Crosscultural Comunication

Cross-Cultural Communication

Communication Styles in South America:
Maximize Your Cultural Understanding Potential

Presented by:

Andrés Traslaviña

October, 2009.

Copyright © 2009 Proyecto ñ | Lincoln, Nebraska


INTRODUCTION
Organization and Trainer:

It has been eight years since the catastrophic events of September 11th.
Organizations across the United States have experienced a steady decline in the
number of international employees coming especially from Latin America. Latinos who
are here and were surveyed have shown discontent with limited opportunities for
employment, and if they do obtain a job, dissatisfaction with their supervisors’
communication skills. Latino employees have suggested that cultural
misunderstandings when communicating were the main source of challenges, followed
by low enthusiasm and poor productivity. This is a proposal to conduct an intensive
cross-cultural communication training program to prepare supervisors and hiring
managers to communicate effectively with Latino employees.

Because of my experience working with cross-cultural communication issues and my
understanding of the Latin culture, I was asked by the Human Resource office to
develop a comprehensive training program to improve the overall communication
between Latin employees and supervisors. I have spent many years working with
international affair issues and with employees coming from Latin America, and have
done extensive research on the impact of the Latino culture in the United States. I grew
up in Bogotá, Colombia and moved to the United States at the age of sixteen. Since
then, I completed my B.S. degree in Business Administration and a M.A degree in
Education. Currently, I serve as the Director of Latin American Operations at talent Plus
Inc.
According to Albert (1996) (1), for someone to understand and teach cultural
differences, a person must be bilingual, must have extensive experience living in two
cultures, and must be able to read and critique social science research. The goal is to
be aware of specific cultural differences and as a trainer, I can understand these
differences from the perspective of an "insider."

Training Program:

Cross-Cultural Communication in Higher Education is a two-hour workshop for
supervisors working with Latin American employees at UNMC. During the workshop,
participants will have an opportunity to learn and practice the following cross-cultural
communication topics:

Defining Cross-cultural Communication
High Context vs. Low Context Cultures
Latin American Communication Styles
Cross-cultural Non-verbal Communication



Program Objectives:

After completing this cross-cultural communication workshop, participants will be
able to:

A. Explain the difference between high context and low context cultures.
B. Apply learned communication styles to cultures similar in context.
C. List five different non-verbal communication techniques used to effectively
communicate with Latin American employees.
D. Demonstrate the use of non-verbal cross-cultural techniques.
E. Identify and explain sources of conflict;

One of the favorable aspects of diversity in the workplace is the learning opportunity
it fosters between people of different backgrounds with various perspectives. Institutions
recognize this value and wish to attract a diverse body of employees. With more
personnel training in understanding cross-cultural communication, organizations will
benefit from improved relations with employees coming from Latin countries. My
extensive travel experiences, Latin American background, desire to learn more about
this area, and professional interests, are all reason why I am interested in this topic.

Training Audience:

This training program is targeted to supervisors and management personnel at
UNMC who interact frequently with Latin American employees. Work supervisors are
influential to the development and integral success of employees. By training work
supervisors in cross-cultural communication topics, UNMC will not only see a positive
shift in Latin American employee's recruitment and retention, but also these employees
will be more productive, efficient and willing to adapt to a new culture that offers great
opportunities.

Supervisors will benefit from this workshop as these interactions with Latin American
employees will keep increasing steadily, as indicated in the most current demographic.



QUESTIONNAIRE

Cross-cultural Communication in Higher Education UNMC participants: Please read and
answer the following questions. Your feedback will be extremely helpful in planning your
Cross-cultural Communication workshop. The answers will help us to develop
appropriate training needs for your future interactions with Latino employees. All the
answers are confidential and will remain anonymous.

1. How long have you been interacting with Latino employees?
Less than 1 year ( ) 1-2 Years ( ) 5-10 Years ( ) More than 10 years ( )

2. Have you ever traveled outside of the United States?
If yes, please indicate in what capacity.
NO ( ) YES ( )

If yes in what capacity?
Tourism () Exchange program abroad ( ) Business ( ) Other ( )

3. Are you fluent in Spanish or Portuguese?
NO ( ) YES ( )

4. I believe people who are not on time are lazy.
NO ( ) YES ( )

5. Do you agree with the following statement: All countries in South America speak
Spanish.
NO ( ) YES ( )

6. Have you ever worked under a Latin American supervisor?
NO ( ) YES ( )

7. In your department, what is the largest group of multicultural employees?
Eastern Asian ( ) Western Asian ()
Central or South American ( ) Middle Eastern ()
African ( ) Western European ( )
Eastern European ( ) Other ()
Not sure ( )

8. In your opinion, how would rate your ability to communicate with Latino
employees?

Excellent ( ) Satisfactory ( ) Poor ( ) Unknown ( )



9. Can you briefly describe your overall impression of the performance and
effectiveness of
Latino employees in your department?

10. What areas do you feel are most important when communicating with Latino
employees? (Check all that apply.)

Learning other languages _____________________________________________ ( )
Non-verbal interaction skills __________________________________________ ( )
Experience role-playing as an international supervisor in a different country _____ ( )
Understanding the students’ cultural backgrounds __________________________ ( )
Working with employees who have limited English skills ____________________ ( )
Conflict prevention skills_______________________________________________ ( )
Other ______________________________________________________________ ( )



LOGISTICS CHECKLIST

Cross-cultural Communication in Higher Education.

Location: UNMC

Furniture Arrangements:
The room will be arranged for twenty five people distributed in five tables of five. Once
people are registered, the table on the southwest will be used as the water and coffee
station. In addition, there also will be a basket where participants can drop questions
anytime during the program. During the wrap up module, the trainer and the participants
will reviewed the questions asked.

Available at participant’s seats: Participants Packet & Pens.

Location and temperature controls:
Temperature is regulated by the building's main thermostat.

Registration Information:
RSVP should be sent to:

Audiovisual Aids: Overhead projector, multimedia cart, screen, easel and speakers

Trainer Brings:
USB Flash drive with the content of the power point.
Participant's packet.

Participants Bring: Enthusiasm and willingness to step out of their "comfort zone.



AGENDA
TBO

Cross-cultural Communication in Higher Education.

8:30 Workshop Introduction
Check-In
Ice Breaker
Introduction to Cross-cultural Communication

8:45 The Latin American Communication Way
Statistical Review of UNMC Demographics
High Context vs. Low Context Cultures
Latin American Communication Styles

9:10 Cross-cultural Non-verbal Communication
Differences Between Non-Verbal Communication Styles

9:30 BREAK 5 minutes

9:35 Cross-cultural Non-verbal Communication
Polychronic vs. Monochronic

9:50 Cross-Cultural Conflict Resolution
How Would You Respond Activity
Thomas, K. Conflict Resolution Model

10:10 Wrap Up
Rehearsal Pairs
On the Job Practical Tools
In-Basket and Other Questions
Final Evaluations

10:30 Adjourn



SUGGESTED READINGS

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
by Malcolm Gladwel:
This book contains excellent exercises that will make you think about your own biases
and views of people in terms of gender, ethnicity, age, and economic status. Gladwell
starts by explaining the natural reactions we as humans have within the first five to ten
seconds of being exposed to another person or to any situation. The book covers the
functions of the brain and how each part plays a role when we interact with others.

Latino Advantage in the Workplace: Using Who You Are to Get Where You Want to Be
by Mariela Dabbah and Arturo Poire:
This book uses insightful commentary and context while providing actionable tools to
really strengthen our communication skills when working with employees from Latin
America. The content offers tips and insight on the advantage of being Latino in the
United States. Many Latinos, whether they speak Spanish or not, are often not aware
that they do indeed have an advantage that comes from their heritage and roots, and, if
they are bilingual, the book emphasizes how Spanish is becoming one of the most
important languages in the world right now.

The Trouble with Diversity: How We Learned to Love Identity and Ignore Inequality
by Walter Benn Michaels:
In a nutshell, the book discuses how lately the U.S. in general tends to put too much
emphasis in race and class, our discussions around these topics have shifted many
away from just doing one thing: "working." The topics of race and class are discussed
throughout this book from the perspective of a modern college professor.



MODULE ONE
Introductions/Overview



Start time: 8:00 am
I. MODULE ONE: Introductions/Overview (with Icebreaker) (35 minutes)

Objective: By the end of this module, the participants will: (1) Learn each other’s
names; (2) Feel more comfortable with their surroundings; and (3) Discuss the need for
cross-cultural communication training.

Power Point Slide:
Title of Workshop: Cross-cultural Communication in Higher Education.
Trainer’s Name: Andrés Traslaviña
Contact: traslavina@me.com

Introduction:
 Greet each participant as they arrive.
 Introduce myself and provide information on how to contact trainer.
 Make sure all participants have a copy of the Participants Packet (PP).

A. Trainer’s informal presentation: (10 minutes)
Smile and begin with enthusiasm, thank participants for their presence.
Provide information about restrooms, guidelines on the use of cell phones and testing
during the workshop. Share with participants my background and experience working
with cross-cultural communication topics in the past. Encourage participants to drop
questions in the program's "basket of questions" located by the coffee station.

B. Exercise/Activity title and description: “Ask someone if…?” (25 minutes)

Rationale: Allow participants to get to know each other and find interesting facts about
one another. The first part of the exercise allows people to move around and identify
where other participants are located in the room.

Handout and Directions: Participants will be given a handout and will be instructed to
take 5 minutes to fill in the blanks. Refer to the Participants Packet (PP) handout A p-
1.

Points:
1. To set a dynamic tone for the rest of the workshop.
2. To learn each other’s names and identify one trait that will help each other
remember participant’s names.
3. To make participants think about what makes them unique and different from the
rest of the group.
4. To introduce the rest of the workshop in a non-intrusive way.

Source: This exercise is an adaptation of “Find someone who…” from: Silc, K.F (1990)



A Cross-cultural training manual. Virginia State Department of Education, Virginia
Workplace Literacy grant. ED 339, 255. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from SAGE
database.

Transition:
The last exercise allowed us to get to more about each other and learn our names. For
the remaining of the workshop, please refer to each person by their name. The rest of
the workshop will follow a dynamic format and perhaps you will be asked to step out of
your comfort zone to share your experiences when working with Latino employees. The
more you put into these exercises, the more you will get out of them. Our common goal
is to be as knowledgeable as possible about the Latin American culture as this will
facilitate our cross-cultural interactions with students and also with people you know
outside of your workplace. The next part of the workshop will cover the concept of
cross-cultural communication and how we can use these tool to understand some of the
differences described above.



MODULE TWO
The Latin American
Communication Way



Start time: 8:35 am
II. MODULE TWO: The Latin American Communication Way (70 minutes)

Objective: By the end of this module, the participants will: (1) Identify their cultural
context, (2) explain the five most effective ways to communicate with Latino employees,
(3) initiate discussions on issues of cross-cultural communication among participants
and (4) list 12 Latin American countries.

A. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Cross-cultural communication. (15 minutes)

Power Point Slide: UNMC Statistical Data.

Rationale:
By introducing the workshop and refereeing to the needs assessment, participants will
understand why it is important to address cross-cultural communication. During the
needs assessment participants reported having more interactions Latino employees
than with any other group and indicate interest in non-verbal communication skills,
implementing successful disciplinary actions and learning about the communication
styles characteristic of Latino employees.
Points:
1. To establish rapport by talking about my knowledge of the topic.
2. To introduce the workshop by addressing the topic of cross-cultural
communication in general terms.
3. To make participants aware of the importance of practicing effective cross-
cultural communication techniques in the workplace.
4. Provide statistical data on the Latino population in our community.

Source:
Wenderspahn, G.M. (2001). Cross-cultural communication between Latin
American and U.S managers. Retrieved September 13 from Global Leadership
Solutions Web-Site: http://grovewell.com/pub-Latin+US-mgrs.html

Albert, R.D. (1996). A Framework and model for understanding Latin American and
Latino/Hispanic cultural patterns. Handbook of Intercultural Training. Ed. Dan Landes
and Rudy Bhagat. Thousand Oaks: Retrieved October 3, 2007 from NISSI portal.

Start time: 8:50 am



B. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: High Context vs. Low Context Cultures:
Which one do you belong to? (20 minutes)

Rationale: Allow participants to determine whether they belong to a high context or low
context cultural category. According to Bennett (1999), Latinos fall under the high
context group, while most White-European American groups fall under the low context
group. These distinctions might account for discrepancies between the communication
patterns between European-Americans and Latinos.

Handout and Directions: Participants will take the cultural category test and will score
their answers to determine their grouping. Refer to participant's packet (PP) handout A
p-2, 3. Following the text exercise, participants will fill their guided notes on p. 4.

Power Point Slide: Cultural context differences.

Points:
1. It is important to know the participants cultural category and to customize the training
program accordingly.
2. Recognize sources of potential conflict when working with Latino employees.
3. To make participants understand that Latino employees naturally communicate using
characteristics distinctive of a high context culture.
5. To inform participants of their own cultural context and how that impacts their
communication skills.

