Cultural Differences in the Way We Speak

How Communication Styles Differ Across Cultures

Communication plays a central role in how people work, collaborate, and build relationships across cultures.

It includes both verbal and nonverbal communication, such as body language, but one of the most noticeable differences is how people speak and express themselves in professional settings.

Across cultures, communication styles vary in the directness of what is said, how expressive people are, and the level of formality they use. These differences can influence everything from feedback and decision making to meetings and everyday interactions.

Below are some examples of how communication styles vary across cultures and what this can look like in practice.

How Direct Is Your Communication Style?

Some cultures value clarity and saying exactly what they mean, while others prefer to soften messages and rely on context.

• Direct: US, Germany, Australia, Finland, and the Netherlands.
• Less direct: France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Mexico, and the UK.
• Indirect: China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Venezuela, the Philippines, and India.

How Expressive and Emotional Are You When You Communicate?

Cultures vary in how openly people show emotions when speaking, especially in professional settings

• A lot: Mediterranean Cultures, such as Italy, Latin Europe, and Latin America.
• A little:  East and Southeast Asia, Nordic and Germanic Europe.
• In between: Cultures like the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Eastern Europe, and South Asia (for example, Singapore) generally show emotions in different contexts and to varying degrees.

How Formal Is Your Communication Style?

Expectations around formality differ across cultures, influencing language, tone, and how people address one another.

• More Formal: most of northern Europe, such as Germany, Asia, Latin America, Mediterranean cultures, and the Arab World, such as the UAE.
• More Informal: Australia, the USA, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland.

Understanding Cultural Differences in Context

It is important to remember two points.

1) Not everyone from a culture is going to conform to a particular stereotype.

We only make generalisations about cultures based on traits, values, and behaviours. Every person is an individual and needs to be treated as such. Generalisations simply help us understand the cultural climate we might be working in.

2) The way we always compare other cultures is with our own.

The English may be more informal than the Japanese, but it can still be considered more formal in comparison to the US. What matters is where you stand in relation to other people and how this may affect you when working with people from other cultures. Cultural differences are relative.

D.I.Y Communication Cultural Awareness Assessment

Understand your own communication style before adapting to others.

Use the illustration below to assess where you naturally sit across three key communication styles. Score yourself from 1–10 in each area, then ask someone who knows you well to do the same (meaning they score you, not themselves).

Compare your results. Any differences? This gap often reveals how others experience your communication, not just how you intend it.

Think About How Direct You Are

Do you tend to say exactly what you mean, or do you soften your message?

Think about:

• How you give feedback
• How you disagree with others
• Whether you prioritise clarity or politeness

Ask yourself: Could someone misinterpret my message as unclear or too blunt?

Consider How Expressive You Are

How much emotion do you show when you communicate?

Think about:

• Your tone of voice in meetings
• How visibly you react to ideas or challenges
• Whether you see emotion as professional or distracting

Ask yourself: Could my style feel too intense or too flat to others?

Assess How Formal You Are

How structured or relaxed is your communication style?

Think about:

• How you address colleagues (first name vs titles)
• Your email tone and language
• Your approach to hierarchy and status

Ask yourself: Could my level of formality create distance or seem too casual?

Why Communication Differences Across Cultures Matter

Misunderstandings in global teams often don’t come from language barriers, but from differences in communication style.

By understanding where you sit, you can better interpret others and adapt your approach to build stronger working relationships.