Three Practices for Cultivating Cross-Cultural Competence
The ability to build pleasant relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds is known as cross-cultural competence. Whenever I conduct cross-cultural training sessions, I realize that many people, regardless of their nationality, wish to cultivate this ability. Therefore, in this essay, I would like to introduce three practices necessary for developing cross-cultural competence, based on my own experiences.
1. Experience the other person's culture using your five senses. Food, music, sports, events... anything is fine. Take a leap and dive right into whatever catches your interest. The gut-level feel you gain from these experiences is enormously helpful when it comes to understanding someone's cultural background. If you discover something you like, tell them right away. They'll almost certainly be pleased, and the emotional distance between you will shrink considerably.
2. Adjust your own behavior rather than trying to change theirs. For example, when dealing with someone who prefers more direct communication, make an effort to express yourself clearly in words, rather than expecting them to simply "read the room" or guess your intentions. Consciously adjusting your own behavior signals consideration, and that consideration often invites their consideration in return. Expecting the other person to adapt to you, on the other hand, amounts to imposing your own culture on them — and that rarely works out well.
3. Find common ground as fellow human beings. This requires a willingness to get to know the other person, but the joy when you do find common ground is immense, and that joy can be shared with them. I once had an American boss I didn't get along with very well, but one day I noticed the pattern on his socks happened to match my own taste, and the two of us shared a laugh over it. A small thing, but it felt like something had connected between us. It reminded me, once again, that our emotions — joy, anger, sadness, happiness — are, above all else, a common thread that transcends cultural difference.
The moment you feel you have understood someone from a different cultural background as a fellow human being is a joyful experience for anyone. At the same time, it's fine to accept that some things won't be mutually understood. Some things are shared, some things aren't — and that's perfectly okay. Cross-cultural competence is the wisdom that allows different cultures to coexist while remaining different from one another. If any of these three practices resonate with you, I hope you'll give them a try.