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Intercultural Competence Updates: Last 7 Days
Thought I would share .... the article just touches the surface because the author is really
describing cultural protocol realities ... the true learning is raising the cultural competence of Kevin Carter and 2 more
leaders that they have an awareness of the culture that they represent, foster and have a commented on:
bias towards; a recognition of how that culture is different than the one they are in and their Intercultural Competence
ability to adapt and integrate the cultures of others ....
17 minutes ago 24 comments
5 days ago
The Cobra Was O.K.; The Duck Tongue Not So Much New York Times Ana Isabel B. B. Paraguay started
a discussion:
Cultural delights and minefields characterize business travel for Gary Pomerantz, executive
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vice president of the international engineering firm WSP Flack & Kurtz.
Neutrality - Tuesday Betrayal
Assured (by Huffington Post)
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Michal Fineman commented on:
Do ERGs benefit companies in
Hamlin Grange likes this international market entry?
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Marc Brenman • Kevin, if I understand your correctly, you are making a very good point
that people need to understand their own culture as well as different ones.
5 days ago
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Hamlin Grange • Marc and Kevin...In fact, I would say that the first step in the journey
to becoming more culturally competent is to have a greater understanding of your own
cultural world-view.
5 days ago
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Peter Bye • Thanks for sharing it Kevin. A fascinating article. As you say, it deals
entirely in the visible or objective aspects of culture - foods, interaction protocols,
meanings of colors. Perhaps the author explored the deeper subjective and non-visible
aspects of culture that form the basis for the objective aspects he discussed in the
article - the underlying beliefs and values - although these subjective aspects certainly Latest Post
Peter
are not addressed in the article. As written it seems to focus on a conventional "do /
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don't" list. Obama FCC Caves on Net
Neutrality - Tuesday Betrayal
Those deeper aspects are the ones that determine how we see the world and interact Assured (by Huffington Post)
with others. The deeper understanding coming from intercultural expertise is the source Ana Isabel B. B. Paraguay See all »
of creating competitive advantage through diversity and cultural difference.
Hamlin - I share your thought about greater understanding of one's worldview being a
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critical step. This is one of the truly profound benefits of the Intercultural Development
Inventory. It measures a person's or group's worldview or mindset regarding diversity Kevin Carter
and cultural difference, and provides a basis for further development.
5 days ago
David Lipscomb
Pearl Jones, SPHR • The article is a great illustration of Intent vs Impact. It also makes
a serious point in a lighthearted way about the importance of cultural competence for Damian Hanft
everyone, but especially for those whose work and travel globally. Taking the time to
learn more about the customs and mores of the people and places to where he
travelled could have prevented some faux pas. Joel Martin
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5 days ago
Ana Isabel B. B. Paraguay
Kevin Carter • Marc, Hamlin, Peter and Pearl,
I appreciated your feedback. What struck me was the combination of what we all are
saying ... while it is important to understand how to behave appropriately in other

2. cultures, intercultural competence is not simply adopting certain protocols, or as Peter
stated - a "do / don't list." It is the awareness that each of us, and our corresponding
behavior, represent and create of culture for others that is either accepting or negating
of their culture.
This process not only happens when we travel abroad but also happens right here in
the US when supervisors attempt to coach, correct or improve the performance of their
direct-reports not realizing that it is the supervisor whose behavior is creating a work
climate, or culture, that is fostering low performance. How many leaders ask themselves
the question: "what about me (or my behavior) is preventing you from reaching your full
potential?"
2 days ago
Marc Brenman • Thanks, Kevin. I do not entirely agree with this: "it is the supervisor
whose behavior is creating a work climate, or culture, that is fostering low performance."
While it is the duty of the supervisor to assign work, make sure that staff have the tools
they need to do the work, to set expectations, and to evaluate objectively; and the
responsibility of management to ensure a good work culture; my experience is that some
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staff are just better at what they do and work harder and more responsibly than others.
Staff bear a great deal of responsibility for work culture.
2 days ago
Kevin Carter • Hi Marc,
I mostly agree with what you are saying but let me provide an example.
Let's say I am a manager whose strength is "communicating" or "getting to the bottom-
line" but I have the habit of over-communicating, or dominantly conversation and getting
to the bottom-line so quickly that I cut off debate, or the introduction of new ideas. I am
creating a work climate for my direct reports that will unconsciously benefit some and
unfairly penalize others. I may also be rating some direct reports poorly because they
"don't speak up," or "show initiative," even though it is me who is taking initiative out of
the work culture and discouraging others from speaking up. I believe that everyone is
like me - that if they have something to say, they will fight and push to be heard (and
those that don't - are not a good fit).
