Anyone working in an international environment needs to be or become cross-culturally competent. What does it mean to be competent across cultures and how can you actually develop such competencies?
Let’s start with a definition first. Cross-cultural competency refers to “a set of cognitive, affective and behavioural skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interactions in a variety of cultural contexts”. (Janet Bennett). Or according to the Financial Times it refers to “one’s ability to influence individuals, groups and organizations with a different cultural perspective in the host country to achieve company goals”.
It is said that 9% of failed assignments is due to the lack of adaptability. This number is on the rise since more companies and businesses internationalize and an increasing number of professionals are looking to advance their careers abroad. In being successful abroad one needs to strike a balance between technical and cross-cultural skill sets.
Let’s have a closer look at what makes us cross-culturally competent. We can distinguish three aspects: knowledge, experience and social skills. And on top of that we also need a global mindset, meaning that we need to be curious about others and their world and we need to be willing to take in other perspectives. Without the ambition and motivation to interact with other cultures one simply cannot develop cross-cultural competencies.
Figure 1. Cross-cultural competencies triangle
Knowledge & Insights
This is about gaining an in-depth understanding of the key beliefs and value systems that drive other’s behaviours. It’s about realizing where people come from, historically and geographically,, their societal and economic structures, and what really matters to them. Getting into the local context and mindsets, the hearts and minds of people. Only that enables us to establish meaningful connections. It requires curiousity and an open-mind.
Experience
It is said that we can only learn from experience. This is largely true. In going through the motions ourselves, in getting first-hand experience of what it feels like to be a newcomer in another culture, to step out of your comfort zone, to experiment with appropriate responses, we get a feel for what is successful and what is not. But do we need to make the same mistakes others have done before us? I don’t think so. I can certainly learn from others There will still be plenty of situations available for me to assemble my own fair share of cultural bloopers. Trust me, I know from experience (and still do to this day).
Social skills
Knowing and doing are of course two different things. I know Asians cannot stand losing face, yet as a westerner I am still inclined to say no because I am trained to speak my mind. Becoming skillful in communicating across cultures again is a combination of knowing the do’s & don’ts in communication and adopting an effective communication style in getting my message across. It means I need to be able to vary my styles across cultures and respond in a cross-cultural effective way. Doing so requires a set of specific competencies such as empathy, listening skills and flexibility. It also requires cross-cultural training to identify more clearly which cultural aspects impact communication and collaboration.
A Global Mindset
Does all this implies that we need to give up on our personal communication styles? Not necessarily. Authenticity and staying true to our selves makes this world as colorful as it is. But in trying to connect with other’s we need to understand the impact of our presentation and communication towards others. Having a global mindset makes it easier to work and live around the word and to collaborate with many different cultures. It widens our horizons and brings more flavors to the table. In doing so we gradually develop a transnational identity in that we feel at home around the world and become a true global citizen.
