50 Activities for Achieving Cultural Competence

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Where is my order?

FaridElashmawi,GlobalSuccess

SanJose,California,USA

Purpose

It is the purpose of this exercise to help participants evaluate their written communication

skills as they relate to several important international cultures. Specifically, participants will:

• Test their multicultural written communication skills

• Understand where they need improvement in their written communication skills

• Explore the differences in multicultural written communication

Targetaudience

Business executives and managers who deal with managers, negotiators, salespersons,

trainers, etc., with diverse cultural backgrounds. An audience of 20 or less is ideal.

Time

30 minutes

Materials

• Writing materials—paper and pens

• Handout 1, “Where is my order?” for each participant

Procedure

1. Give a copy of the handout to each participant, and then ask that each person write a

memo to a partner from a different culture. Assign each individual a specific culture to

write to (American, French, Saudi Arabian, Chinese, etc.). You can also develop and

assign a different topic if the work of the group commonly involves memos that you are

familiar with.

2. When they have written the memo, ask participants to discuss their memos in small groups.

3. Ask the groups to share what they learned and their results.

4. Debrief by pointing out, as needed, how to start and end the memo and how to greet and

persuade others from the different cultures. Highlight key words in the memo.

50ActivitiesforAchievingCulturalCompetency

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Debrief

The following points might be useful:

• Ask participants to read from their memos two to three words that will really persuade that

culture to respond positively to their request.

• Recommend that when they go back to work the next day, they re-read some letters, faxes,

or memos coming to them from different cultures and read between the lines and words of

Americans, Japanese, Saudi Arabian, Chinese, etc.

• Remind them that next time they are sending a letter or memo to an individual from

another cultural background, they should stop for a moment and review what they have

written from a cultural perspective. Magic will happen!

Whereismyorder?

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Reproducedfrom50ActivitiesforAchievingCulturalCompetence,byJonamayLambert,

SelmaMyers,andGeorgeSimons,editors.Amherst,MA:HRDPress,2000,2008

[Handout1]

Where is my order?

Scenario

Three months ago, you requested a design document from your partner in a joint venture. You

have yet to receive it. Develop and write a short memo to your partner inquiring about the delay

and persuading him or her to respond positively to your request. Be sensitive to your partner’s

background.

Write your partner’s assigned culture here: __________________________________________

Write your memo in the space below: