Originally published in print and online by The Edge Malaysia on 26th February 2024.

In an era where a single tweet can shake industries and trigger unemployment, how can we be sure that we are communicating with (enough) sensitivity?

Enter cultural intelligence.

Whether you are speaking online or offline, communication is still the bedrock of every interaction, bridging diverse cultures and fostering global collaboration. After all, the desire to connect on a human level has only increased in today’s technology-dominated, “artificially intimate” world.

The importance of cultural nuance in communication, especially within international relations, cannot be overstated, as it plays a crucial role in preventing misunderstandings and conflicts. Cultural differences encompass a wide range of aspects, including language nuances, non-verbal cues, social norms and historical contexts. Ignoring or misinterpreting these cultural subtleties can lead to unintended consequences, strained relationships and, in extreme cases, geopolitical tensions.

Just last April, a breakdown in communication between the US and China heightened the risk of an unintended crisis or conflict, while diplomatic channels between the two superpowers have dwindled amid deteriorating relations.

Sometimes, effective communication means looking at what is being unsaid. Misinterpretations can occur anywhere and everywhere, from cross-cultural political negotiations, all the way to long-awaited Hollywood movies as in the case of Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer, which had come under heavy criticism for neglecting to depict the Japanese perspective and the destructive impact of the nuclear explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Lost in translation?

Let us imagine a scenario: two individuals engaged in a heated debate, exchanging ideas.

Whether a family, workplace or spousal conflict comes to mind, they are all susceptible to one thing: a disparity in communication styles.

On one side, there is a culture that values directness and explicit expression — this is low-context communication. Common in many Western societies such as the US and Northern Europe, this style prioritises straightforward conversation and individualism, relying heavily on what is spoken rather than unspoken cues like body language.

On the other side of the coin, there are cultures where much of the message is conveyed through non-verbal cues and subtle gestures — this is high-context communication. High-context communication finds its roots in cultural subtleties, implied cues and shared experiences within a specific culture. In high-context cultures, like those of many Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American societies, a mere gesture or subtle shift in tone can carry profound weight and underlying meaning.

A clash of styles can engender misunderstandings, misinterpretations and even perceived disrespect between individuals or groups. Take, for example, a multinational workplace, where team members might struggle to collaborate effectively due to communication differences.

While a high-context communicator may assume that his colleagues understand their expectations implicitly, low-context communicators may expect clear, detailed instructions instead. This can result in project delays, workflow disruption and employee frustration.

Even within the household with family spanning across generations, family members might have different communication styles. For instance, an older family member, who is more accustomed to high-context communication, may feel disrespected by a younger member’s direct and low-context communication, leading to animosity and tension.

That being said, how do we then adapt cultural differences into our lives, in and out of the workplace?

Walk the diplomatic walk, talk the inclusive talk

Adapting the dichotomy of these two styles is crucial to reducing potential conflict across facets of our everyday life.

From a communications perspective, accommodating cultural differences is also instrumental in shaping marketing and advertising campaigns, and pulling off cross-cultural projects requires careful balancing of communication styles.

A successful campaign that we have all come to know and love is the iconic McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle. Born out of desperation due to plummeting share prices back in the ’00s, the jingle marked McDonald’s first attempt at a global campaign, and more importantly, its last chance at a successful comeback.

Ultimately, it struck gold with the simplistic slogan, animated visuals and catchy jingles (with a little help from Justin Timberlake’s vocals). The takeaway? A universal campaign, easily understood across different language barriers, regardless of communication style and, in turn, increased brand recognition worldwide.

Personally, I prefer a cautious approach — starting with in-depth cultural research to comprehend the unique preferences and lingo of the target audience. This research comes into play when we craft narratives, allowing us to exercise sensitivity to contextual cues. It is also essential to tap on visual and non-verbal elements, creating flexibility in messaging.

The future of communications: Keeping it human

Speaking of conversations, let us talk about the elephant in the room.

The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots has taken the world by storm. Through sophisticated algorithms and training on vast data sets, chatbots now have the power of natural language generation and capturing the nuances of human expression.

For one, tools like OpenAI’s GPT-3 and Journey AI possess remarkable ability in generating text that is contextually relevant and tailored to your specific needs. They even handle language translation, diversity insight research and content localisation — all of which act as stepping stones to aid cross-cultural meetings.

Despite ethical considerations like plagiarism and misinformation, there is no denying AI’s influential role in amplifying creativity and streamlining productivity. As of today, AI is well-positioned to reinvent the wheel and disrupt industry-old traditions.

While AI has started to touch different aspects of our lives, ultimately, communication is a two-way street, and people want to talk to people.

Regardless of what the field of technology generates tomorrow, a human touch simply cannot be replaced. Soft skills like adaptability and empathy remain paramount in the field, and in a world where screens shrink distances, being a master of high-context and low-context communication styles is pretty much like having a universal translator.

It’s time for a shift in our messaging — one that pays homage to cultural expectations and says we are not just talking; we are listening too.