Cross cultural communication skills are important for anyone working with international businesses. While some points of communication etiquette are so ingrained as to be subconscious, we can’t take for granted that what is polite to us is polite to someone from a different culture. Communication signals such as eye contact, gestures, turns of phrases, who to address and how, can all vary significantly from country to country. These variances in communication styles mixed with uncertainty as to how to deal with them can leave many businesspeople feel like they’re walking on eggshells.
I’ve invited international business communication expert Lucille Ossai to help us navigate the intricacies of communicating in multicultural settings. Lucille Ossai has studied and worked in both Africa and Europe, helping leaders in governments, embassies, and multinational corporations improve their communication skills. In this interview, we discuss the importance of communication and public speaking skills in a global economy and how navigate communication etiquette when working with people from other countries.
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LINKS
- Lucille Ossai: https://lucilleossai.com
- Lucille’s book “Influence and Thrive” (links to all major online book retailers): https://lucilleossai.com/books/influenceandthrive
- Connect with Lucille on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucilleossaicommunicationspro
It was truly a pleasure being on your show, Lauren. We unpacked a lot of value. Thank you for being such a gracious host and for your thoughtful comments.