The power of the unsaid in cultural brokering
By Mehjabeen Musharraf
Receiving information, whether through listening to others, researching, or reading, builds awareness. But witnessing and experiencing the truth of that information leads to a deeper understanding and a more profound level of knowing. I am sharing my experience where I first received information on the importance of nonverbal communication, and then witnessed its application in my cultural brokering practice.
The information is: “Nonverbal communication often plays a more significant role than verbal communication in ensuring that a message is conveyed and received effectively.” Verbal communication consists of words, whereas nonverbal communication includes facial expressions, gestures, posture, body movement, eye contact, and tone of voice. Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 rule suggests that only 7% of a message comes from the actual words, while the remaining 93% is communicated nonverbally, with 38% conveyed through tone of voice and 55% through body language. This doesn’t mean verbal communication is unimportant, but rather that nonverbal cues play a powerful role in how messages are received and interpreted.”
Source: Mehrabian A. Silent Messages. Belmont (CA): Wadsworth; 1971. Available from: https://people-shift.com/articles/mehrabians-7-38-55-communication-model/
The intentionality about having the correct tone and body language comes from the motivation to present ourselves in the best possible manner so people perceive us in a certain way. Mostly, the intention is to radiate confidence, so others see us as someone who knows their job, and thus, we seem reliable and trustworthy. However, there is another aspect of nonverbal communication that we often ignore, because it does not affect us, but rather those who are communicating with us 😊
We can make people feel a certain way about themselves through our tone, facial expressions, and gestures. Those who work in human services, especially those helping people from different cultural backgrounds, need to be intentional about their body language, as it plays a significant role in the successful settlement of these ethnocultural groups in Canada. Many of these individuals are struggling, often because they are not yet familiar with the environment, either because they are new to the country or haven’t been exposed to it. The intent should be to make people feel comfortable, even if they are not in the best phase of their lives, despite various barriers such as communication gaps, limited access to information, or unfamiliarity with systems, by offering them confidence and reassurance through our presence.
It doesn’t sound good, but if we look deeper and analyze our actions, we will see that the respect everyone deserves, which is a basic human right, mostly depends on how someone appears from a social and financial perspective. Simply recognizing this behavior and agreeing not to let these ideas govern our actions can affect how we treat people who are struggling. This comes from questioning yourself and learning from there. If a person enters the door of a place that claims to be a cultural navigator, they should feel welcomed. The body language of cultural brokers should be welcoming, their posture leaning forward, and their tone should make the people they are serving feel important. This could happen if they consider that the conversation they are having with these people is their most important work, more than any administrative task they are supposed to do. Most of the time, people may have basic English, so settlement facilitators, while communicating with them, should be patient.
There is another angle to the interaction of cultural brokers with ethnocultural groups where non-verbal communication, especially facial expressions, can significantly impact services, particularly for language learners. People with basic language skills may sometimes use words that are not contextually appropriate because they rely on dictionary English. They know the literal meaning of a word but may be unaware of its connotation or the way it is typically used, which can result in placing the word in a sentence where it does not fit naturally. At times, this might sound unusual or even unintentionally humorous to those with stronger language skills. While it may bring a light smile, it is important to be mindful of facial expressions in such moments, as even small reactions can make language learners lose confidence in speaking.
In addition, there are certain invisible barriers between those who have access to information and those receiving it, which prevent people on the receiving end from feeling comfortable and limit their connection with cultural brokers. As a result, they may not open up to service providers, and the services offered in such interactions are often compromised, failing to fully address clients’ unique situations.
Being mindful of these inbuilt invisible barriers and communication nuances is essential for creating an environment where people feel comfortable and confident as they navigate a new life in Canada. That is exactly what we, as cultural brokers and settlement facilitators, want them to feel.
