Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges Faced by Women in Computing

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Panelists: Cindy Rubio-González (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Dora Maria Abreu (Pershing LLC), Rosa Enciso (University of Central Florida), Anna Koufakou (Florida Gulf Coast University), Jocelyn Simmonds (University of Toronto)

We will identify, discuss and enhance awareness about the cross-cultural communication challenges that women in computing face. We will discuss communication skills needed to succeed in our careers by overcoming communication barriers and how to the serve the community being a medium of knowledge and experience. The last part of the discussion will focus on important communication skills every woman in computing must have: public speaking and work presentations.

Barbora Dej, GHC 2009 Live Notetaker. I also blog on the official Grace Hopper blog at http://ghcbloggers.blogspot.com

My blog post on this session can be found on the GHC blog [1]

Be aware that there are different styles of communication

  • passive: never speaks up, hesitates, smiles but little eye contact
  • assertive: active listener, lots of eye contact, and expresses themselves
  • aggressive: speak loud, fast, glares
  • etc..

Methods of communicating

  • verbal tone
  • body language

Different cultures, different ways of communicating

  • ex. mentioned that in Greece you say "give me the pen" not necessarily say please.
  • ex. hispanic culture has touching when meeting someone

Academic presentations

  • practice makes perfect! Grab your friends or practice in a mirror.
  • make eye contact, stand up straight, don't turn your back to the audience

Academic poster presentation

  • stand next to poster
  • make it easy for others to approach you by looking available to chat
  • it's ok to engage people while they're reading
  • look out for audience body language to see if they are comfortable with your approach

E-mails

  • look professional as much as you can (ex. typos, clarity)
  • be careful who all you send the e-mail to

Other recommendations

  • take communication courses
  • read communication books

Questions

  • dealing with men not from Western culture (ex. where women don't work and stay at home)
  • just keep in mind that their perception and what they are used to is different
  • you'll probably have to earn their respect
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