Cross-cultural communication

The workshop in Lund I co-facilitated, called Communication and Cultural Differences, was a great success, despite the fact I lost my wallet on the way to Lund. Yes, I somehow managed to lose my very big wallet around 10pm on Sunday at the gas station in Ängelholm, about 45 minutes north of Lund. Not a great way to start the week to be sure. Luckily it was turned in with nothing missing and I ended up just picking it up on the way home.

Despite the inauspicious beginning, the course went really well and I learned a lot from the lead facilitator, a Brit named Trevor. He has lots of good stories to tell about holding the course around the world. I guess in China they had a guy who apparently really needed to take a phone call but didn't want to be rude and leave the room so he just went under one of the tables and had his phone call there. 10 points for creativity.

The course incorporates a section on understanding cultures based on 7 cultural dimensions (from Fons Trompenaars work) as well as a section on understanding personality types or temperaments. The idea being you need both pieces of the puzzle to understand where the person you're communicating with is coming from so you can shift your communication style to ensure your message is understood.

The course was my first chance to see a bunch of Swedes in a work(ish) setting, and it was eye opening. I'm still digesting some of it, but it was just so clear how collaborative and consensus-oriented the Swedes are in everything they do, even in something small like a team quiz in a training class. Unlike in the U.S., there was NO chance of someone shouting (amiably) "LOSER!!" to the other team and pumping their V-fingers in the air because they won. There was just lots of quiet checking in with everyone at the table and then a quiet hand-raise to answer the quiz question.

The physical reserve of the Swedish attendees also struck me. I think ideally Swedes would just nod at you when being introduced instead of having to touch you by shaking hands. I'd just love to see a Swede at a French party with all that kissing. This one man, Peter, asked what "touchy-feely" meant and I demonstrated in good old American fashion, and I think he nearly passed out. It was a classic cross-cultural moment. And of course, in true Swedish fashion, everyone was so darned nice you just want to take them all home for a cinnamon bun.