Post #2: Observation of team behaviour: Intercultural and interpersonal communication

In the previous post, we talked about the importance of communication. However, it is unwise to communicate without taking into consideration the culture of the other party. To bring communication to a higher level, one must also observe interpersonal communication skills. With the advancement of technology, we will frequently find ourselves in situations where we have to communicate to a party of another country. Thus, this is an essential skill that all of us must learn.
Interpersonal communication is usually defined as participants who are dependent upon one another and have a shared history. Interpersonal communication is communication with people on a deeper level with skills such as listening and body language. This is only possible if the people you are communicating with understand you. If u show a stranger a thumbs up, he may not know what kind of message you are trying to send. However, if you show this signal to a friend who understands you well, he will get your intended message. In other words, we must be comfortable with communicating to carry out effective interpersonal communication skills.

What does this sign mean?

Intercultural communication is the ability to communicate with people from other cultural background without having any misunderstandings between both parties. If we do not understand the culture of the opposite party, there will be miscommunication between both parties. One such example was when I was in Australia. I went to watch a movie there. When I went to the theatre for the movie, I was surprised that there was no ticketing usher. It was only later that I understood that people in Australia trust each other enough to watch only the movie they paid for. Another excellent example of cultural misunderstanding is from the movie Avatar. In the scene (if you can remember) where the main character tried to shake hands with the chief, the bodyguards of the chief reacted with hostility. The bodyguards misunderstood the action as an intention to harm their chief. Thus, we can see that cultural communication is something that cannot be taken for granted.

Post #1: Communication and teamwork: What are they to me?

Communication is a process of passing information from a messenger to a receiver through a channel. However, this process is far more complex than that. Many things could go wrong during the process of passing the message to the receiver. Thus, it is important to take note of the principles of communication to prevent misunderstanding. If I am the messenger, being clear is one of the most important principles as it allows people to understand the message I am trying to convey. Besides that, I have to give information slowly as the receiver has to take time to digest what I am trying to say. Another important factor is body language. If the receiver is showing negative body language, I will repeat again and slow down. Being the receiver, it is important to listen carefully and show the correct body language at the right time. This will allow the messenger to convey his message with greater ease. Communication is vital to me as it is necessary to communicate to understand people. Without understanding, there can be no progress as nobody can comprehend what I am trying to say.

Teamwork is cooperative work done by a group of people. Teamwork can be done by any group, but effective teamwork is something that can only be done by a team. A team is a group of people who trust each other and recognizes each other strengths and weaknesses. This allows the group to cover for their teammates’ weakness and portray the group’s strengths. Teamwork is important to me because there is a limit to the number of task you can complete alone. With the help of other people, many different and more challenging tasks can be completed within a shorter period of time.

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