The Ubiquitous Business Letter and Cross-Cultural Communication

Vol 1, No 5, September 21, 2023

After combing the nooks and crannies of my sphere of influence searching for my significant other, I finally found someone I believed was the “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Securing my parents' blessing was another considerable hurdle because, in nearly every part of Africa, marriage is considered a union of two families, two kindreds, and two communities.

As we settled down in our seats, the first question my mum asked the charming, tall damsel by my side was where she was from. Instinctively, she volunteered the answer respectfully just as I opened my mouth to say something. But no sooner had we started the usual banter to get to know each other than I drew my mum aside and asked,

"Mum, of everything you needed to know about Kamsi, why did you ask where she was from?"

My mum, who was given to poetry and wrote avidly, even entering two of her best poems for the Rotary Club National Poetry Competition, just replied smiling,

“It is because every human being is a poster version of her place of origin.”

“Wow, this is deep,” says my kid sister as she munched away at her lunch without a care in the world from the dining table.

Even though it wasn’t the first time I heard about the interconnectedness between one’s origin and world outlook, my mum reinforced the fundamental truth. That absolute truth became more manifest as I moved up the career ladder and traveled within the continent and beyond. Day by day, it crystallized as I worked, interacted, and played with people of different tribes, races, and cultures.

At the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, a multilateral development finance institution where I consult on strategic communications, I came face-to-face with the impediments of cross-cultural communication. With over 1,500 personnel drawn from all 54 African countries and 26 European, Asian, and American countries, we work closely and interact with people from over 80 countries.

During the first few weeks of my stay at the AfDB, I had cause to worry when I greeted a team member from the EU. He flipped his head upward and downward like a robot, or, like the Agama-agama lizard, hardly mumbling an audible reply. To a typical African, that had rudeness written all over it. But it would help if you remembered that you were dealing with someone of a different race.

To decouple this topic, let's consider what the author below says as she talks about her experience with discrimination brought about by the challenges of cross-cultural communication.

Thais Compoint (July 9, 2018), the CEO of Declic International, an internationally acclaimed specialist in inclusive leadership who received 14 awards, including the prestigious "Top Global Diversity and Inclusion Leader Award 2018," says, 

“In some countries, like the US, people view conversations as an opportunity to exchange information. People get down to business quickly. In Latin American countries, for instance, conversations are primarily an opportunity to enhance the relationship. I once worked for an American company where, in meetings, participants barely introduced each other; we got down to work immediately. Being a Latin American, it took me a while to get used to it."

In her blog article titled "Six Barriers to Cross-Cultural Communication," published online, Thais enumerated the barriers as follows:

1.      Stereotyping

2.      Ethnocentrism  

3.      Conflicting values

4.      Psychological barriers

5.      Language barriers

6.      Geographical distance

Due to space constraints, we shall critically examine the first three barriers to cross-cultural communication: stereotyping, ethnocentrism, and conflicting values.

Stereotyping

Most minorities know how it feels to be stereotyped and discriminated against based on where they come from, skin color, or looks (they don't look like any of us).

Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie, the multiple award-winning iconic Nigerian female writer who recently reviewed Barack Obama’s book, A Promised Land, says in “The Danger of a Single Story,” a TED speech she gave on October 7, 2009, 

“Years later, I thought about this when I left Nigeria to go to university in the United States. I was 19. My American roommate was shocked by me. She asked where I had learned to speak English so well and was confused when I said that Nigeria happened to have English as its official language. She asked if she could listen to what she called my "tribal music," and was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey. (Laughter)

She assumed that I did not know how to use a stove. What struck me was this: She had felt sorry for me even before she saw me. Her default position toward me, as an African, was a kind of patronizing, well-meaning pity. My roommate had a single story of Africa. A single story of catastrophe! In this single story, there was no possibility of Africans being similar to her, in any way. No possibility of feelings more complex than pity. No possibility of a connection as human equals (Emphasis mine).”

Chimamanda exemplifies my sentiments exactly.

Stereotyping is a massive impediment to cross-cultural communication. So, consider yourself a culturally literate writer. In that case, ensure that it is manageable for effective communication.

Ethnocentrism

In the global “war” of the races, you often hear ill-educated and culturally illiterate but otherwise rational, fit, and proper folks claim their race is superior to the others. Those familiar with the widescale atrocities, genocide, and despicable crimes against humanity committed by Adolf Hitler, the German dictator, understand that most of it was because of his prejudiced belief that his race, the Aryan race, was superior to all others. Hitler and his misinformed and sick co-travelers "promoted the false notion that glorified the German people as members of the 'Aryan race,'" according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia.

In the workplace, ethnocentrism forces those on the receiving end to work according to their boss's dictates, whims, and caprices because these bosses feel superior to them on the grounds of race. Anyone unfortunate enough to go through (or is currently going through) this harrowing experience deserves pity and encouragement.

From a different perspective, in our strategy meetings at the African Development Bank, we had situations where highly distinguished professionals spoke across purposes and "spoke at" each other. Of course, what played out exposed the fact that many people needed to be culturally literate enough to recognize and appreciate the beauty and richness of diversity.

Conflicting Values

A hilarious example I often cite is the way the early Christian missionaries and colonialists to Africa condemned the local culture, cultural artifacts, and indigenous arts and crafts. They reportedly destroyed this valuable historical heritage and sites dating back several centuries.

But do you know the irony?

Today, some cultural artifacts, so-called pagan and evil objects, are displayed in the best museums in Europe and the US by the same people who condemned these treasures in Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries.

What a world!

So, as you write a business letter to a newly acquired business partner or client, remember these distinguishing characteristics and barriers to cross-cultural communication.

As I conclude, the crucial takeaway from this discourse is that you should keep the impediments of cross-cultural communication in mind as you compose your business letter. With the aid of Google and artificial intelligence (AI), you can always check the likely cultural flashpoints when writing to someone of another race.

Next week, we will discuss Business Letter Etiquette That Nobody Talks About.

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