The cultural trap

At a recent dinner with friends the conversation turned to TV ads. Every time they mentioned an ad, they would talk about the funny elements and laugh about them. My wife and I are not big TV watchers; we felt out of sync.

That same day, I saw a speaker give a workshop where he illustrated some leadership lessons by using a film based on a classic book of English litterature. During his talk, he did not explain the story, thinking that everyone knew it already.

As he was speaking, I did not dare admit my ignorance and I tried to reconstruct the story from the bits of information he gave us. Finally, another participant, braver than I, raised her hand and asked the speaker to explain the story because she did not understand it. After his explanation of the story, all the points he was mentioning became clearer.

These two examples illustrate what I call "the cultural trap." Our society is so diverse that it becomes more and more difficult to find a common cultural ground for everyone in a room.

Take me for example: I read mostly in English, I listen to the radio in French, I watch movies in English, I read comics in French, and I listen to music in Creole. When I speak to a multicultural and multilingual audience, what cultural references should I take?

It's not always easy to find a good answer to this question. When you speak to a group, you want to touch as many people as possible. Therefore, you want to make sure that the examples you use will be well understood by everyone. Here are some tips to do so:

Set your examples in context by giving as much background information as possible. Those who don't know what you are talking about will understand better, and those who already know the context will get a refresher. For example, our speaker could have started by explaining the most important parts of the story before getting into the leadership lessons.
Use personal references instead of cultural references. Unless you're a professional speaker, most of the groups you address will have common characteristics with you: maybe they work for the same company, maybe you're all parents, maybe you are part of the same social club, etc. Use examples that take advantage of this common experience. You think you might bore them? Think again. Have you ever noticed that the same stories are rehashed at family gatherings or get-togethers with friends? Have you noticed how those stories are often the most appreciated?
Research your audience before speaking to them. For example you could send them a survey in order to understand what they go through every day. Then, find examples that speak to their daily lives and use them. Sometimes, you can get some examples by speaking to members of your audience before your speech. In fact, having pleasant conversations with members of your audience is a great way to dissipate nervousness!

The greater diversity of our modern society has made the cultural links between us more fragile. English and French, Catholics and Protestants, Christians and Muslims, Canadians and Americans, and so on. Each group brings its own characteristics, its own points of views, and its own knowledge.

The more common points you can find between the members of the audience, the more they will be interested in what you say, and the more impact you will have on their lives.