Culture and communication mutually influence and condition each other (Keesling, 1974). Effective communication is a very complex and demanding process, even between people with the same background. Hence, cross-cultural communication is indeed more challenging than intra-cultural communication and is conditioned by a series of factors.

Today’s increasingly culturally diverse and globalized world creates the need for effective communication, especially as it is at the core of any business. Nowadays, the working environment is becoming more multicultural, both internally within corporations and externally between companies from different countries. Thus, to create a productive environment in this multicultural world, strong communication skills are invaluable. There is a growing need in the market for people with multicultural experience, as they have a greater ability to communicate and work with individuals from other countries.

It has also been shown that multicultural experience positively influences people’s creativity, as they are more frequently exposed to innovative, culture-related ideas and therefore develop a greater capacity to adapt, connect, and apply those ideas in their work. Cultural experience and the skills acquired through international interactions can be significant added value. However, a multicultural work environment, apart from being a competitive advantage in a globalized market, can also cause challenges and difficulties, especially in the field of communication.

Communication is the means by which we share information, establish and strengthen relationships, and build trust. Language barriers are becoming a significant cause of conflict and inefficiency in increasingly diverse work environments. Cultural background and ingrained personal frames of interpretation can be even more crucial factors influencing behavior and interaction.

Somewhat inspired by Geertz’s concept of “thick description,” the difference between a blink and a wink can be significant. Although the physical movement is identical, it is the interpretation of the intended communication that makes the difference. A blink is merely a physical reaction, perhaps a reflex or tick. A wink, however, can signal something intentional — flirting, conspiracy, or a warning.

Subconsciously, however, we likely perceive far more of a message than we realize, which is why honesty and integrity tend to prevail in the long run.