2 hour session delivered at the Multicultural Educators' Forum hosted by Fenn School. Humans communicate on many levels: spoken language, tone, body language, style and personality. The fact that we have complex cultural identities and a host of differing past experiences increases the probability of cross-cultural miscommunications. This workshop presents major cross-cultural communication theories, ways that cultural values, power, privilege and differences affect the way we communicate, tools for questioning assumptions, and ways to improve cross-cultural communications skills.

1. What I Said and What I Meant:
Cross Cultural Communication
Multicultural Educators’ Forum
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

2. About Seattle Girls’ School
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3. Agenda
 Cross Cultural Communication
 Cultural Values, Norms of Behavior,
and Communication
 Activity: Nonverbal Violations
 Break
 Cultural Identifiers, Power, and
Communication
 Discussion: Conflict Re-understood
 So What? Now What?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

4. Cross Cultural Communication
 What is it?
 How is it Different from Intercultural
Communication?
 CCC Theories
– Face-Negotiation Theory
– Conversational Constraints Theory
– Expectancy Violation Theory
– Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory
– Communication Accommodation Theory
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

5. Dimensions of Variability
Individual - Collectivistic
Low Context - High Context
Masculinity - Femininity
Low Uncertainty - High Uncertainty
Vertical - Horizontal
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6. Factors that Influence
 Personality Orientation
 Individual Values
 Self Construal
- Independent
- Interdependent
 Individual Socialization
 Cultural Norms and Rules
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7. Discussion: My Style
In hearing about
communication
differences, what would
you describe as your
cultural communication
style? Have you noticed
stark differences
compared to others?
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8. Cultural Values
Norms, and Rules
 Values
 Value Priorities
 Norms of Behavior
 Non-Verbal
Communication
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

9. RELATIONAL
Cultural Value Differences Individualism
self-reliance, independence
Collectivism
group interdependence
(selfis h ) (mindless follower)
Informality Formality
directness, give and take discussion indirectness, protect "face"
(rude and abrupt) (stiff and impersonal)
Competition Cooperation
individual achievement group achievement
(egotistical, show-off) (avoiding doing work or taking responsibility)
AUTHORITY
Egalitarianism Hierarchy
fairness, belief in equal opportunity privilege of status or rank
(being picky, on a soapbox) (power hungry or avoiding accountability)
TEMPORAL
Use of Time Passage of Time
"Time is money" "Time is for life"
(doesn’t get the important things in life) (lazy and irresponsible)
Change/Future Tradition/Past
Adaptability ensures survival Stability ensures survival
(muckraker, stirs up trouble) (old-school, afraid of change)
ACTIVITY
Action orientation "Being" orientation
"Make things happen" "Let things happen"
(rushes without thinkin g ) (indecisive and slow)
Practicality Idealism
Efficiency is always best Always maintain principles
(impersonal and unscrupulous) (naïve and impractical)
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10. Exercise: Non-Verbal Violations
1: Please pick a partner and stand.
2: Begin to converse about your hobbies
and interests.
3: You will receive a piece of paper
describing nonverbal behaviors.
4: Scan the piece of paper. Do not share
the information.
5: INCREMENTALLY dramatize the
nonverbal behavior.
6: Make note of thoughts or feelings you
experience.
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11. Debrief: Nonverbal Violations
Did the INTENT of your described
behaviors allow you to display
them more enthusiastically?
What was the IMPACT of the
behaviors of your partner?
Did knowing that “odd” behaviors
may be part of the exercise
help you accept your partner’s
behavior?
In working and living with people
from various communities,
what do you take away from
this exercise?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

12. Dimensions of Identity and Culture
This model of identifiers and culture was created by Karen Bradberry and Johnnie Foreman for NAIS Summer Diversity
Institute, adapted from Loden and Rosener’s Workforce America! (1991) and from Diverse Teams at Work, Gardenswartz & Rowe
(SHRM 2003).
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

13. Identifiers, Power,
and Communication
Internalized Oppression/Dominance
Stereotype Threat
Accumulated Impact/
Microaggressions
Code/Mode Switching
Fish Seeing the Water
“Normal” versus “Good”
“Intent” versus “Impact”
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14. Discussion: Cross Cultural Conflict
Think about a recent conflict which you
now know to be true to be at heart a n
identity and power difference. Using
some of the terminology introduced,
discuss with a partner or group of three
what was going on to cause the conflict.
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15. So What? Now What?
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16. Assumptions and Interpretations
• Mental Models
• Ladder of Inference
Belief
Conclusions
Selective Data
Observable Data
• Tools of Action
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

17. Checking Assumptions and
Interpretations: Steps to Analyze
1. What did you see/hear (raw data)?
2. What are your personal filters (cultural
values, norms, and identifiers)?
3. What was your interpretation of what you
saw/heard (inference)?
4. How did you feel as a result?
5. What do you want?
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18. Developmental Model of Intercultural
Sensitivity (DMIS) Schematic
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19. Discussion:
How Will I Apply All This?
1. How do you see materials
from this workshop applying
to your life?
2. What questions do you still
have?
3. What are your personal action
steps?
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20. Cultural Effectiveness
“To be culturally effective doesn’t
mean you are an authority in the
values and beliefs of every culture.
What it means is that you hold a
deep respect for cultural differences
and are eager to learn, and willing to
accept, that there are many ways of
viewing the world”
Okokon O. Udo
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21. Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

22. Final Questions or Comments?
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23. Resources
• “Stereotype Threat” by Joshua Aronson
• David K. Berlo, The Process of Communication (New York: Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston, 1960)
• Brenda J. Allen, Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity
• William Gudykunst, Cross-Cultural and Intercultural Comunication
• Milton Bennett, PhD, Intercultural Communication Institute
www.intercultural.org
• National Coalition Building Institute
• “Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures” by Erica Hagen,
Intercultural Communication Resources
• Thiagi.com
• Thrive! Team Dynamics
• Nonverbal Violations by Stella Ting-Toomey
• http://www.analytictech.com/mb021/action_science_ history.htm
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)