Cultural understanding is about developing cultural intelligence and it takes a deep commitment and participative approach to respect and sensitivity, to search out the world's rich tapestry.

Many of us think that ‘underneath we are all the same' and we assume our personal qualities, 'polish & panache' and good intentions will quickly close any communication gaps or misunderstandings.  However, this is dangerous thinking and this article sets out to explain why.

First, we need to understand that others think, believe and feel differently from ourselves, and this enables us to understand ourselves better.  Communicating successfully across cultures isn't just about linguistic differences, but rather about the attitudes that lie behind them, and the cultural values that give rise to those attitudes. Seeing our own world in a wider context helps us redefine our realities and move ourselves into new worlds of possibility and meaning.

To do this, we need to examine the culturally-driven mind barriers we have created for our own self-entrapment that diminish our abilities to comprehend others. We need to examine our core values so that we can better understand culture differences.

Cultural understanding requires us to reflect on our own values. So, let's just examine British Core Values, as an example, to get an idea of the Brits outlook on life.

Our Core Values

British culture emphasises achievement, defining what it is, its value and the rewards that go with it. We are strong on optimism; with a belief in happy endings from our own hard work. This gives rise to the related belief that problems can be solved through active effort. The UK is, therefore, a management-oriented, problem-solving, activist society.

Most importantly, UK life is about choices and the freedom to make those choices; as an individual to achieve those things to which you, as a person, aspire. A high value is placed on time, efficiency and progress; on entrepreneurship and productivity. These are all self-determining, reflecting the value-set that our locus of control is within ourselves.

Competition plays a large part in UK life and value is placed on work and on applied knowledge. We do not have a high regard for education but admire ‘have-a-go-heroes' who are able to make a great deal of money having left school with no formal qualifications. We prefer training to education and action learning to detailed planning. We encourage our children to be individuals and to develop into ‘their own people'. We abhor group think, and dislike authority and being told what to do.

And, as business people, teachers, politicians, we travel the world speaking from this mindset, assuming that these are fundamental truths. Our communication is peppered with phrases that focus on motivating individuals to excel, be more time efficient and to push themselves to achieve their dreams. We have to accept that our own fundamental beliefs may not be universal truths.  (And could therefore be unacceptable, even offensive, to other cultures).

Individualism, freedom, efficiency, time effectiveness, characterise the core of our belief systems.  They colour our language, influence the way we conduct business, signal our interpretation of events, and eventually determine our behaviour. Much of what we say, do, and feel is so ingrained in us that we do not realise that cultural conditioning has had a deep effect on us.

There is no ‘quick fix' to cultural understanding. Learning as much as possible about another culture will enhance your ability to communicate with its members but takes a desire to learn and a willingness to listen. Why not arrange for cultural awareness training in your organisation to enhance cross-cultural communication, learn about specific cultures or talk to people who have mixed or worked with diverse people. Find out more.