WEBINAR: Communication Across Cultures Part III - The Iceberg of Communication

Using the Alaskan metaphor of an iceberg, most of whose bulk is hidden from sight, Father Oleksa analyzes the inevitable ways in which any two people will probably and even likely misunderstand each other because of cultural differences rooted in infancy and early childhood experiences. The "lower part of the iceberg" represents thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors learned between birth and the age of three, which along with our first language, constitute our "culture". Differences in the way people talk, in tempo, tone of voice, volume, interpersonal distance, politeness styles and culturally-specific "rituals" all play a role in complicating interpersonal communication and can deeply effect human relationships. Punctuated with several humorous anecdotes, Father Oleksa calls this final presentation his "stand-up comedy routine."