Cross- cultural Communication This page intentionally left blank

Use of humour
It was Victor Borge who said that: ‘Humour is the shortest distance between 
two people.’
However, the main problem when trying to use humour in a multinational 
group is that it does not always translate well across the cultures. If that 
happens, there is always the possibility that some offence or frustration may 
be caused because of a lack of understanding. Different cultures also have 
different views on humour. In Germany, for example, there is less of a tradition 
of the daily banter one hears in the UK, where humour, including wry humour, 
is very much part of everyday life and the British often laugh at themselves. 
In France, there is often a preference for more clever or sophisticated humour, 
while in Asia, attempts to make fun of other people can cause a loss of ‘face’. 
In the USA, humour is used in business meetings to act as an ‘ice-breaker’, 
but as soon as serious business starts, attempts at humour are curtailed.
The degree of humour displayed within a multinational team is itself a 
positive sign of trust and cooperation, particularly if the members can openly 
laugh and joke among themselves in a relaxed atmosphere. If used cor-
rectly, humour can help a team to bond. It can often aid in putting cultural 
differences on the table, but at times it can be a double- edged weapon. 
At best, it can be used to defuse a situation or to ‘break the ice’. It is advisable 
to avoid sarcasm and cynicism, which is particularly inappro priate in rela-
tion to Asian cultures. Whenever possible, opportunities should be taken to 
develop ‘shared humour’, using culturally acceptable ‘shared experiences’, 
for example, interest in sport.
However, humour must always be used with care as it can fall flat, be mis-
understood or, in the worst- case scenario, cause confusion or even offence. 
The following points provide examples of this:
The British self- mocking, self- deprecation style of humour is not always 
appreciated and is scorned by the French and despised by the Japanese 
as it is beyond their comprehension or experience. The British use of 
humour at the beginning of presentations and meetings, usually with 
a joke intended as an ‘ice-breaker’, would not find favour with many 
German business people, who would consider excessive humour as 
potentially a cover for a lack of preparation or commitment.
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International Team Building and Teamworking 149
The Japanese use humour in after- work socializing. This is ignored the 
next day, when formality resumes.