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the mutual incomprehension that can sometimes arise between people
from different English-speaking countries.

In this new world, good cross-cultural communication is a must.

UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Given different cultural contexts, this brings new communication
challenges to the workplace. Even when employees located in
different locations or offices speak the same language (for instance,
correspondences between English-speakers in the U.S. and English-
speakers in the UK), there are some cultural differences that should be
considered in an effort to optimize communications between the two
parties.

In such cases, an effective communication strategy begins with the
understanding that the sender of the message and the receiver of the
message are from different cultures and backgrounds. Of course, this
introduces a certain amount of uncertainty, making communications
even more complex.

Without getting into cultures and sub-cultures, it is perhaps most
important for people to realize that a basic understanding of cultural
diversity is the key to effective cross-cultural communications.
Without necessarily studying individual cultures and languages in
detail, we must all learn how to better communicate with individuals
and groups whose first language, or language of choice, does not
match our own.

DEVELOPING AWARENESS OF INDIVIDUAL CULTURES

However, some learning the basics about culture and at least
something about the language of communication in different countries
is important. This is necessary even for the basic level of
understanding required to engage in appropriate greetings and
physical contact, which can be a tricky area inter-culturally. For
instance, kissing a business associate is not considered an appropriate
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