I often discuss the importance of non-verbal communication with my students. Body language and simple gestures convey information to your audience, whether intended or not. Such non-verbal communication may lead to misunderstandings, particularly in cross-cultural settings. That’s why most organizations (or at least the smart ones) invest a lot of dollars in training managers and executives on the nuances of particular cultures before attempting to do business abroad. For example, there is a whole protocol to follow when exchanging business cards in Japan, and you better know the drill ahead of time.
Every now and again, however, protocols are broken. But fortunately breaking the rules doesn’t always result in an international gaffe. When First Lady Michelle Obama met Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace on Wed, she placed her arm around the Queen. Now, we Americans may not think of this as a big deal – aren’t people always reaching out to shake hands and hug our politicians and their spouses? This is particularly true on the campaign trail. But our politicians are mere elected officials, not monarchy. In England, one apparently does not reach out and touch the Queen. According to AP writer Jennifer Quinn, “When the former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating put his arm around the queen in 1992, the tabloids dubbed him the ‘Lizard of Oz.’ When his successor, John Howard, was accused of doing the same, a spokesman insisted: ‘We firmly deny that there was any contact whatsoever.’”
Fortunately for the Obamas, the Queen appeared to be quite taken by Michelle, who stands about a foot taller. Perhaps even more shocking, according to British press, was that the Queen wrapped her arm around the First Lady as well, in a “rare public show of affection.” According to Rebecca English of the Daily Mail online, “In 57 years, the Queen has never been seen to make that kind of gesture and it is certainly against all protocol to touch her.” I guess she liked her.
Bravo to the Queen for breaking with tradition!
Recent Comments