we often prefer
chúng tôi thường thích
In my culture, we often prefer indirect communication.
phrases
We usually avoid saying “no” directly, instead we use phrases like “that might be difficult”
conversation polite.
instead we use phrases like “that might be difficult” to keep the conversation polite.
aggressive
hung hăng
About eye contact — in my country, too much eye contact can be seen as aggressive.
respect and attention
sự tôn trọng và chú ý
We use shorter eye contact to show respect and attention without making the other person uncomfortable.
making the other person uncomfortable.
khiến người kia cảm thấy không thoải mái.
norm
One key cultural norm here is to build relationships
serious
nghiêm túc
One key cultural norm here is to build relationships before discussing serious work topics.
small talk
We often start meetings with small talk, like asking about the family or sharing recent experiences.
listen actively
To adapt to cultural differences in teamwork, it’s important to listen actively, avoid interrupting
patient
To adapt to cultural differences in teamwork, it’s important to listen actively, avoid interrupting, and be patient
slang
tiếng lóng
Also, avoid using slang
idioms
thành ngữ
Also, avoid using slang or idioms that might confuse people from different backgrounds.
etiquette
phép xã giao
My tip for working across cultures is: learn basic etiquette about your teammate’s culture
appropriate
Let’s find a culturally appropriate approach.
soften
làm cho dịu đi
you can still soften your words and add polite phrases to respect others’ styles.
One practical method
One practical method is to agree at the start of any project on how feedback will be given
on the same page
This way, we build trust and make sure everyone is on the same page
no matter where they come from
bất kể họ đến từ đâu
brings
What brings you here today?
conference
sự hội ý
I’m attending this conference to learn more about the latest trends in cloud computing and to connect with professionals in the field.
attending
I’m attending this conference
professionals in the field.
các chuyên gia trong lĩnh vực này.
industry
By the way, what’s your role and which industry do you work in?