Source:
Bennett, C. (1999) A comprehensive multicultural education (4th ed.). Boston, MA:
Allyn and Bacon.

Hall, E.T. (1976). Beyond Culture. New York, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday.
Start time: 9:10 am.
C. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Brief lecture over the two cultural context categories.

Power Point Slide: Cultural context differences.

Rationale: The cultural context categories will provide a framework of reference for the
remaining of the workshop. Latino employees belong to a high cultural context group,
therefore, other groups that feel associated with cultural traits characteristics of Latinos,
will feel identify with high context cultural traits. The same applies for cultures low in
context.



Points:
1. To identify participant's cultural context.
2. To associate cultural context with groups other than in Latin or North America.
3. To establish credibility using a study by Edward Hall well know in the cross-
cultural communication field.

Source:
Allyn and Bacon.


D. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Interactive lecture over the five different unique
communication styles commonly used by Latino employees. (25 minutes)

Power Point Slide: Indigenous Languages on the Americas
Power Point Slide: Five communication styles characteristic of Latin American
students.

Rationale: It is important for supervisors to know how they communicate so that they
can use it to their advantage and also be aware of possible shortcomings. Neither the
Latino style or the American communication style is better than the other, they are just
different, and they respond to cultural patterns (Dabbah & Poire, 2006). The handout
provides an easy mnemonics method of remembering the five communication styles
characteristic of Latino employees. Once participants have learned the main concepts,
they will be able to teach others.

Handout and Directions: Ask participants to complete the exercise “The Face of the
latino employee exercise” (PP) handout B p-4 in their packets. Participants will be
asked to list the five most common communication styles used by Latino employees.

Power Point Slide: The face of the Latino employee exercise.

Points:
1. The most common communication styles used by Latino employees are:
Indirectness, informality, justifying mistakes, humility and offering excessive context
(Dabahh & Poire, 2006).
2. By identifying unique communication styles used by Latino employees, supervisors
and co-workers will be able to relate better and design appropriate training guides.

Source:
Dabbah, M. Poire, A. (2006) The Latino advantage in the workplace. Naperville, IL:
Sphinx.



Start time: 9:35 am
E. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: Mental Imagery Exercise. (15 minutes)

Rationale: Latino Employees as well as from other cultures have come to the United
States to learn about a culture different than theirs. Supervisors and co-workers can
assist Latino employees by making them aware of their own communication styles and
by explaining the differences between the two cultural communication styles.

Handout and Directions: Refer the participants to the (PP) handout C p-5 and
describe the travel journey. Divide participants in two groups. Participants will take an
imaginary trip to 12 countries in Central and South America; their mission will be to
make several stops and pick up one student from each country and bring them back to
their community. Their assignment is to teach the Latino employees what they have
learned about their communication styles and how this will help them during their
interactions.

Points:
1. Reinforcement of the five different communication styles used by Latino employees.
2. Educate participants of the geographic positions of Latin American countries.
3. Prepare participants for the rest of their workshop.
4. Relax participants and provide them with information about Latino employees so they
can better understand and appreciate their viewpoint.

Expectations: Participants are expected to actively participate by following the
exercise and “picturing” themselves as if they were really traveling on a plain.

Source:
Google Earth Tour. Created by Andres Traslaviña on September 30, 2007.

End Time: 9:50 am
Transition
We have covered the core material that will assist you with your communication and
training needs with Latino employees. We have learned that the United States belongs
to a low context culture and Latin American countries have the characteristics of a high
context culture. The face of the Latino employee's exercise will help you remember the
five most common styles of communication of Latino employees. Now we will take a ten
minute break, and will return to learn about the non-verbal communication style
differences and ways for you to become an effective non-verbal communicator when
working with Latino employees.



MODULE II: LECTURETTE I OUTLINE
-
Through ten years of academic study on Latino employees and having been brought up
and traveled in Central and South America, I have discovered many ways in which
Latino employees and U.S. supervisors tend to misunderstand each other. Based on
the pre-workshop assessment, there is clear need for addressing cross-cultural
communication issues in your areas of work. This workshop offers tools for improving
interactions among cultures and for closing communication gaps.

Power Point Slide: Why Study Latin American employees?
• The Amazon rain forest produces 50% of the oxygen in the world;
• Latin America is the second fastest growing economic region in the world;
• Latin American it is the fastest growing market for U.S. exports; and
• Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S.

Cross-cultural communication:
Communication between people of different cultural backgrounds involves much more
than overcoming the language barrier. Hidden cultural differences often cause a great
deal of misunderstanding and friction. These differences are a serious problem
because they are mostly invisible and inaudible but they affect the true meaning of the
messages sent and received by business counterparts, South and North. Being aware
of the cultural factors that create “static” will help businesspeople in the hemisphere
understand each other better. However, to accomplish this goal, it is necessary to
identify the specific roots of misunderstanding (Wederspahn, 2000).

Understanding Cultural Differences:
Modernization in Latin America makes it important to the rest of the world. A researcher
explains how the uniqueness of Latin American and Latino culture can be studied and
understood.

What is unique about Latin American and Latino/Hispanic culture?
Although cultural differences exist between Latinos and Latin Americans, among
different Latin American countries (especially Brazil), and among groups within each
country, researcher Rosita Daskal Albert says that Latin Americans tend to perceive,
think, and behave in ways different from North Americans and Europeans.

What Makes Latin America Unique?
Much of Latin America's similarity to and differences from Anglo culture comes from the
period of European colonization. Although each country has different colonial histories,
Albert says that the general result has been:
a mixture of European, African, and Native American peoples that, unlike the U.S.,
tends to make race less important than class; a major role for the Catholic Church,
sometimes mixed with African and Native American religions; a common language



(except for Brazil, where Portuguese is spoken instead of Spanish). Albert also notes
that countries like Mexico have long pre-colonial histories. North Americans and
Europeans should not let a shared past blind them to basic differences that too often
are hidden by common stereotypes. Latin Americans are eager to forge ties with the
U.S., but also are very sensitive to "any hint of North American superiority."

Sources:

Wenderspahn, G.M. (2001). Cross-cultural communication between Latin
American and U.S managers. Retrieved September 13 from Global Leadership
Solutions Web-Site: http://grovewell.com/pub-Latin+US-mgrs.html

Discussion questions:
1. What specific knowledge do you expect to gain during this workshop?
2. Let’s discuss some of the current communication challenges you have with your
Latino employees and co-workers.
3. Why are the numbers revealing such a drastic increase in the number of Latino
employees?

MODULE II: LECTURETTE II OUTLINE

Power Point Slide: High and low cultural context categories.

In a classical study in cross-cultural communication, Edward T. Hall analyzed the
communication styles of cultural groups throughout the world and grouped them in two
categories: high context and low context cultures (Hall, 1976). The communication style of the
high context group is highly contextualized. The meaning is generally understood in terms of the
situation or the setting in which the communication is taking place. For the second group, low
context, the communicative context is not as important. Instead, the communication relies almost
exclusively on the verbal or written message by itself. Bennett (1999) summarizes these
differences as follows:



High Context Cultures Low Context Cultures
• Strong cohesive group • Weaker group identity
identity
• Strong human collective • More individualistic
support network approach
• Individuals gain identity • Gain identity based on
through group association individual efforts and
accomplishments
• Closed society with clear • Open society with weaker
distinctions between distinctions between
insiders and outsiders insiders and outsiders
• Behavior is regulated by • Greater personal freedom
rigid code
• Tendency to be • More individual choice
bureaucratic

According to Bennett, Latinos, Native Americans, African Americans and rural Appalachians
fall under the high context group, while most White European American groups fall under the
low context group (1999). These distinctions might account for the discrepancy between the
communication patterns of European Americans and Latinos; however, it does not explain the
reason for the communication problems Latinos experience with African American groups.
Hall's ideas have opened discussion and brought to the surface issues that can affect cross-
cultural communication.

Latino employees characteristics based on cultural context.

Speaking: Albert's research shows that Latinos talk louder than Anglos but tend to be
less rowdy in restaurants and at parties.

Eye contact: Albert also found that Latinos avoid making eye contact with superiors
such as teachers which Anglos may take as a sign of disrespect.

Gestures: Latin Americans use gestures to express feelings, to answer questions, to
greet people or send them away much more frequently than North Americans.

Personal space: Albert says that Latin Americans usually sit and stand much closer to
each other than do North Americans, Northern Europeans, and Asians. The result
according to a 1959 study is that Anglos may see Latino closeness as sexual or hostile,
while Latinos may find Anglo distance unfriendly and cold.

Touch: Latin Americans touch much more frequently than North Americans according
to Albert. Touch is a way of establishing rapport, but can be highly specific to the



relationship and situation. She says that "the rules governing touch are subtle and
complex and the wrong kind of touch can be interpreted negatively." Such rules seem to
vary by country as well. Albert notes that a 1976 study found that Costa Ricans interact
closer and more directly than Panamanians or Colombians, while Colombians had a
lower contact score (touching and holding) than Costa Ricans or Panamanians. Advice
participants that we will cover communication styles more in-depth later during the
program.

Source:

Allyn and Bacon.


Discussion Questions:
Which cultural context applies to you?
What is your cultural background?
Can you have characteristics from two cultural context groups? Why?

MODULE II: LECTURETTE III OUTLINE

Start by explaining that Latino employees come from many different countries and each
has its unique cultural characteristics. As the United States there are different
subcultures in various regions within each country.

Example: I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and my ancestors came from



Spain. People from Bogotá differ from people in other cities and regions within
Colombia. Even within Bogotá, there are many subcultures that define every individual.
The safest ways to approach cultural traits is by analyzing every individual as a person
and derive conclusions based on their unique experiences.

Despite these variances we can determine some general characteristics that are
particular to Latino employees' cultures. Historically, countries in Latin America were
influenced primarily by Spanish and indigenous cultural traits. The interactions between
natives and the conquistadores created some consistent cultural patterns among
countries in Latin America.

Power Point Slide: Indigenous Languages in the Americas
Briefly explain the language differences between countries in Latin America.

Power Point Slide: Five communication styles characteristic of Latino employees.

Indirectness: In an attempt to avoid confrontation, Latinos tend to have an indirect style
of communication. Latinos find it easier and more polite to "beat around the bush"
instead of stating what they think. Many Latinos not only act like this towards others, but
they also expect others to do the same for them (Dabbah & Poire, 2006).
Example: Advise students to be concise in their answers and to work on their
assertiveness. In an interview scenario, it will be very important to stay on topic and
answer questions in a diligent and concise manner.

Informality: In Latin America, it is common to visit your relatives' or friend's homes
without calling ahead, and you will be well received. They will set a place at the table for
you and they will be glad you joined them for lunch or dinner (Dabbah & Poire, 2006).
Example: For employment references, advice your co-workers to let the people they
have chosen know, they cannot assume that people will be ok with it. Latino employees
must clarify the expectations as to what the references can say about them.

Humility:
Latino parents and grandparents teach their children to be humble and to respect their
elders and superiors. Given the influence of the Catholic Church in Latin Countries, a
humble attitude has always been valued.
Example: During the first few seconds of an interaction with supervisors Latino
employees may come across as not being confident by not offering a strong handshake,
keeping a good posture or lack of a smile.

Justifying Mistakes:
One of characteristics that most clearly distinguish Latinos from North Americans is in
the way they handle mistakes. Most Latinos tend to make up excuses to explain whey
the mistake was made, or they look to others to distribute the responsibility (Dabbah &
Poire, 2006).



Example: Compare the Latin American political news to a political event in North
America when someone accepted their mistake in public. Use President's Clinton's or
the governor of California's recent example.

Offering excessive context:
The language logic in standard English progresses in a linear fashion without the
possibility for digressing from the main topic (Tinarejo & Ada, 1993). Speakers of
English are expected to progress from point A to point B with minimal deviation from the
topic. Spanish and Romance languages in general have a linear structure, but the story
grammar allows for greater digression in formal and informal interactions (Tinarejo &
Ada, 1993). For example, the use of double negatives is illogical and non-standard in
English while in Spanish double negatives are required (Coe, 1992).
Example: Ask participants if they have ever found themselves listening to someone tell
a story while you think, "please get to the point!." Often when a Latino student tells a
story, he or she feels compelled to explain who is married to whom, who knew whom,
etc. Latinos have a hard time making a long story short. These details provided in the
longs stories are extremely valuable in the Latino culture (Dabbah & Poire, 2006).

Sources:
Coe, N. (1992) Learner English: A teacher guide to interference and other problems
(72-89). Cambridge, Great Britain: Cambridge University Press.

Dabbah, M, Poire, A. (2006) The Latino advantage in the workplace. Naperville, IL:
Sphinx.

Tinarejo, J.V, Ada, A.F. (1993). The Power of two languages: Literacy and biliteracy
for Spanish speaking students (pp. 220-233). New your: McMillan/McGrraw-Hill.

