Non Verbal Comunication în the Global Village

Introduction

Do we expect other cultures to adopt our customs or are we willing to adopt theirs? This might translate to how business or even foreign relations are to be conducted. Do we compromise or force others peoples to deal only on our terms? We may not have time to hear a language, but taking time to learn the "signals" is a powerful communicator.

As the global village continues to shrink and cultures collide, it is essential for all of us to become more sensitive, more aware, and more observant to the myriad motions, gestures, and body language that surround us each day. And as many of us cross over cultural borders, it would be fitting for us to respect, learn, and understand more about the effective, yet powerful "silent language" of gestures.

The world is a giddy montage of vivid gestures- traffic police, street vendors, expressway drivers, teachers, children on playground, athletes with their exuberant hugging, clenched fists and "high fives." People all over the world use their hands, heads, and bodies to communicate expressively.

Without gestures, our world would be static and colorless. The social anthropologists Edward T. Hall claim 60 percent of all our communication is nonverbal. In that case, how can we possibly communicate with one another without gestures?

Gestures and body language communicate as effectively as words- maybe even more effectively. We use gestures daily, almost instinctively, from beckoning to a waiter, or punctuating a business presentation with visual signals to airport ground attendants guiding an airline pilot into the jet way or a parent using a whole dictionary of gestures to teach (or preach to) a child.

Gestures are woven inextricably in to our social lives, but also that the "vocabulary" of gestures, can be at once informative and entertaining... but also dangerous. Gestures can be menacing (two drivers on a freeway), warm (an open-armed welcome). Instructive (a police man giving road directions), or even sensuous (the liquid movement of a Hawaiian hula dancer).

Bear in mind that the following gestures are in general use, but there may always be exceptions. In recent years, Western and contemporary values and ideas have become more popular and has either influenced, altered, and even replaced, some of the more traditional gestures, understanding human behavior is tricky stuff. Nor two people behave in precisely the same way. Nor do people from the same culture all perform exactly the same gestures and body language uniformly. For almost any gestures there will probably be a minority within a given nationality who might say "Well, some might attach that meaning to it, but to me it means..." and then they will provide a different interpretation.

In the world of gestures, the best single piece of advice is to remember the two A's - "Ask" and be "aware." If you see a motion or gesture that is new or confusing, ask a local person what it signifies. Then, be aware of the many body signs and customs around you.

Source: Axtell, Roger E. Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World. John Wiley & Sons, 1991.

The Ultimate Gesture

According to Roger G. Axtell, the "ultimate gesture" carries certain welcome characteristic unlike any other single gestures.

- First, this "ultimate gestures" is known everywhere- and I stress "everywhere"- in the world. It is absolutely universal.

- Second, it is rarely, if ever, misunderstood. Primitive tribes and world leaders alike know and use this gestures. The tribesmen - like you, no doubt - recognize it in others and use it themselves.

- Third, scientists believe this particular gesture actually releases chemicals called endorphins in to the system that create a feeling of mild euphoria.

- Fourth, as you travel around the world, this gesture may help you slip out of the prickliest of difficult situations.

What is this singular signal, this miracle mien, this giant of all gestures? It is quite simply, the smile.

Use it freely, use it often.

Source: Axtell, Roger E. Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World. John Wiley & Sons, 1991.

Managerial skills needed by the year 2000 by Brent R. Ruben

- RESPECT: This mean the capability of demonstrating respect in whichever way a specific culture requires: respect for age, respect in manner of speech, respect with eye contact, respect with hand or body gestures, respect for personal privacy, and so on.

- TOLERATING AMBIGUITY: This refers to the skill of reacting positively to new, different, and at times, unpredictable situations.

- RELATING TO PEOPLE: This means placing the management of people on an equal level with "getting the job done." Too often, American managers are totally result-oriented without sensitivity to the " people ingredient."

- BEING NON JUDGEMENTAL: This is the ability to withhold judgment until all information is accumulated, while also taking into account cultural idiosyncrasies that could color judgment.

- PERSONALIZING ONE'S OBSERVATION: This is the skill of recognizing that each person sees the world from his or her own platform of observations.

- EMPATHY: This skill, the ability to place yourself in another person's shoes, is on of the higher level skills in intercultural relationships.