The Cross-Cultural Communication Trainer’s Manual 

John Cutler 
ISBN: 0566087014 / 0566087022 / 0566086026, Gower, 602 pages.

“We want people around us to think and act in ways that are predictable and understandable.  We need this in order to survive.”  With more global communication than ever, the opportunities for misunderstanding are multiple, so The Cross-Cultural Communication Trainer's Manual comes at a good time.  Whilst the literature in this area continues to grow, what has been missing is an up-to-date trainer’s resource bringing theory and practice together.

Published in 2 volumes, the manual promises to provide a complete toolkit resource pack.  It can either be bought as two separate volumes, or one set and is targeted at trainers – whether experienced in cross-cultural communication or not – and learners. 

There is much positive comment to make about this manual.  Both volumes are accessible, well-researched and clearly presented.  Volume 1 concentrates on the theory behind cross-cultural communication and explains the principles simply and concisely.  The bibliography is comprehensive. 

Volume 2 holds the 77 exercises which complement the theory.  They are well structured, include good debriefing comments and cross-references to the theoretical underpinning in volume 1.  What would have been a useful addition for those less experienced in cross-cultural communication would be a comment with each exercise regarding the make up of the training group and potential difficulties the trainer might encounter.

Both volumes are structured around what Cutler calls the ‘six-steps’ model and are designed to take the trainer through a sequential process from opening up awareness (conscious incompetence) through to identifying cultural influences (conscious competence) and finishing with the use of cultural diversity as a positive tool.  This logical progression should help any trainer who is new to the subject to design a programme that actually guides learners through the learning stages most appropriate to their experience.  Whilst trainers knowledgeable in the subject should be able to work with the second volume alone, the two volumes do complement each other well.  Trainers who are relatively new to the subject are likely to benefit most by referring to both volumes. 

Whilst the manuals do not cover more specialist areas in cross-cultural communication (such as cross-cultural patient care for example), they provide an excellent resource to develop most types of cross-cultural communication training and can be used as a solid foundation around which more specialist courses can be designed.  Although this is not a diversity training manual, many of the exercises in volume 2 will be suitable for diversity training courses.

Eleanor Halsall

This review first appeared in People Management, November 2005