What is your preferred communication style?
Identify the style or styles you can relate with to the communication styles commonly
used by Latino employees?
What advantages do you see in being indirect? Justifying mistakes? Being humble?
Being informal? Offering excessive context?
As a supervisor, how can you take advantage of these communication styles?

The Face of the Latino employee exercise:
This simple mnemonics exercise will help you remembering the five most common
communication styles characteristic of Latino employees.
The main elements of our face consist of eyes, ears, noose, mouth, eyebrows, and
forehead. This exercise will test your creativity. Refer participant to handout p-2.

Exercise Ideas.
Ask participants to share their exercise with a partner and the experiences working with



someone who evidently uses these communication styles.



MODULE THREE
Cross-cultural Non-verbal
Communication

Start time: 10:00 am
III. MODULE THREE: Cross-cultural Non-verbal Communication (90 minutes)

Objective: By the end of this module, the participants will: (1) Identify non-verbal
communication styles characteristic of Latino employees; (2) Explain four differences in
non-verbal communication between cultures in the U.S. and Latin America; and (3)
Demonstrate these differences during a "fish bowl" exercise.



A. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: Case Study. (20 minutes)

Rationale: Participants will have an opportunity to analyze a case where non-verbal
communication plays a determinant role in the outcome of the conversation. This case
study will allow interaction among the participants as they discuss the proposed
questions. .

Handout and Directions: Participants will take five minutes to read the case study
followed by an open group discussion. Refer to participant's packet (PP) handout D,
p6.

Points:
1. The four essential non-verbal communication characteristic of any culture that
could lead to misunderstandings are: proxemics, (which deals with the study of
space), kinesis (the study of the body movements), haptics (which refers to the
study of touch), and oculesis (the study of the use of eyes in personal
communication).

2. Latino employees, in general, get very concerned when they come to a new
environment and feel that their colleagues or supervisors do not respect them.
The use of beckoning to call children in public school is generally used in the
Unites States. However, beckoning and finger pointing can have cultural
implications when used with adults. For some Latino groups, beckoning implies
certain levels of subordination, and it is used mostly to call children. Beckoning
might be offensive for Latinos, but finger pointing might be a natural way to call
people. While beckoning is normal for mainstream groups, finger pointing can be
offensive (Rosado 2005.)

Source:
Rosado, L. A. (2005). Cross-cultural Communications: A Latino Perspective. AE-
Extra. January. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from AE-Extra Web-site:
http://asstudents.unco.edu/students/AE-Extra/2005/1/Art-1.html

Zanger V.V. (1985). Face to Face: the Cross-cultural Workbook. Rowley, MA:
Newbury House.

Start time: 10:20
B. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Interactive lecture over the four differences between
non-verbal cross-cultural communication styles. (15 minutes)

Power Point Slide: Differences between non-verbal communication styles.



Rationale: Participants will learn essential differences in non-verbal communication
styles. This is important as communication between people of different cultural
backgrounds involves much more than overcoming the language barrier. Non-verbal
cultural differences often cause a great deal of misunderstanding and friction. These
differences are a serious problem because they are mostly subtle and inaudible but they
affect the true meaning of the messages. (Wederspahn, 2001).
-
Points:
The four essential non-verbal communication characteristic of any culture that could
lead to misunderstandings are: proxemics, which deals with the study of space, kinesis
or the study of the body movements, haptics which refers to the study of touch, and
oculesis or the study of the use of eyes in personal communication.

Source:
Cruz, W. (2001). Differences in non-verbal communication styles between cultures:
The Latino-Anglo perspective. Journal of Leadership and Management in Engineering,
1(4), 51-53. Retrieved September 10, 2007 from ASCE database.

Wederspahn, G.M. (2001). Cross-Cultural Communication Between Latin American
and U.S. Managers. Grovewell leadership solutions. http://www.grovewell.com/pub-
Latin+US-mgrs.html

BREAK: 15 minutes.

Start time: 10:50
C. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: "Fish bowl" exercise. (20 minutes)

Rationale:
Participants will discuss the outcomes of the exercise and that, following this activity,
participants will have an opportunity to develop their own option reflecting their own
views about what they have observed. Explain that this discussion will take place in a
"fish bowl." At any one time some of the duration of participants will interact in a
discussion while others are observing silently from the outside. Those on the outside will
be looking for ideas about the nonverbal communication

Directions:
Volunteers please move to the center while the others remain outside the circle. The
group inside the fishbowl will not be able to talk.
Directions for inside group:
Part A:



1. Pick a partner (you should end up with three couples)
2. Turn your backs to each other and get as close as possible.
3. Take a small step (only 8 inches)
4. Count to ten
5. Turn around
6. The outside group will count to twenty
7. You are free to stand at a distance you consider appropriate.
After 1 minute partners should switch and repeat the same exercise.
Part B:
1. Shake your partner's hand
2. Vigorously shake it and hold the gesture for at least 8 seconds.
3. Release hands
4. Stand in front of each other
5. Outside group counts to twenty. Outside the "Fish Bowl"—Participants on the outside of
the circle should be observing carefully to the non-verbal reactions.
Points:
1. To introduce the next lecture on the characteristic non-verbal communication
styles based on cultural context.
2. To have participants experience first hand how different our non-verbal
communication styles are.
3. To allow discussion on the advantages of becoming aware of non-verbal
communication styles particular of Latino employees.

Source: Created by Andres Traslavina October 3, 2007.

Expectations:
Participants inside the fishbowl may feel uncomfortable as these non-verbal signs are
characteristic of cultures which are high in context. The outside group should be able to
clearly observe non-verbal communication signs, thus allowing for an open discussion.
1. How did you feel about the space you kept between you and your partner?
2. Was this difficult or easy?
3. What were some non-verbal communication styles you have seen when
working with employees from Latin America?
4. What other connotation can you give to these non-verbal gestures?
5. Would you rather be inside or outside of the fishbowl?

Start time: 11:10



B. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Multitasking vs. Monotasking

Power Point Slide: Polychronic vs. Monochronic styles.

Rationale:
It is important for participants to be aware of their own style and to determine how they
can better use the abilities of Latino employees.

Points:
1. Groups from high context cultures tend to be people oriented and polychronic,
while groups from low context groups tend to be more monochronic and task
oriented.
2. To teach the difference between Polychronic and Monochronic styles.
3. To find similarities between communication styles across cultures.

Source:
Bennett, C. (1999) A comprehensive multicultural education (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn
and Bacon.

Hall, E. T. (1966) The hidden dimensions. New York: The Anchor Book/Random
House, Inc.

Morales-Jones, C. (summer, 1998) Understanding Hispanic culture: From tolerance
to acceptance. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 64 (4), 13-17.

End Time: 11:30
Transition
We have covered essential information on cross-cultural non-verbal communication.
Being aware of your unique communication style will assist you when interacting with
Latino employees. Now we will enjoy a wonderful three course authentic lunch. After
lunch, please return to this same room as we will begin our discussion on the cross-
cultural adaptive stages characteristic of Latino employees.

LUNCH BREAK: 90 Minutes

MODULE III: LECTURETTE I OUTLINE

In Latin America, there is less physical distance between people, softer handshakes,
more touching and abrazos, and greater use of hand and arm gestures. Business dress
tends to be more fashionable and, in some cases, more colorful.

Nonverbal language is very important in face-to-face communications because it



conveys feelings, intentions, and reactions. Latin Americans may seem emotional and
excitable to their U.S. counterparts, while U.S. Americans may come across as cold and
distant. Even in non-face-to-face communications such as via e-mail, fax, or telephone,
the absence of nonverbal signals may create a problem. Not being able to see each
other, the parties may misinterpret the true meaning or tone of written messages.
(Wederspahn, 2001).

Power Point Slide: Differences between non-verbal communication styles.

Proxemics:
Refers to the use of space in interpersonal relationships. This is the inviolable distance
people maintain between one another when speaking. This distance for Anglos and for
people in northern Europe is between 18 and 33 inches. In Latino countries, the
distance is between 8 and 18 inches. (Cruz, 2001).
Example: In communication with Latino employees, they may feel others are too far
away and would take a step closer to establish the culturally learned comfort distance.
Latinos may misperceive others as being cold, aloof, or uninterested.

Kinesics:
Refers to the study of body movements and facial expressions as systematic part of
communication. As in our case study, Latinos will point with puckered lips as a way of
communicating nonverbally "there", "that one over there", or "him or her." Latinos may
point their lips as someone and smile, which can mean "check him or her out", or "listen
to that." In the case of our librarian, she could have perceived Hugo's signaling as a
sexual invitation. The use of smiles constitutes another non-verbal difference in
kinesics. Latinos tend to smile in any situation as oppose to Anglos as they may not
consider smiling in serious situations.
Example: In the Latin American culture the smile takes place of many verbal
expressions. For example, a person may smile instead of saying, "Hi. How are you?" A
clerk may smile at a customer rather than say, "May I help you." And a customer may
smile at a clerk rather then say, "Thank you." Friends who express thanks verbally may
be perceived as rejecting others or distancing themselves. (Cruz, 2001).

Haptics:
Is the study of touch in nonverbal communication. Among Latinos, there is a great deal
of physical contact. The cross-cultural effect of the differences in haptics is that Anglos
feel Latinos touch to a degree that is uncomfortable, threatening, or insulting. Latino
employees may feel others are cold, unfriendly, dismissive, or insulting. It will be
appropriate to address these issues as soon as you start interacting with employees
from Latin America.
Example: It is common for Latino women who are friends to kiss each other on the



check to say hello and to touch or grab each other's arms while talking. It is common for
Latino men to hug each other, to shake hands, to grab the arm of the other, and to
place their hand on their friends' shoulder while communicating.

Oculesis:
Oculesis is the study of the use of eyes in personal communication. Latinos will look into
the eyes of the person to whom they are speaking, but only in a fleeting way. Anglos
may misinterpret this difference in culturally learned eye contact as betraying a lack of
confidence, certainty, or truthfulness. This is particularly crucial in cases where Anglos
are interviewing Latinos (Cruz, 2001). In the Latino culture direct, prolonged eye contact
means you are challenging the person, that you are angry, or that you have a romantic
interest in the person.
Example: During an interview, Latino employees will tend to wonder around with their
eyes; this does not mean they are distracted, but as a sign of respect they would prefer
not to establish direct eye contact. As I grew up, it was understood in our family to
respect our elders by showing politeness and not looking at people straight into their
eyes.

Sources:

The Latino Anglo perspective. Journal of Leadership and management in Engineering,

and U.S. Managers. Grovewell leadership solutions http://www.grovewell.com/pub-
Latin+US-mgrs.html

1. What is your preferred non-verbal communication style?
2. What is the effect on communication of non-verbal out-of-awareness behavior?
3. What advantages do you see in maintaining a closer distance when talking?
4. Can you think about ways of advising employees on sexual harassment issues
based on non-verbal communication?

MODULE III: LECTURETTE II OUTLINE

Power Point Slide: Multitask Vs. Monotask.

Nonverbal language is very important in face-to-face communications because it



conveys feelings, intentions, and reactions. Latin Americans may seem emotional and
excitable to their U.S. counterparts, while U.S. Americans may come across as cold and
distant.
In order to overcome non-verbal communication challenges, it is necessary to first see
them clearly and objectively; this skill can be learned by using gestures and body
language understood across cultures, and matching voice tone, volume, and pacing.

Two fundamental attitudes toward time and activity according to one researcher are
whether people do many things at once (polychronic) or one thing at a time
(monochronic). Taking turns, seeing people privately, scheduling appointments are
more important to those on monochromatic time. Albert says that Anglos need to
remember that polychronic Latin Americans tend to value family and friends over
schedules and may "see North Americans as slaves to the clock."

Example: Start the lecture by role playing someone who is displays multitasking skills.
As you talk, pick up your cell phone, sit by a participant, write in their handout, take a
drink of water, fix your collar and tie your shoes. This exaggerated exercise will
introduce our next topic.

Polychronic vs. Monochronic
Polychronic refers to the ability and the willingness to handle multiple tasks at the same
time, e.g., watching television, reading a book and talking to people at the same time
(Bennett, 1999; Hall, 1966). Monochronic is the preference for handling one task at a
time. Monochronic people are time and schedule oriented, and they may show low
tolerance for individuals who do not abide by their interaction style. At the same time,
their preference to handle one thing at a time can send the wrong message to
polychronic people who will perceive their attitude as rude and insensitive. They might
feel insulted when the monochronic person ignores or gives them an ugly look for
violations of interaction maxims.

Groups from high context cultures tend to be people oriented and polychronic, while
groups from low context groups tend to be more monochronic and task oriented
(Bennett, 1999). In most Latino cultures, when two adults are conversing and a third
one approaches the group with the intent to ask a question or to join the conversation,
the speakers will normally interrupt the conversation to attend the needs of the
newcomer (Morales-Jones, 1998). This behavior shows politeness, and most Latinos
will abide by this unstated norm. However, individuals from low context cultures might
not welcome the intrusion of the newcomer and will not allow the person into the
conversation until they reach a closure point in the conversation. These differences in
interaction style can create animosity and negative feelings between the two groups.

