What is Cross Cultural Competency?

As discussed in previous articles, a deep understanding of one’s culture, in some cases, can mean the difference between effective communication and positive relationships between people from different backgrounds, and ineffective communication riddled with misunderstandings. Of course, anyone who has interacted with members of a different culture can attest to this fact and give specific examples of how their understanding of culture (or lack thereof) has affected either a personal or professional relationship. Yet any example given and any guidelines or well meaning advice suggested still beg the question: what is cultural competency, and as a goal for community members throughout the world, how can one achieve it? On the surface, these questions may seem easy to answer, but delving deeper into the heart of the matter, one finds that any quick and easy answer will only increase the misunderstandings between different groups of people. In a nutshell, one can define cross cultural competency as the ability to understand the influence of an individual’s experiences, lessons, traditions and formal and informal education, and how what someone has been taught through the actions and communication styles of lifelong relationships they have will influence how they act and communicate with people in their present life. The first step to cross cultural competency is understanding that often times, the lessons that all people learn when they are very young by watching the behaviors of adults in their lives will lay a permanent imprint in their minds as to what is appropriate for different kinds of relationships. Understanding has been defined as a key element to cross cultural competency. A second step that one must take to achieve this goal is to be interested in other people’s backgrounds and traditions. With a genuine interest in the cultures and backgrounds of different groups, eventually comes the ability to communicate effectively with people from that culture while being able to enjoy and celebrate in the differences that the two cultures bring to a relationship. A third step to becoming thoroughly cross culturally competent is actually spending time living in another culture. Moving to a different country and having to conform to what that society has deemed appropriate is a huge step in gaining self awareness as to why you feel, think and act the way you do. After gaining self awareness, learning to transcend cultural barriers to create long lasting relationships with people of different cultures becomes a very pleasant experience. Cross cultural competency requires a great deal of effort and dedication, but the outcome of learning about one’s own cultural influences and the cultural influences of other groups will make globalization a wonderfully educational experience that is to be valued.