How a Swiss Shepherd Taught Me a Lesson in Humility & Compassion: 5 Tips to Be a Stronger Global Communicator
During a recent business trip, I was lost on a mountainside in Switzerland. Night falling. Fog settling in. Temperatures dropping. Cell service lacking.
Then I saw some hope. A literal shepherd. Tall, older, bearded and strong. Think Sam Elliott. The odds of him speaking English were pretty low. The odds of me miraculously speaking German, even lower. But I stopped and gave it a shot. “Hello. I’m lost.”
Nothing.
I showed him the road name for my Airbnb. At that, he got quite animated. He pointed me in the right direction, and we finally found our lodging.
But also along the way, I found some perspective, especially on what it’s like to communicate across language barriers.
What Communicators Should Keep in Mind
At Rhudy & Co. Strategic Communications, we specialize in corporate communications and often partner with companies that have a global footprint and employee base. It’s essential that we develop and execute strategies that help our clients share business news with their workforce.
This is rarely a simple undertaking when you consider all the many languages and cultures involved. So keeping in mind what it’s like to receive communications – whether print, digital or live – that are not in your native language or that have been translated into your native language is not only critical, but also compassionate.
5 Tips to Be a Stronger Global Communicator
1. Be clear. It’s a no brainer. Avoid slang or jargon like “no brainer.”
2. Be visual. Let graphics and pictures do more of the talking.
3. Be singularly focused. Communicate one important point at a time to minimize confusion.
4. Be relevant. Engagement is highest when the topic is most relevant and next steps are clear and doable.
5. Be curious. Take a few minutes to read Erin Meyer’s article “Getting to Si, Ja, Oui, Hai, and Da.” It was the most read Harvard Business Review article of 2015. I heard Meyer speak in 2016 about her book, The Culture Map. She is an authority on navigating cultural complexities and has worked with the United Nations, Netflix, Johnson & Johnson, and Twitter.
Nicole van Esselstyn would not recommend getting lost in a foreign country, but if you ever find yourself in that situation, you might as well learn something from it.