Interpersonal Communication & Culture

Activities in this Lesson

Ice Breaker Activity

Divide the meeting participants into groups of 3 people by having you number off. Find ten things you have in common, with every other person in your group, that have nothing to do with work.

Suggestions: What is your favorite food? What do you like to do after school? Do you work? Do you like to shop? Do you like to drink coffee? Do you have a pet? Do you play a common sport? What color eyes do you have? Do you have any siblings?

Write these on the papers I gave you and place with a paper clip on your chest.

Communication Lecture

Leading and managing projects is one thing; leading and managing people is another. Moving from an outstanding worker or employee into a management or supervisory role requires letting go of the everyday hands-on skills that got you there. It also requires that you implement a new set of leadership skills. Dealing with people - as a leader or as a manager - involves human relations, coaching, decision making, and communications skills. These are learned skills that need practice. Examine the skills that enable strong, effective leadership and sound people-management.

One way of defining interpersonal communication is to compare it to other forms of communication. In so doing, we would examine how many people are involved, how physically close they are to one another, how many sensory channels are used, and the feedback provided. Interpersonal communication differs from other forms of communication in that there are few participants involved, the interactants are in close physical proximity to each other, there are many sensory channels used, and feedback is immediate.

a. Now with your chest having a paper with your favorite things hanging from it, get another paper. On another piece of paper sit in a circle with your team. Answer the following questions. You will be presenting.

1. Have you ever had an experience speaking with people whose native language was different than your own?

2. How did these conversations usually turn out?

3. With hindsight, what might you have done to make these conversations run more smoothly?

4. How much did you trust your partner (out of 10) at the start? Why do you trust them? Or not?

5. How much did you trust your partner (out of 10) at the end? Why do you trust them? Or not?

6. What is the difference between going alone and being guided by another? Is it easier to work in this small group or would you rather work alone? Explain.

7. What ingredients are needed when trusting and working with someone else? Explain

8. What did your partners do to help you feel safe and secure?

9. What could your partner have done to help make you feel more safe/secure?

10. What communication strategies worked best?

11. Did you feel that your cultural differences helped make these strategies work?

12. What communication issues occurred?

13. What communication issues were caused by cultural differences?

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