What Did You Say? Intercultural Expectations, Misunderstandings, and Communications

What one says to compatriots in face-to-face conversations is often misunderstood; imagine the possibilities for misunderstanding with someone halfway around the world living in a very different culture and whose native language is not the one both of you are speaking! Clear communication is fundamental for the success of any project whether it is done by a small co-located group or by a globally dispersed team. And while the ubiquity of English facilitates basic communication, its use as a common language masks and disguises cultural differences and expectations. A foundation for cross-cultural communication and understanding cultural differences is not only useful but essential for any project executed by a geographically dispersed team. Culture is broadly defined as "the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group of people from others" (Hofstede and Jofstede, 2005). Culture is different from human nature because human nature is shared by all humans. Culture is also different from personality but the border between the two is difficult to pinpoint. Generally speaking culture is what one shares with one\´s compatriots.