Geography and the historical development of the groups seem to play a role in these
preferences. African Americans and European American Southern groups appear to be
more polychronic than their counterparts from the Northeast. A large number of Latinos,



Native Americans and Southern Europeans on the other hand appear to be more
polychronic (Bennett, 1999). The best way to investigate differences is by seeking
contacts with the groups in question and by discussing these differences.

Sources:
Bennett, C. (1999). A comprehensive multicultural education (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn
and Bacon.

Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimensions. New York: The Anchor Book/Random
House, Inc.

Morales-Jones, C. (1998). Understanding Hispanic culture: From tolerance to
acceptance. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 64 (4), 13-17.

1. What is your preferred communication style? Polychronic or monochronic?
2. What is your perception of people who multitask?
3. What advantages do you see in being able to multitask?
4. What task would you assign to someone who is more comfortable multitasking?



MODULE FOUR
Closing The Gap Between
Two Cultures

Start time 1:00 pm
IV. MODULE FOUR: Closing the gap between two cultures. (85 minutes)

Objective: By the end of this module, the participants will: (1) list and explain three
attitudinal differences between Latino employees and North American supervisors; (2)
explain the patterns of acting and thinking of Latino employees; (3) utilize the concepts
of respect and time during a role play exercise; and (4) implement the techniques
learned to improve their interactions with Latino employees.

A. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Attitudinal differences: (25 minutes)

Power Point Slide: Three common attitudinal differences between the two
cultures.



Rationale: It is important to highlight some distinct differences between Latino
employees and North American supervisors. When supervisors and co-workers
understand these differences, they will minimize conflict and will know how to take
preventative measures, establish open communication, and implement disciplinary
practices.

Points:
1. To make supervisors and co-workers aware of natural attitudinal differences
between them and their Latino employees
2. To demonstrate how Latinos express the significance of family in their lives.
3. To explain the general perceptions of men and women in Latino cultures.

Source:

Start time: 1:25pm
B. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: Cross-cultural sensitivity temperature test
(20 Minutes)

Rationale: Participants will be allowed to assess their cultural perceptions after having
been exposed to a lecture on the differences of perception between the two cultures.
The hope is that participants will answer positively to all the statements as a result of
their participation throughout the workshop.

Handout and Directions: Refer participants to the packet handout A p. 9. Assure
participants that there are no right or wrong answers. Ask them to work quickly and to
record their first impression by indicating the degree to which they agree or disagree
with the statement.

Points:
1. To make participants feel good about future interactions with Latino employees.
2. To reveal negative feelings participants may still have about interacting with
Latino employees.
3. To address any possible issues for conflict based on their answers.
4. To open discussions about cultural stereotypes.

Source:
This exercise is a modification of Chen, G.M., Starosta, W.J. (2000).The
development and validation of the intercultural sensitivity scale. Human Communication,
3 (1), 3-14.



BREAK: 10 minutes

Start time: 1:55 pm
C. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Patterns of thinking and action in Latin America: (20
minutes)

Power Point Slide: Patterns of thinking & Patterns of action.

Rationale: This module will examine the differences in patterns of thinking and patterns
of action between supervisors and Latino employees. The lecture serves as a preamble
to open discussion based on participants’ previous experiences.

Handout and Directions: Guided note taking on the patterns of thinking and acting in
Latin America. Refer participants to handout B, p. 9. (10 minutes)

Source:
Albert, R.D. (1996). A framework and model for understanding Latin American and

Points:
1. To provide concrete examples of the patterns of thinking of Latin American
employees.
2. To identify what is most important for Latino employees when undertaking a task
at work.
3. To open a discussion about the possibility of creating a hostile situation if any of
these patterns are disrupted.
4. To open a discussion on the difference in thinking and acting patterns between
the two different cultural context groups.

Start time: 2:25
D. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: Jigsaw learning: (20 minutes)

Rationale: Participants will have an opportunity to practice the patterns of
communication in high context cultures.

Handout and Directions: Divide participants into seven different groups. Assign each
table with a topic selected from the lecture on the patterns of thinking and action. Each
group will read, discuss and learn the material assigned to them. Refer participants to
handout C, p. 10. Allow five minutes for this part of the exercise.



Points:
1. To practice the concepts learned during the lecture.
2. To open a discussion about differences between the communication patterns in
the U.S. and the learned material.
3. To promote collaboration between groups.

Source: This activity is an adaptation from "Jigsaw Learning" in "101 Ways to Make
Training Active" (Silberman, 2005, p. 178).

BREAK: 10 minutes

MODULE IV: LECTURETTE I OUTLINE

As we have learned, compared to North American and some European cultures,
Latin Americans tend to be more authority-oriented, family-oriented, spontaneous,
expressive, and focused on the present instead of the future.

1. Differences in perceiving.
Perceptions of power and authority: Studies of the workplace have found that Latin
Americans are more likely to expect and accept that power in organizations will be
distributed unequally. According to Albert (1996), "Latino students are more authority
oriented than their Anglo peers."



Perceptions of men and women: There is much controversy on the importance given
to machismo, or manliness, in Latin American cultures. According to Albert (1996), "The
Anglo stereotype of aggressive machismo obscures the Latin American's broader image
of male dignity, honor, and care for one's family."

According to Albert (1996), "Latin American women often have ruled the household
staff, influenced their sons, and been active in public affairs. And as more Latinas enter
the workforce, they have gained rights such as maternity leave and legalized divorce."
For example my mother worked fulltime at a demanding position, and has the respect of
her entire family. Her commitment to our family and her professional career were stellar.
She taught me that work is enjoyable when there is room for family and personal time.

2. Differences in Thinking.
Attitudes toward society: According to Albert (1996), "a study of fifty three countries
found that the U.S., Australia, and Great Britain were the most individualistic, while five
Latin American countries were the most collectivistic. Latin Americans are more likely to
define themselves as part of the group, sacrifice personal goals, observe social norms
and obligations, and maintain relationships at any cost." These studies confirm that
Latinos fall into the high context group based on Hall's research.

According to Albert (1996), "A fundamental cognitive shift is required for Anglos
interacting with Latinos. Though they value individuality, Latin Americans may interpret
individualistic behaviors as selfish and egotistical."

Attitudes toward family: The extended family is the most important social circle in
Latin America. My family comes first, and I take pride in acknowledging them as my
primary reason for success.

Attitudes toward work: Latinos place value on work ethic, persistence, status, and a
sense of shame. In contrast and according to Albert (1996), "U.S. students were more
likely to value reciprocity, personal steadiness, protecting one's ego, and respect for
tradition. This finding contradicts the stereotypical assumption of Latin Americans as
people who do not work hard."

3. Differences in Acting.
Living with nature: Cultures can view themselves as a product of nature, in harmony with
nature, as the dominating nature. Latin American countries have seen themselves as nature's
product.

Being instead of doing: According to Albert (1996), "Latin Americans prefer
spontaneous, being activities (such as fiesta), while North Americans prefer planned,



doing activities (such as tennis). This difference has led to the stereotype of the lazy
Latino, who in turn may see Anglos as "Always rushing to do more and more things
without stopping long enough to reflect on the ultimate meaning and purpose of all this
activity." Although Latino employees have a tremendous work ethic, they do not identify
with their jobs like North Americans. According to Albert (1996), "work for Latinos is
more of a means to provide for their families, although the economic development is
changing this being orientation at a time when the U.S. appears to be discovering its
worth."

Showing how you feel: According to Albert (1996), "Latin Americans tend to be more
expressive and emotional (Dionysian) than North Americans, who value stoicism and
control (Apollonian). Latinos prefer communication that involves the free expression of
emotion."

Avoiding uncertainty: Latin American employees are characterized for carrying high
levels of job stress, desire for rigid company rules, and intention to stay with the
company for a long time.

According to Albert (1996), "Although Latin Americans have suffered much economic and
political uncertainty. Latin Americans tend to be very flexible in terms of interpersonal relations,
especially when dealing with those of equal or higher status, rules in organizations and
bureaucracies, and plans."

Source:

1. Do you agree that Latino employees tend to be more sensitive or emotional?
2. If Latino employees have the desire for rigid company rules, can you list your
departmental rules?
3. How can you, as a supervisor, take advantage of an employee that is flexible in
terms of interpersonal relations?
4. What roles do you see most fitting to the personality of a typical Latino
employee?

MODULE IV: LECTURETTE II OUTLINE

1. Patterns of Thinking in Latin America
Respect and dignity: According to Albert (1996), "Latin Americans equate personal dignity
with equal treatment and respect. This makes them more sensitive to criticism or insults."

Loyalty: Latinos are loyal by nature. Marketing research shows that Latinos stick to



brand names for longer periods of time than people in the United States. For Latinos,
the value of someone's "word" is as a document has been signed and sealed. Latinos
expect others to be loyal to them.

Simpatía: According to Albert (1996), "A person is simpático/a when he or she is open,
warm, friendly, empathetic, and enthusiastic.” As we learned, Latinos tend to avoid
conflict in efforts to reflect "simpatía."

2. Patterns of Action in Latin America.
Cooperation: According to Albert (1996),"Latin Americans are less competitive than
North Americans. She notes that, unlike self-reliant and assertive Anglos, Latin
American and Latino children are trained for cooperation, harmony in interpersonal
relations, and sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others.”

Interpersonal connections: Albert's (1996) own studies found in Colombia found that
"palanca" (a "lever" or a "connection") is common in myth and reality. Relationships
among unequals are part of a person's identity and provide a means for the less
powerful to transcend rules and obtain scarce resources as a "favor" or even an
"obligation" of the "palanca." Being from Colombia, I can testify that the "palanca" can
be more influential than educational degrees themselves.

Personal attention: According to Albert (1996), "Latin Americans expect and often
prefer personalized, individualized attention. This may be true since they place more
emphasis on class and status in relationships than do Anglo Americans."

Source:

1. Are your communication patterns different from the ones we have covered?
2. When working with Latino employees, can you think about specific examples when
you have observed these patterns?
3. Have the use of the cultural communication patterns been beneficial to cover? Why?



MODULE FIVE
Addressing Cross-cultural Conflict

Start time: 2:45
V. MODULE FIVE: Addressing Cross-cultural Conflict (45 minutes)

A. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Addressing Cross-cultural Conflict (15 minutes)

Rationale: This module will provide the necessary framework for supervisors and co-
workers to use when dealing with conflict. It is important to translate all the cross-
cultural differences between two cultures into a concise plan of action for when conflict
arises. Many of the workshop participants expressed interest in learning effective ways
of dealing with conflict.

Power Point Slide: Conflict handling modes.



Points:
1. To provide a general framework of reference as a resource for cross-cultural
conflict resolution.
2. To make participants aware that conflict resolution techniques are universal.
3. To emphasize the importance of learning cultural communication styles as a
conflict prevention techniques.

Source:
Dos Santos, P. , Gabrielidis, C. , Villareal, L. , Stephan, W. , Ybarra, V. (1997).
Preferred styles of conflict resolution: Mexico and the United States. Journal of Cross-
cultural Psychology, 21, 661. Retrieved November 4, 2007 from ASCE database.

Thomas, K. W. (1974). Making conflict management a strategic advance. Retrieved
November 11, 2007 from the CPP, Inc, web site: http://www.cpp.com/

B. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: How would you respond? (15 minutes)

Rationale:
Participants will become aware of their own ways of dealing with conflict. Every
individual has a unique way of confronting difficult situations. Our own personal
experiences, cultural background and overall attitude, affect the way we handle conflict.
According to the dual-concern model, individuals' styles of conflict resolution are
determined by concern for their own outcomes as well as the outcomes of others (Dos
Santos, Gabrielidis, Villareal, Stephan, & Ybarra, 1997).

Handout and Directions: Divide the group into five different tables. Assign each table
one case scenario from handout A, p 11. Each participant will write an answer to the
assigned scenario. I will select five volunteers from each table and will ask them to
collect the participants’ written answers in the flipchart will classify them into the
following categories: negative or passive responses, aggressive or violent responses,
and responses offering possibilities of democratic conflict resolution. Then ach volunteer
will present to the class the classified responses written on the flipchart, and all
participants will comment on them.

Points:
1. To learn that conflicts can be viewed as viewed opportunities to learn about how
to manage difficult situations?
2. By becoming a positive conflict solver, participants can apply these techniques to
many areas in their own lives.
3. We all have a way to react to difficult situations; the key is to learn how to look for
win-win alternatives as we learned during the first part of the module.

Source:



International Peace Research Association (IRPA). , UNESCO. (1994). Handbook
Resource and Teaching Material in Conflict Resolution, Education for Human Rights,
Peace and Democracy. Paris, France.


C. Interactive Lecture/Activity: Respect and Time (15 minutes)

Rationale: To expose participants to two of the most critical differences between
cultures. These two cultural elements will serve as the closing remarks before wrapping
up the workshop.

