| Making a presentation in front of
| |
| | Canadian audiences, on the other hand,
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| international audiences is not for the
| |
| | like a faster pace. Many Asian and Latin
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| fainthearted. People from different
| |
| | cultures prefer presentations with
|
| cultural backgrounds with varying
| |
| | emotional appeal.
|
| language skills are definitely more
| |
| | Different cultures gather and process
|
| challenging than a homogenous local
| |
| | information differently, in a way that is
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| audience. Are international audiences
| |
| | unique to that culture. We assume that
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| any different from local audiences? From
| |
| | speaking Spanish is a safe option in all
|
| a biological point of view, there are
| |
| | countries where Spanish is spoken, but
|
| almost no differences as all humans
| |
| | Hispanic employees from different
|
| behave similarly in response to basic
| |
| | countries even have different words for
|
| stimuli like hunger and heat. The
| |
| | the same thing, and this can create
|
| differences become crucial when one
| |
| | conflict. Sometimes logic or reason can
|
| considers cultural conditioning.
| |
| | evade us. For example, there is no
|
| Let us take the classical example quoted
| |
| | concept of guilt in some Eastern
|
| in many places. If the world were a
| |
| | cultures. There is no Heaven or Hell, but
|
| village of 1,000 people, it would
| |
| | there may be karma and shame. The
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| include: 584 Asians, 124 Africans, 95
| |
| | Chinese are very strict about Mianxi, not
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| Europeans, 84 Latin Americans, 52 North
| |
| | losing face. When a Chinese person
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| Americans, six Australians and New
| |
| | doesn't understand something due to
|
| Zealanders, and 55 people from the
| |
| | language problems, she still says,
|
| former Soviet republics. They would speak
| |
| | "Yes, yes it is clear." People from a
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| more than 200 languages and reflect an
| |
| | western background often have
|
| astounding mix of different cultures.
| |
| | difficulties understanding this.
|
| Fortunately, you would most likely
| |
| | Presenters use humour skilfully to relax
|
| never get such a mixed audience.
| |
| | the atmosphere. Another very powerful
|
| Remember, what works in one culture
| |
| | tool is telling personal anecdotes
|
| doesn't always work in another. How can
| |
| | which reveal humaneness connecting the
|
| you make your presentation a success
| |
| | speaker with members of the audience.
|
| among people from different parts of
| |
| | There must be a relevance to the topic or
|
| the world?
| |
| | theme, as speakers who talk very much
|
| Many factors influence audience behaviour
| |
| | about themselves are often considered
|
| e.g., culture, profession, gender, age,
| |
| | self-centred and even tiresome.
|
| reason for being in the audience, state
| |
| | The response to humour varies greatly
|
| of mind, time of day and year and general
| |
| | across different cultures. Humour based
|
| mood. In fact every audience is unique.
| |
| | on making fun of someone else is not
|
| An audience of insurance salesmen in
| |
| | understood in many areas of the world and
|
| Germany is very different from an
| |
| | is considered disrespectful. In some
|
| audience of German chemical engineers. So
| |
| | cultures like Japan, laughing aloud is a
|
| whenever a typical behaviour is
| |
| | sign of nervousness and is not
|
| associated with certain nation states,
| |
| | appreciated.
|
| you have to be extremely careful with
| |
| | How audiences respond to presentations
|
| these stereotypes.
| |
| | varies across cultures. In Japan, for
|
| The language barrier plays a very
| |
| | example, it's common to show
|
| important role, both for the speaker and
| |
| | concentration and attentiveness by
|
| the listeners. Many people in your
| |
| | nodding the head up and down
|
| international audience actually have
| |
| | slightly-and even closing the eyes
|
| jumped over large chasms of language
| |
| | occasionally. Don't think that they are
|
| and cultural divides in order to be there
| |
| | falling asleep. In Germany and Austria,
|
| in that very audience listening to you.
