This document discusses assertive communication. It begins by introducing the importance of communication and human relationships. It then defines three main communication styles - passive, aggressive, and assertive. It provides examples of verbal and non-verbal cues for each style. Assertive communication is described as taking responsibility, initiative, and focusing on solutions while actively listening and being direct yet considerate. The document also discusses cultural dimensions like individualism vs collectivism, power distance, masculinity vs femininity, time orientation, and uncertainty avoidance that influence communication between cultures. It emphasizes developing cultural intelligence to effectively communicate across cultures.

1. ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION
Dr Shilpee A Dasgupta

2. Introduction
• “Today we are faced with the pre-eminent fact that, if
civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of
human relationships.”
- Roosevelt, F. D., 1945
• “A people-centred strategy is an important source of
competitive advantage because, unlike technology, cost, or
new product development, it is difficult to imitate.”
- Pfeffer, J., 1998
• “People are human capital owners and investors”
- Davenport, T. ,1999 2

3. Introduction (Contd.)
• Employees consider emotional comfort as one of the major
elements of motivation and love to be managed by people-
centric leadership – one that has the human factor at the
centre of things (Bardwick, 2007).
• Great leaders through effective communication create
‘connection cultures’ that meet the emotional needs in the
people they lead (Bardwick, 2007).
• The human function embedded in communication of
managers/supervisors can affect the work relationships that
can facilitate or retard employees’/subordinates’ attitudes
and behaviours (Varona, 2002).
3

4. Introduction (Contd.)
• “Effective communication is the lifeblood of a
successful organization. It reinforces the
organization’s vision, connects employees to the
business, fosters process improvement, facilitates
change, and drives business results by changing
employee behavior…communication is an
important part of the business landscape and
cannot be taken for granted”
-Wyatt, 2006.
4

5. Communication
• Communication is multidimensional and takes place at two
separate but interrelated levels:
1. The content level (‘what’)
2. The relationship level (‘how’)

6. Communication Style
• Communication style is “…the way one verbally, non-verbally,
and para-verbally interacts to signal how literal meaning should
be taken, interpreted, filtered, or understood” (Norton, 1983,
p.58).

7. Passive Communication
Soft voice
Overly agreeable, no point of view expressed
Avoidance
Withdrawn body language
Sound unsure
Beat around the bush
Sound hopeless or helpless

8. Some Passive Messages
“Uh…if that’s the way you want to do it…um, that’s fine with
me.”
“I don’t know if I could do that.”
“I’ll talk to him soon about that problem; I’ve just been really
busy.”
“I’m sorry to ask you.”
“I hate to bother you.”
“Maybe that’s a good idea.”

9. Passive/Aggressive
Communication
Appears to agree but really does not agree
Tells others but not the source of the concern
Makes subtle digs and sarcastic remarks
Keeps score, sets conditions
Nonverbal message contradicts the verbal
message
Holds back expressing concerns or providing
assistance
Criticizes after the fact

10. Some Passive/Aggressive Messages
“I knew that wouldn’t work.”
“If that’s the way you want it…”
“How could you even think that?”
“ When was the last time you helped me?”

11. Aggressive Communication
Blaming, accusing
Intimidating body language
Demanding, ordering
Raised voice
Harsh, personal language
Verbal browbeating

12. Some Aggressive Messages
“You must…”
“Because I said so.”
“You idiot!”
“You always…”
“You never…”
“Who screwed this up?”

13. Assertive Communication
Takes responsibility
Takes initiative
Listens actively
Speaks up, is direct and constructive
Shows sincerity
Is solutions focused
Assumes a confident voice and body language
Addresses concerns directly to the source
Requests needs

14. Some Assertive Messages
“Yes, that was my mistake.”
“As I understand your point…”
“Let me explain why I disagree with that point.”
“Let’s define the issue and then explore some options to
help resolve it.”
“Please hear me out and then work with me to resolve my
concern.”

15. Some Assertive Messages
“Yes, that was my mistake.”
“As I understand your point…”
“Let me explain why I disagree with that point.”
“Let’s define the issue and then explore some options to
help resolve it.”

