However, the vast majority of such articles assume we are all Westerners interacting with other Westerners. We are told we need to look people in the eye and speak up for ourselves. We are encouraged to smile while we speak.
These tips, however, can quickly get you into trouble if you apply them during interactions with acquaintances from different cultures. This warning comes from the management-issues.com website.
- Direct eye contact means confidence and respect in some cultures but in others it signifies insubordination and disrespect.
- The ability to speak out demonstrates confidence and control in the US; however, in China confidence and control are demonstrated by silence.
- If a child leaves to study in a faraway place for a year, a dad crying in front of his offspring communicates weakness in some cultures but in others it is a sign of love.
What we need to do
Our common sense on its own isn’t enough. Nor can we hope to learn what to do or not do for every culture we may possibly encounter. And just to make it even more complicated, generalisations for individual cultures are often not completely accurate.
Emotional intelligence is the first step
Emotional intelligence is the ability to detect and manage your own emotions and those of others. You need it to be a strong leader, foster team collaboration, and have good family relationships. To be culturally intelligent, you need primarily to be able to read and react to the emotions of people from cultures close to your own. Cultural intelligence cannot be present without self-awareness, which is one of the main components of emotional intelligence.
-jk-