Cultural competence is the ability to effectively navigate and communicate across cultural differences. It gives you the ability to adapt your behavior so you can work well with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Cultural competence is a necessary skill for those working in culturally diverse organizations. It helps individuals avoid misunderstandings, build trust and rapport with others, and work more effectively as part of a multicultural team.

How the Cultural Competence Development Journey Starts

Phase 1:        Self-Awareness

 Cultural competence development is a journey, and this journey starts within, as the picture below illustrates.

Self-awareness is an essential element in understanding others. So, you need to start by identifying your biases, beliefs, stereotypes, and privileges. This will also help you understand the way you think and behave.

You can start by asking yourself questions such as

1. How can being a member of a privileged group (e.g., White, male, heterosexual) impact my relationship with employees or clients from a non-privileged group? Or vice versa?
2. How will my culture, race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, ability, economic class, language, and so forth impact my interactions with employees or clients?
3. Have I ever been in a situation where I was in the minority (meaning, outnumbered)? How did that make me feel? Can I empathize with employees who are from underrepresented groups?
4. What opinions or images do I carry of individuals from [name the groups]? Are they positive or negative? How did I acquire them? Through personal history? Childhood memory? The media? What steps can I take to eliminate my biases toward each of these groups?

Phase 2:         Knowledge and Understanding of Others

Self-awareness is just the first step.

You also need to understand others’ values and beliefs, the issues they are facing, and the barriers limiting their access and success in the organization.

For example, in an interview, U.S. Americans expect candidates to brag about their qualifications and convince those on the hiring committee why they would be the best candidate for the job. Depending on their cultural orientation, though, some candidates would find this type of “bragging” highly inappropriate.

This cultural difference can easily be interpreted as a lack of ambition or that the candidate does not have what it takes to move up in the organization. Think of the ramifications of that. If you don’t see this behavior for what it is--a cultural difference-- you will likely prevent the candidate from moving forward in the interview.

Phase 3:         Development of Relational Skills

Relational skills are essential for those who work with culturally diverse employees. These are the skills that will help you show your employees they matter.

Individuals with highly developed relational skills are able to show concern for others, put others at ease, listen attentively, be curious enough to ask clarifying questions, show patience, and display empathy.

Increasing your comfort level in working with differences will facilitate the development of your relational skills. And rest assured that, the more comfortable you are with differences, the more effective you will be in working with culturally diverse colleagues and clients.

Steps You Can Take to Develop Your Cultural Competence Skills

1. Develop your self-awareness. Take time to reflect on your own cultural background and how it might influence your behavior, including the way you communicate with others. You also need to consider how others might perceive you based on your background and be willing to make adjustments, if necessary.
2. Educate yourself about different cultures. Take the time to learn about the cultures of your colleagues and customers. This can include reading books or articles, attending cultural events, or simply asking questions and listening to their experiences. I have found that “cultural informants” can be extremely beneficial in helping me gain a different perspective.
3.  Build relationships with individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Seek out opportunities to interact with individuals from different cultural backgrounds and build relationships with them. This can help you better understand their perspectives and value orientation.
4.  Practice active listening. When communicating with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, make an effort to listen actively and understand their perspectives. Avoid making assumptions or judgments based on your own cultural background. You need to understand where “the other” is coming from.
5.  Be flexible and adaptable. Recognize that different cultures may have different expectations around communication, decision-making, and other aspects of work. Be willing to adapt your behavior to meet the needs of others. For example, if you find it is harder for individuals to communicate orally with you, encourage them to send you their thoughts via email.
6.  Seek feedback and guidance. Ask others for feedback on your behavior, your communication style, and be open to constructive criticism. Again, a cultural informant who could act in the capacity of a coach or mentor would be able to provide you with invaluable guidance.

 Cultural competence is a must-have skill set if you are working across differences. Only when individuals take the steps to develop their cultural competence skills will they be able to work more effectively in a global organization, build stronger relationships with colleagues and customers from different cultural backgrounds, and contribute to the creation of more inclusive and diverse organizations.