Two team members from different cultural backgrounds repeatedly misinterpret each other's communication styles—one prefers direct feedback, the other views it as rude. The friction is affecting collaboration. What is the most effective action for the project manager?

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Accepted Answer

Facilitate a discussion to build mutual cultural awareness and agree on communication norms. Building cultural awareness and jointly agreeing on communication norms addresses the root cause and fosters an inclusive, respectful team environment. Forcing written-only communication, separating members, or favoring one style avoids the issue rather than resolving it and can damage trust and diversity.

Two team members from different cultural backgrounds repeatedly misinterpret each other's communication styles—one prefers direct feedback, the other views it as rude. The friction is affecting collaboration. What is the most effective action for the project manager?

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