Everything you do conveys a message, on different layers. These layers can be either the High Context- meaning that you communicate not only with words, but with voice, tone, body language and so on, or Low Context, which goes to say you expect explicit communications. Some cultures fall in the first categories, others, in the second. Where do Romanians fit in?

By Irina Budrina

Romanians are oratorical by nature and are proud of their sophistication in discourse. They rarely answer questions with “yes” or “no”. It is better to hint at what you want and then be prepared to read between the lines. Their answers are in any case long and complex and may to some extent reflect what you want to hear. Their delicacy is Italian in nature, as is their capacity for flexible truth when questioned aggressively. So Romanians are related to the high-context culture.

We should delve a bit into that. High Context cultures (France, Italy,Spain, Mexico, Greece, Arab countries, East European countries, Japan, China, Korea) communicate meaning not only with words, but with voice, tone, body language, facial expressions, eye contact, speech patterns, and the use of silence. Words play a relatively small part in the overall meaning of the communication, and the context conveys the bulk of the information. People in high-context cultures, such as Asia and South America, tend to take time getting to know one another, providing for an understanding of the broader context of a conversation. This results in knowledge of what to expect, what signals to look for, and how to interpret subtle signs or expressions – fewer words need to be said.

What else about Romanians, from this perspective? They are attentive but suspicious listeners, who may interrupt you if anything you say seems contradictory. They are used to lengthy presentations and arguments, so if you are too brief you will not make much impact. It is important to establish parameters at the outset of any business discussion, fixing procedures, limits and ultimate positions. Romanians will not be deterred from attempting to gain advantage, but once they have understood your position, they can behave in a constructive, creative and charming manner.

At meetings, extensive small talk is a necessary preamble. When the Romanians get down to business, their statements must be taken with a pinch of salt. If you disagree with them, show this obliquely, as they hate being snubbed in any way.

On the other hand, Low Context cultures (Germany, Scandinavian countries, US, Canada) are expecting explicit communications. People want detailed background information before making a decision, however they are generally unaware of subtle nonverbal signals going on around them. Documents and contracts are not taken seriously unless written or signed – details must be provided. For example, in the United States and Germany (both low-context cultures), contracts with numerous explicit clauses are a normal way to conduct business and the written word is taken quite literally. In low-context cultures, expect detailed documentation – thorough job descriptions, detailed accounting, and lengthy business planning documents. The devil is in the detail.

Leveraging high-context and low-context cultures means relying on both implicit and explicit communication – carefully ensuring that what you say (low-context) is always mirrored by what you do (high-context).

Switching to the 'Barbarian-reflex' while communicating

Higher context cultures are more common in the eastern cultures than in western, and in countries with low racial diversity. A lower context culture tends to explain things further, and it is thought that this may be related to the need to accommodate individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds.

When communications become challenging, it can be tempting to access your “barbarian-reflex”, especially when messaging becomes unclear. We should focus a bit on that. Both the ancient Romans and Greeks called all foreigners “Barbarians”. The word “barbarian” refers to the uncultured, or those with unrefined communication skills – both explicit and implicit. The way we express ourselves is predetermined by our differing cultures (even if we often do speak the same language). How we communicate ultimately determines how we are viewed as global leaders.

As you can imagine, it is completely ineffective to view your colleagues, staff, or even clients as “foreign” or “unrefined” simply because they do not communicate as you do. If you are motivated to communicate effectively on a multicultural level, you will need to invest in building trust – the more you come to know someone, the less you tend to look upon him or her as a “barbarian”.

If your purpose is to ensure your colleagues and staff reliably implement to your specifications, the strategy you choose will vary depending on the cultural orientations you are working across. In those high-context cultures, your strategy will need to be relationship and trust based and may not be explicit – more soft-skills based and time intensive. In low-context cultures the purpose of communication is to transfer information and your strategy will need to be explicit, efficient, and detailed in order to ensure the correct implementation.

Damaging miscommunications can (and do) happen frequently when working across cultures, but they can be avoided if we apply some cultural intelligence to our diverse interactions – in particular, understanding the differences between high and low context communications and leveraging both for personal and organizational gain.

Irina Budrina, irina-budrina@hotmail.com. More about Irina Budrina on our editorial team here.
Editing by Corina Saceanu, corina@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Photxpress.com)