The 7 Don’ts of Multicultural Communication #7 – DON’T Try to Speak or Act Like a Culturally Different Person

Never try to speak or behave like a culturally different person if it is not who you are as a human being. Don’t try to behave the way you think someone else expects you to behave. Never act in an unnatural way because you think it is what another person wants from you. For example, don’t pretend you like certain foods, music or activities just to build a relationship with a culturally different individual. Always be yourself. This is known as genuineness and it is one of the bedrock conditions for effective cross-cultural interaction and relationship building. A lack of genuineness creates noise in a relationship (noise is anything that interferes with the accurate transmission of messages between two or more people). It also reduces trust. So be open, honest and YOU at all times!

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