Say Anything to Anyone, Anywhere: 5 Keys To Successful Cross–Cultural Communication

"This is a perfect cross-cultural communication tool for anyone who does business globally. Gayle Cotton uses interesting and amusing examples to illustrate the hows and whys of effectively sharing messages with someone from another culture. Her naturally friendly writing style addresses delicate issues in a graceful way. Read this book and you'll be ready to Say Anything to Anyone, Anywhere! " —Ken Blanchard , coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Great Leaders Grow "This is an excellent guide to being more effective and comfortable with different people from different cultures—essential for anyone who travels to other countries." —Brian Tracy , author of The 10 Disciplines of Exceptional Leadership "Whether for business or social relationships, this book is a must-read for anyone who communicates multiculturally. Read it, enjoy it, and do what it says!" —Marshall Goldsmith , New York Times bestselling author of MOJO and What Got You Here Won't Get You There "A descriptive and useful guide for anyone doing business with, or traveling to different cultures. Gayle has addressed what everyone needs to know in order to effectively communicate across cultural borders." —Vince Poscente , New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Speed "I've been privileged to work in more than 25 countries during my career. Gayle's book would have helped me learn vicariously—and a lot faster than what I had to learn from personal experience. Read the book well before your next need for cross-cultural communication—and then reread it. You'll be glad that you did." —Bob Pike , CSP, CPAE Speakers Hall of Fame, author of Creative Training Techniques® Handbook and The Fun Minute Manager "Communicating across cultures is more than understanding different groups. It requires recognizing each individual. Gayle helps you escalate your cultural competencies locally and globally. A must-read for twenty-first century professionals." —Lenora Billings-Harris , author of Trailblazers

Acknowledgments xiii Introduction xv Key One Create Proactive Cross–Cultural Communication 1 Avoid Reactive Communication CHAPTER 1 What Makes Cultures So Unique? 3 Differences Are the Spice of Life! CHAPTER 2 Understanding the “Cultural Layer Cake” 7 We All Have Layers in Our Cakes CHAPTER 3 How Many Strikes Are Against You? 19 Managing Preexisting Cultural Perceptions and Misconceptions CHAPTER 4 Cultural Science 25 How Neurological Development Affects Cultures CHAPTER 5 The Chicken or the Egg of Culture 31 Which Came First? Climate and Environment or Language and Behavior? CHAPTER 6 Maximize Effective Communication 35 . . . By Minimizing Ineffective Communication Key Two Rapport Secrets to Bridge the Cultural Gap 41 In Person, on the Phone, and by E–Mail CHAPTER 7 It’s a Matter of Respect 43 Create Cultural Trust and Understanding CHAPTER 8 Develop Rapport 47 The Most Important Element in Cross–Cultural Relationships CHAPTER 9 Adapt Your Style 51 Awareness Is the First Step! CHAPTER 10 Words, Tonality, and Body Language 59 The Three Methods of Communication That Vary with Every Culture CHAPTER 11 Understanding Communication 67 How Do You Describe a Tree? CHAPTER 12 The Impact of Mother Tongue Languages 71 It All Begins Here Key Three Organize Productive Interactions 79 Understand Cultural Sensitivities and Avoid Conflict CHAPTER 13 Multicultural Time Expectations 81 In Time, on Time, or out of Time? CHAPTER 14 E–Mail Etiquette Is Culturally Sensitive 87 Once It’s Sent, It Cannot Be Undone CHAPTER 15 Triple Cross–Translate 93 Who Wrote These Instructions? CHAPTER 16 It Takes Two to Collaborate 99 How to Position and Influence CHAPTER 17 Framing Your Cross–Cultural Communication 107 For Sales, Negotiations, Management, and International Travel Key Four Strategies for Relationships 119 Cultural Beliefs, Values, and Rules CHAPTER 18 Context, Perception, and Reality 121 The Cross–Cultural “Shortcut” CHAPTER 19 Business and Social Behavioral Styles 129 Where Do You Start? CHAPTER 20 Understanding Cultural Beliefs, Values, and Rules 139 The Roots of Every Culture CHAPTER 21 The Cross–Cultural Potter’s Wheel 149 Don’t Create a Warped Relationship! Key Five Success Leaves Clues 153 Cultural Clues, Do’s, and Taboos CHAPTER 22 Body Language Gestures to Avoid 155 Keep Your Fingers to Yourself! CHAPTER 23 Acronyms, Abbreviations, Analogies, Slang, and Sports Jargon 165 Does Anyone Know Where “Left Field” Is? CHAPTER 24 Global Etiquette Tips 179 What All Cultures Appreciate—No Need to Reinvent the Wheel! CHAPTER 25 Area–Specific Cultural Clues, Do’s, and Taboos 189 For Successful Multicultural Navigation The Germanic, Scandinavian, and Nordic Cultures The Asia/Pacific, Chinese, and Japanese Cultures The English Language Cultures The Russian, East European, and Slavic Cultures The Middle East, Arabic, and North African Cultures The Latin or Romantic Language Cultures CHAPTER 26 Win–Win Cross–Cultural Communication 211 The Key That Unlocks the Door to Successful Relationships Cultural Bloopers! 215 CHAPTER 27 The Humorous Faux Pas 217 They Happen in Every Language CHAPTER 28 Is What You Say What You Mean? 221 Words Don’t Always Translate the Way We Want Them To CHAPTER 29 Paradoxes of the English Language 225 How Can a Wise Man and a Wise Guy Be Opposites? About the Author 227 Index 229

GAYLE COTTON, a National Emmy Award Winner, is a distinguished and highly sought-after speaker, trainer, and coach. Since 1995, she has been President of Circles Of Excellence, an internationally recognized company for corporate training and executive coaching. Gayle has worked with more than fifty Fortune 500 companies and developed business communication programs for the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and major international companies. She is a faculty resource for the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), World Presidents' Organization (WPO), Chief Executives Organization (CEO), and Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO). She was the first American to be accepted as a member of the European Marketing and Sales Experts' Organization and is a Certified Expert with the Executive Foundation for International Communication.