Globalization has led to an increasingly borderless world. As such, the need to be sensitive to the difference in cultures between people of different nationalities is greater than ever before. Insensitivity to such cultural differences can lead to interpersonal conflicts (on a personal level) and loss of businesses (on a business level).
However, I feel that before we concern ourselves with the need to be sensitive to the cultural differences of people from other countries, it is more important that, as Singaporeans, we are sensitive to the differences in cultures of the different race and religion in Singapore.
I came across this situation during the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival last year. During this festival, it is common for some religion groups to burn incense and joss paper as offerings to the spirits that are thought to be released to “our world”. I was walking pass a lady who was burning incense and joss paper when a well-dressed woman, who was with her son, approached in the opposite direction. As they neared the area where the incense was being burned, the woman suddenly reached down to her son and covered his nose with her hand. In a rather unpleasant tone, she said: “Why do they have to burn such ridiculous things!”
Luckily, the lady burning the incense did not see or hear the woman, thus, a potential conflict did not occur.
In Singapore, the key to maintaining harmony among a multi-racial and multi-religion society is to be sensitive to the cultural differences of the different race and religions. Therefore, this need is taught to us early in our educational years. As such, we are generally quite sensitive to the practices of members of a different race or religion. However, I feel that the increase in affluence may have caused some of this “sensitivity” to be eroded. As such, I feel that we should start to be more concerned about our attitudes to the differences in cultures of the different race and religion in Singapore.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Business Correspondence Critique
“Hello
Greetings from Sabah Holidays!
Hope this email fine you well. Hi, my name is Ms XXX, I believe that you have met up with our Sales Representative during the Fascinating Malaysia 2008 Fair in Singapore recently.
Have you fix your date for Mt Climbing in Sabah yet? Can you enlighten me when is the date you would like to climb the mount Kinabalu, so that we can check the availibility of the lodge.
2. How many climbers?
3. How many days would you like to stay in KK?
Looking forward to hear from you soonest.
Kind regards
MS XXXCustomer Service Executive(Their Company name and Address) (Their Contact Details)”
I received this e-mail last year in December when I was looking for tour packages to trek up Mount Kinabalu with my friends. In general, I feel that this mail has fulfilled some of the 7Cs in writing. Firstly, the mail was written in a courteous tone, it adopts a you-attitude, focusing mainly on the recipient of the e-mail. For example, the sentence: “Can you enlighten me when is the date you would like to climb the mount Kinabalu.” could have easily been written as: “I need to know the dates which you would like to climb mount Kinabalu.” which would have sounded less courteous. Secondly, the e-mail is concise as it avoids the use of redundant words and expressions.
However, there are also parts of the 7Cs which the e-mail did not fulfill. Firstly, the mail had several grammatical errors. For example, the sentence: “Looking forward to hear from you soonest.” should have been written as: “Looking forward to hear from you soon.” This goes against “correctness” of the 7Cs. Secondly, I feel that the e-mail is lacking in cohesion. The sudden jump from “….Fair in Singapore recently.” to “Have you fix your date…….” could have been better linked together by a sentence such as: “There are several information that we would need you to provide. Firstly, have you fixed….”
I feel that there are several other improvements that can be made with this e-mail. As it is a supposed to be a formal letter, the use of “Dear Mr YYY” would be better than just a plain “Hello” Furthermore, I feel that the sender should also have included the location and date of the fair that I met the sales representative. It is quite possible that I had been looking around at other tour agencies and at other fairs and I will not be able to remember which fair and which sales representative the sender has mentioned.
On the other hand, I feel that the signing off is appropriate in the context of a business correspondence. By including the company’s address and contact details, I was reassured that it is from a legitimate company and that the mail isn’t some “spam-mail”.
Greetings from Sabah Holidays!
Hope this email fine you well. Hi, my name is Ms XXX, I believe that you have met up with our Sales Representative during the Fascinating Malaysia 2008 Fair in Singapore recently.
Have you fix your date for Mt Climbing in Sabah yet? Can you enlighten me when is the date you would like to climb the mount Kinabalu, so that we can check the availibility of the lodge.
2. How many climbers?
3. How many days would you like to stay in KK?
Looking forward to hear from you soonest.
Kind regards
MS XXXCustomer Service Executive(Their Company name and Address) (Their Contact Details)”
I received this e-mail last year in December when I was looking for tour packages to trek up Mount Kinabalu with my friends. In general, I feel that this mail has fulfilled some of the 7Cs in writing. Firstly, the mail was written in a courteous tone, it adopts a you-attitude, focusing mainly on the recipient of the e-mail. For example, the sentence: “Can you enlighten me when is the date you would like to climb the mount Kinabalu.” could have easily been written as: “I need to know the dates which you would like to climb mount Kinabalu.” which would have sounded less courteous. Secondly, the e-mail is concise as it avoids the use of redundant words and expressions.
