![]() ![]() In addition, nodding in Japanese culture simply means that one is listening rather than agreeing with what is being said. The abovementioned tips may prove to be potentially problematic if faced with a Japanese audience as for example, holding one’s gaze is considered rude or even aggressive in Japanese culture. Using open ended questions Although the above ways of demonstrating active listening would work well in a large part of North American continent and some European cultures, what if one is met with a Japanese audience?.Paraphrasing what the speaker has said.Nodding your head and using facial expressions.Going back to the exercise you did at the start – did you write any of these points down? ![]() Essentially, there tends to be a certain etiquette associated with trust building and listening in different parts of the world. In cross-cultural interactions there are certain discrepancies of how to create such an atmosphere of trust and what is considered as appropriate behaviour in active listening, depending on the culture(s) one is dealing with. The importance of cross-cultural sensitivity becomes important when looking to create such an atmosphere of trust in order to relay the desired response to the sender and to avoid miscommunication. There are various techniques to help create such a positive atmosphere. Photo by Amaryllis Liampoti on Unsplash What is Active Listening?Īctive listening is about listening with sincerity/ sensitivity and creating a climate of where equality, freedom, permissiveness, understanding, acceptance and warmth (Rogers & Farson 1987). Despite how simple this concept may appear to be at first, when one looks closer it becomes apparent that there is no universal definition to describe this method, and becoming proficient means hard work in practical terms. If listening habits vary across cultures, then this is likely to be the case for active listening techniques too.Īctive listening can be considered one of the more challenging skills in the field of communication. ![]() However, when it comes to communicating across cultures, Lewis (2006) argues that there are differences in listening habits which can lead to miscommunication if one is not fully aware of how to bridge potential gaps. Rogers and Farson (1987) answer this rather eloquently by stating that ‘listening builds deep, positive relationships and tends to alter constructively the attitudes of the listener (.) Listening is a growth experience’.Īs the receiver’s feedback tells the sender what/how the message has been understood, this allows the sender to make the required adjustments to make him/herself clearly understood hence making (or breaking) the relationship and communication cycle/flow.Įffective listening (paired with an effective method of sending the message) essentially leads to more worthwhile contributions and more open communication.īecoming more actively involved and more mindful in the listening process can help us become better communicators. Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash Why are Listening Skills Important? However, successful communication is in fact a two way process whereby the receiver plays an equally important role because of the emphasis on the sender and the message, listening is often a technique in communication that remains underappreciated. In interpersonal communication the emphasis is usually placed on the speaker or sender relaying the message. Once you have your list, keep it handy as you will need it in a minute! To start with, I would like you, the reader, to briefly list 3 ways in which you demonstrate active listening. Here we want to explore communication skills but from the receiver’s point of view – by focusing on listening. They usually include tips on how we can communicate clearly, exercises on how to build up cultural knowledge, strategies on how to act appropriately and adapt one’s communications style. In cross-cultural training, on videos and in guides, such as our free Cultural Awareness Handbook, the focus on communication skills is usually from the point of view of the 'sender', i.e. However, active engagement may differ across cultures. 'Active listening' is a communication skill crucial to doing cross-cultural business.Īs a skill, it requires the listener to become attuned with the speaker in order to confirm what they have heard and moreover, to confirm the understanding of both parties. ![]()
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