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Cross-cultural competency tools

Written by Jenny Plaister-Ten on 1 February 2014 in Features
Features

Jenny Plaister-Ten outlines three alternative approaches

According to an international study from the British Council,

employers now place a high level of importance upon intercultural
skills1. Skills such as 'demonstrating respect for others', 'building
trust' and 'working effectively in diverse teams' were more important
than formal qualifications.

Yet, even though we now live and work in multi-cultural societies and
workplaces, there is still seemingly little emphasis placed upon the
importance of acquiring these skills.

This article suggests that, to become interculturally adept, training and

coaching solutions need to incorporate methods that raise awareness of
the fact that culture has an impact on our thoughts, feelings and behaviour
and, therefore, in an organisational context, our leadership style.
It examines three methods for doing so and compares and contrasts them.
The first is The International Profiler from WorldWork Ltd. TIP is a personal
development tool with an online assessment. It measures how much
energy a person puts into each of the dimensions that have been identified
through research to be critical to the effective functioning of international
assignees or multi-cultural teams.

The second is from the field of cultural intelligence (CQ). Building on the
work of Sternberg's multiple loci of intelligences, the CQ profiler measures
a person's effectiveness in an intercultural context. It provides a multi-rater
element and a four-step model with the following elements: CQ drive, CQ
knowledge, CQ strategy and CQ action. It provides for a structured and
logical sequence through which to develop an intercultural engagement.

The third is mine and was developed initially as part of a masters degree in
coaching and mentoring practice and then subsequently tested in practice.
The Cross-Cultural Kaleidoscope is a tool designed to raise culturally-
derived awareness and to raise culturally-appropriate responsibility2 and
takes a systems perspective upon the need to consider how external
factors such as societal or cultural norms, or the economy, may
be affecting our emotions, thoughts, behaviours and decisions and, as a
consequence, our leadership styles.

The International Profiler

What makes an individual highly effective in transferring professional skills

to an unfamiliar, cross-cultural context? This was the question that
WorldWork Ltd sought to answer when developing its TIP tool. More than
5,000 profiles have since been completed by people in more than 100
countries, 52 per cent of whom have lived outside their home country.

TIP is a questionnaire that explores the relative energy, emphasis and

attention professionals bring to the competency set when involved in
transferring their skills to unfamiliar, cross-cultural contexts. The ten
competences and 22 dimensions are divided into 'push' and 'pull'
categories. Push competences are those that are 'pushed out' with clarity
for other people to understand and accept. Pull competences, on the other
hand, are those that begin with the other first; pulling their world into ours
by examining their perspective first.

Here is a summary of the competences:

 openness
o new thinking - receptive to new ideas
 o welcoming strangers - keen to build relationships with new
people with different experiences, perceptions, and values
o acceptance - positively accepts different behaviour and working
practices
 flexibility
o behaviour - adapts easily to a range of different social and
cultural situations
o judgments - avoids coming to quick and definitive conclusions
about new people and situations
o learning languages - motivated to learn and use the specific
languages of important business contacts
 personal autonomy
o inner purpose - strong personal values and beliefs that provide
consistency or balance when dealing with unfamiliar
circumstances
o focus on goals - sets specific goals in international projects,
combined with persistency in achieving them
 emotional strength
o resilience - risks making mistakes as a way of learning. Tends
to 'bounce back' when things go wrong
o coping - able to deal with change and pressure even in
unfamiliar situations
o spirit of adventure - seeks out variety, change and stimulation
in life; avoiding safety and predictability
 perceptiveness
o attuned - picks up meaning from indirect signals such as
intonation, eye contact and body language
o reflected awareness - very conscious of how they come across
to others
 listening orientation
o active listening - checks and clarifies rather than assumes
understanding
 transparency
o clarity of communication - a 'low-risk' style that minimises the
potential for misunderstandings
o exposing intentions - signals positive intentions and puts needs
into a clear and explicit context
 cultural knowledge
o information gathering - takes time and interest to learn about
unfamiliar cultures; deepens their understanding of those they
know
o valuing differences - sensitive to how people see the world
differently. Keen to communicate respect for them
 influencing
 o rapport - exhibits warmth and attentiveness when building
relationships
o range of styles - has a variety of means for influencing people
o sensitivity to context - understands and leverages political
power
 synergy
o creating new alternatives - combines different cultural
perspectives to create a 'third culture'.

Strengths of the tool

The International Profiler is a development, rather than an assessment,

tool. There is nothing good or bad associated with high and low scores;
rather, there are good and bad implications of both. For example, too much
focus on individual goals can be at the expense of creating rapport or
synergies.

It is at its most powerful when it correlates with other dimensions, for

example too low an emphasis on reflected awareness can cause barriers to
trust, especially when coupled with low rapport.