16. Don’t confuse aggressive with assertive.
Aggressive
Blunt
Harsh in tone
Blame and Browbeat
Push for your own way
One-way conversation
flow
Assertive
Direct
Firm in tone
Collaborates on
solutions
Speaks up, yet hears
others opinions
Two-way conversation
flow

17. Comparison between the three communication styles
Passive Assertive Aggressive
Verbal
Apologetic words, hidden
meaning, hedging, failure
to come to the point,
disconnected, at a loss for
words, failure to say what
one really means.
Statement of wants, needs,
desires, honest statement of
feelings, objective words,
direct statements which say
what one means (I
message).
Loaded words, accusations,
subjective terms,
commanding, dominant,
superior words; blame or
put-down (you message).
Non-Verbal
a) General
Actions instead of words,
hoping someone will guess
what you want, looking as
if you don’t mean what one
says.
Attentive, listening,
generally assured manner,
communication of caring
and strength.
Exaggerated show of
strength, flippant, sarcastic
style, an air of superiority.

18. Comparison between the three communication styles
b) Specific
Weak, hesitant, safe,
sometimes wavering voice,
eyes are averted downcast,
teary, pledging, posture is
stopped; there is excessive
head nodding and tilting.
Hands are fidget and fluttery.
Open, frank, direct eye
contact.
Voice is tense, shrill, loud,
shaky, cold, “deadly quiet”,
demanding and authoritarian.
Posture is stiff and rigid.
Feelings
Hurt, anxious, disappointed
in self at the time and
possibly later.
Confidence, self-respect,
feels good about self at the
time and later.
Angry, then righteous,
superior, possibly guilty
later.
Outcome
Does not achieve desired
goal, does not get needs met,
accumulates anger, and feels
Achieves goals both long and
short-term. Improves self-
confidence, needs are met,
Achieves desired goal by
hurting, alienating and
intimidating others.

19. The three basic styles:
•Passive style: Crippled display
•Aggressive style: Uninhibited display
•Assertive style: Tactful self-disclosure

20. The assertive communication style
enables a person to
 express his/her opinions and thoughts in a direct way
without attacking others
 refuse an unreasonable request without feeling guilty,
give people “constructive feedback” instead of “criticism”
 give recognition and praise to people at the right time
and create a motivational climate
 deliver a firm message by asking “questions” through a
clever approach or ask effective questions to probe for
facts and provoke for ideas
 trust people
 create a collaborative and congenial working
environment
 make long term relationships

21. Thank You

22. Communicating Across Cultures

23. Learning Objectives
LO.1 Describe characteristics of cultural
intelligence, its importance for global
business leaders, and approaches to
developing it.
LO.2 Explain the major cultural dimensions and
related communication practices.
LO.3 Name and describe key categories of
business etiquette in the intercultural
communication process.

24. “Culture is communication and
communication is culture”.
Culture is the way we live. It is the air we breath.
It is the thought we think. It is the clothes we
put on. It is the glasses we wear and look
through. Culture is what shapes our perception.
It is the collection of values that sustain and
direct our lives.
Communication and Culture

25. Culture
Culture refers to all such characteristics that
are common to a particular group of people
that are learned and not given by nature.
It is in the nature of human beings to form local
and regional communities.

26. Culture
Cultures don’t communicate, individuals do
While we don’t know that an individual’s cultural
values and expectations affect his/her communication,
we cannot identify them based on generalisations
about the culture he/she belongs to

27. Functions of Organisational Culture
Gives a sense of identity
Generate commitment among its employees
Serves to clarify and reinforce standards of
behaviour

28. Developing Cultural Intelligence
Cultural intelligence (CQ)
a measure of your ability to work with and adapt to
members of other cultures.
4-7

29. Characteristics of High
Cultural Intelligence
Workplacer
1. Respect, recognise, and appreciate cultural differences
2. Possess curiosity about and interest in other cultures
3. Avoid inappropriate stereotypes
4. Adjust conceptions of time and show patience
5. Manage language difference to achieve shared meaning
6. Understand cultural dimensions
7. Establish trust and show empathy across cultures
8. Approach cross-cultural work relationships with a learner
mindset
9. Build a co-culture of co-operation and innovation

30. Respect, Recognize, and Appreciate
Cultural Differences
Cultural intelligence is built on attitudes of
respect and recognition of other cultures.
This means that you view other cultures as
holding legitimate and valid views of and
approaches to managing business and
workplace relationships.

