Today’s office typically contains individuals from many different cultures, not just within US, but from all over world. People with different customs, beliefs, ways of thinking and different first-languages come together to work together, and result can be confusion and misunderstanding.

“We need a common language,” a manager from a state education agency told me other day on phone. She was inquiring about an Emotional Intelligence program, correctly thinking it might be “new common language” for their agency. The old one, she said, something about “Steps” had worn itself out. It is not easy understanding people from different cultures. It’s not easy understand even on person! In case of different cultures, we bring with us assumptions, stereotypes and generalizations which can get in way of commonality.

Most of time technical vocabulary is understood, but other parts of communication are missed. Up to 90% of any communication is nonverbal, and gestures, postures, and expressions vary widely from one culture to another, as does intonation and phrasing.

It’s easy to misunderstand another cultures expression of respect or warmth. When you meet someone new, other person may be expecting a slight nod of head, a quick handshake, a bow or a hug with a kiss on both cheeks. How are you to know?

Even best-laid plans, proverb goes, go oft astray. And by learning how to improvise like actors or jazz musicians, corporate types can better adapt to always changing situations that you face.

What is improvisation? Trying to explain improvisation is like to trying to describe to someone how to ride a bike. The actual experience of riding a bike is much different than description. Improvisation comprises crucial mental skills needed for individuals, teams and organizations to thrive in change, innovate and think effectively under pressure.

Although many people are familiar with improv through television show "Whose Line Is It, Anyway?", few know this interactive art form has been highly valued for its ability to empower performers to respond immediately and inventively to each other and their environment. It originated in Europe in mid-1500s.

Improvisational structures are governed by rules that require participants to accept and cooperate with each other, listen interactively, and jointly advance action of a given task while continually supporting each other to be successful.

Improvisation fosters successful collaboration. To succeed, participants must attend to their partners' communication and accept and build upon each other's actions while remaining as flexible as possible. As a result, everyone is empowered to interactively discover his or her inherent creative potential.

When I first was exposed to an improvisational workshop many years ago, I saw tools that we learned to use -- such as taking risks, accepting each others ideas, exploring them and moving them forward -- were exactly tools that people in business world would have to develop to foster ideas under pressure. If people in organizations are unable to think under pressure, build ideas, challenge assumptions and think creatively, their survival will be hampered.

Most people aren't thinking about how they can improvise at work, however. But what they do want to know is: "How do I get my people to share ideas with each other?" Most of trouble with sharing our ideas derives from our fear that we'll be judged for our ideas and our fear of looking foolish.

To break down barriers and generate ideas, try this fun improvisational exercise, called Ad Room.

Everyone who participates in Ad Room is part of an ad agency. Your goal is to come up with an ad campaign for a fictional product -- gasoline that you can drink, for example -- that would include customer benefits, slogans, spokesman and jingles.