Thekeytoeffectivecross-culturalcommunicationisknowledge.First,itisessentialthatpeopleunderstandthepotentialproblemsofcross-culturalcommunication,andmakeaconsciousefforttoovercometheseproblems.Second,itisimportanttoassumethatone’seffortswillnotalwaysbesuccessful,andadjustone’sbehaviorappropriately.
Forexample,oneshouldalwaysassumethatthereisasignificantpossibilitythatculturaldifferencesarecausingcommunicationproblems,andbewillingtobepatientandforgiving,ratherthanhostileandaggressive,ifproblemsdevelop.Oneshouldrespondslowlyandcarefullyincross-culturalexchanges,notjumpingtotheconclusionthatyouknowwhatisbeingthoughtandsaid.
WilliamUry’ssuggestionforheatedconflictsistostop,listen,andthink,orasheputsit"gotothebalcony"whenthesituationgetstense.Bythishemeanswithdrawfromthesituation,stepback,andreflectonwhatisgoingonbeforeyouact.Thishelpsincrossculturalcommunicationaswell.Whenthingsseemtobegoingbadly,stoporslowdownandthink.Whatcouldbegoingonhere?IsitpossibleImisinterpretedwhattheysaid,ortheymisinterpretedme?Oftenmisinterpretationisthesourceoftheproblem