In the global economy, when conducting international business, you should be aware that cultural differences can cause barriers to communication. Let’s discuss some of the barriers.

The process of encoding and decoding is based on an individual’s culture. People around the globe see, interpret, and evaluate behavior differently. The greater the difference in culture between the sender and receiver, the greater are the chances of encountering communication barriers. Understanding high- and low-context culture differences can help you communicate better. A person’s behavioral actions varies by culture.

The directness of how business is conducted varies. For example, North Americans tend to favor getting down to business quickly and concisely. Others prefer a more indirect, informal chat to begin business meetings. What constitutes punctuality varies greatly around the world as well. So you need to follow social conventions, face-to-face and when using social media.

Even when you are speaking English to people outside North America, words mean different things, and the same thing may be called by different names. What is considered rude in one country may not be rude in another. So be careful not to accidentally offend people; be pleasant, patient, and professional.

Nonverbals are important, and more so in some cultures than others. Especially seeing a face helps us detect and understand who they are, what they feel, and if they are trustworthy. Make sure your body language, tone of voice, and word choice project a positive, calm, honest demeanor. Most major multinational companies train their employees to be sensitive to specific cultural differences when needed.