Transcript Document
Developing Intercultural
Awareness and Competency
Presenter: Charleon A. Jeffries
[email protected]
2015
Welcome!
Today’s session will help you to develop strategies to work
more effectively with those whose cultures are different
from their own by:
Identifying components of cultural competence.
Exploring areas of intercultural difference.
Developing an awareness of personal areas of difference
or diversity.
Growing awareness of personal styles for encountering
or managing differences.
Identifying strengths and areas for development around
diversity and inclusion.
Cultural Competence IS…
Awareness
Skill
Knowledge
Cultural Competence is NOT…
• Reductionism
– The whole is merely the sum of its parts
+
=
+
+
Cultural Competence is also NOT…
• Essentialism
– “Essentially all [insert noun] are…”
-
Tall
Leafy
Strong
Massive
Provide Shade
6
Agenda
• Awareness
– Affirmative Introspection
• Knowledge
– Dimensions of Diversity
– Intercultural Literacy
• Skill
– Social Architecting
Components of Cultural Competence
Awareness
Understanding of self is key in
understanding how we view and
interact with others.
Knowledge
The more knowledge we have about
people of different cultures, the more
likely we are able to avoid stepping on
cross-cultural “toes.”
Lens?
Blind Spots?
Knowing how culture impacts problem
solving, managing people, asking for
help, etc. can keep us connected
Components of Cultural Competence
Attitude
Values & beliefs impact cross-cultural
effectiveness because they convey the
extent to which we are open to differing
values and opinions.
The stronger we feel about our V&B, the
more likely we will react emotionally
when they collide with cultural
differences
Skills or Behaviors
One can have the “right” attitude,
considerable self-awareness, and a lot of
knowledge about cultural differences, yet
still lack the ability to effectively manage
differences.
Skills are learned and then practiced in
order to be developed.
Awareness
Affirmative Introspection
What is Affirmative Introspection?
Knowing what makes me tick
Being comfortable in my own skin
Being in tune with my own biases and hot buttons
What Makes Me Tick?
Experiences and messages that have shaped your
values, philosophy of life & motivations behind your
behaviors
Knowing what makes you tick helps you to
communicate more clearly who you are and why
you are responding in a certain way.
You expand the range of your reactions and
responses for any number of situations
What’s In Your Box?
Formative Experience:
Importance:
Impact:
Feeling:
Learning:
Knowledge
Intercultural Literacy
Dimensions of Diversity
Adapted from Gardenswartz & Rowe,
Diverse Teams at Work: Capitalizing on
the Power of Diversity, SHRM (2003).
Exploring Intercultural Values
Core Cultural Values
The principles or standards of importance to us that tell us
how we should behave based on queues and input from
our culture
Values
Terminal
Instrumental
Mapping your Cultural Orientation
Of the 8 pairs of cultural value comparisons on the
slides to follow, place an “X” along the continuum that
reflects your personal belief or orientation with those
values.
Time
Polychronic
Monochronic
Time is an unlimited good
Time is a precious commodity
Take the time necessary to do what is
needed
Time can/should not be wasted
Life does not follow a clock
Things will happen when they are
supposed/when people arrive
Careful planning to ensure you arrive
at the expected time
Communication
Low Context/Direct
Face-to-face conversations are
important
Rely on the actual words exchanged
Confrontation necessary and normal
Not being forthright is dishonest
Cannot build trust without direct,
face-to-face , honest communication
High Context/Indirect
Allows space for other person to “save
face”
Might have neutral third party
intervene in conflict
Directness is rude/abrasive
Rely on nonverbal cues
Can be easily misunderstood
People will extract the meaning
behind the context
Allows people latitude to respond and
maintains harmony of the community
Primary Orientation
Individualist
Primary importance is self
May seek input from others, but
ultimately personal responsibility is
key
Independence
Mistakes reflect personally
Collectivist
Primary importance of the group
Decisions are made based on the
needs of the group
Consultation is key
Group Harmony
Identity is a function of one’s group
membership
Personal behavior reflects on the
entire group
Social Status
Egalitarian
People should interact with each
other on a level playing field
Differences exist, but should not be
Hierarchical
Status differences should exist and
people should be treated according to
their standing
used as the basis for interacting with
Refer to people by their titles
others
Provides people a sense of place in
the world
Productivity
Task
Motivated to be constantly doing
something
“What do you do?”
Gatherings centered around doing
something “going to…, playing…,”
Vacations include excursions and
explorations
Relationship
Who you are with is more important
than what you are doing
Quality of interpersonal relationships
is important
Tasks do not get in the way of
relationship
Conflict
Surfacing Differences
All issues must be resolved
No resolving conflict is to be
dishonest
We can address our differences, and
move forward without detriment to
our working or personal relationship
Maintaining Harmony
Prefer to deal with matters behind the
scenes
Directness may be viewed as
confrontational or threatening
Not everything requires a
conversation or intervention.
We can have our differences and do
not need to address them.
Emotional Response
Expressive
Emotions are a natural response to our
thoughts and feelings
Tend to have physical contact in the
course of a conversation
Generally easy to read how they are
feeling
Restrained
Emotions are personal and private
Physical contact may be uncomfortable
May appear to have a flat affect
Reading non-verbal, emotional cues may
be difficult
Responsibility
Being
Destiny is a matter of fate – beyond
our control
Distrust people who believe they can
control their own destiny
Fate is in the hands of others (family,
government, higher being)
Doing
What you do in life matters
Must exercise what control you have
to make things happen
Impatient with people who have
fatalistic attitudes
Not doing all you can is irresponsible
Discussion
- Where are the areas of greatest strength for your
“unit”?
- What are some potential areas for conflict?
- How can we mitigate or navigate through some of
that conflict?
Behaviors & Skills
Social Architecting
Social Architecting
Serving as a cultural interpreter
Communicating effectively and resolving conflicts in
diverse settings
Structuring a synergistic and compelling
environment
Serving as a Cultural Interpreter
Understand the relationship between values and
behaviors
Be aware of a “first reaction”
Consider alternate points of view – suspend
immediate judgment
Be willing to advocate for awareness and
understanding
Proverbs
“The early bird catches the worm”
– US Proverb
• Value:
• Behavior:
“The nail that sticks up gets hammered down”
- Japanese Proverb
• Value:
• Behavior
Communicating Through Conflict
One size does NOT fit all
Culture and diversity brings variation to
communication styles in multiple ways
Style
Content
Non-Verbals
What works for you vs What works for others
Closing Thoughts…
Awareness – Affirmative Introspection
You start with your lens
Knowledge – Intercultural Literacy
What do I know about “other-ness”
What do I need/want to know
Behaviors/Skills – Social Architecting
Bringing people together
Questions?
Charleon A. Jeffries
Coordinator, Diversity Education
Affirmative Action Office
328 Boucke Bldg
(814) 863-0471
[email protected]