Intercultural awareness and understanding

Think globally, act locally has become a common phrase. We are moving towards globalisation and local and individual orientation at the same time. Whether you are in a global organisation, travel the world or are more locally based, cultural understanding is essential.

In today's global workplace, business is constantly changing. Companies acquire, merge or partner with other firms to promote business internationally. The workforce has become increasingly diverse and multicultural. Cultural diversity and differences in international culture and working practices has an impact on almost every aspect of business life. Whether it is seen as a resource or a barrier depends on the awareness and understanding. Intercultural learning and understanding is imperative in our global environment.

Emphasis on the individual - To understand other’s culture we need to be aware of our own culture and how it influences us. The first step in becoming cultural competent is therefore to thoroughly understand the impact of personal framework and culture on our behaviour, motivation, ways of thinking and decision-making. The second stage is to provide a framework of cultural dimensions to be able to understand and compare one’s own cultural norms with counterparts. Cultural competence is tightly connected to context. Different situations and roles account for different awareness level, cultural knowledge and specific skills training.

Culturally diverse teams - Performance for culturally diverse teams becomes in many ways more complex. Today teams from different cultures and places are often not even physically present as teams but are working together virtually. Whether diverse teams perform well highly depend on how they consider the cultural differences, and take advantage of the diversity in the group.

Global organisations - Global organisations need to consider cultural aspects on various levels and from different perspectives. National cultures, organisational culture, local office culture. Marketing, regulations, employees, strategies, leadership, business relations just to mention a few. Context, and your role in the business describes in many ways what cultural understanding and competency is valuable for you. Whether you work in the home office, as a global leader, an expatriate, an employee for a foreign business etc the level and focus on cultural understanding needed will vary.

Global managers have to meet, socialise and negotiate with foreign business counterparts and government officials on a regular basis. Awareness in cultural differences and influence on business practices, management techniques and strategies can be crucial for successful relations. To be culturally efficient the global leader needs to know and constantly enhance his/her personal cultural competencies.

Global Learning can raise awareness and understanding of cultural impact on values, behaviour, thinking and the ways of doing business.

• Understand how culture has impact on work styles, teamwork and communication

• Effective use of cultural assumptions and dimensions

• Communicate critical information clearly

• Efficient and competent leadership across cultural diversity

• Use strategies for building more productive teams

• Work in a manner that inspires creative and innovative thinking in diverse groups