31. Be Curious about Other Cultures
Study abroad
Learn a language
Develop friendships with international
students on your campus
Take an interest in culture and routinely learn
about it
4-10

32. Take an Interest in a Culture and
Routinely Learn About It
 Watch films, television, documentaries, news,
and other video of the culture
 Follow the business culture of a country
 Take courses and attend events related to
particular cultures
 Make friends with people who live in other
cultures and communicate online
4-11

33. Avoid Inappropriate Stereotypes
Projected cognitive
similarity
the tendency to assume
others have the same
norms and values as your
own cultural group.
Outgroup
homogeneity effect
the tendency to think
members of other groups
are all the same.
4-12

34. Adjust Your Conceptions of Time
People high in CQ show patience
They understand that most tasks take
longer when working across cultures because
more time is needed to understand one
another and cooperate effectively
4-14

35. Manage Language Differences
Avoid quickly judging that others have limited
communication proficiency
Articulate clearly and slow down
Avoid slang and jargon
Give others time to express themselves
Use interpreters as necessary

36. Understanding Cultural Dimensions
Cultural dimensions
fairly permanent and enduring sets of related norms
and values

37. Understanding Cultural Dimensions
Individualism
and
collectivism
Power
Distance
Masculinity
and
Femininity
Time
orientation
Uncertainty
avoidance

38. Individualism and Collectivism
Individualism
a mind-set that prioritizes independence more
highly than interdependence, emphasizing
individual goals over group goals, and valuing choice
more than obligation

39. Individualism and Collectivism
Collectivism
a mind-set that prioritizes interdependence more
highly than independence, emphasizing group goals
over individual goals, and valuing obligation more than
choice

40. Communication Practices in High
Individualist and High Collectivist
Cultures

41. High and low context
communication
 High context : the members are so well
aware of the context that there is no
need to elaborate the verbal clues
 Low context: the contextual contribution
to communication is low, the verbal
clues have to be elaborated to remove
ambiguities and to achieve specificity
 Collectivism promotes high context
communication whereas individualism
promotes low context communication

42. If you are an individualist communicating with
collectivists, you should understand:
Their words may not always mean what you
think they do
They may not take quick decisions, even when
they have the authority
They may have great difficulty in saying or
doing things that might hurt the sentiments of
the members of their group
They may not be willing to make
commitments explicit

43. If you are a collectivist communicating with
individualists, you should understand:
They may not mean to be rude when they are abrupt
They may disagree openly with you, without trying to
soften the tone
They may be impatient with your slow and consultative
decision-making process
They may insist on explicit and written commitments to a
degree that might make you feel that they don’t trust you

44. Power Distance
The degree to which a culture accepts
unequal distribution of power

45. High Power Distance
 Children are expected to obey not only their parents,
grandparents, but also other elders in the family and society
 In organisations, bosses are afforded more power, titles are
used, formality is the rule, and authority is seldom
bypassed. Ex- Asia, Africa, Arab countries, Malaysia.

46. Low Power Distance
 Children are brought up to be independent
 The only people who get kinship titles are a child’s parents,
their brothers (uncles) and sisters (aunts), and their parents
(grandparents)
 Managers and employees judge each other equally.
Managers are given power only if they have expertise. Ex-
North European countries, Australia, United States, New
Zealand, Ireland

47. If you are a high power distance boss communicating with low
power distance subordinates, you should understand:
 Their open disagreement does not mean that they
question your authority. It does not show their disrespect.
 When they agree with you, you can be reasonably sure
that they genuinely accept your idea.

48. If you are a low power distance boss communicating with high
power distance subordinates, you should understand:
 Their public agreement does not necessarily mean that
they agree with you.

49. If you are a high power distance subordinate
communicating with low power distance bosses, you
should understand:
 They have difficulty coping with open and public
disagreement from subordinates; therefore use tact when
expressing diasagreement
 They are likely to use verbally indirect strategies to get
things done to prevent loss of face in the event of your not
doing what they want

50. Time/Future Orientation
Time/Future orientation
(FO)
involves the degree to which cultures are
willing to sacrifice current wants to
achieve future needs.

51. Communication Practices in High and
Low Future Orientation Cultures

52. Masculinity emphasizes on:
Money
Material
Ambition
Clear roles for male and female
Ex- UK, Germany, South Africa, Italy

53. Femininity emphasizes on:
Cooperation
Care
Quality of life
Blurred distinction between the male and
female roles
Ex- Netherlands, Scandinavia

54. Uncertainty Avoidance
Uncertainty avoidance
(UA)
refers to how cultures socialize
members to feel in uncertain,
novel, surprising, or extraordinary
situations.