Power Point Slide: Respect & Time.

Points:
1. To conceptualize the value of time for Latino employees.
2. To conceptualize the importance of respect in the Latino culture.

Source:

Stewart, E. C. (1985). American cultural patterns (13th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine:
Intercultural Press.

D. Exercise/Activity Title and Description: Guided note taking about respect and
time.

Handout and Directions:
Refer participants to the packet, handout B, p. 12.

Source:

End Time: 3:30 pm
Transition
Our program is coming to an end. Reiterate being thankful to participants for remaining



active and attentive. Assure participants that the knowledge gained will contribute
tremendously to their interactions with Latino employees. Also, many of the
communication styles learned today will apply to employees that belong to cultures high
in context as we have learned during the first module. During module five we have
reviewed a conflict resolution model and the concepts of time and respect as being
critical when interacting with Latino employees. Now, let's pick a partner as we will wrap
up the training program with some useful activities you can take back to your work
places.

BREAK: 10 Minutes

MODULE V: LECTURETTE I OUTLINE

Start by stating that conflict resolution can be an entire program on its own; however,
the cross-cultural topics addressed during this workshop are all applicable to preventing
conflict. The following module will serve as a guide to apply when participants are faced
with a difficult situation. The most important part when addressing conflict is opening
communication channels, and being in a position where you can culturally understand
others' points of views.

Ways of Dealing with Conflict: (2A4C Useful acronym).
Avoidance:
When a supervisor employs this option, he/she is ignoring the conflict and letting it be.
For whatever reason, the supervisor may feel that the conflict is not worth the effort to



resolve. This could be complete avoidance Avoiding conflict does not deal with the
issues at hand. This is a lose-lose strategy. When one person avoids a conflict, neither
person has an opportunity to resolve it. Both people lose (Thomas, 1974).

Accommodation:
Accommodation is agreement through yielding or conforming to the positions of others;
it is cooperation in an effort to create harmony, even at the expense of your own ideas
and values, and agreement in the name of peace and tranquility, knowing full well that
you do not entirely buy into it. For Latinos employees, and as we have studied before,
this approach will probably be the one that would accommodate to their communication
style. Accommodators may not always be famous for their creativity, but can often be
relied upon for social tact and diplomacy. This is a lose-win strategy. People lose
because their needs are not met. The other person’s needs are met, but the relationship
suffers because supervisors or employees eventually become resentful and unsatisfied
(Thomas, 1974).

Compromise:
Compromise involves a search for a solution, which is mutually acceptable.
Compromise involves two or more parties coming together and reaching to an
agreement. With compromise, there will be give and take. Everybody seems to gain
something, but not to gain everything. Supervisors and employees who compromise
settle for the best they can get, as opposed to reaching a decision that everyone wants.
According to Thomas (1974), this is a lose-lose strategy. Both the supervisor and the
employee give up something they need just to make the conflict disappear. Most likely,
supervisors and employees will come back to the same issues later (Thomas, 1974).

Competition:
This is the offensive aggressive approach to conflict resolution. It is especially attractive
to those in power and authority who like to accomplish and maintain total control. In a
competitive situation, there is no room for listening, little information sharing, and little
interpersonal reasoning. Supervisors who fall into this area often make decisions
without any input from their employees. Employees in a team often view competitive
leadership as inappropriate and destructive. This is a win-lose/lose-win strategy. Either
supervisors win and employees lose, or supervisors lose and employees wins.
(Thomas, 1974).

Collaboration:
According to Thomas (1974), collaboration is a dual membership approach to conflict
resolution. In the collaborative mode, employees and supervisors:
 Accept the fact that there is conflict.
 Take time for sharing of values, needs, interests, and resource; in other words,
people will seek to understand before being understood.
 Discovers many possible solutions and weighs the consequences of each.
 Selects the alternative that best meets the needs and concerns of each member.



 Forms a team plan, implements and evaluates the outcomes.

According to Thomas (1974), Collaboration is the vehicle which:
 Generates the most creative solutions.
 Sets the greatest membership support.
 Produces the greatest amount of personal growth.

This is a win-win strategy. Both the supervisors and the employees have the chance to
express their needs and resolve the conflict in a mutually acceptable way. While this
strategy may sound simple, it’s actually the most difficult to use. It requires each of the
parties to articulate, prioritize, and satisfy their own needs while also addressing others’
needs (Thomas, 1974).

Source:
cultural Psychology, 21, 661. Retrieved November 4, 2007, from ASCE database.

Thomas, K. W. (1974). Making conflict management a strategic advance. Retrieved
November 11, 2007 from the CPP, Inc. web site: http://www.cpp.com/

1. Based on the conflict resolution model, which of these five methods would you
feel more inclined to use?
2. Can you describe a time when you have used one or more of the five methods
describe in the conflict resolution model?
3. Based on the conflict resolution model, what methods do you think Latinos would
prefer to use?

Debriefing:
As we have learned from the communication styles, and according to Dos Santos,
Gabrielidis, Villareal, Stephan, and Ybarra, Latino employees belong to collectivistic
cultures and they will strive to maintain harmonious relationships with others while
would seek for pursuing personal goals. Because Americans are individualistic, they
would be expected to put their own needs above others, and this should be reflected in
preferences for competitive and collaborative styles of conflict resolution. (Dos Santos,
Gabrielidis, Villareal, Stephan, & Ybarra, 1997).

MODULE V: LECTURETTE II OUTLINE

In my view as a trainer the concepts of respect and time are two cultural topics that, if
understood, can assist with your work interactions with Latino employees.



Respect:
The Latino concept of respect has played an important role in numerous communication
challenges between supervisors and employees. According to Rosado (2005), "for
traditional Latinos, respect is the foundation for any professional or social relationship."
This formality is present and supported by the Spanish language through the alternate
use of the pronouns "usted" for formal interactions and "tú" to show informality and
friendship. Friends address each other as "tú," and strangers, older people or people in
positions of authority are always addressed as "usted" (Rosado, 2005).

The Spanish as well as the Italian languages have additional titles to show respect for
older people and people in a position of authority. These languages add the titles of
"Don" and "Doña" to the surname of males and females respectively. In the best literary
representation of Spanish literature, "Don Quixote de la Mancha" (The Man from La
Mancha), the title of "Don" was used as a sarcastic title of nobility for the old and
demented character (Rosado, 2005).

According to Rosado (2005), "Latinos who have not been acculturated to the
mainstream culture show an elevated sense of respect and mistrust for figures of
authority in the work place." The division line between administrators and employees
might discourage Latinos from developing informal or social relations with supervisors in
the work place. According to Rosado (2005), "European American groups have a more
liberal view in this regard, and social interaction with colleagues is acceptable and, in
some instances, highly recommended." In the Latino tradition, respect is given to a
person based on age and the position held. While in other groups, respect might not
come necessarily with age or the position; instead, respect is something people earn
(Rosado, 2005).

Example: In Puerto Rico, when people formally introduce themselves, they use their last
name. It is very rare to see a native Puerto Rican giving his first name upon initial
introduction. In contrast to this behavior, some groups in the United States use the first
name to show informality and friendship. This behavior can create confusion to Puerto
Ricans and other Latinos, who follow a similar tradition. They address people by, and
prefer to be addressed by, their title and last name. (Rosado, 2005).

Example: I have been in my profession for seven years, adapting to the time frame of
the U.S. has been challenging, yet enriching. The culture where I grew up was one in
which time was viewed as something you share with others and not as something that
runs out; therefore one must be restrictive when choosing who one shares time with.

Time and Productivity:
According to Rosado (2005) "most European American groups have a very strict view of
the concepts of time and productivity." Latino employees have the tendency to relax
time constraints, especially in social activities. It is very usual for Latin Americans to
extend the time for meals or social activities without being restricted by an specific time-



line.

Cultures can place different emphasis on the past, the present, or the future. While the
U.S. is thought to be future-oriented, according to Albert (1996), "Latin Americans have
been characterized as focusing on the present. This may be due to the economic and
political instability of many Latin American countries. With economic development,
however, the middle-class Latinos are becoming more future-oriented (Albert, 1996).

Source:



1. Do you consider yourself a time-keeper?
2. What would you choose to do if you had one more hour to spare everyday?
3. In terms of respect, how would you feel if someone shows up late to a work
appointment?
4. In terms of respect, how would you feel if someone shows up late to a family
gathering?



MODULE SIX
Wrap Up & Final
Evaluation



Start time: 3:40 pm
VI. MODULE SIX: Wrap Up & Final Evaluation (30 minutes)

Objective: By the end of this module, the participants will: (1) Rehearse the five
communication styles characteristic of Latino employees, (2) Explain the four
differences in non-verbal communication styles among cultures, (3) answer the
questions left by participants in the basket throughout the workshop, and (4) evaluate
the program and provide a follow up plan for participants to stay in touch among
themselves and with the trainer.

1. Reviewing the program:

Rehearsing exercise: "Rehearsal pairs."

Exercise/Activity description:
The group will be divided in pairs and each person will take one of the two
following roles: (1) explainer and (2) checker. Once we have divided the group in
pairs, the explainer will go over the five communication styles characteristic of



Latino employees. The checker verifies that the explanation is correct and will
provide coaching to his or her partner if needed.
When the pairs have completed the exercise, the trainers will ask for two
volunteers to perform the demonstration in front of the group.

Rationale:
This is a fun strategy for practicing the five communication styles characteristic of
Latino employees. Participants must master the learning of these communication
styles.

Materials: The "checker" will be allowed to use his or her handout.

Variations:
Switch the participant's roles and practice the same exercise using the four non-
verbal communication differences in styles among cultures.

Source: This activity is an adaptation from "Practice-Rehearsal Pairs" in "101
Ways to Make Training Active" (Silberman, 2005, p. 237).

2. Obtaining final questions and concerns:

Exercise/Activity title: "Basket of questions wrap-up."

Materials: Questions found in the participant's basket.

Handout and Directions: Participants were asked to write questions relevant to
the content of the workshop and drop them in the basket located by the coffee
station. The trainer will call volunteers and ask to read the questions out loud.
Rather than monopolizing the answering session, the trainer will ask other
participants to answer the questions.

Source:
Gathered from the participant's questions.

3. Promoting self-assessment:

Exercise/Activity description: "Cross-cultural self -monitoring."

Materials: Handout A in participant's packet p.13.

Rationale: Establish a plan to follow-up with the skills participants gained during
the training program. This will also serve as a way of staying aware of cross-
cultural differences when working with Latino employees.



Handout and Directions: In the handout provided in the participant's packet, p-
13, ask participants to check the list of reminders that feel suitable to them.

Please check those cross-cultural reminders applicable to you.

When I return to my workplace, I will most likely do the following:

1. Avoid over-protection or over-exposure to Latino employees.
2. Give assignments that provide an opportunity to demonstrate competence
and to take risk, but not beyond the employee's capabilities.
3. Give Latino employees an opportunity at a non-stereotypical task.
4. Understand that Latino employees may be under more pressure than my
traditional employees.
5. Avoid drawing too much attention to Latino employees.
6. Do not force Latino employees together if it isolates them from the rest of
the employees or administrators.
7. Encourage others not to make jokes about Latino employees.
8. Focus employees' attention on what their communication styles may have
in common with each other.
9. Use every opportunity to open and sustain dialogue.
10. Be aware of my own non-verbal communication styles when working with
Latino employees.

Source:
This exercise is an adaptation from "A Tale of O: On being different in an
organization," in "Beyond the Buzzwords" (Cornell, 1994 p. 14).

4. On on-the job applications:

Exercise/Activity title and description: Blog.

Materials: Blog created at http://www.UNMCOMAHA.blogspot.com/

Handout and Directions: Participants will be given a user name and a
password to log into the program's blog. Instruct participants as to how to make a
posting and create discussions using the blog. Encourage participants to write
one posting a week for the following four weeks. The trainer will serve as a
mediator of the blog. The postings will include answers to the following
questions:

1. What immediate changes did you noticed in your behavior when interaction
with Latino employees?
2. Write specific non-verbal gestures displayed by Latino employees during
work.



3. Based on the concepts we learned in module four, what specific signs
displayed by Latino employees clarified the questions you had about the
employees' attitudes towards time, attitudes towards family and attitude
towards work itself.
4. Write about conflicts with Latino employees you encountered shortly after this
program.

Teaching Points:
1. Participants will learn to use a new tool to communicate with other in the
group while on-the job.
2. The concepts of the workshop will be constantly raised by the trainer, forcing
participants to recall the concepts learned and more importantly, to practice
and teach other what they have mastered.

Source:
Blog created by Andres Traslaviña on September 3, 2007.
http://www.UNMCOMAHA.blogspot.com/

5. Expressing final sentiments:
Exercise/Activity title and description: "Win/Win Negotiation"

Materials: Easel and markers.