Weaknesses of the tool

There are many competences and it is a lot to assimilate during the

feedback session. Sometimes the competences can seem like common
sense and/or personality traits rather than intercultural competences, for
example openness or flexibility.

How to use it

A certified consultant will administer the link to an online questionnaire

where 80 questions take about 40 minutes to complete. It is available in
English, French, Italian and German.

It may be used as a platform for coaching global leaders or international

assignees, face to face or at a distance, through the identification of three
or four areas for development. It can be used during training sessions to
illuminate the competences required for effective intercultural working.

The Cultural Intelligence Profiler

What's the difference between individuals and organisations that are

effective in today's globalised, multicultural world and those that fail? This
question led to Ang, Van Dyne and Koh's definition of cultural intelligence
(CQ) as "a person's capability to function effectively in situations
characterised by cultural diversity"3.
The Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) has been validated and peer-
reviewed and published in more than 70 academic journals. It measures
various forms of non-academic intelligence and has been found to be a
reliable measure of a person's ability to function effectively in culturally
diverse situations. CQ also predicts ability to adjust in situations
characterised by cultural diversity.

A self-assessment is available online along with a multi-rater (360°)

version. The views of five to seven other people are compared with the
self-perception and gaps may be identified.

The CQS scale measures four factors of CQ

CQ-Drive is motivation. Not everyone is interested in experiencing

other cultures and engaging with people from them. Motivational CQ is
about how much energy a person applies toward learning about, and
placing themselves in, cross-cultural situations. It therefore considers the
value or importance that people place on culturally diverse interactions as
well as their self-confidence that they can function effectively.

CQ-Knowledge is much more than reading a guide book or doing a

Google search about a country. It reflects a person's understanding of how
cultures are similar and different, and their knowledge of how the external
environment operates, such as legal systems, cultural norms, religious
beliefs, values and language.

CQ-Strategy is how a person makes sense of inter-cultural experiences

and operates at a meta-cognition level. So, someone with strong CQ
strategy would make plans before an inter-cultural encounter, check
assumptions and adjust their thinking when the reality is different from
expectations. This can be used to circumvent judgmental thinking about
another (which it is human nature to do). And it measures whether the
individual can go beyond cultural awareness to effectively develop
strategies in the light of cultural differences.

CQ-Action is a person's ability to adapt his behaviour so it is appropriate

for different cultures. It includes having a flexible repertoire of behavioural
responses and the ability to modify verbal and non-verbal behaviour for the
context.

Strengths of the tool

One of the big strengths of the CQ profile is the multi-rater capability. A

person may compare his own self-perception with the opinions of selected
others and identify gaps that provide a flag for further development. The
CQ model is easy to understand and strategies to enhance CQ are easily
identifiable. The four factors of CQ use language that is accepted in
organisations, and therefore is not seen as too 'soft', and the academic
reliability is extensive. Its predictive capabilities should prevent
organisations from making costly mistakes when selecting people for
international assignments.

Weaknesses of the tool

Again, despite the rigour of the research behind CQ, it can seem like
common sense.

How to use it

A certified consultant will administer the link to an online questionnaire and

will feed back the participant's results. Used as a development tool, the four
categories provide a structured approach to identifying areas on which to
work. It can be used at team and organisational levels as a leadership tool.

The Cross-Cultural Kaleidoscope

How important is it for the coach to have an understanding of a coachee

from a different worldview? This question continues to have significance in
training and coaching that takes place in and among multi-cultural
societies, workplaces and teams, and informed the Cross-Cultural
Kaleidoscope model.

The imagery of a kaleidoscope places the global leader, and

consequently his coach, in an environment that is dynamic, with multiple
influences interweaving and interchanging from the external environment.
The external environment provides the context and the internal self
provides the meaning of all of these influences. Yet, our cultural values and
beliefs are often held subconsciously and it can therefore be incumbent on
the cross-cultural trainer or coach to bring them to the surface and to
awareness. From awareness, cultural meanings may be explored.

The internal lens The 'cultural self' is distinct from personality in the model
and represents the thoughts, feelings and emotions held by an individual
about his own cultural identity.

The external lenses These represent a lens through which an issue may
be examined and which, in turn, have a bearing on the thoughts, feelings
and decisions that drive behaviour. Here is a brief snapshot of the lenses,
with some examples:
  the legal/political/education lens In those countries where there
are very strict rules and harsh punishments, and/or rote methods of
education, compliance can follow. This can have an impact on a
person's attitude to authority, creativity and risk
 the religious/spiritual lens This can illuminate the religious
mandates that guide beliefs and behaviours and, on occasions, may
drive, or get in the way of, action
 the community lens Examining factors such as family communities,
for example, can provide some clues about the levels of social
responsibility a person might exhibit, along with his levels of
allegiance to a particular group
 the cultural norms lens Taking a societal-level of enquiry and its
impact on the individual can, for example, help to identify constructs
such as guilt and shame. For example, imagine the potential to feel
shame by those people who live with the cultural norm of respect for
elders if they witness an elderly person being shouted at
 the diversity lens A diversity lens accommodates ethnicity, age and
gender differences
 the historic lens History brings with it many opportunities to
examine the psyche of the person and the impact his country's
history may have made upon his leadership style or ability to be led.
Imagine the effects of slavery, for example, if you come from the
South of America
 the economic lens Examining the economic structure or structures
that a leader has been influenced by over his lifespan can bring some
insights into how they lead. During economically challenging
conditions, for example, leadership qualities such as decision-making
and planning may not be manifest
 the geography/climate lens Proxemics4, or the impact of climate,
noise level and light, can all have a bearing upon how people
interact. Thus, in densely populated areas such as Hong Kong, there
is less respect for personal space as compared with, say, the United
States.