55. Communication Styles in High and Low
Uncertainty Avoidance Cultures
4-35

56. Indian culture
 Indian culture is ancient yet continuously living and evolving.
 Society appears to be in a period of major transition toward
power equalisation.
 Although collectivism and humane orientation continue to
be the most important characteristics of Indian culture,
there is an increasing preference for individualism.

57. Transition in Indian Culture
Indians may value hierarchy, maintain power
distance but like freedom and friendliness.
In his famous book, “Development as Freedom,
Amartya Sen considers freedom as the primary
element of development (cited in O’Hearn, 2009).
Most of the Indian employees value freedom
and respect and seek for their dignity.

58. Building and Maintaining Cross-
Cultural Work Relationships
Establish Trust and Show Empathy
Adopt a Learner Mind-set
Build a Co-Culture of Cooperation and
Innovation
4-38

59. Focus on what is said; try not to read too much into
the words or be oversensitive to nonverbal nuances.
Learn to accept what is said.
Develop a belief that verbal messages and feedback
are powerful and effective.
Communicating effectively in a Cross-cultural setting

60. Understand that self-affirmation and individuality
are important to North Americans and that self-
oriented messages are used to separate oneself
from others.
Be aware that everyone should be treated equally
and that polite speech applies to family members,
intimate friends, and strangers.
Accept that North Americans value direct talk and
that, requests are often stated explicitly.

61. Recognize that being assertive is valued in the US culture
and that ͚no is accepted as an assertive response.
Understand that modesty is equated with low self-
confidence and that enhancing and crediting oneself is
expected.
Learn not to ask personal questions, because they can be
offensive and insulting.
Accept that North Americans like to express their opinion
openly and are talkative in their social interactions.

62. •To become an effective communicator, individuals
should learn the cross-cultural variability of
communication.
•More attention should be given on how people in
different cultures use different communication
strategies and skills in maintaining social or personal
relationships.
•It is also important that one should understand one’s
own culture thoroughly before attempting to
understand the culture of others.
Conclusion

63. Thanks a lot!

64. Effective Meetings
by
Dr Shilpee A Dasgupta

65. What is an effective meeting
• An effective meeting is a meeting that serves certain
desired purposes in an optimal way
• Effective meetings are among the core tools for making
things happen in any organisation

66. Meeting goals and purpose
• Identifying problems and solve them
• Brainstorming ideas to gather information
• Organising and decision making
• Deciding action

68. Mechanics of the Meeting
• Plan & Preparation
– Before the Meeting
– During the Meeting
– After the Meeting

69. Elements to manage throughout
• Content
• Process
• Dynamic

70. Key things to do
• Listening actively
• Keeping emotions under control
• Show respect and empathy
• Suggest positive actions

71. What makes meetings wasteful
• Poor preparation
• Failure to write and share minutes
• Incompetent/ cunning/ spineless/ meeting-
hungry bosses
• Hidden agendas

72. Effective Meeting Tips
• Don’t Meet
Avoid a meeting if the same information could be covered in a memo, e-
mail or brief report
Set Objectives for the Meeting
Before planning the agenda, determine the objective of the meeting. The
more concrete your objectives, the more focused your agenda will be
Provide an Agenda Beforehand
Your agenda needs to include a one-sentence description of the meeting
objectives, a list of the topics to be covered and a list stating who will
address each topic for how long. Follow the agenda closely during the
meeting
•
•

73. Effective Meeting Tips
• Assign Meeting Preparation
Give all participants something to prepare for the meeting,
and that meeting will take on a new significance to each
group member
Assign Action Items
Don’t finish any discussion in the meeting without deciding
how to act on it
Examine Your Meeting Process
Don’t leave the meeting without assessing what took place
and making a plan to improve the next meeting
•
•

74. • Great leaders through effective communication create ‘connection
cultures’ that meet the emotional needs in the people they lead
(Bardwick, 2007).
Communicate to connect and motivate

75. Communication
Try to connect at both levels:
1. The content level (‘what’)
2. The relationship level (‘how’)

76. Communication Styles
• Aggressive (uninhibited display)
• Passive (crippled display)
• Assertive (tactful self disclosure)

