Richard Lewis’ model was developed in the 90s and was based on the writer visiting 135 countries and working in 20 of them. It consists of three specific categories: linear-active, multi-active and reactive. According to his perspective, my country, the USA, belongs to the first one along with the rest of the English-speaking countries. Some of its features include planning ahead, separation of the social and the professional, politeness combined with being direct, and use of sarcasm and humor (CrossCulture, 2015; iSLCollective, 2021). I agree with some of the perspectives depicted here, however, there is one I do not fully agree with. My culture does not use sarcasm in serious or business-related conversations, I believe that this quality is most likely related to interactions between close friends rather than partners at an important meeting.
However, I do believe that my people are rather direct while combining it with politeness. This feature is rather crucial as vagueness may do more damage than good. It is important for the other side to know what you expect from them. Planning ahead and the separation of the social and the professional are two other characteristics I have noticed as well, as my compatriots usually want to set clear boundaries in business and expectations of a certain project or agreement.
Moreover, Lewis’ model helped me discover some facts about my communication patterns. For example, I prefer to rely on facts, and I prefer to be polite and direct simultaneously. The former helps me stay rational in everything I do. The latter ensures that the person I talk to is aware of my opinion and my perception of their actions without offending them. Thus, these two features demonstrate me as a rational but rather considerate person as well.
The gathered information will give my classmates an idea of what I am like as a person. They will know that I value honesty and prioritize facts, and this will motivate them to be sincerer as well. However, to avoid any conflicts, my classmates will inform me if I am being too harsh in my judgments. Thus, by finding the fine line between being aware of my traits and helping me amend my flaws, they will ensure proper communication between us.
References
CrossCulture. (2015). The Lewis model – Dimensions of behaviour. Cross Culture – Know culture for better business. Web.
iSLCollective. (2021). Cultural types – The Lewis model – English ESL video lesson. Web.