Linguistic barriers or Communication Problems?
Before you read this article, I’ve got an assignment for you.
Watch this Youtube video first, and let’s have a talk. I promise you’re going to like it.
… Did you like the video? Ok, now you’re ready.
It’s been almost 5 months since I joined this company 3i.inc as an IT interpreter. Can you imagine someone like me who didn’t even know what Front-end and Back-end meant working at an IT company, helping engineers from different backgrounds communicate with each other? Yeah, I’m laughing at myself too. It was like a pilot flying blind.
You would wonder then, how I’m doing my job, right? I’m not going to lie. It was chaos in the beginning.
Besides my lack of IT knowledge, I realized that we approached problems from a completely different perspective. You know how languages shape the way we think? It’s not that we were fundamentally different. We were speaking different languages.
And I’ve started seeing why they think the way they think as I’ve been learning their language.
Do you remember what the little boy said to his dad at the end of the video (4:09)?
“You’re not making any sense! You ruined it on purpose, you know how to make one!”
I feel you, little boy.
But why did Josh rub the bread with the butter knife without peanut butter on it when it obviously meant to spread the peanut butter on the bread with the butter knife?
Does he not have common sense? Did he not know how to make peanut butter sandwiches?
Of course, He knew. But computers? They wouldn’t know.
Unlike computers, we humans don’t need specific instructions to do things every time. It’s because we know how things work based on our hands-on or hands-off experiences. But, computers don’t know what to do without step-by-step instructions.
Imagine you’re trying to explain how to use a fork to someone who’s never seen or used it before. (Maybe aliens?)
What’s there to explain? you’d think.
Yes, but how would they have known it was for eating if they’ve never seen a fork before?
That’s why trying to understand from others’ point of view is one of the most essential elements of communication whether you’re communicating with people or computers, because one situation can appear to another in a completely different way.
It gets more complicated especially when people from diverse backgrounds are involved. You need to take various factors into account how they might affect communication, and see how you can improve it and try to connect better with them.
So, How can we improve our communications skills? It’s simple.
1. Be Concise.
No need to be verbose, but you want to be as descriptive as possible. Take out words that might confuse others, but instead provide sufficient information or instructions for them to understand. I think we’ve learned this enough from the video.
2. Remove your assumptions.
A thumbs-up gesture is used to express approval or encouragement in most countries, but it’s used as an insult in some cultures. Never assume that people come from the same background as yours.
We just need these 2 keys that are essential to effective communication. No fancy or secret ingredients are required.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
