In order to avoid misjudging someone else's character or behaviour, here are some ways to think more specifically about the cultural differences outlined. You will thus be able better to cooperate in international teams as well.
Affective cultures
These emphasise expressive communication and sharing feelings. People with an affective orientation use a wider range of facial expressions and physical gestures in everyday conversation.
- When they are excited, they speak loudly and enjoy animated quarrels and debates
- They are more enthusiastic and spontaneous
- They take emotions and intuition into account when making decisions
- Statements are often emotional and dramatic and can often be exaggerated to emphasise a point.
Examples: African Americans, Italians, Latin Americans, Middle Easterners, Spaniards. Likewise manual workers or marketers.
Neutral cultures
These emphasise non-emotional communication and emotional control. People with a neutral orientation try not to express their feelings too much. Reason tends to influence their behaviour more than how they feel about the situation.
- They are more likely to mask their thoughts and feelings
- They try to stay cool and in control, even if this sometimes leads to unexpected outbursts, which then become even more unpleasant
- They speak rather monotonously
- They expect others to keep to the point and specific, predetermined topics
Examples: Chinese, Ethiopians, Germans, Japanese, Native Americans. Also representatives of management, employees in engineering.
In many neutral cultures, especially throughout Asia, silence during discussions is not only fine but also welcome. Silence is a sign of respect, allowing both parties to reflect and accept what has been said. In many affective cultures, "silent treatment" is considered repressive.
You may also have the feeling that some employees at the company are less involved or even passive. However, they might display interest and enthusiasm in a different way than expressively ...
The first step in resolving these differences is your emotional intelligence. You need to understand your own emotional state and gain the ability to regulate emotions in yourself and in others. However, emotional intelligence alone is not enough: you may misidentify the emotions of others based on your cultural interpretations. Cultural intelligence is the only way effectively to understand someone from another cultural background.
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