77. The assertive communication style enables a person to
 express his/her opinions and thoughts in a direct way
without attacking others
 refuse an unreasonable request without feeling guilty,
give people “constructive feedback” instead of
“criticism”
 give recognition and praise to people at the right time
and create a motivational climate
 deliver a firm message by asking “questions” through a
clever approach or ask effective questions to probe for
facts and provoke for ideas
 trust people
 create a collaborative and congenial working
environment
 make long term relationships

78. Meeting Room Arrangements
Theater Style
•
–
–
Leader has great power by position.
Participation and interruption by audience is limited.
• U-Shaped Style
–
–
–
Equality of membership.
No doubt of who the leader is.
Good visibility for visual aids.
• Circle Style
–
–
–
–
Democratic: equality is stressed.
Great visibility by participants.
Obvious body language.
Excellent participation.

80. Listening:
The Mother of all Speaking
Dr Shilpee A Dasgupta

81. LISTEN
L: look (establish eye contact)
I: inquire (ask questions)
S: (summarise, paraphrase occasionally
and share it with the speaker)
T: take notes (take notes mentally if not
with paper and pencil)
E: encourage (encourage the speaker
through verbal and facial expressions)
N: neutralise (neutralise any strong
feelings; be objective)

82. Different types of listening:
Selective listening
Diplomatic listening
Active listening
Critical listening
Empathic listening

83. Active listening:
The secret of excellence in using the face-to-
face channel lies in active listening.
Conversations can go only if both the parties
are listening. A speaker is listener and a
listener is a speaker.
The biggest block to personal communication
is one’s inability to listen intelligently,
understandingly and skilfully to another
person.

84. The anatomy of poor listening:
Our brain is capable of processing 500-750
words a minute while people only speak 120-
150 words a minute. The listener uses only a
part of their brain to listen. It’s true that if we
are not listening, we start thinking other
things.

85. Contributors to poor listening:
Inadequate language
Difficult physical conditions
Non-serious listening
Lack of interest
Antipathy towards speaker

86. Over-enthusiasm for speaker
Lack of confidence
Impatience
Strong convictions

87. The good listener
The good listener has a mental framework to
put ideas in
The good listener actively engages the ideas
the speaker presents
The good listener asks questions

88. The good listener listens with his/her whole
body
The good listener does not judge
prematurely
The good listener goes beyond the
message: He/she takes interest in the
Message-Sender too
The good listener sincerely seeks to
understand

89. How to active-listen
 Ensure confidentiality
 Be empathic
 Create supportive environment
 Maintain eye contact
 Paraphrase what he/she says

90. Reflect his/her feelings
Ask open questions
Summarize occasionally
Focus on specific issues
Establish priorities
Cope with emotions
Use silence; don’t talk much

91. Thank you for
listening !

92. NONVERBAL
COMMUNICATION
Nonverbal Communication

93. THE BODY AND THE WAY IT
COMMUNICATES
“ C O N N E C T I N G A S A C O M M U N I C A T O R I S N ' T
A B O U T T R Y I N G T O B E C O M E S O M E O N E E L S E —
I T ' S A B O U T R E A C H I N G I N S I D E Y O U R S E L F A N D
B R I N G I N G O U T T H E B E S T O F W H A T I S
U N I Q U E L Y Y O U . ”

94. • Nonverbal communication: An introduction
• Elements of Communication
• Types of Nonverbal Communication
• Universally recognised emotions shown through
facial expressions
• Body language determinants
• Innocent yet rude gestures
• Gestures with multiple meanings
Contents

95. • Our body is so incredibly versatile that it can send
thousands of nonverbal messages.
• When we encounter people, we usually look first at
their face to see if their expression reflects what they
are saying.
• Then we listen to the tone of their voice to check if
there are any indications of the emotions involved
and finally, we listen to the spoken words to get the
actual meaning involved.
Introduction to Nonverbal Communication

96. • Unconscious, nonverbal communication is clearly
present from birth and there is mounting evidence
that it exists even during the gestation period.
• A pioneer in the field of nonverbal communication,
Professor Ray Birdwhistell said, 'more human
communication takes place by the use of gestures,
postures, position and distance than by any other
way'.

97. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

98. Body language is a non-verbal, sub-consciously interpreted and
generated set of body movements, postures, gestures, etc.
Since body language is not as neatly defined as a normal language is,
it can be understood and interpreted in many different ways.
This ambiguity and depth in understanding body language of humans
and the insight it gives into the human psyche is what makes it an
interesting subject to study.

105. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Unwritten and unspoken messages (intentional and unintentional)
Facial expressions
Eye contact
Tone of voice
Body posture and motions
Positioning within groups

106. TYPES OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
• Kinesics
• Oculesics
• Haptics
• Proxemics
• Appearance and Artefacts
• Paralanguage/ Vocalics
• Chronemics
• Chromatics
• Olfactics

107. KINESICS
Body language, such as facial expressions,
gestures and other body movements (the visual
aspects of behaviours).

108. OCULESICS
A subcategory of Kinesics, Oculesics is the study of
eye movement, eye behaviour, gaze, and eye-
related nonverbal communication.

109. GESTURE
A motion of the hands, head, or body to
emphasize an idea or emotion, esp while
speaking.

110. HAPTICS
Refers to interaction involving touch.

111. Proxemics
Refers to the ways in which people structure and
use space in their daily lives.

112. TERRITORIES AND ZONES
Image source: Body Language. Allan Pease

113. Chronemics
An interesting but often overlooked
dimension of nonverbal communication
is chronemics, or our use of time.

114. Paralanguage/Vocalics
Refers to all vocally produced sound that is not a direct form of
linguistic communication. It focuses on how we say something
rather than what we say.

115. Paralanguage/Vocalics
• Tone
• Voice inflection
• Pitch
• Intensity or volume
• Articulation
• Rhythm
• Quality
• Tempo/Pacing

116. Artifacts
Artifacts include the use of the
environment and objects.

117. OLFACTICS
Refers to the study of smells and how they are
perceived.

118. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
• Emotions can be masked, disguised or enacted.
• However, it is possible to differentiate, with training
(especially with video recordings), between true and false
expressions.
• Ekman’s FACS (Facial action coding system) tells us that
genuine emotions involve both voluntary and involuntary
muscles while false emotions use only voluntary muscles
of the face. Using this knowledge one can identify true
from false emotions.
• Micro-expressions: These are real expressions which
come up only for a small fraction of a second before
being masked.

119. HAPPINESS

120. SADNESS

121. SADNESS

122. ANGER

123. ANGER

124. FEAR

125. SURPRISE

126. DISGUST

127. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
• Squelched expressions: Expressions which are
suppressed before they can appear fully.
• Research findings suggest that across cultures, basic
facial expressions are similar. But, different ways of
masking expressions and showing facial expressions in
society are learnt.
Another important finding is that genuine facial
expressions are more symmetrical (across left and right
side of the face) than false expressions.

128. SEVEN UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED EMOTIONS SHOWN
THROUGH FACIAL EXPRESSION
•Happiness: round eyes, smile, raised cheeks
•Sadness: raised inner eyebrows, pulling down of outer
lips
•Surprise: eyebrows raised, wide open eyes, open mouth
•Anger: Lower eyebrow, intense stare
•Fear: Raised eyebrows and eyelids, slightly opened
mouth, lip edges stretched back horizontally
•Contempt: Naturally occurs on one side of the face,
pulling upper lip up and away
•Disgust: wrinkled nose, lowered eyelids and eyebrows,
raised upper lip

129. REGARDLESS OF CULTURE, THESE EXPRESSIONS ARE THE
SAME, HOWEVER THE INTENSITY VARIES FROM CULTURE TO
CULTURE.
For example:
•Many Asian cultures suppress facial expressions as
much as possible.
•Many Mediterranean cultures exaggerate grief or
sadness while most American men hide those emotions.
•Some cultures see animated expressions as a sign of
lack of control.
•Some cultures view too much smiling as a sign of
shallowness.

130. These differences may arise due to many reasons:
• Time
• Economic status
• Social status
• Gender
• Cultural differences
In this modern world, where the horizons are always expanding, and the
lines between cultures are becoming thinner, it is very important to have
an idea of how body language varies across cultures around the world.

