One of the challenges of working across geographies is virtual distance. This TMA World Viewpoint advises on how to communicate successfully in general, and communicating via technology in particular. For more advice on virtual communication and the other skills you and your organization require to thrive in the borderless workplace, contact us today: enquiries@tmaworld.com or visit our website: www.tmaworld.com

1. Does Technology Mask Cultural
Distinction?
Terence Brake
Director of Learning & Innovation, TMA World

2. © Transnational Management Associates Ltd. All Rights Reserved. [Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?]
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One of the
challenges
of working
across
geographies is
virtual distance.

3. © Transnational Management Associates Ltd. All Rights Reserved. [Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?]
3
You might have heard the
term interpersonal mush.
It’s a very useful term when
thinking about
communicating in general,
and communicating via
technology in particular.
Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?

4. © Transnational Management Associates Ltd. All Rights Reserved. [Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?]
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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
I first came across the term
in the book, Clear Leadership
by Gervase Bushe who is
management and
organization studies
professor at Simon Fraser
University in Canada.

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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
It is tied to the human
process we call sense-making
which according to Bushe is,
“making up a story about
other people’s experience
(what they are thinking,
feeling and/or wanting) to fill
in the gaps of our
knowledge.”

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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
Even if we are working face-
to-face with other people,
there are many things about
them that we do not know.
The mind doesn’t like these
blank spaces and so we
make up stories to fill them –
positive or negative.
If this is true in the face-to-
face world, in the digital
workspace our sense-making
goes into hyper-drive.

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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
Distance and the
communication limitations of
many technologies present
us with huge gaps in our
knowledge of others.
The result is interpersonal
mush –
stories made up about others
that turn out to be false.

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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
Technologies
can be
categorized
into
Rich or
Lean.
Rich technologies (like videoconferencing)
embody many of the features of face-to-face
communication – verbal, visual and nonverbal
cues that help us gain a certain degree of accuracy
in making sense of others. Much contextual
information, however, is still lost.
Lean media (like e-mail, memos, and reports)
convey even less information.

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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
People are really all the same.
“ ”In the digital workplace, we
are often so devoid of real
knowledge of others the
‘people are really all the
same’ story works overtime.
The signals someone
conveys that
videoconferencing is not the
best use of technology when
working with their culture
can be totally lost.
One of the stories we
often rely upon in our
world of interpersonal
mush is that:

10. © Transnational Management Associates Ltd. All Rights Reserved. [Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?]
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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
I remember working with teams whose members came from Japan, the
US, and Europe. The Americans and Europeans were very comfortable
with videoconferencing, but the Japanese were not.
The Japanese never used the zoom function on the camera because they
didn’t want any individual to stand out from the group and be at risk for
losing face.
There was another issue: Language.

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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
The Japanese were comfortable with written English, but the
speed of conversations on the videoconferences left them very
confused and frustrated.
They didn’t want to ask questions for fear of losing credibility
with their European and US colleagues (none of whom picked
up on the fact that the Japanese were trying to convey their
cultural discomfort with the technology).
The cultural differences were missed because of the
assumption that we in the West like this technology, and really
we’re all the same.

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Does Technology Mask Cultural Distinction?
Because of the sole reliance on technology for conducting the
teamwork, none of the Europeans or Americans came to see or
understand the cultural context of the Japanese.
It was only when a culturally knowledgeable third-party
intervened, and site visit exchanges were arranged, that
the cultural differences were unmasked and understood.

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Visit
www.tmaworld.com/insights
to discover the latest
thinking from our experts on
global, collaborative, cross-
cultural and virtual working.
There you’ll find links to our:
About Us Webinar Blog Viewpoint &
Articles
Publications
Twitter Written by Terence Brake,
Director of Learning & Innovation at TMA World.
Our new Borderless Working e-book series

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About Us
Above all we’d like to hear from you
directly, so please don’t hesitate to send
any comments, questions or feedback
to us at: enquiries@tmaworld.com
Or visit our website:
www.tmaworld.com
Visit
www.tmaworld.com/insights
to discover the latest
thinking from our experts on
global, collaborative, cross-
cultural and virtual working.