Cultural Impacts on Communication

Recognizing the style of communication generated by someones position and culture is important in any setting but especially in union negotiations, where discussions around needs, impacts, and compromises can raise emotions at the negotiating table and behind the scenes. These emotions can play out in physical behavior through facial reactions or remain present in communication style.

Describe your experience in cross-cultural situations either at work or in your personal life. In your initial post, address the following points:

• Identify two incidents of tacit communication, which might include body language, facial reactions, personal distance, eye contact, and so on.
• Identify two incidents of overt communication, including open and obvious communication, which may have occurred in your conversations or in a meeting.
• Discuss how cross-cultural communication might have an impact on the zone of possible agreement (ZOPA) or BATNA in a negotiation situation.