If you’re in a leadership position, you may wonder, “How do I demonstrate that I understand my team? Displaying cross-cultural competence to your team is vital in inspiring confidence, trust, and feelings of psychological safety. Through cross-cultural competence may appear intimidating at first, if you maintain openness and mutual awareness, you’ll send a direct message to your team that they have strong, inclusive leadership.
What does it mean to have cross-cultural competence?
The original definition was first used by Terry Cross, founder of the National Indian Child Welfare Association.
Cross-cultural competence is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enable that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural competence situations.
Though cultural knowledge is an excellent skill to acquire and exercise, it’s better to first focus on internal non-tangible aspects of cross-cultural competence to have a concrete foundation that will ensure success.
3 Essential Components to Cross-cultural Competence
Open-mindedness. The ability to think outside of your own culture, experience, and perspective is golden. Transcending ethnocentricity to exhibit cultural humility is the key that opens the doors to being approachable, receptive, and teachable. If you are sincere and earnest in your efforts and are open to ideas foreign to your worldview, and are willing to listen, you’ll be primed for success.
Self-awareness. To best understand and connect with others, we must turn the mirror around and look at ourselves. The key in any DEI initiative will be a self-evaluation to reflect on any biases and blindspots because, to improve and build, we must understand what’s lacking and weak. Self-awareness is emotionally taxing at times because it requires self-reflection, introspection, and, above all, honesty, but doing so will not only make you a strong leader but a stronger person.
Empathy about the World Around You. Recognizing the world is filled with people, cultures, and worldviews that may be completely different and opposite of yours, BUT understanding that these views and experiences are all valid and worthy of consideration. Then, when you recognize this and work towards understanding these different views, we begin to exhibit empathy. A quote attributed to Socrates, called the Socratic Paradox, “I know that I know nothing.” This humility creates an endless opportunity to learn more, understand more, and connect better.
Cross-cultural competence doesn’t only apply to facts and knowledge but is a starting point of understanding. As challenging as it may appear, don’t try too hard. Learning, having new experiences, and being excited to connect with others is fantastic, but don’t fall into the trap of being the “overzealous ally” where you become too comfortable and end up operating under assumptions, stereotypes, and end up crossing lines and causing offense.
Being open and mutually aware of yourself and others will not only demonstrate cross-cultural competence but will create an environment of respect and one where everyone knows they can be themselves and express themselves.