How to build strong intercultural skills

For the last part of my articles touching the subject of the main approaches to use with the new Global Leaders of Today, we’ll be talking about how to assure the leader acquires a clear understanding of both their own culture and other cultures, and particularly the similarities and differences between them. The similarities and differences may be in terms of values, beliefs, or behaviors.

The Global Executive must develop the skills to switch from one’s cultural frame to other’s point of view, continuously listening and identifying the other’s value patterns, reshaping their communication with a newly sought flexibility, practicing self-control and tolerance through self-reflection, being flexible to quickly adjust if necessary, and having overall cross-cultural empathy. Their continuous awareness is key here.

Cultural Dimensions: helping understand cultures

Cultural dimensions are a good basis from which leaders can explore cultural paradoxes and obtain a sense of the behaviors they observe in the new cultures they face. To define these cultural dimensions, I use a combination of Hofstede, and Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, among other authors which have studied this subject, as well as other researchers and academics which have worked on similar measurements. These dimensions, represented in a graphic form, give my clients a visual tool to start to position themselves, their observations, and their learnings of their own cultures with the new cultures they face. These Cultural Dimensions include: Power Structure, Verbal vs. Non-verbal Communication, Decision-making Styles, Task Oriented vs. Relationship Oriented, High Context vs. Low-Context, and the Value of Time, among many others.

The use of the cultural dimensions in coaching is a good starting point or base but it is really just that, a tool from which the new expatriate or aspiring global leader can explore cultural differences and develop their own reflections or interpretations of the behaviors they observe in the new cultures they are arriving to. As the Global Executive learns and understands these differences, they can build cultural bridges, and really appreciate the new environment before them.

Musts-see’s when understanding Interculturality

The first rule when understanding cultural differences is that we should not make generalizations. Not all people from a same culture are the same; there are so many other factors that make up who we are: race, ethnicity, geography (region, urban/rural/suburban), language, gender, and then over time there’s religion, age, class, education, politics, profession, income, sexuality, skills, and travel. We are in constant change throughout our lives and our professional careers.

We need to be quick to reflect on who we are and who are the people around us before jumping into conclusions about others or judging others. There are no good or bad characteristics, there are no better or worse. The beauty of seeing through others’ cultural dimensions can certainly open a whole new world, a world of richness and growth.

All within the context of professional Executive Coaching

My key role as a coach working across cultures is to assist clients to notice the potential influence of culture in their complex and changing environments. As an Executive Coach, besides using the 3 main approaches mentioned in my past posts, I utilize a wide range of skills which leaders need to address in their day-to-day work in order to have a bigger impact in their professional environment, such as: presentation skills, interpersonal skills, self-management, anger and stress management, strategic planning, team building, leadership, etc.

Further reading

• Hofstede, G. (1984). Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values (2nd ed.). Beverly Hills: SAGE Publications.
• Trompenaars, F., Hampden-Turner, C. (1997) Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business. New York City: McGraw-Hill.

If you have any questions regarding this topic or would like me to work with you as an Intercultural Executive Coach, be sure to send me a note. I’ll be happy to help.

Featured photo by krakenimages on Unsplash