Handout and Directions: The trainer will select two teams of 12 players each.
Have each team select a negotiator leader. Their goal will be to win the same
designated space only by using non-verbal gestures. Participants will write the
positive or negative reactions in the easel for further discussion.

Source:
This exercise is an adaptation from "LOSE/LOSE negotiation," in "Beyond the
Buzzwords" (Cornell, 1994 p. 13).

6. Final Evaluation Form:
Exercise/Activity title and description: "Program Feedback."

Rationale:
Participants will leave comments useful for the preparation of future workshops.
Based on a rating scale, the trainer will assess the effectiveness of the program
and will report findings to university administrators.

Materials: Handout, pens.

Handout and Directions:
Feedback forms can be found at the end of the participant's packet. Reiterate



that the evaluations can be made anonymously and that the trainer will report a
summary of the results.

Points:
This evaluation form is an easy alternative for quick valuable feedback. The
trainer will ask questions covering cognitive, behavioral and affective objectives.

Source:
Program evaluation created by Andres Traslavina on January 4, 2008.

This training program is designed to serve as a resource guide for implementing
meaningful cross-cultural communication methods when working with Latino
employees. The tools, exercises and the participants' packet should provide concrete
techniques to better understand Latino employees in the workplace. Awareness never
ends and cross-cultural communication is an asset that will maximize the potential each
of you have as supervisors.

End time 4:20 pm

THE END

PROGRAM EVALUATION

1. Please note that all data is collected anonymously and there is no link to your
identity.
Use the scale to rate each of the following statements: Poor Fair Average Good Very good E Excellent

Explanation of the program's objectives
Teaching methods were and interaction with participants.
Workshop participant's packet and/or visuals.
Trainer's preparation and knowledge of the topic.
Trainer established an open learning atmosphere.
The theoretical content of the modules were.
Debriefing after exercises and activities.

2. Check the statements that describe your reactions to the training program:



9
9
I would recommend this program to others. The modules were too long.
The temperature of the room was comfortable. The program was fun and enjoyable.
The trainer was too hyper. I felt very overwhelmed.
I will participate in trainer's future programs. The training packed was poorly organized.
The topics made me feel uncomfortable. My supervisor will benefit from my training.
I feel more open minded. Many others in my department need this training.
3. Briefly answer the following questions:

 List three of most common communication styles of Latino employees.

1.________________________ 2.___________________________ 3.___________
___________

Which of these styles most apply to you? ___________________________

 Speaking in terms of proxemics, what is the comfortable distance in inches characteristic of
Latino employees? _____ inches.

 The first teaching point I can not wait to share with my Latino co-worker is:

 What I found most valuable about this program was:



REFERENCE LIST

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students and faculty Supervisors: Toward effective conflict prevention and management
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11, 2007, from SAGE database.


Bennett, C. (1999). A comprehensive multicultural education (4th ed.). Boston, MA:
Allyn and Bacon.

Branton, R. (2007). Latino attitude toward various areas of public policy: The
importance of acculturation. Journal of Political Research, 60, 293. Retrieved
September 14, 2007 from SAGE database.

Evans, N.J (1998). Student development in college (1rs Ed.) San Francisco, CA:



John Wiley & Sons.

Chen, G.M., Starosta, W.J.(2000). The development and validation of the
intercultural sensitivity scale. Human Communication, 3 (1), 3-14. Retrieved October 2,
2007 from ASCE database.

The Latino-Anglo perspective. Journal of Leadership and Management in Engineering,

Deardorff, D.K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as
a student outcome of internationalization identification and asses. Journal of Studies in
International Education, 10, 241. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from SAGE database.

Dos Santos, P., Gabrielidis, C., Villareal, L., Stephan, W., Ybarra, V. (1997).
Preferred styles of conflict resolution: Mexico and the United Status. Journal of Cross-

Gladwell, M. (2005). Blink: The power of thinking without thinking. New York, NY:
Time Warner.

Harrison, L.E. (1997). The pan-american dream. Boulder, CO: Westview.

Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimensions. New York: The Anchor Book/Random
House, Inc.
Hall, E.T. (1976). Beyond culture. New York, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday.

International Peace Research Association (IRPA). , UNESCO. (1994). Handbook
Resource and Teaching Material in Conflict Resolution, Education for Human Rights,
Peace and Democracy. Paris, France.

Morales, J. (1998). Understanding Hispanic culture: From tolerance to acceptance.
The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 64 (4), 13-17.

Pekerti, A.A., & Thomas, D.C. (2003). Communication styles In Intercultural
Interaction: An Empirical Investigation of Idiocentric and Sociocentric. Journal of Cross-
Cultural Psychology, 34, 3. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from SAGE database.

Peterson, N. Gonzalez, R.C. (2000). The role of work in people’s lives. Belmont:
Thomson Learning. Kincaid, R. (1996) Student Employment: Linking College and the
Workplace. South Carolina: University of South Carolina.

Poire, A. Dabbah, M. (2006) The Latino advantage in the workplace. Naperville, IL:
Sphinx.



and U.S. Managers. Retrieved October 10, 2007 from Grovewell leadership solutions
web site: http://www.grovewell.com/pub-Latin+US-mgrs.html


Silc, K.F (1990). A Cross-cultural training manual. Virginia State Department of
Education, Virginia Workplace Literacy grant. ED 339, 255. Retrieved September 7,
2007, from SAGE database.

Silberman, M. (2005). 101 ways to make training active (2nd ed.). San Francisco:
John Wiley & Sons.


Thomas, K. W. (1974). Making Conflict Management a Strategic Advance. Retrieved
November 11, 2007 from the CPP, inc web site: http://www.cpp.com/.

Zanger V.V (1985). Face to Face: the Cross-cultural Workbook. Rowley, MA:
Newbury House.



TRAINER’S HANDOUTS



MODULE ONE: Trainer’s Handout

Workshop topic: Introduction Icebreaker.
Title of activity: Ask someone if…
database.

Objective: At the end of this module participants will be able to (1) Interact with other’s
in the group; (2) Repeat each other’s names; (3) Relax and focus on the topic; and (4)
Develop cultural sensitivity.

Procedures for trainer(s): Introduce the idea behind the exercise (Ask someone if)
and announce that participants will only be given five minutes to complete the exercise.
I will call “time’s up” and the group will begin with the discussion.

Directions for participants: Have all participants walk around the room asking others
if the can answer yes” to any of the questions on the handout. When a person can
answer “yes” his or her name is written in the space provided. Discourage participants



from asking the same people every single question. At the end of the activity,
participants will be asked to partner with someone in the room and to exchange
handouts. Participants will read one question and one name until all the names are
called. There will be questions that will fit more than one participant.

Materials needed: Handout 1A found in the participants packet. Pens.

Expectations: Participants are expected to move around and interact with as many
people as possible. They will be encouraged to move quickly and share the findings of
the exercise at the end of the workshop.

Teaching Points:
This exercise is designed to orient participants to the differences in backgrounds and
knowledge among the group. Every individual has unique cultural traits based on where
they grew up, their family influences and the environment where they live. When we are
encouraged to share a positive trait that distinguishes our personalities, we immediately
feel included and that others care about what we have accomplished. Employees need
to experience the same feelings of inclusiveness and belonging.

Debriefing:
As you answered the questions and when comparing both cultures, people in Latin
America tend to be more family oriented, spontaneous, expressive and more centered
in the present than in the future. People feel naturally inclined to perceive others based
on first impressions. As you observed, we all have our own characteristic set and the
only way to find this out is by becoming an active listener and by developing curiosity for
what makes other unique. The same would apply for when you work with your students.
Let’s work in developing successful cross-cultural skills.

Variation: This exercise can be modified to a Bingo format where participants will be
given questions on a Bingo panel. They will have to find other participants that fulfill the
criteria until they complete a row for “Bingo”.



MODULE III: Trainer’s Handout

HUGO’S EXPERIENCE AT THE LIBRARY

Topic: Cross-cultural Nonverbal Communication
Objective: At the end of this case study exercise, participants will be able to start a
discussion about cross-cultural nonverbal communication styles characteristic of Latino
employees.

Range of Responses to Discussion Questions:
1. The issue: Hugo recently arrived to the United Stated to attend college. During a
recent visit to the university’s library, he experienced lack of cultural knowledge
and empathy from the librarian. The nonverbal messages exchanged between
the two parties were indicators of how the personal interaction became
challenging for both Hugo and the librarian.
2. Hugo’s smile was a kinesis misinterpretation by the librarian. She thought Hugo
was always in agreement.
3. The librarian made a cultural assumption when suggesting a Mexican restaurant
to Hugo. Hugo’s reaction indicated rejection to the librarian’s remarks.
4. According to Cruz (2001), the cross-cultural impact of the use of a smile is at
Anglos may misperceive Latinos smile too much or that they smile when it is
inappropriate. On the other hand, Latinos may perceive Anglos as formal, cold,
or unfriendly because they do not use smile in the same manner.
5. Hugo’s action was misinterpreted by the librarian when he pointed to the



bookshelf behind Mrs. Anderson by “puckering” his lips as a way of
communicating nonverbally “there.”
6. Hugo’s cultural proxemics made him feel more comfortable by leaning forward
when talking to the librarian. The appropriate distance that people usually
maintain in the United States is according to Cruz (2001) “between 18 to 33
inches. In Latino countries, the distance is between 8 to 18 inches.”
7. To deal with cultural differences in nonverbal communication, Cruz (2001)
suggest that “we should develop, refine and constantly practice the skill of
switching cultural channels, as on a TV set.”

Teaching Points: The four essential nonverbal communication characteristics of
any culture that could lead to misunderstandings are: Proxemics, which deals with
he study of space in interpersonal relationships; Kinesis or the study of the body
movement; Haptics which refers to the study of touch, and Oculesis or the study of
the use of eyes in personal communication.

Training Exercise Use and Examples: The trainer will facilitate the case study
before lecturing on cross-cultural nonverbal communication styles that are
characteristic of Latino employees.

Debriefing: The trainer will share with the audience a personal experience,
providing two scenarios to help people relate the process to the interactions they
have with Latino employees.

Source:
Cruz, W. (2001). Differences in non-verbal communication styles between
cultures: The Latino Anglo perspective. Journal of Leadership and management in
Engineering, 1(4), 51-53. Retrieved September 10, 2007 from ASCE database.



MODULE IV: Trainer’s Handout

Workshop topic: Cross-cultural communication.

Title of activity: " Jigsaw Learning"

Source: This activity is an adaptation from "Jigsaw Learning" in "101 Ways to Make
Training Active" (Silberman, 2005, p. 178).

Objective: At the end of this exercise participants will be able to: (1) explain to each
other the patterns of thinking characteristic of Latino employees; (2) explain to each
other the patterns of action characteristic of Latino employees; and (3) demonstrate the
use of these patterns by using role play.

Directions for participants:
1. Divide participants in seven different groups. Assign each table with a topic selected
from the lecture on the patterns of thinking and action. Each group will read, discuss
and learn the material assigned to them. Allow five minutes for this portion of the
exercise.

2. After the study period from "cooperative learning," each of the seven groups will
assign a representative who will move to another table and will share the learned
material with the rest of the new group members.



3. Assign another group representative and ask them to move to a different table to
share the learned material with the new group.

4. Each group should have covered at least three communication patterns. Ask groups
to review the learned concepts and allow three minutes for further discussion.

5. The groups will assign one representatives to explain to the whole group the first
pattern covered during the jigsaw interaction.

The groups will be divided as follows:

Patterns of thinking:
Group 1.
Respect and dignity: Studies have found that Latin Americans and Latinos equate
personal dignity with equal treatment and respect. This makes them more sensitive to
criticism or insults, although Albert warns that this standard does not hold for superiors
or subordinates.

Group 2.
Loyalty: Unlike non-Latinos, studies have found that Latinos define "showing loyalty" as
being honest, friendly, obedient, defensive, and respectful.

Group 3.
Simpatía: South Americans, Cubans, Mexican Americans, and Puerto Ricans "show a
strong cultural preference for simpatía," Albert writes. She says that a person is
simpático/a when he or she is seen to be open, warm, friendly, empathetic, and
enthusiastic. Hispanics avoid negative interactions more than non-Hispanics.

Patterns of action:
Group 4.
Cooperation: Albert says that many studies have found that, among equals, Latin
Americans and Latinos are less competitive than North Americans. She notes that,
unlike self-reliant and assertive Anglos, "Latin American and Latino children are trained
for cooperation, harmony in interpersonal relations, and sensitivity to the needs and
feelings of others." Mexican Americans tend to be more like Anglo Americans.

Group 5.
Avoiding criticism: Studies and Albert’s own observations show that Latinos and Latin
Americans value and expect positive relationships and avoid criticizing, insulting, and
fighting. This seems to vary from situation to situation.

Group 6.
Interpersonal connections: A study in Colombia found that palanca (a "lever" or a



"connection") is common in myth and reality, Albert reports. Relationships among
unequals are part of a person's identity and provide a means for the less powerful to
transcend rules and obtain scarce resources as a "favor" or even an "obligation" of the
palanca.

