Global Communication Begins With a Handshake or Does It!

Abbey began her conference with everyone shaking hands with everyone in the room.  This created a flurry of activity as everyone was introducing themselves to everyone else.  A handshake is a non- threatening jester used as a greeting.  The purpose of the handshake is to convey trust, respect, balance and equality. 

Abbey explained how in Russia the men do not shake hands with a woman, instead a Russian man would kiss a women’s hand.  She discussed how a firm handshake is rude in many cultures and we have to learn to be aware of the different cultures and adapt and understand.  

Abbey then shifted to attention span.  What is the average attention span of an adult? 

Unfortunately, today the attention span for adults is only five minutes. This means you now have only five minutes to convey your message clearly and concisely.

She provided some tips and tricks to demonstrate effective communication within the project team in a global environment….… where technology is constantly evolving and the importance of building a relationship is key.

·         Do not rush a decision based upon first impression

·         Communication – Safe Place

·         Understand the Noise

·         Effective Communication

·         Communication and cultural Diversity

·         Cultural Expectations

·         Belief Systems

To help with communication:

Plan, prepare, laugh, do not let them see you sweat, use templates, take meeting notes, maintain action list and know the holidays for the different cultures.

Hear the highlights in Abbey’s own word in the video below.