I would say that that's manager's intercultural competence is low ... they are not aware
of the work culture that their behavior is creating. They are not aware of how their
strengths - in excess - are preventing others from reaching their full potential.
2 days ago
Marc Brenman • We've all had to adjust to a supervisor whose style was not the same
as ours. The objective of a workplace is not reaching the full potential of the staff, but
getting the work done well, on time, at a reasonable cost. Some workplaces aren't as
"fun" as others. A rating system should be as objective as possible. Feedback should be
frequent. A supervisory skill is knowing that some employees do fine work quietly, and
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some with more "speaking up." "Speaking up" is sometimes evaluated negatively, for
example, when some minority employees are coded in a discriminatory way as being
"uppity." (To bring the conversation back to diversity and inclusion issues.)
2 days ago
Kevin Carter • Marc,
I don't necessarily agree with "the objective of a workplace is not reaching the full
potential of the staff, but getting the work done well, on time, at a reasonable cost." I
believe it is both, especially when most companies today are attempting to generate
new products, services and innovations to serve increasingly diverse and global markets.
I also believe our whole conversation has been about diversity, I began with cultural
diversity and transitioned to discussing the diversity of work styles or orientations that
individuals have and a manager's ability to be adaptive to them (just as a leader would
want to be adaptive to cultural differences in another country).
I think you are raising an excellent point regarding why some minority employees would
not "speak up." As you suggest, the interculturally competent manager would attempt to
create a work culture (through their behavior, speech, etc.) that would incorporate that
employee's ideas, suggestions and recommendations. He would help them reach their
full potential in the pursuit of business outcomes.
2 days ago
Hamlin Grange • Wonderful conversation!
I truly believe that cultural competence is the "end game"...as it were.

3. Diversity is merely the starting point or floor.
I have conducted many sessions with managers and eyes glaze over whenever "cultural
competence" is mentioned. And I cannot always blame them. I believe it is vital for us
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as diversity and inclusion professionals to give real-life examples, as each of you has
done, to illustrate what cultural competence means and the role managers/supervisors
play in this.
It is not just about "those people", it is about "all of us people."
1 day ago
Neal Goodman • All of our programs are about cultural competence and the first step is
to understand youself, your own culture and cultural assumptions and biases. Only then
can you focus on the "other" culture and its assumptions etc.
Neal
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23 hours ago
Kevin Carter • Thank you, Hamlin and Neal (and everyone) for your thoughts!
Neal, from your work, can you highlight an example where managers who do not
understand themselves, their culture and their cultural assumptions and biases pre-
judge the performance of others? As Hamlin mentioned, manager's "eye glaze over
whenever 'cultural competence' is mentioned."
Also, how do they begin the journey to self-awareness.
Thanks.
21 hours ago
Marc Brenman • Although I admire and respect Hamlin greatly, it has not been my
experience that managers' eyes glaze over when cultural competence is mentioned. In
regard to "where managers who do not understand themselves, their culture and their
cultural assumptions and biases pre-judge the performance of others," the last, cultural
assumptions, can shade over into discrimination. And cultural assumptions flow both
Follow Marc
ways. As a white Jewish male, I ofter encounter professional situations in my business,
social justice, in which people belonging to or self-identifying with other groups can't
figure out what I'm doing in their affairs, as if they had a monopoly on dealing with
certain kinds of equity issues. There are often more commonalities than appear on the
surface. For example, I recently read an article about Israeli and Palestinian high tech
workers contracting for work, and finding that they share cultural similarities that make
working together easy. One example given was the alleged preference of both groups to
speak openly and vociferously about concerns.
20 hours ago
Neal Goodman • Kevin,
People come to our seminars, coaching etc. knowing that they want to develop their
Cultural Intelligence so there is no need to make the case for it. An example would be
an American Executive who is being assigned to take over as President of a Japanese
subsidiary of his Ameican company. He had to do a very deep dive into what it means
Follow Neal
to be an American, and an American leader, before he could be open to an alternative
leadership stlye that made him succesful in Japan. He admited that when he got to
Japan everything seemed stupid but he understood that there was a rationale he had to
learn and he did.There are thousands of other examples bot domestic and global.
19 hours ago
Kevin Carter • Thank you, Neal!
Marc, I tend to experience what Hamlin is describing when I initially speak with
managers: a) having a self-awareness regarding one's own biases is somehow
embedded in simply being a good manager and doesn't need be addressed separately;
b) discussing commonalities is more important than discussing differences in getting
work accomplished or c) it's my job as a manager to set the priorities and parameters
for what work is done and how it is accomplished and my direct reports role to complete
those priorities and fit within those parameters.
