Michelle Gibson-Morgan. Lead. Learn. Change. Thrive.

“Intercultural communication is more than translation.” Michelle Gibson-Morgan

I find that recently I have repeated that sentence in several contexts. I infer that persons are not aware that a nuanced understanding of the values and worldviews of individuals and communities influence how your messaging is perceived. Above all, respect is conveyed in different ways and are culturally defined. There is no universal expression of respect. There are many scenarios we could consider in which written, verbal or non-verbal expressions, though well intended, conveyed a different message to the recipient and had the opposite impact on the relationship.

It appears that some persons assume that translating content from one language to another is sufficient to bridge a cultural divide. It is much deeper than that. By the way, translation is about conveying a concept from one linguistic and cultural context to another. People often confuse translation as word for word dictionary meanings.

Let’s revisit how we communicate to ensure people perceive that their perspectives and expectations matter.

#Communication #InterculturalCommunication #CulturalDiversity #CulturalCompetence