Intercultural communication competence

 

When thinking about intercultural communication I’ve come to realize that there are many factors, other than my lack of exposure, that limit me from becoming more competent. Motivation is probably the biggest factor that limits me from becoming more competent. Motivation in terms of a component of intercultural communication competence, is the desire to make a commitment in relationships, to learn about the self and others, and to remain flexible (Martin & Nakayama, 2022). While I have never shied away from interacting or communicating with individuals from other cultures it typically makes me uncomfortable. This was mainly due to fear of offending or saying something wrong that not only would make the other individual uncomfortable or mad but could possibly make me look silly or rude. I also think my lack of self-knowledge plays a part in my decreased competency level. Self-knowledge, in relation to intercultural communication competence, is the quality of knowing how one is perceived as a communicator, as well as one’s strengths and weaknesses (Martin & Nakayama, 2022). This plays into the fear of being misunderstood or viewed as silly or rude. If I had more self-knowledge about how others viewed me as a communicator and also a deeper understanding of my strengths and weaknesses in communication this could help improve my competence level. In knowing these things now, it is my hope that I can improve my competence level in terms of intercultural communication and move forward with expanding my knowledge and improve my perception of others as well as enhance my growth as an individual.








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