURALLY DIVERSE WORK GROUPS.
• Shared Norms.
• Explicit Communication.
• Friendships.
• Information Sharing.
• Group Identity.
• Cultural Intelligence.
• Undertaking Regular Progress Reviews.

• Seek to understand. Don’t make assumptions.
• Keep an open mind.
• Start with “who you know.” The best place to start is with others who you know inside and outside of your organization, business, and social organizations.
• Attend multicultural networking events.
• Get involved.
• Keep your word.
• Assume positive intent.

1. Structure the team for success.
2. Understand the cross-cultural makeup of your team.
3. Set very clear norms and stick to them.
4. Find ways to build personal bonds.
5. When conflict arises, address it immediately.

In interpersonal contexts, trust is developed through the mutual sharing of cultural values, as manifested in the interpersonal qualities of integrity and benevolence. Cultural values are not necessarily part of the parent consulting firm but can be unique to the people working in partnership on a project.

One way to build trust is to encourage your team members to see their colleagues as people. Think about creating situations that help them to share personal stories, and to bond. Do this by asking sensitively about their family, or about their hobbies.

5 ways leaders at all levels can create a culture of trust in the workplace

1. Be honest and supportive. Even when it’s difficult, tell the truth and not just what you think people want to hear.
2. Listen.
3. Be consistent.
4. Model the behavior you seek.
5. Build in accountability.

12 Quick & Easy Ways to Build Trust in the Workplace

1. Be Honest & Support Your Team. Employees must know you are honest with them at all time.
2. Respond Constructively to Problems.
3. Avoid Micromanaging.
4. Model the Behavior You Want to See.
5. Protect Your Employees.
6. Keep Your Word.
7. Competence Is Imperative.
8. Give Employees the Benefit of the Doubt.

Fail to walk the talk: No matter the work program, cultural expectation, management style, or change initiative, you will destroy trust if you fail to demonstrate the quality or behavioral expectation if you fail to walk the talk.

According to Fairholm, Leadership: And the Culture of. Trust is “about how leaders define and shape cultures charac- terized. by shared values that enhance and respect the individual, encourage mutual trust, and empower employees” (p. viii).

Trust is the key to establishing an ethical organization environment — one that guides decisions and actions. Trust in business is the cornerstone of relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, and others who have dealings with an organization. Trust means to be reliable and carry through words with deeds.

Studies have shown there’s a positive relationship between organizational trust and organizational performance. Employees who trust their co-workers and believe in senior leadership are more likely to outperform those who don’t. Organizational trust has also been linked to reduced conflict and greater innovation.

Here Are 4 Ways to Develop a Culture of Respect and Trust

1. Listen to each other. Communication is at the core of human relationships, and it should be no different with your colleagues.
2. Show employees that you care.
3. Help each other.
4. Encourage everyone to be themselves.

Building a culture of respect in the workplace

1. Bake it into your company values. It all starts by establishing a philosophy that focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion–the pillars of a respectful work culture.
2. Update supporting policies & procedures.
3. Establish accountability & communication.
4. Deploy respectful workplace training.
5. Bring it all together.

How to build trust at work

1. Tell the truth.
2. Admit when you don’t know something.
3. Admit when you’re wrong.
4. If you say you’ll do it, do it.
5. If you’re meant to do it, do it.
6. Explain your thought process.
7. Extend trust to others.
8. Include others.

Ideas for demonstrating respect in the workplace include:

1. Treat people with courtesy, politeness, and kindness.
2. Encourage coworkers to express opinions and ideas.
3. Listen to what others have to say before expressing your viewpoint.
4. Use peoples’ ideas to change or improve work.

How to treat others with dignity and respect

1. Acknowledge each person’s basic dignity.
2. Have empathy for every person’s life situation.
3. Listen to and encourage each other’s opinions and input.
4. Validate other people’s contributions.
5. Avoid gossip, teasing and other unprofessional behavior.

Receiving respect from others is important because it helps us to feel safe and to express ourselves. Respect means that you accept somebody for who they are, even when they’re different from you or you don’t agree with them. Respect in your relationships builds feelings of trust, safety, and wellbeing.

Make professionalism a habit and demonstrate respect with these simple, yet powerful actions:

1. Say something.
2. Smile.
3. Say “thank you.” It may seem like common sense, but many people forget to say thank you or don’t say it with sincerity.
4. Be considerate and discreet.
5. Apologize.
6. Participate constructively.

You can use these simple tricks to become the person everyone admires.

1. Become an inclusive person. It’s especially important to focus on inclusivity in our conscious minds.
2. Practice what you preach.
3. Understand your colleague’s situation.
4. Talk less.
5. Show confidence.
6. Always show courtesy.
7. Trust yourself.

How to Respond When You Feel Disrespected

1. Let them know you’re committed to always treat them with the greatest dignity and respect.
2. Ask them about their intentions based on their behavior.
3. Find a path forward and invite them to commit to a different set of behaviors.