As you suggest, however, no group or individual has a hold or lock on intercultural
competence. And individuals should be open to see and experience the commonalities
that they have with others. For example, as an African American male, I may have more
in common with a majority male than another African American male. It would depend
on what has defined my identity and culture. It would also not lessen the possibility,
however, that another African American male and I would also uniquely share and
identify with impact of race in the US.

4. Really excellent discussion!
19 hours ago
Melissa Patrick • This is a fascinating conversation. I find it fascinating because there
has been no mention of how power, privilege, and oppression play into interpersonal
communication across human differences. I define differences as: cultural; racial;
gender; class; etc. Managers/supervisors by virtue of their position have a power or
authority that will have an effect on their direct report’s behavior. All over the world, men
Follow Melissa
and women have been socialized in different ways (as is exemplified in the article), and
this creates a communication dynamic involving privilege and power. Finally, if you
consider heterosexism, certainly straight people have the advantage of not having to
orchestrate a “coming out” because we have the privilege of belonging to the
mainstream, dominant social group. My point is that group membership matters. Kevin,
you say it so well, that you may relate to other African American men because you
belong to the same racial group and therefore have some shared experiences
pertaining to race and racism. You can also relate to men who are not Black because
you belong to the same gender group.
Marc, as a White Jewish male, you mention the misperceptions or confusion that other
people have of you because of who you are and what you do. I wonder why your
service as an ally/activist in social justice efforts is misunderstood. I agree with your
sentiment Marc, and I suspect we are not alone, that as humans we have much more in
common than we realize. I also believe that we can not underestimate the influence that
our group experiences have on 1) our life experiences 2) how we interact with others
and nature, and 3) our worldviews, beliefs, and values.
Hamlin and Neal, I also agree that before we can understand others, we need to gain a
deeper understanding of our own identity. I have had participants in workshops I deliver
come to the realization that absolute behavioral objectivity is not possible, and yet if we
are aware of how our own privilege and internalized oppression (social locations)
influences our interactions and impacts others, we can do a much better job at being
competent communicators across lines of difference. Or as Pearl, pointed out, we will be
less likely to commit those faux pas that insult, offend, and shame others.
14 hours ago
Marc Brenman • Hi Melissa, I was probably not sufficiently clear. It is not my "service
as an ally/activist in social justice efforts" that is misunderstood (usually). It is sometimes
my physical presence in the business, especially when people are dealing with first
impressions. For example, the chair of a commission I worked for as executive director
said very early in our relationship, "You're just a plain old white guy." (Luckily her
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predecessor had hired me!) On the other hand, after the recent passage of the repeal in
the Senate of Don't Ask Don't Tell, a couple of prominent LGBT activists told me they
appreciated my service as an ally. So this argues for reserving judgment and getting to
know the other person. We're all sometimes guilty of mistakes. After many years in this
business, I still make them. And, according to the theories of Unconscious Bias (borne
out in hundreds of thousands of tests) we are all guilty of prejudice and stereotyping. Is
this due to socialization? It appears not, from the very wide variety of people from many
places who show implicit bias. But we can to some extent control our behaviors as they
have an effect on other people.
13 hours ago
Kevin Carter • Hi Melisa, Hi Marc,
Melisa, I am blown-away by your statement "absolute behavioral objectivity is not
possible." That statement nails it! If managers just believed and acted like "absolute
behavioral objectivity is not possible," they would view their behaviors with a skepticism
that would allow room for direct reports to insert what drives and motivates them. They
would also be open to the possibility that they may unconsciously favor some and not
others. There was so much in your comments that was outstanding ... the phrase
"absolute behavioral objectivity is not possible" just snatched me. Thank you!
13 hours ago
Neal Goodman • Marc, if not socialization then what? We are all a result of our
socialization (our cultural DNA) and our biological DNA. While the biological does have
an impact it is through socialization that we learn how and what to judge positively or
negatively and it teaches us about power as well. Even "The Authoritarian Personality"
was based on diffrences in socialization.
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Kevin and others.
There appears to be a wide dicrepency in the meaning of Cultural Competence. Power
exists in all cultures but how it is done differs by culture. Within cultures power is one of
the most important aspects of Diversity but not the only one. If introduced properly,
power can be an important learning tool.
Neal

5. 2 hours ago
Kevin Carter • Hi Neal,
My definition of "intercultural competence" is the capability to accurately understand and
adapt behavior to cultural difference and commonality. I define culture as the norms and
expected behaviors of a group, or a learned and complex set of instructions on how one
relates to the world.
