Adapting Messages
pting Adapting Your Messages to the Audience, a Personal Reflection by Timothy McCauley
Having taken the time to better understand the differences in cultures and comparing those from Hong Kong, China to ours, I obtained a better understanding that clothes, colors, punctuality and handshakes are important differences. What I found disturbing about the whole process is, what about us?
In these present years of a global economy it seems so unfair to me that we, The United States of America, have to be considerate of other nations and their cultural differences? What about the other way around? Any company in America that does business with others from a different nation should not have to be so considerate of them, that we surrender our personal liberties in order to do so. Why should we, when companies from other parts of the world are coming here to the USA to do business with us. It was not like this just a few decades ago. I know from experience as an older adult that the people of other countries that wanted to do business with the USA found a way to understand and adapt to our way of life. So, what happened here? What changed?
I get it; I know that it is important to understand your audience in order to properly convey your message. If I am going to their country, I can certainly understand the need to know a few things about the culture that I will potentially be doing business with. Just as Sandra Loredo, gave us some really good insight to the Middle Eastern countries and the religious and food differences, or the example that Noni Scott, gave about her personal experience with someone from that region and his body odor.
America is the greatest nation in the world and it is important to many professional partners that we as Americans maintain our uniqueness and not become subservient to those from other parts of the globe. I believe that it is paramount that we maintain our role as the leader, an innovator for the rest of the world to look up to.
Having taken the time to better understand the differences in cultures and comparing those from Hong Kong, China to ours, I obtained a better understanding that clothes, colors, punctuality and handshakes are important differences. What I found disturbing about the whole process is, what about us?
In these present years of a global economy it seems so unfair to me that we, The United States of America, have to be considerate of other nations and their cultural differences? What about the other way around? Any company in America that does business with others from a different nation should not have to be so considerate of them, that we surrender our personal liberties in order to do so. Why should we, when companies from other parts of the world are coming here to the USA to do business with us. It was not like this just a few decades ago. I know from experience as an older adult that the people of other countries that wanted to do business with the USA found a way to understand and adapt to our way of life. So, what happened here? What changed?
I get it; I know that it is important to understand your audience in order to properly convey your message. If I am going to their country, I can certainly understand the need to know a few things about the culture that I will potentially be doing business with. Just as Sandra Loredo, gave us some really good insight to the Middle Eastern countries and the religious and food differences, or the example that Noni Scott, gave about her personal experience with someone from that region and his body odor.
America is the greatest nation in the world and it is important to many professional partners that we as Americans maintain our uniqueness and not become subservient to those from other parts of the globe. I believe that it is paramount that we maintain our role as the leader, an innovator for the rest of the world to look up to.