I believe I’ve always been a tolerant, non-judgemental person. I was a ‘third-culture kid’ – meaning that I spent a lot of time growing up away from my home country.

I was born in New Zealand, but at the age of five my family moved to the US. During these years we spent a lot of time travelling around the US, as well as overseas. I learnt from a very early age what it was like to be the ‘new kid’. When I was growing up I thought that every family travelled as much as mine did, but I soon learnt what it felt like to be different from others and feel like an outsider.

It wasn’t until I settled back down in New Zealand at the age of 16 that I began to realise how lucky I was. Having to make new friends so often and in so many different places showed me that, although people are very different, it is possible to get along with just about anybody. Perhaps being continuously stereotyped as the ‘new kid’ taught me that appearances could be deceiving. I knew how frustrating it was to be stereotyped and not given the chance to be seen for who I really was. By teaching me to reserve judgement and get to know someone for who they are, my nomadic childhood gave me the skills to make friends with anyone.

I feel sorry for those who are not as fortunate to have had similar experiences. Teaching others about inter-cultural sensitivity is my way of giving back to the world the passion for learning about diversity that the world instilled in me.   

Understanding Cultural Differences

Picture the scene: a monthly middle management meeting at a global MNC. Australian manager David Smith has just finished speaking to his peers from India, China and Japan.

“Does anyone have anything to add?” he asks. None of his colleagues responds.

Looking around the room, Smith thinks, “How did these people manage to make it this far? Raja Kumar has no original ideas, he just agrees with everything I say. Wei Cheng never speaks up, and Yuki Kobyashi won’t even look me in the eye. How disrespectful! None of them are as productive as me, they shouldn’t be managers.”

The above scenario may be an extreme example of clashing cultures, but – as workplaces become increasingly ethnically, nationally and culturally diverse – it may not be uncommon. The increasing globalisation of today’s businesses means companies employ people who have different communication styles, prioritise different values and hold very different world views.

Cultural diversity is especially important in this environment.

Research has shown that workplace diversity can be either beneficial or detrimental to productivity and team morale, while cultural differences can either create conflict or inspire creativity. The secret is therefore figuring out how to harness cultural diversity.

Inter-cultural Sensitivity

Inter-cultural sensitivity is a relatively new term in the field of cross-cultural psychology. But what does it actually mean? Inter-cultural sensitivity is defined as the tendency to understand cultural differences and to be open and non-judgemental about other cultures. The inter-culturally sensitive leader is aware of how culture influences the way people view the world, and does not judge people from other cultures simply because they may act or think differently.

Think of culture as a lens through which we view the world. Our cultural background influences the way in which we interpret the world. It is not possible to remove our cultural lens, but by becoming aware and acknowledging its presence, we can begin to realise how it impacts daily life. By combining multiple cultural viewpoints, we gain a clearer, more encompassing view of the world.  

Cultural Relativism

A critical part of inter-cultural sensitivity is cultural relativism: the belief that cultures may have diverse values and beliefs, but these are neither better nor worse – they are simply different. Similar to the concept of egalitarianism, cultural relativism rejects the idea of a cultural hierarchy and emphasises equality amongst cultural groups.

Leaders who embrace cultural relativism are more comfortable working alongside culturally diverse peers. For example, they would not resent a culturally different superior just because they are from a different culture.

Cultural relativism involves a certain amount of humility. In order to refrain from evaluating others on the basis of their culture, we must be aware of the influence our own culture has on us. We must acknowledge that our culture is not superior – or inferior – to other cultures, it is simply different. Acknowledging this equality of cultures is often difficult. It involves a certain amount of effort to put aside our preconceptions and take people for who they are, not what they are.

How can the inter-culturally sensitive leader increase inter-cultural awareness and decrease inter-cultural judgement in workplaces? Research shows that experiential exercises and simulation games provide opportunities for employees to experience the effect of culture on everyday life. They enable participants to gain an understanding of the confusion and frustration that comes from being different. This understanding can motivate participants to rethink their behaviour and attitude towards other cultures.

Back in the middle management meeting scenario, David Smith is getting frustrated at his multicultural colleagues because he thinks they are being lazy and disrespectful. A greater degree of inter-cultural sensitivity would help Smith realise that cultural differences, not personal characteristics, are responsible for the reactions of his colleagues.

Smith is from Australia, where individual opinions and direct methods of communication are valued. In contrast, Raja Kumar’s Indian culture emphasises collectivism, or not speaking out against the general consensus. In Chinese culture, silence indicates polite respectfulness – so Wei Ching is less forthcoming than Smith. And Yuki Kobyashi is Japanese, where direct eye contact is considered offensive.

All three managers are behaving in ways their cultures dictate as polite. However, when seen through Smith’s cultural lens, they appear ignorant and rude. Were Smith aware of how his cultural lens influences how he interprets his colleagues’ behaviours, he might also re-evaluate his judgement on their value as managers.  

Inter-culturally sensitive leadership

The inter-culturally sensitive leader accepts that others do not view the world according to his or her values, and leverages this diversity for the greater good. For example, Indian managers tend to value hard work and dedication, while their Singaporean counterparts tend to be more creative and place value on taking weekends as work-free days. Both working styles are individually valuable, but the inter-culturally sensitive leader should enable these two approaches work together and leverage each other’s strengths.

Recognising how your own culture influences how you interpret others’ actions enables a better perspective on how others work. In increasingly culturally diverse workplaces, the inter-culturally sensitive leader should embrace the methodology of cultural relativism to create an adaptable, well-rounded team.  

Take a Test: How inter-culturally sensitive are you?

If you would like to find out how inter-culturally sensitive you are, take the Victoria University of Wellington survey. You will receive immediate feedback.

This article was first published in HQ Asia (Print) Issue 06 (2013)