However, there are also parts of the 7Cs which the e-mail did not fulfill. Firstly, the mail had several grammatical errors. For example, the sentence: “Looking forward to hear from you soonest.” should have been written as: “Looking forward to hear from you soon.” This goes against “correctness” of the 7Cs. Secondly, I feel that the e-mail is lacking in cohesion. The sudden jump from “….Fair in Singapore recently.” to “Have you fix your date…….” could have been better linked together by a sentence such as: “There are several information that we would need you to provide. Firstly, have you fixed….”
I feel that there are several other improvements that can be made with this e-mail. As it is a supposed to be a formal letter, the use of “Dear Mr YYY” would be better than just a plain “Hello” Furthermore, I feel that the sender should also have included the location and date of the fair that I met the sales representative. It is quite possible that I had been looking around at other tour agencies and at other fairs and I will not be able to remember which fair and which sales representative the sender has mentioned.
On the other hand, I feel that the signing off is appropriate in the context of a business correspondence. By including the company’s address and contact details, I was reassured that it is from a legitimate company and that the mail isn’t some “spam-mail”.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Resolving Interpersonal Conflict
Every family has its fair share of conflicts among its respective family members and my family isn’t any exception. Occasionally, my mum, tired after a day’s work, returns home and feels that the house is in an unsatisfactory state. Deeming either one or all of her three sons to have failed in fulfilling our job in helping out, she would tend to vent her frustrations at us. Usually, we would choose to just let her words fly by us.
Not too long ago, I returned home to find that the clothes that were hung outside had not been brought in. The clothes were drenched in rainwater. As I was the only one at home at that time, I brought the clothes in before continuing on with my own activities. Not long after, my mum came home from work. Seeing the wet clothes and she flew into a rage and started to scold me for not bringing it in when it rained. Being an innocent party, I quickly defended myself by saying that the clothes were already wet when I came home. Unfortunately, it did not seem to work and the scolding continued. Out of pure frustration, I shouted back that it wasn’t my fault. The scolding stopped and silence broke out.
My mum and I did not speak to each other for two days after that. Curiously, the event seemed to have been forgotten after that and things went back to normal.
Thinking back to the event, I admit that I could have handled the situation in a better manner. It was obvious that at that point of time, my mum was tired from work and totally disappointed that her workload was increased by the drenched clothes. As such, her emotions probably got the better of her and resulted in her “losing it”. On the other hand, I was also tired from school and got irritated that I was interrupted from resting and even accused of something which wasn’t my fault.
It isn’t easy bringing up children and I love my mum for the fact that she is so successful in bringing up me and my brothers. It was the first and only time I ever shouted at my mum and it left me feeling awful after it had happened. How could I have handled the situation in a better way? Would exercising better EQ and placing myself in my mum’s shoes lead to a better solution to the conflict?
In my opinion, interpersonal conflicts tends to occur more often with people you are close with (due to the larger amount of time spent together). When it occurs, it never fails to erode the strength of your relationship with the other party. Hence, it is important that we learn how to react and manage our emotions to prevent such conflicts from occurring.
Not too long ago, I returned home to find that the clothes that were hung outside had not been brought in. The clothes were drenched in rainwater. As I was the only one at home at that time, I brought the clothes in before continuing on with my own activities. Not long after, my mum came home from work. Seeing the wet clothes and she flew into a rage and started to scold me for not bringing it in when it rained. Being an innocent party, I quickly defended myself by saying that the clothes were already wet when I came home. Unfortunately, it did not seem to work and the scolding continued. Out of pure frustration, I shouted back that it wasn’t my fault. The scolding stopped and silence broke out.
My mum and I did not speak to each other for two days after that. Curiously, the event seemed to have been forgotten after that and things went back to normal.
Thinking back to the event, I admit that I could have handled the situation in a better manner. It was obvious that at that point of time, my mum was tired from work and totally disappointed that her workload was increased by the drenched clothes. As such, her emotions probably got the better of her and resulted in her “losing it”. On the other hand, I was also tired from school and got irritated that I was interrupted from resting and even accused of something which wasn’t my fault.
It isn’t easy bringing up children and I love my mum for the fact that she is so successful in bringing up me and my brothers. It was the first and only time I ever shouted at my mum and it left me feeling awful after it had happened. How could I have handled the situation in a better way? Would exercising better EQ and placing myself in my mum’s shoes lead to a better solution to the conflict?
In my opinion, interpersonal conflicts tends to occur more often with people you are close with (due to the larger amount of time spent together). When it occurs, it never fails to erode the strength of your relationship with the other party. Hence, it is important that we learn how to react and manage our emotions to prevent such conflicts from occurring.
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