Group 7.
Personal attention: Based on her own research and observations, Albert says that
Latin Americans and Latinos expect and often prefer personalized, individualized
attention. This may be true since they place more emphasis on class and status in
relationships than do Anglo Americans.

Materials needed: None.

Variations: Groups can participate by using "role play" and cover of the patterns by
creating a situation and acting out as if they were Latino employees.

Expectations:
Participants are expected to explain the material learned to the other groups. As the
workshop comes to and end, participants are expected to stay active and to participate.

1. Are your communication patterns different from the ones we have covered?
2. When working with Latino employees, can you think about specific examples when
you have observed these patterns?
3. Have the use of the cultural communication patterns been beneficial to cover? Why?

Teaching Points:
1. Participants will be able to explain the cultural communication patterns of thinking
2. Participants will be able to explain the cultural communication patterns of action

Debriefing:
By being aware of these cultural patterns, supervisors and co-workers will be able to
customize resources to apply directly when interacting with Latino employees. People
will appreciate the knowledge and the awareness and will demonstrate satisfaction
while at work.



MODULE V: Trainer’s Handout

Workshop topic: Cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution.

Title of activity: "How would you respond?"

Source: This activity is an adaptation from "What Would Be Your Response" in the
"Handbook Resource and Teaching Material in Conflict Resolution, Education for
Human Rights, Peace and Democracy International Peace Research Association."
(IRPA & UNESCO, 1994, p. 26).

Objectives: At the end of this activity participants will be able to: (1) identify immediate
responses in certain cross-cultural conflict situations; (2) assess the “speech” or “words"
participants use when facing conflict; (3) generate new words and reactions which serve
the purposes of conflict management in a democratic and efficient way, and (4)
demonstrate their own approach in treating cross-cultural conflict.

Divide the group in five tables. Assign each table one case scenario from handout A, p
11. Each participant will write an answer to the assigned scenario. I will select one
volunteer from each table and will ask them to collect the participants’ written answers
in the flipchart will classify them into three categories as follows: negative or passive
responses, aggressive or violent responses, and responses offering possibilities of
democratic conflict resolution. Then each volunteer will present to the class the



classified responses written on the flipchart, and all participants will comment on them.

Materials needed: Large pieces of paper, colored pens and a flip-chart.

Variations: Each table can be assigned all the scenarios. At the end, the group can
engage in discussion about how every scenario was handled differently from table to
table. This could potentially create a hostile environment among tables that disagree.

Expectations:
Comments may be limited to general impressions, interpreting the point of view of one
of the participants, or concerning the way one of the participants presents their point of
view in response to a certain conflict.

1. Would you agree that our own personal circumstances may affect the way we react
to a challenging situation?
2. Would these issues matter a year from now?
3. What have you learned during this workshop about preventing cross-cultural conflict?
Teaching Points:
1. Conflict should be viewed as an opportunity to learn about how to manage difficult
situations.
2. By becoming a positive conflict solver, participants can apply these techniques to
many areas in their own lives.
3. We all have a way to react to difficult situations; the key is to learn how to look for
win-win alternatives, as we learned during the first part of the module.

Debriefing:
I will comment on the results in relation to the objectives of the exercise. Clarify to
participants that they are not alone in a conflict, for there are at least two parties to any
conflict. It is therefore necessary to take into consideration the feelings, needs and
goals of each party in order to settle the conflict. Participants will be asked to discuss
the alternatives to the case scenarios and they will be noted on the board as models for
application. Only choose one of the answers given for a conflict really experienced by
one of the participants whose response was negative, aggressive or violent.



WRAP-UP MODULE: Trainer’s Handout

Workshop topic: Wrap up. Expressing final sentiments.

Title of activity: "Win/Win Negotiation"

Source: This exercise is an adaptation from "LOSE/LOSE negotiation," in "Beyond the
Buzzwords" (Cornell, 1994 p. 13).

Objective: At the end of this exercise participants will be able to: (1) demonstrate the
barriers to effective and fair communication when one group is hampered by cultural,
racial, or other barriers, and (2) create awareness of the frustration that other groups
experience when they are unable to "compete on a level playing field."

Select two teams of 12 players each. Have each team select a negotiator leader. Their
goal will be to win the same designated space. Allow one team to take over the space.
The second pair will have to convince the competing team to give then the space
without making any eye contact whatsoever. Their instructions should include the
adoption of subservient behavior, such as addressing the others by their first names
prefaced by Mr./Mrs./Dr/Sir/ma'am before making any statement.



Materials needed: None.

Variations: Increase the barriers to communication by the second team by blind-folding
them, placing them in seats which place them at a lower level than their competitors, or
some other formats for diminishing their ability to communicate at the same level.

Expectations: Participants on the team that wants to win space should experience a
certain level of uncomforting frustration.

1. How did you feel when you were unable to look directly at the other teams? Did
this give a loss of power?
2. Which factor in the negotiation was most frustrating to you?
3. Did you believe you had an opportunity to obtain the desired space? If not, did
you begin to loose your desire to try?

Teaching Points:
1.) Allow participants to understand that when it comes to cross-cultural interactions,
Latino employees may have to adjust to the new work atmosphere. Often times
the adjustment process can make Latino employees feel at a disadvantage.
2.) Although the playing fields could be uneven in different circumstances, what is
important to understand is that you can help Latino employees overcome any
possible disadvantages by promoting a feeling of belonging to their work place.

Debriefing:
The notion that a playing field must be level in order for Latino employees to be
successful could be challenging. This program wants to teach participants to ensure
their employees have the tools they needs to negotiate the uneven terrain, ensure that
they know how to use those tools, and ensure that they have the self-awareness of their
communication styles that may play positively or may harm them during interactions at
the workplace.



PARTICIPANTS' PACKET


MODULE ONE
HANDOUT A: Ask someone if…
Walk around the room asking others if the can answer yes” to any of the questions on
this exercise. When a person can answer “yes” write his or her name in the space
provided. Try not to ask the same person every single question.

Ask someone if…: Write their name:

1. They have been to any country in Latin America.

2. They know the meaning of “Todos tenemos 24 horas en el dia.”

3. They have a relative who was born in Latin America.

4. They like soccer.

5. They know the capital of Bolivia.

6. They know someone from Latin America.

7. They know how to dance “merengue.”

8. They watch any of the Spanish channels on TV.

9. They have dated someone from a different country.

10. They speak a different language.

11. They have been supervised by a foreign person.



12. They take a two-hour lunch.

13. They have worked with someone from another country.

14. They can multi-task.

15. They have taken the public bus.

16. They know who Simon Bolivar is.
database.
MODULE TWO
A B
HANDOUT A: Cultural context test.
Directions: In front of every question write the write the letter A or B in
the appropriate column according to what you are most likely to do:

1. When making plans to go out with your family: ____ ____
A. I usually call ahead and agree on a date and time
B. Randomly show up at their door to discuss the plan

2. When you accomplish a goal who do you give most credit to?: ____ ____
A. Myself
B. My family or support network

3. If you were planning a weekend trip and you had the money and the time; ____ ____
What may prevent you from actually doing it?
B. Safety will be a concern
A. Nothing. I will most likely go

4. Do you spend most of your time with people who share your interests and ____ ____
think almost like you?
B. NO
A. YES

5. When it comes to relationships: ____ ____
B. It is easy for me to get to know people and I have an extensive network of friends
A. It is easy for me to get to know people, but I only have few friends

6. In previous interviews when you were asked a question, you answers were: ____ ____
B. Direct and to the point



C. Indirect and offered excessive context

7. When you make a mistake do you: ____ ____
A. Admit the my mistake and move on
B. Have a hard time admitting my mistake and will try to make someone
or something else responsible

8. Which statement sounds better to you? ____ ____
A. As a supervisor I would like to delegate and empower.
B. As a supervisor I would like to have control.

9. Do you think deadlines and commitments are firm? ____ ____
a. Yes
b. No

10. Which of these McDonals ads is more effective to you? A B
B.

____ ____
Source:
Indian website (late 2003) (http://www.mcdonaldsindia.com)



A.

Source:
Swiss website, (http://www.mcdonalds.ch)

Source: Created by Andres Traslavina January 4, 2008

TOTAL? ____ ____
Communication styles based on cultural context:
In a classical study in cross-cultural communication, Edward T. Hall analyzed the
communication styles of cultural groups throughout the world and grouped them in two
categories: high context and low context cultures (Hall, 1976). The communication style
of the high context group is highly contextualized. The meaning is generally understood
in terms of the situation or the setting in which the communication is taking place. For
the second group, low context, the communicative context is not as important. Instead,
the communication relies almost exclusively on the verbal or written message by itself.
Bennett (1999) summarizes these differences as follows:

Cultural context differences:

Individuals belonging to__________ context cultures are described as follows:
 Strong Cohesive group identity
 Strong human ____________ support network
 Individuals gain identity through group association
 Closed society with clear distinctions between insiders and outsiders
 Behavior is regulated by r_____ code
 Tendency to be bureaucratic

Individuals belonging to ___________context cultures are described as follow:
 Weaker group identity
 More i______________ approach
 Gain identity based on individual efforts and accomplishments



 O______ society with weaker distinctions between i________ and o_________
 Greater personal f______________

Sources:
Bennett, C. (1999). A comprehensive multicultural education (4th ed.). Boston, MA:
Allyn and Bacon.

Hall, E.T. (1976). Beyond culture. New York, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday.

HANDOUT B: The face of the Latino employee exercise

Directions: This simple mnemonics exercise will help you remembering the five most common
communication styles characteristic of Latino employees.
The main elements of our face consist of eyes, ears, noose, mouth, eyebrows, and forehead. This exercise
will test your creativity.
1. Draw a face by using the following letters: I H J I O. Think of every letter as an element of our face.



2. Now let's get in groups of two and share your exercise.
Source: Created by Andres Traslavina September 29, 2008

HANDOUT C: Imaginary Exercise: Traveling to Latin America.

For the next part of the workshop you will receive a complimentary tour to twelve
countries in Latin America in our private jet. Your mission will be to make one stop in
every country and to bring back a prospective employee. During your flight back you will
interact with the employee and will teach him or her what you have learned about the
different communication styles characteristic of Latino employees. These directions will
help you enjoy your tour:

B. Since we are leaving in three minutes, please take a paper and pen as you will need
to write down the name of the cities we will visit.

C. You will only need this boarding pass. Tear here:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. We will take off from Omaha's Eppley airfield and will make our first stop in Houston,
Texas to refuel. On our way back, we will flight over the Atlantic Ocean making a fuel
stop in Miami and ending our journey back here in our classroom.

C. The average roundtrip airplane ticket to or from Latin America costs nine hundred
dollars ($900). This complimentary trip is given to you as part of the workshop. Please
enjoy your flight, take some good notes and allow yourself to appreciate the greatness
of Latin America.
MODULE THREE

HANDOUT A: Case Study.
Work in groups of two. You will have five minutes to read the case and five minutes to
answer the proposed questions. Be prepared to share the answers with your
colleagues.

Case Study

Hugo Ferreira, a student from Ecuador, often visited the UNMC library to read. One day
he found a book he wanted to read at home. So he decided to approach the librarian for
help.

Hugo: “Excuse me, may I borrow this book?”
Mrs. Anderson (librarian): “Why, of course. I just need your UNMC ID card.”
Hugo: smiled at her and nodded his head.
Mrs. Anderson: "That book is wonderful. Isn’t that author great? Do you understand?”
Hugo had never read anything by the author. But Hugo smiled and nodded again.



Mrs. Anderson: "I know of a very good Mexican restaurant, you will enjoy it. It is very
close to our campus."
Hugo: Smiled and nodded his head negatively.
Hugo: “I would like to borrow this book today”
Mrs. Anderson: "Can you tell me where you found this book?"
Hugo: Puckering his lips pointed at the librarian.
Mrs. Anderson: "I am confused, are you here to talk to me or to check out this book?"
Hugo: Smiled and leaned closer to her, touching her shoulder he replied, “could you
please tell me how to apply for a UNMC ID card?”
Mrs. Anderson: Took one step back. “Oh, I though you were a student at UNMC”.
Hugo: “I am”.
Mrs. Anderson: “Come right this way and I will show you how to obtain an ID card.” The
librarian held out her hand, palm up, moving only her index finger to get Hugo to follow
her.
Hugo: Seemed confused. He smiled and walked away.

1. Underline all words in this case study which describe gestures made by Mrs.
Anderson and Hugo.
2. Why did Hugo continue smiling and nodding his head?
3. Why did the librarian mention the Mexican restaurant?
4. What do you think the librarian thought Hugo meant when puckering his lips?
5. Why did Hugo seem confused?

Source: This case study is adapted from: Zanger V.V (1985) Face to Face: the Cross-
cultural Workbook. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.

