Humans communicate on many levels: spoken language, tone, body language, style and personality. The fact that we have complex cultural identities and a host of differing past experiences increases the probability of cross-cultural miscommunications. This workshop presents major cross-cultural communication theories, ways that cultural values, power, privilege and differences affect the way we communicate, tools for questioning assumptions, and ways to improve cross-cultural communications skills.

1. Northshore/Shoreline Community Network
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
(206) 805-6562
What I Said and What I Meant:
Cross Cultural Communication
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

2. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

3. Agenda
 Cross Cultural Communication
 Cultural Values, Norms of
Behavior, and Communication
 Exercise: Non Verbal Violations
 Cultural Identifiers, Power, and
Communication
 So What? Now What?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

4. Race
Religion
Class
Gender
Sexual
Orientation
Ability
Age
Ethnicity
Geographic Location
Language
Educational
Attainment
Appearance
Seniority
Position
or Title
Status
Relationship
To Power Players
InternalExternal
Institutional
Dimensions of Identity and Culture
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

5.  What is it?
 How is it Different from Intercultural
Communication?
 CCC Theories
– Face-Negotiation Theory
– Conversational Constraints Theory
– Expectancy Violation Theory
– Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory
– Communication Accommodation Theory
Cross Cultural Communication
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

6. Individual - Collectivistic
Low Context - High Context
Task - Relationship
Low Uncertainty - High Uncertainty
Vertical - Horizontal
Dimensions of Variability
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

7.  Personality Orientation
 Individual Values
- Allocentric
- Idiocentric
 Self Construal
- Independent
- Interdependent
 Individual Socialization
 Cultural Norms and Rules
Factors that Influence
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

8. Discussion: My Style
In hearing about
communication
differences, what would
you describe as your
cultural communication
style? Have you noticed
stark differences
compared to others?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

9. Cultural Values
Norms, and Rules
 Values
 Value Priorities
 Norms of Behavior
 Non-Verbal
Communication
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

10. CulturalValueDifferences
RELATIONAL
Individualism
self-reliance, independence
(selfish)
Collectivism
group interdependence
(mindless follower)
Informality
directness, give and take discussion
(rude and abrupt)
Formality
indirectness, protect "face"
(stiff and impersonal)
Competition
individual achievement
(egotistical, show-off)
Cooperation
group achievement
(avoiding doing work or taking responsibility)
AUTHORITY
Egalitarianism
fairness, belief in equal opportunity
(being picky, on a soapbox)
Hierarchy
privilege of status or rank
(power hungry or avoiding accountability)
TEMPORAL
Use of Time
"Time is money"
(doesn’t get the important things in life)
Passage of Time
"Time is for life"
(lazy and irresponsible)
Change/Future
Adaptability ensures survival
(muckraker, stirs up trouble)
Tradition/Past
Stability ensures survival
(old-school, afraid of change)
ACTIVITY
Action orientation
"Make things happen"
(rushes without thinking)
"Being" orientation
"Let things happen"
(indecisive and slow)
Practicality
Efficiency is always best
(impersonal and unscrupulous)
Idealism
Always maintain principles
(naïve and impractical)
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

11. Exercise: Non-Verbal Violations
1: Please pick a partner and stand.
2: You and your partner will receive
different instructions for nonverbal
behaviors. Do not share the
information.
3: Begin to converse about your interests
and hobbies.
4: INCREMENTALLY dramatize the
nonverbal behavior.
5: Make note of thoughts or feelings you
experience.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

12. Non-Verbal Violations: Partner 1
You signal respect by standing
physically close to your partner. Stand
Approximately 6 inches away from
him/her. You enjoy asking a lot of
questions to signal conversational
excitement and involvement. You also
like to touch your partner's arm from
time-to-time to signal approval for a
good idea.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

13. Non-Verbal Violations: Partner 2
You signal respect by standing at
least an arm's length away from your
partner. You constantly check your
watch or the clock for fear of running
out of time in the conversation. You
also like to make loud sounds (ahs,
oohs, uh-huhs, sighs, etc.) to signal
your approval and great contentment
of the conversation.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

14. Debrief: Nonverbal Violations
Did the INTENT of your described
behaviors allow you to display
them more enthusiastically?
What was the IMPACT of the
behaviors of your partner?
Did knowing that “odd” behaviors
may be part of the exercise
help you accept your partner’s
behavior?
In working with people from
various communities, what do
you take away from this
exercise?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

15. Identifiers, Power,
and Communication
Internalized Oppression/Dominance
Stereotype Threat
Microaggressions/Accumulated Impact
Code/Mode Switching
Fish Seeing the Water
“Norm” “Normal” “Good”
“Intent” versus “Impact”
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

16. Discussion: Cross Cultural Conflict
Think about a recent conflict which you
now know to be true to be at heart an
identity and power difference. Using
some of the terminology introduced,
discuss with a partner or group of three
what was going on to cause the conflict.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

17. So What? Now What?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

18. Assumptions and Interpretations
• Mental Models
• Ladder of Inference
Belief
Conclusions
Selective Data
Observable Data
• Tools of Action
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

19. 1. What did you see/hear (raw data)?
2. What are your personal filters (cultural
values, norms, identifiers, experiences)?
3. What was your interpretation of what you
saw/heard (inference)?
4. How did you feel as a result?
5. What do you want?
Checking Assumptions and
Interpretations: Steps to Analyze
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

20. Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Developmental Model of
Intercultural Sensitivity

21. 1. How do you see materials
from this workshop applying
to your roles?
2. What questions do you still
have?
3. What are your personal action
steps?
Discussion:
How Will I Apply All This?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

22. “To be culturally effective doesn’t
mean you are an authority in the
values and beliefs of every culture.
What it means is that you hold a
deep respect for cultural differences
and are eager to learn, and willing to
accept, that there are many ways of
viewing the world”
Okokon O. Udo
Cultural Effectiveness
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

23. Final Questions or Comments?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

24. Resources
• “Stereotype Threat” by Joshua Aronson
• David K. Berlo, The Process of Communication (New York: Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston, 1960)
• Brenda J. Allen, Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity
• William Gudykunst, Cross-Cultural and Intercultural Comunication
• Milton Bennett, PhD, Intercultural Communication Institute
www.intercultural.org
• National Coalition Building Institute
• “Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures” by Erica Hagen,
Intercultural Communication Resources
• Thiagi.com
• Thrive! Team Dynamics
• Nonverbal Violations by Stella Ting-Toomey
• http://www.analytictech.com/mb021/action_science_ history.htm
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

25. Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)