Strengths of the tool

This model is primarily an awareness-building tool and that is its key

strength where there is generally a lack of awareness about the impact of
culture. It takes a systems view, incorporating the external factors that can
have a bearing on thoughts, emotions and behaviours, and therefore can
be adapted to the context. There is no prescriptive way to use it. An online
visual image helps to embed the concepts.
Weaknesses of the tool

It may at first appear complex. It may be perceived to be 'contaminating'

the training or coaching engagement with the suggestion that there are
cultural issues where there may be none.

How to use it

 To raise the awareness of the trainer/coach of the impact of culture

on his values and beliefs and to the risk of projection in the
relationship
 To identify which of the lenses holds the most resonance as a
starting point for conversation
 To identify the 'cultural self/selves' - working at the level of cultural
identity
 To identify the impact of external influences upon leadership styles
 To identify cultural imperatives and conflicting internal values
 To create culturally-appropriate choice and behavioural change
 To 'unlearn' those cultural values that no longer work given a change
of context.

There are enormous risks and huge costs associated with putting the
wrong person in an international post. Furthermore, a multi-cultural team
may be derailed or fail to reach its full potential. Increased awareness of
the need for cross-cultural competences can surely help. All of the above
tools are based upon research. Each addresses the hidden complexities of
culture. According to Hall, "culture hides more than it reveals and what it
hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants"5.

This means that the coach must be aware of the risk of making
assumptions that are made from his own cultural lens. It can mean that the
impact of culture is not typically felt until you are outside of your own.
Hofstede explains that identifying culture-related behaviour is difficult: "It
takes a prolonged stay abroad and mixing with other nationals there for us
to recognise the numerous and often subtle differences in the ways they
and we behave, because that is how our society has programmed us." 6

A Dialogin.com survey conducted in 2006 suggests that interculturalists

who practice outside of their home country emphasise the need for what
WorldWork refers to as the 'pull' competences: the softer skillsets
associated with adaptability to the other7. Those who have not lived
overseas tend to emphasise the 'push' competences associated with
driving their own or their organisation' s outcomes through, which, if not
handled with cultural sensitivity, could be perceived to be oppressive at
worst and disrespectful at best. Imagine the cost to organisations of not
realising this.

The issue remains that responding to the impact of culture appears to

many people to be either common sense or becomes confused with
personality traits. Openness, for example, is indeed a personality trait that
to some people is innate. The CQ approach claims to have taken this into
account while the Cross-Cultural Kaleidoscope does not incorporate
competences but provides a working model designed to raise awareness to
the cultural context.

Whichever tool is selected, they do not stand alone. It is critical that training
and/or coaching programmes are designed around them to develop the
effective functioning of global leaders, international assignees, multi-
cultural and remote teams or during international mergers and acquisitions.
Significantly, all three tools provide a starting point for an intercultural
programme that can support group training as well as ongoing team or
personal development. This may be facilitated by a coach who is
specialised in the intercultural arena and can therefore help to make the
training 'stick'.

References

1 British Council Culture At Work, The value of intercultural skills in the

workplace (2013) http://www.britishcouncil.org/cultureat-
workresearch_march_2013.pdf [1]

2 Plaister-Ten J The International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and

Mentoring Practice
(2013) http://business.brookes.ac.uk/commercial/work/iccld/ijebcm/docume
nts/vol11issue2-paper-05.pdf [2]

3 Ang S, Van Dyne L, Koh C S K “Personality correlates of the four factor

model of cultural intelligence” Group and Organization Management 31
(2005)

4 Hall T E The Hidden Dimension Anchor Books (1966)

5 Hall T E The Silent Language Anchor Books (1959)

6 Hofstede G Culture’s Consequences, Comparing Values, Behaviors,

Institutions, and Organizations across Nations Sage Publications (2001)

7 www.Dialogin.com [3]

About the author

Jenny Plaister-Ten is a cross-cultural, coach, consultant and trainer who
uses all three of the tools mentioned in this article in her practice. She can
be contacted via www.10consulting.co.uk [4]