131. Body Language Determinants
Greetings
Postures
Gestures
How people of different cultures greet each other
Different gestures mean different things in different
cultures. Knowing these differences is important.
Interpretations of postures vary across cultures

132. The way two people greet each other varies widely
and depends on the following factors apart from the
culture those individuals belong to.
• Level of acquaintance
• Location
• Gender
• Age
It is very important to know and understand the
greetings of a place when you are guest there.
Greetings

133.  Rubbing noses In New Zealand, among
Maori people, this is called ‘Hongi’
meaning ‘sharing breath’.
 Bowing In Japan this can range from a
slight nod in the head to a full 90 degree
bend.
 A hand shake A common way of greeting
in the US and Mexico, especially among
men or between a man and a woman.
Greetings (…contd)

134.  In the US, a thumbs up means
“OK” or “good”. However, it is
considered an abuse in
Australia, Brazil, South Italy,
Germany, Greece, and some
Islamic nations.
Innocent yet Rude Gestures

135. Slurping your soup is considered good manners in
Japan and implies that you actually like the food,
but in most other cultures it is bad manners.
In some societies like Germany punctuality is given
utmost importance. Being 10 minutes late even to
an informal gathering is considered very rude.
It is a belief among some African people that
photographing them steals their souls from them.

136. Pointing your feet towards a Buddha statue is a
serious offence in Buddhist countries.
Pointing your finger in a direction might mean
showing that direction in many cultures, but
in Middle East and Russia, is a no-no. It is
preferable to show a direction with an open
palm.
The victory sign may seem harmless; but in
Britain, if you show it with the palm facing
you, it is a very offensive gesture.

137. Having your fingers crossed is
generally a sign of good luck in
many a places, but not in
Paraguay. It is considered
offensive there.
Snapping your fingers to get
someone’s attention sends a
vulgar message in France and
Belgium.

138. Hands in pockets might be common in
some places, but is considered
impolite in many regions around the
world.
Hook ‘em Horns are supposed to be a
cheering symbol in Texas, wishing
good luck in Brazil and a curse in
Africa!

139.  The OK sign is one such sign which has many
multiple meanings.
• In America, it may mean approval.
• In Brazil, Italy, Germany, and Greece, it is a very
offensive insult.
• In southern France, it might also mean ‘zero’ or
‘worthless’ depending on the facial expression.
Gestures with Multiple Meanings

140.  Shaking head sideways
• In the US, it means ‘no’.
• In Bulgaria, it means ‘yes’.
 Nodding the head up and down
• In the US, it means ‘yes’.
• In Bulgaria, it means ‘no’.

141. Postures are a very important
form of body language, and
are generally involuntary
unlike gestures.
Like gestures, even postures
carry various meanings
across cultures.
Postures

142.  Crossing legs when sitting: In a survey it was found
that American men found their European counterparts
to be slightly feminine. This is attributed to the way
they sit.
 American men cross their legs in an ankle-on-knee
fashion whereas the European men cross their legs in
both the ankle-on-knee fashion and knee-on-knee
fashion.
 In America, the knee-on-knee fashion is exclusive to
women, and seldom do men sit in this way, which
causes American men to see a feminine side in the
way European men sit.

143.  Actions and postures speak louder than words.
 In today’s world, where globalization is an unstoppable
phenomenon, knowing and understanding body language,
its interpretation around the world, and its cultural
significance is very important in building and maintaining
good business relationships.
Conclusions

144. Thanks………

145. PERSUASION
Dr Shilpee A Dasgupta

146. Persuasion
• Persuasion is very central to managing people.
• Getting others – bosses, subordinates, peers, and clients – to
accept our ideas and to do what we want them to is persuasion.

147. Factors
• Aristole has identified three persuasion factors: ethos,
logos, and pathos
• Most acts of persuasion mingle these three factors
although one factor may be dominant

148. Ethos
• When some people (doctor, a legal or financial expert) ask us to
do something we don’t resist.
• Ethos refers to the character of the persuader. If he is perceived
as fair-minded, knowledgeable, and trustworthy, we are likely to
accept his proposals.
• Other features that enhance ethos include good looks and
position of authority.
• We get persuaded even if we do not fully understand what the
person is doing or talking about.