| |
| | for example, listeners seated around a
|
| "Can I understand everything that is
| |
| | table may show their approval by knocking
|
| spoken there as they are speaking in
| |
| | on the table instead of applauding.
|
| English and my English is very bad?" or
| |
| | Applause is accepted as a form of
|
| "What if someone asks me a question and
| |
| | approval in most areas of the world but
|
| I can't answer it in French in this
| |
| | in the U.S, you might even get a few
|
| seminar held in France?" These are
| |
| | whistles if you have really made a great
|
| typical fears that many people have
| |
| | impression. If you hear whistles in
|
| overcome before they turned up in the
| |
| | many parts of Europe, you had better run
|
| international gathering.
| |
| | because someone might start throwing
|
| In mixed audiences the language used is
| |
| | tomatoes and eggs next. If you were
|
| bound to be a foreign tongue for someone,
| |
| | finishing a speaking engagement in a
|
| if not for the speaker. Deficient
| |
| | Latin American country like Argentina and
|
| language skills might considerably limit
| |
| | you waved goodbye, the audience might
|
| their ability to grasp much of the
| |
| | all turn around and come back to sit
|
| presentation and they have no way of
| |
| | down. For them the waving gesture
|
| dealing with that frustration with
| |
| | means, "Come back! Don't go away."
|
| themselves. The fear of losing face in
| |
| | Ways of handling questions are very
|
| front of other people is very common,
| |
| | different across cultures. Brits or
|
| more so in Asian cultures. Many people
| |
| | Americans almost always ask challenging
|
| think in their mother tongue and speak
| |
| | questions. In Finland or in some Asian
|
| with the help of simultaneous
| |
| | cultures, audiences are more likely to
|
| translation. Many ideas are very
| |
| | greet a presentation with silence or just
|
| challenging to be put into another
| |
| | a few polite questions. This is not
|
| language. So the task of the presenter is
| |
| | always indifference but a show of
|
| to make sure that central ideas come
| |
| | respect.
|
| across easily and even to people who are
| |
| | As a presenter, you should have a clear
|
| not natives to the language of
| |
| | goal of what you want to accomplish and
|
| presentation.
| |
| | how you will accomplish it. The goal
|
| Culture influences how people in
| |
| | should be easy to understand - even to
|
| different countries prefer to receive
| |
| | someone outside of your organization or
|
| information. How interactive a
| |
| | industry. If you can't summarize your
|
| presentation is, depends much on the
| |
| | message, how can the listeners? When the
|
| culture. Typically English speaking
| |
| | audience is international, you'll need to
|
| cultures like presentations to be lively
| |
| | step out of your own frame of reference
|
| and interactive. Paradoxically there
| |
| | and focus on making communication
|
| are similarities among Far Eastern,
| |
| | relevant for your target group. The aim
|
| Slavic and protestant cultures like
| |
| | is to "localize." By focussing on the
|
| Germany and Finland. There
| |
| | audiences' own frames of reference, you
|
| presentations are formal and there are
| |
| | acknowledge their importance and pave the
|
| few interruptions. Questions are
| |
| | way for them to come closer to you. If
|
| answered either when the presentation
| |
| | for example, you are using a metaphor
|
| ends or quickly as they arise.
| |
| | about snow blizzards and sleet to
|
| Many Europeans, particularly
| |
| | sub-Saharan people, they might not get
|
| Scandinavians and Germans prefer to
| |
| | your point, as they have no experience
|
| receive information in detail, with
| |
| | of snow blizzards. The most vital thing
|
| lots of supporting documentation. They
| |
| | to remember is that each and every
|
| want their presenters to be systematic
| |
| | member in your international audience is
|
| and build to a clear point within their
| |
| | a fellow human being. If they feel
|
| presentation. The Japanese business
| |
| | treated well and get something for being
|
| audiences, where senior managers are more
| |
| | there, they will appreciate your
|
| likely to hold technical or management
| |
| | efforts. Good luck!
|
| degrees are very similar. American and
| |
| |
|
