Communicating Across Cultures

1. COMMUNICATING
ACROSS CULTURES
Trainer: Sam Lubis, S. Pd.
08569088189|sam.loebis6@gmail.com
Special Design for
Tiar Akhmad Ginanjar

2. Communicating
Effectively

3. Aims
• To understand why communication
can go wrong
• To communicate messages with good
and bad news sensitively

4. Discussion Questions
Jose Romeu is a senior executive in a large
multinational Spanish bank which recently
took over a local bank in Russia. He met the local
Russian management team in Moscow for the first time and
gave a 30-minute presentation to the team to launch the new
international partnership after the takeover.
1. What do you think was the main objective of Jose’s
presentation? Why?
2. What do you think should be his main message to the
Russian management team?

5. Answering the question
Suggested Answer: In this situation, many senior executives decide to
make a presentation which introduces their own bank with a brief history,
scope of action and figures about people and financial results. They then
follow up with some form of vision statement concerning the new
partnership / activity, in this case in Russia. In takeover situations such as
this, it is important for executives to motivate local management and to
deal with fears people will have about losing authority and even their jobs
in a takeover process. Jose should communicate a strong respect for the
local bank and give detailed examples of ways in which the takeover will
support and benefit the local operation and help it and its staff to grow. It
is less important to give details of the Spanish bank and high-level vision
statements about future success.

6. Listen up!
1. What was his objective for his presentation?
2. How did he feel about it?
3. What was the feedback from his audience? Why do you
think his audience felt this way?
Listen to the first part of the interview with Jose Romeu.

7. Answering the question
Answer:
The objective was to say hello to local senior management and
welcome them to a new international future, in order to make
them feel part of the new operation.
1. What was his objective for his presentation?

8. Answering the question
Answer:
He felt nervous because he knew they were not all happy
about the takeover.
2. How did he feel about it?

9. Answering the question
Answer:
The feedback was negative, probably because the audience felt
disrespected.
3. What was the feedback from his audience? Why
do you think his audience felt this way?

10. Listen up!
1. What does he say was his biggest mistake?
2. What else does he say he did wrong? Why did this cause a
problem?
3. What is his advice for professionals who have to present
internationally?
Listen to the second part of the interview.

11. Answering the question
Answer:
Jose didn’t talk about the successes of the Russian bank and
what the Spanish bank could learn from them.
1. What does he say was his biggest mistake?

12. Answering the question
Answer:
He did’t copresent with the local boss who was unhappy and
this had a negative impact on the event.
2. What else does he say he did wrong? Why did this
cause a problem?

13. Answering the question
Answer:
His advice is to show respect to people, especially the local
management, and their successes.
3. What is his advice for professionals who have to
present internationally?

14. Questions
How far do you agree with Jose’s advice?
In what other situations could you apply this advice?

15. Communicating
Good & Bad News
When working across cultures we need to communicate
sensitively, particularly when giving both good and bad news.

16. Communicating
Good & Bad News
Each sentence in italics represents one of the strategies for
communicating good and bad news sensitively. Match each
strategy from the box to the correct sentence.

17. Cultural Tip
Always try to communicate
to others in a way which
they will understand as
polite, respectful and
positive. In addition, do not
judge others too quickly
when they communicate in
way which you see as
negative. Try to find the
positive message which they
are trying to communicate.

18. My Contact Details :
 sam.loebis6@gmail.com
 08777 2400 679 or 0856 90 88 189