MODULE IV

HANDOUT A: The Cross-cultural Sensitivity Scale.
Below is a series of statements concerning intercultural communication.
There are no right or wrong answers. Please work quickly and record your first
impression by indicating the degree to which you agree or disagree with the statement.

5 =strongly agree 4 =agree 3 =uncertain 2 =disagree 1 =strongly disagree

Please put the number corresponding to your answer in the blank after the statement

1. I enjoy interacting with people from different cultures. ____
2. I think people from other cultures are narrow-minded. ____
3. I am pretty sure of myself in interacting with people from different cultures. ____
4. I find it very hard to talk in front of people from different cultures. ____
5. I always know what to say when interacting with people from different cultures. ____
6. I can be as sociable as I want to be when interacting with people from different



cultures. ____
7. I don’t like to be with people from different cultures. ____
8. I respect the values of people from different cultures. ____
9. I get upset easily when interacting with people from different cultures. ____
10. I feel confident when interacting with people from different cultures. ____
11. I tend to wait before forming an impression of culturally distinct counterparts. ____
12. I often get discouraged when I am with people from different cultures. ____
13. I am open-minded to people from different cultures. ____
14. I am very observant when interacting with people from different cultures. ____
15. I often feel useless when interacting with people from different cultures. ____
16. I respect the ways people from different cultures behave. ____
17. I try to obtain as much information as I can when interacting with people from
different cultures. ____
18. I would not accept the opinions of people from different cultures. ____
19. I am sensitive to my culturally distinct counterpart’s subtle meanings during our
interaction. ____
20. I think my culture is better than other cultures. ____
21. I often give positive responses to my culturally different counterpart during our
interaction. ____
22. I avoid those situations where I will have to deal with culturally distinct persons. ___
23. I often show my culturally distinct counterpart my understanding through verbal or
nonverbal cues. ____

Source:
This exercise is a modification of: Chen, G.M., Starosta, W. J. (2000).The development
and validation of the intercultural sensitivity scale. Human Communication, 3(1), 3-14.

HANDOUT B: Guided note taking.

1. Patterns of Thinking in Latin America:

R_________ and dignity: Studies have found that Latin Americans and Latinos equate personal
dignity with equal treatment and respect. This makes them more s____________ to criticism or
insults.

L___________: Unlike non-Latinos, studies have found that Latinos define "showing
loyalty" as being honest, friendly, obedient, defensive, and respectful.

S____________: South Americans, Cubans, Mexican Americans, and Puerto Ricans
"show a strong cultural preference for Simpatía," Albert writes. She says that a person
is simpático/a when he or she is seen to be open, w________, f__________,
e____________, and enthusiastic. Latinos avoid n______________ interactions more
than non-Latinos.



2. Patterns of Action in Latin America:
C_____________: Albert says that many studies have found that, among equals, Latin
Americans and Latinos are less competitive than North Americans. She notes that,
for co________________, h_____________ in interpersonal relations, and
s______________ to the needs and feelings of others." Mexican Americans tend to be
more like Anglo Americans.

A______________ c______________ : Studies and Albert’s own observations show
that Latinos and Latin Americans value and expect positive relationships and avoid
criticizing, insulting, and fighting. This seems to vary from situation to situation.

I________________ c_________________ : A study in Colombia found that palanca (a
"lever" or a "connection") is common in myth and reality, Albert reports. Relationships
among unequals are part of a person's identity and provide a means for the less
powerful to transcend rules and obtain scarce resources as a "favor" or even an
"obligation" of the palanca.

P_____________ a_____________: Based on her own research and observations,
Albert says that Latin Americans and Latinos expect and often prefer personalized,
individualized attention.

Source:

HANDOUT C: Jigsaw Learning
Make groups of seven. Each table has an assigned topic selected from the lecture.
Please read, discuss and learn the material assigned to your table.


Group 1. Respect and dignity: Studies have found that Latin Americans and Latinos
equate personal dignity with equal treatment and respect. This makes them more
sensitive to criticism or insults, although Albert warns that this standard does not hold
for superiors or subordinates.

Group 2. Loyalty: Unlike non-Hispanics, studies have found that Hispanics define
"showing loyalty" as being honest, friendly, obedient, defensive, and respectful.

Group 3. Simpatía: South Americans, Cubans, Mexican Americans, and Puerto Ricans
"show a strong cultural preference for Simpatía," Albert writes. She says that a person



is simpático/a when he or she is seen to be open, warm, friendly, empathetic, and
enthusiastic. Hispanics avoid negative interactions more than non-Hispanics.

Patterns of action:

Group 4. Cooperation: Albert says that many studies have found that, among equals,
Latin Americans and Latinos are less competitive than North Americans. She notes that,
for cooperation, harmony in interpersonal relations, and sensitivity to the needs and
feelings of others." Mexican Americans tend to be more like Anglo Americans.

Group 5. Avoiding criticism: Studies and Albert’s own observations show that Latinos
and Latin Americans value and expect positive relationships and avoid criticizing,
insulting, and fighting. This seems to vary from situation to situation.

Group 6. Interpersonal connections: A study in Colombia found that palanca (a
"lever" or a "connection") is common in myth and reality. Relationships among unequals
are part of a person's identity and provide a means for the less powerful to transcend
rules and obtain scarce resources as a "favor" or even an "obligation" of the palanca.

Group 7. Personal attention: Based on her own research and observations, Albert
says that Latin Americans and Latinos expect and often prefer personalized,
individualized attention. This may be true since they place more emphasis on class and
status in relationships than do Anglo Americans.

MODULE V

HANDOUT A: How would your respond?
In your assigned tables, please write down your reaction to the following case
scenarios:

1. You are engaged in a university as a monitor of the biology lab classes on the basis
of working only five days per week. The first day of classes, you are surprised when the
Dean tells you and the other monitors that you have to work even on Saturdays. What is
your response? (knowing that you do not want this!)

2. You bought a sweater from a shop and did not see that there was a small hole in it.
Three days later, while you were putting it on, you were surprised and angry. You went
back to the shop and told the shopkeeper about it. He told you that you might have
damaged it yourself. What was your response?

3. On your way back to your house, you noticed that a number of students were writing



political slogans on the wall of the building (where your house is). You did not
appreciate this because they were confessionally provocative regarding the residents of
the quarter you live in. What was your response?

4. You are a member of an association the statutes of which stipulate that the president,
the vice-president and the presidents of the committees are specially entitled to take
decisions and represent the society. You do not like the hierarchical mode of working
but you became a member of the association because you liked its activities. It
happened that you were responsible for undertaking a certain action but a president of
one of the committees undertook it without consulting you, what was your response?

5. You are student worker at a university department. It so happened that you were in a
bad psychological condition and you could not tell your boss about it. You were asked to
prepare work and present it at a certain date but you did not manage to respect the
deadline. Your boss angrily asked about it. What was your response?

Source: This activity is an adaptation from "What Would Be Your Response" in the
"Handbook Resource and Teaching Material in Conflict Resolution, Education for
Human Rights, Peace and Democracy International Peace Research Association"
(IRPA & UNESCO, 1994, p. 26).

HANDOUT B: Respect and time and productivity.

Respect:
The Latino concept of respect has played an important role in numerous communication
problems between parents and school officials (Rosado, 1994). For traditional Latinos,
"Respect is the f______________ for any professional or social relationship" (Rosado,
1994). This formality is present and supported by the Spanish language through the
alternate use of the pronouns "u_________" for formal interactions and "t__" to show
i______________ and f_______________. Friends address each other as "t_," and
strangers, older people or people in positions of authority are always addressed as
"u________."

Spanish as well as Italian have additional markings to show respect for older people and people
in a position of authority. These languages add the titles of "D_____" and "D______" to the
surname of males and females respectively. In the best literary representation of Spanish
literature, "Don Quixote de la Mancha" (The Man from La Mancha), the title of "D____" was
used as a sarcastic title of nobility for the old and demented character. In the movie "The



Godfather," the title was also used to show respect for the character played by Marlon Brandon,
"Don Corleone." This title is still present in most traditional Latino cultures as a symbol of the
r________ that older and influential people receive in the Spanish tradition.

Time and Productivity:
Most European American groups have a very s___________ view of the concepts of
time and productivity. The popular sayings "T_______ ____ _________" and "Idle
hands are the devil's w____________" summarize the view of these groups in regard to
the importance of being on time and the level of productivity expected in the work place
(Stewart, 1985). Both of these ideas represent the Puritan work ethic that has guided
the way we conduct business in the United States. Conversely, there are a large
number of Latino and African American groups that do not share these views. Latinos
and African American groups have the tendency to r_______________ time constraints,
especially in s______________ activities.

Source:



WRAP UP MODULE

HANDOUT A: Cross-cultural self -monitoring.

Please check those cross-cultural reminders applicable to you.
When I return to my workplace I will most likely do the following:

1. Avoid over protection or over exposure of Latino employees.
2. Give assignments that provide an opportunity to demonstrate competence
and to take risk- but not beyond the employee's capabilities.
3. Give Latino employees an opportunity at non-stereotypical task.
4. Understand that Latino employees can be more under pressure than my
traditional employees.
5. Avoid drawing too much attention to Latino employees.
6. Do not force the few Latino employees together if it isolates them from the
rest.



7. Encourage others not to make jokes about Latino employees.
8. Focus all employees the attention on what their communication styles may
have in common with each other.
9. Use every opportunity to open and sustain dialogue.
10. Be aware of my own non-verbal communication styles when working with
Latino employees.
Source:
This exercise is an adaptation from "A tale of O: On being Different in an Organization,"
in "Beyond the buzzwords" (Cornell, 1994 p. 14).

PROGRAM EVALUATION Version 2
Please note that all data is collected anonymously and there is no link to your
identity.
Use the scale to rate each of the following statements: Poor Fair Average Good Very good E Excellent

Explanation of the program's objectives
Teaching methods were interactive.
Workshop participant's packet and/or visuals.
Trainer's preparation and knowledge of the topic.
Trainer established an open learning atmosphere.
The theoretical content of the modules were.
Debriefing after exercises and activities.

Check the statements that describe your reactions to the training program:



I would recommend this program to others. The modules were too long.
The room temperature was comfortable. The program was fun and enjoyable.
The trainer was too hyper. I felt very overwhelmed.
I will participate in trainer's future programs. The training packed was poorly organized.
The topics made me feel uncomfortable. My supervisor will benefit from my training.
I feel more open minded. Many others in my department need this training.
Short Answer: Briefly answer the following questions:

A. During the needs assessment were the data collection methods accurate and unbiased? YES____ NO___

B. List the five most common communication styles of Latino employees.

1.__________ 2.__________ 3.___________ 4.______________ 5. __________________

Which of these styles most apply to you? _______________

C. Speaking in terms of proxemics, what is the comfortable distance in inches characteristic of
Latino employees? _____ Inches.

D. The first teaching point I can not wait to share with our Latino employees is:

E. What I found most valuable about this program was:
POWER POINT SLIDES

Power Point Slide:

Title of Workshop: Cross-cultural Communication in Higher Education:
Supervising and working effectively with Latin American student
workers.
Trainer’s Name: Andrés Traslaviña.
Contact: www.actiontrainer.com

Power Point Slide: Why Study Latin American employees?
• The Amazon rain forest produces 50% of the oxygen in the world;
• Latin America is the second fastest growing economic region in the world;
• Latin American it is the fastest growing market for U.S. exports; and
• Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S.

Power Point Slide : Cultural context differences.



High Context Cultures Low Context Cultures
• Strong cohesive group identity • Weaker group identity
• Strong human collective support • More individualistic approach
network
• Individuals gain identity through group • Gain identity based on individual efforts and
association accomplishments
• Closed society with clear distinctions • Open society with weaker distinctions
between insiders and outsiders between insiders and outsiders
• Behavior is regulated by rigid code • Greater personal freedom
• Tendency to be bureaucratic • More individual choice

Source:
Allyn and Bacon.

Power Point Slide : Indigenous Languages on the Americas

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America

Power Point Slide : Five communication styles characteristic of Latino
employees.



Indirectness
Informality
Humility
Justifying Mistakes
Offering excessive context

Source:
Poire, A. Dabbah, M. (2006) The Latino advantage in the workplace. Naperville, IL:
Sphinx.

Power Point Slide: The face of the Latino employee exercise.

I I
J
H

Power Point Slide: The face of the Latino employee exercise. Modifications.



I ndirectedness I nformality

J ustifying Mistakes

H umility
ffering Excessive Context


Power Point Slide Differences between non-verbal communication styles.

Power Point Slide: Multitask Vs. Monotaks.

Power Point Slide: Three common attitudinal differences between the two
cultures.
Differences in perception.
Differences in thinking.
Differences in acting.

Power Point Slide:
• Respect and Dignity
• Loyalty
• Simpatia

Patterns of Action:
• Cooperation
• Avoiding criticism
• Interpersonal connections
• Personal attention
Power Point Slide: Conflict handling modes.



Power Point Slide: Respect & Time.


Crosscultural Comunication

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