Why Communication is important in team Take a look this video example Cross cultural Communication

Overview

The video presents a cross-cultural teamwork scenario to show how communication breakdowns can derail a project.

Setup / Main Incident

• Terry Jones, a British engineer working in South America, waits on imported equipment.
• Her local managers are Miguel Garcia and Carlos Fernandez.
• As delays grow, Terry learns the equipment has been impounded indefinitely due to:
  • missing permits
  • related administrative problems

Communication Problems Within the Team

Miguel’s Perspective

• Provides a vague description of the delays.
• Emphasizes the process involves “many agencies” and “many documents,” implying it requires context.
• Avoids escalating urgency and risks, partly because he doesn’t want to disappoint his boss.

Carlos’s Perspective

• Feels pressured to move quickly—especially to obtain the next permits.
• Claims he lacks necessary local contacts.
• Suggests the process is slowed or blocked by structural issues affecting imports.

Terry’s Perspective

• Receives updates in fragments and then faces sudden escalation when the equipment is impounded.
• Wants direct, actionable information.
• Observes that local managers often communicate indirectly to:
  • avoid conflict
  • protect relationships with superiors

Cultural Stereotyping and Communication Style Differences

• Carlos and Miguel discuss cultural expectations, including:
  • respecting superiors
  • avoiding direct statements that might create conflict
• They contrast Terry’s likely communication style—asking general questions and expecting clarity—with a local emphasis on:
  • tone
  • facial cues
  • gestures
  • body language
  • as indicators of real intent
• The managers also reject stereotypes, arguing that speaking the same language (Spanish) does not mean cultures are the same.

Underlying Causes Tied to Local Systems / Business Realities

• Delays stem from government protectionism and customs/import barriers, including:
  • difficulty importing equipment due to controls related to local companies
  • customs processes and administrative requirements
• Carlos criticizes Terry’s earlier decision-making:
  • she allegedly did not secure a customs broker
  • attempting to save money, but ultimately increasing costs and risk

Discussion Prompt / Implied Lessons

The scenario prompts viewers to consider:

• what problems each person faces
• how they could “bridge” differences

Key takeaways include the need to:

• communicate more directly about risks
• align on how information should be shared
• understand cultural assumptions about:
  • hierarchy
  • conflict avoidance
  • nonverbal communication
• take practical steps early, such as securing brokers/contacts to navigate bureaucratic systems.

Presenters or Contributors

• Terry Jones (British engineer; lead character in the scenario)
• Miguel Garcia (manager)
• Carlos Fernandez (manager)
• Senora Jones (referenced by name as Terry Jones’s counterpart/authority in the scenario; exact relationship implied by subtitles)
• Samuel Jones (appears as an additional name for Terry Jones in the dialogue, likely a subtitle inconsistency)