My experience comes from some travel and work outside of the US and from providing
IDI profile reports http://www.idiinventory.com/pdf/idi_sample.pdf. Unlike many of the
people taking part in this discussion, I have not lived outside the US for an extended
period of time so I find the discussion an excellent opportunity to learn and grow
professionally and intellectually.
In terms of Power, are you meaning someone's preference for hierarchy or equity that is
different in different cultures? I think Melisa is also referencing that "gender equity" has
a very different meaning in different cultures. Combined together, is it possible that US
majority males expect to be in the power position visa via women or minorities? I am
sure it depends on other aspects of a person's personality. What is the learning here for
the management of people within a corporate setting?
1 hour ago
Neal Goodman • Kevin. There is much complexity here. First, I must admit (as a social
psychologist) that I find the IDI to not be the best approach to deal with this, though I
understand why people see it as a solution. The field of intercultural relations and the
field of diversity are not the same, yet there is much overlap. Many Diversity specialists
have recently "found" cultural competence but they have little grounding in the field of
Follow Neal
intercultural relations so they jump to simple solutions. Likewise there are few in the
intecultural field who really understand diversity and inclusion and the importance of
power that this entails. What it means for managers in a corporate setting is that they
need to build their cultural competence to work effectively with people from other
national cultural backgrounds and they need to develop D&I skills to be able to see and
deal with the hidden biases, power differentials etc. so that their interactions within the
workplace, markets etc. are as inclusive as possible. After 47 years doning this and
training hundreds of thousands of corporate managers and leaders I am always learning
something new and surprised by how much there is still to learn. I have several related
articles on our website under resources if you are interested. www.global-dynamics.com
29 minutes ago
Neal Goodman • Kevin and others. Sorry the correct link to the articles is
http://www.global-dynamics.com/news/gdi-in-the-media I am also sending a link to a
recent artice on Global Diversity which is very critical and which few organization are
approching effectively. http://www.global-dynamics.com/news/gdi-in-the-
media#diversity_exec
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Good luck. Neal
21 minutes ago
Marc Brenman • Hi Neal; in regard to your question, "if not socialization then what?" I
take your question to be in the context of implicit or unconscious bias. I'm not a wild
enthusiast for this theory, though as the test results accumulate, I'm coming around...I
think the originators might say that the human mind and consciousness operate at a
deep level that goes beyond socialization, which is more on the surface and operates
Follow Marc
for one generation only. Our brains are the result of millions of years of evolution and
survival. Even under the best of circumstances, neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to
"rewire" itself) works only for one generation. For example, even people raised in homes
in which there is tolerance and acceptance for others, including an accepting religious
belief structure, will still show results of prejudice and discrimination on the implicit bias
tests. Even African-Americans will show prejudice against other African-Americans. (I
acknowledge that some would say that this is due to imposed societal self-hate.) Some
psychiatrists say that "insight never cured anything other than ignorance." If this is true
(if somewhat exaggerated) then intercultural education only reaches the surface
manifestations.
20 minutes ago
Kevin Carter • Hi Neal,
Thank you. I will visit www.global-dynamics.com (http://www.global-
dynamics.com/news/gdi-in-the-media) and read http://www.global-
dynamics.com/news/gdi-in-the-media#diversity_exec.
I am not sure that D&I professionals are jumping to simple solutions as much as

6. attempting to learn models or processes that will assist them to learn, grow and be more
effective in the intercultural competence and intercultural relations fields. Models or
processes like IDI, or Cultural Navigator, etc. are probably a jumping off point for further
growth for many.
What would you say are the key tenets of intercultural relations that are different than
D&I and visa-versa?
I will review the material on your website, as well, thank you for sharing it.
Kevin
18 minutes ago
Marc Brenman • Thanks, Neal, I always enjoy your articles and insights. I share your
concern with the IDI and most other test and questionnaire-oriented instruments.
Though I thought the example Kevin supplied was interesting. In regard to your
discussion of the difference between intercultural relations and diversity, I agree,
particularly with this: "they need to develop D&I skills to be able to see and deal with the
Follow Marc
hidden biases, power differentials etc." As I have tried to point out elsewhere, D+I are
built on a foundation of nondiscrimination, equity, civil rights laws, and redress systems.
Intercultural relations has no such foundation, legitimately so, because it usually crosses
national borders. As in your own valuable and long background, it is based on social
psychology and not law. Efforts in international human rights law, especially in Europe,
try to overcome this gap. And as shown in Europe, the two are often not a good fit.
Merkel disses Turkish-Germans for failing to assimilate, France and Italy cast out Roma,
Switzerland bans minarets on mosques, Belgium bans veils, the UK indulges in caste
discrimination, etc.
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