the foHRsight podcast: Building Trust Across Borders

In today's interconnected business world, effective cross-cultural communication has become more crucial than ever. In a recent foHRsight podcast interview, international communication expert Jose Ucar shared valuable insights about building stronger global teams through thoughtful communication practices.

The Three Pillars of Cross-Cultural Success

Ucar outlined three essential pillars for successful cross-cultural communication:

1. Building Trust and Respect

"Without trust, there is nothing - without trust, there isn't communication, or at least not effective communication," Ucar emphasizes. He explains that trust is built through a combination of:

- Being authentic - showing up as your true self

- Demonstrating empathy towards others

- Bringing knowledge and expertise

- Practicing acceptance of differences

2. Adaptive Communication

This pillar focuses on being flexible in how we communicate across cultures. Ucar stresses that after establishing trust and respect, we can better adapt our communication style to meet others' needs. It's about recognizing differences and viewing them as opportunities rather than obstacles.

3. Global Leadership

The final pillar centers on creating a positive impact and influence. Ucar emphasizes that global leadership is about "positively impacting people, positive influence, which is always looking to create a positive shift" in whatever way might benefit the organization and its people.

The SIMPLER Framework for Global Communication

The final pillar centers on creating a positive impact and influence. Ucar emphasizes that global leadership is about "positively impacting people, positive influence, which is always looking to create a positive shift" in whatever way might benefit the organization and its people.

Ucar introduced his SIMPLER framework, which he developed to make communication more effective while keeping things uncomplicated:

*S*low down: Take time to think before communicating and be more intentional

*I*ntentional: Consider what you want to achieve from each communication

*M*ulticultural lens: Consider diverse perspectives, including neurodiversity

*P*reconceptions: Be mindful and challenge your own assumptions

*L*anguage: Consider comprehension levels, especially with non-native English speakers

*E*nergy: Bring presence and engagement (distinct from mere excitement)

*R*eflection: Review what worked and what didn't after each interaction

Remote Team Management: Building Virtual Connections

In managing remote global teams, Ucar emphasizes that "if there is no connection, then communication fails." He suggests several practical approaches:

Recreating in-person experiences virtually, such as:

• Virtual birthday celebrations

• Informal coffee breaks

• Quick catch-ups that aren't purely work-focused

• Organizing 10-15 minute cultural sharing sessions about food and music

• Understanding different communication preferences:

• Some team members may need more frequent check-ins

• Others might prefer more independence

• Avoiding back-to-back meetings, which can lead to burnout

Practical Tips for HR Professionals: The Three C's Framework

Ucar recommends that HR professionals focus on what he calls the "Three C's":

1. Convey
- Focus on effective information delivery
- Develop and enhance presentation skills
- Incorporate powerful storytelling instead of just reading scripts
- Embed these communication practices into organizational culture

2. Coach
- Learn proper coaching techniques
- Help people discover their intrinsic motivation
- Develop quality questioning skills
- Enable others to find their own solutions

3. Challenge
- Address difficult conversations promptly
- View conflict as an opportunity for innovation
- Encourage healthy discussions
- Transform large-seeming problems into manageable solutions

Implementation Strategy

Ucar emphasizes that sustainable change requires more than just one-off training sessions. He recommends:

- Starting implementation at the top of the organization

- Having leaders actively participate in training processes

- Creating follow-up mechanisms like peer coaching

- Establishing accountability systems

- Avoiding the "tick-box" approach to training

- Building sustainable behavioral change into the culture

Moving FoHRward

The key to successful global communication lies in remaining flexible and intentional while fostering genuine human connections. As workplaces become increasingly diverse and virtual, these skills become even more crucial for business success.