149. Pathos
• Pathos refers to emotions. You can persuade others by
appealing to or playing on their emotions.
• Emotions may be positive or negative. Positive emotions
include pride, joy, hope, sympathy and love. Negative
emotions include fear, anger, guilt,, and envy.
• Some of the persuasive strategies built on pathos are
inspirational appeal, ingratiation, and exchange.
• You may excite your audience’s pride in their organisation
and/or hatred for a rival and persuade them to increase
productivity without any financial incentives.
• Ex- leaders of terrorist outfits

150. Logos
• Logos refers to reasoning and rational persuasion
• When you persuade someone to do something because
you prove, with the help of evidence and reasoning, you
are using logos
• Two approaches to reasoning: inductive and deductive

151. Framing: The Heart of Persuasion
• Whether your target will accept your proposal or not
generally depends on the way it is framed.
• A frame “orients a reader or listener to examine a
message with a certain disposition or inclination…The
manager selling an idea frames the message to focus
attention on what he believes are the most pivotal or
salient issues”
• The best communicator and/or persuader is one who
looks at things from the communicatee’s perspective.

152. 2-152
Interpersonal Communication
2-152
Session on

153. 2-153
Learning Objectives
LO2.1 Describe the interpersonal communication
process and barrier to effective communication.
LO2.2 Explain how emotional hijacking can hinder
effective interpersonal communication.
LO2.3 Describe the basic domains of emotional
intelligence and related communication
competencies.

154. 2-154
Learning Objectives (cont.)
LO2.4 Explain the trade-offs associated with richness,
control, an constraints when choosing a
communication channel.
LO2.5 Describe how forms of communication, level of
formality, and communicator styles influence
workplace communication.
LO2.6 Explain the role of civility in effective
interpersonal communication and the common
types of incivility in the workplace.

155. 2-155
Understanding the Interpersonal
Communication Process
Interpersonal communication process,
 the process of sending and receiving verbal and
nonverbal messages between two or more
people.
 involves the exchange of simultaneous and
mutual messages to share and negotiate meaning
between those involved

156. 2-156
The Interpersonal
Communication Process

157. 2-157
Differences in Perspective
Differences in Knowledge Levels
Differences in Language Competence
Barriers that Cause Communication
Failure

158. 2-158
Barriers that Cause
Communication Failure
Organizational Structure
Difference in Status
Lack of Trust
Closed Communication Climate
Incorrect Choice of Medium
Information Overload
Message Complexity
Message Competition
Unethical Communication 2-158

159. 2-159
Noise
Physical noise
Physiological noise
Semantic noise
Psychological noise
All messages encoded & decoded by a filter
of lifetime experiences
2-159

160. 2-160
Understanding the Interpersonal
Communication Process
Overcome barriers to communication
Manage emotions to engage in constructive
communication
Select appropriate communication channels

161. 2-161
Barriers to Shared Meaning
Filter of lifetime experiences
 an accumulation of knowledge, values,
expectations, and attitudes based on prior
personal experiences

162. 2-162
Developing Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence
 involves understanding emotions, managing
emotions to serve goals, empathizing with
others, and effectively handling relationships with
others.

163. 2-163
Developing Emotional Intelligence
Emotional hijacking
 a situation in which
emotions control our
behavior causing us
to react without
thinking

164. 2-164
Domains of Emotional Intelligence
Self-management
 the ability to use awareness of your emotions to
stay flexible and to direct your behavior positively
 involves responding productively and creatively
to feelings of self-doubt, worry, frustration,
disappointment, and nervousness.

165. 2-165
Strategically Selecting Channels
for Communication
Communication channel
 The medium through which a message is
transmitted
 emails, phone conversations, and face-to-face
dialogue

166. 2-166
Use of Communication Channels in recent
years

167. 2-167
Adapting Communication to the
Situation and Style of Others
Forms of communication
Level of formality
Communicator styles

168. 2-168
Forms of
Communication
Private communication
Team communication
Networked communication
Leadership communication

169. 2-169
Factors Impacting the Formality of
Business Communication

170. 2-170
Communicator Styles (Paul P. Mok)

171. 2-171
Common types of Incivility in the
workplace
Ignoring others
Treating others without courtesy
Disrespecting the efforts of others
Disrespecting the time of others
Disrespecting the privacy of others
Disrespecting the dignity and worth of others

172. 2-172
Maintaining civil communications
Slow down and be present in life
Listen to the voice of empathy
Keep a positive attitude
Respect others and grant them plenty of
validation
Get to know people around you
Pay attention to small things
Ask, don’t tell