{"id":200937,"date":"2025-07-11T11:52:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T11:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vistula.edu.pl\/?post_type=news&#038;p=200937"},"modified":"2025-07-11T12:07:02","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T12:07:02","slug":"when-a-gesture-speaks-louder-than-words-intercultural-communication-workshops-for-business","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/vistula.edu.pl\/en\/news\/when-a-gesture-speaks-louder-than-words-intercultural-communication-workshops-for-business","title":{"rendered":"When a Gesture Speaks Louder Than Words \u2013 Intercultural Communication Workshops for Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"740\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/b2929804.smushcdn.com\/2929804\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Intercultural-Comms-LARGE.png?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200938\" srcset=\"https:\/\/b2929804.smushcdn.com\/2929804\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Intercultural-Comms-LARGE.png?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1 740w, https:\/\/b2929804.smushcdn.com\/2929804\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Intercultural-Comms-LARGE-300x162.png?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How do you convey something important without offending anyone?<\/strong> <strong>How can you recognise that a handshake, eye contact or even silence may carry completely different meanings in Warsaw, Cairo and Taipei?<\/strong> <strong>Participants in the workshop <em>\u201cCultural Determinants of Communication\u201d<\/em> learned this and much more. The session was led by Marta Kozak-Go\u0142\u0119biowska, Director of the Centre for Digital Education and a lecturer in intercultural communication at Vistula University<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cultural diversity is not a challenge\u2014it is an advantage, provided you understand it<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the workshop, participants explored differences in values, gestures, facial expressions, interpersonal distance and attitudes toward personal space. They discovered why, in some countries, a handshake is not always welcome or expected, and why a Polish marketing campaign that \u201cplays on emotions\u201d might fall flat in Taiwan, where composure and restraint prevail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also examined how people literally\u2014and figuratively\u2014<em>read meaning<\/em>: left-to-right, right-to-left or even top-to-bottom. Whether it is the contrast between an \u201cowl\u201d and a \u201cdragon,\u201d or the symbolism of colours (e.g., red signifying joy and prosperity in China but aggression or excitement elsewhere), the message was clear: communication is not a universal language but a system deeply rooted in cultural context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cCommunication is far more than the words we speak. Everything we do is a form of communication. That is why respect for another person\u2019s otherness is the cornerstone of genuine understanding. Only through mutual respect can we communicate effectively,\u201d <\/em>explains Marta Kozak-Go\u0142\u0119biowska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beyond stereotypes\u2014the value of a shared language<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An important theme was stereotypes and prejudice: how they shape communication and how to defuse them in everyday collaboration. In the workplace, stereotypes can lead to misinterpretations, tension and even exclusion. For instance, silence may signal respect in one culture but a lack of engagement in another. Without awareness of such differences, misunderstandings arise easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The workshop offered concrete tools for dismantling bias in daily interactions\u2014both individually and organisationally. A key takeaway was that appealing to a company\u2019s shared values, and to the language of emotion and empathy, can create a work culture where everyone feels seen and understood, regardless of nationality, religion or communication style. As Marta Kozak-Go\u0142\u0119biowska advises:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cIt is vital to remember that every culture is grounded in specific values. We cannot expect others to abandon what matters most to them. What we can do is search for common values while respecting the differences between us\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Business needs more than competence\u2014it needs empathy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This was no ordinary \u201cPowerPoint lecture\u201d but a hands-on workshop that will stay with participants for a long time. Our corporate partners gained not only knowledge but also practical tools to better support our students during internships and to build culturally diverse teams on solid foundations. As an international university, we respond actively to our partners\u2019 needs, organising practical training and helping them cultivate future-proof skills\u2014skills that foster communication, mutual understanding and collaboration in diverse teams. Marta Kozak-Go\u0142\u0119biowska sums it up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201e<strong>The multicultural nature of our university is above all a rich source of knowledge and experience that we can draw on\u2014and share with others.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:57px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How do you convey something important without offending anyone? How can you recognise that a handshake, eye contact or even silence may carry completely different meanings in Warsaw, Cairo and Taipei? Participants in the workshop \u201cCultural Determinants of Communication\u201d learned this and much more. The session was led by Marta Kozak-Go\u0142\u0119biowska, Director of the Centre [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":200941,"parent":0,"template":"","news-category":[127,128],"class_list":["post-200937","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-news","news-category-events"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>When a Gesture Speaks Louder Than Words \u2013 Intercultural Communication Workshops for Business - Vistula University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How do you convey something important without offending anyone? How can you recognise that a handshake, eye contact or even silence may carry completely different meanings in Warsaw, Cairo and Taipei? Participants in the workshop \u201cCultural Determinants of Communication\u201d learned this and much more. The session was led by Marta Kozak-Go\u0142\u0119biowska, Director of the Centre for Digital Education and a lecturer in intercultural communication at Vistula University.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vistula.edu.pl\/en\/news\/when-a-gesture-speaks-louder-than-words-intercultural-communication-workshops-for-business\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When a Gesture Speaks Louder Than Words \u2013 Intercultural Communication Workshops for Business - Vistula University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How do you convey something important without offending anyone? How can you recognise that a handshake, eye contact or even silence may carry completely different meanings in Warsaw, Cairo and Taipei? 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