10 Tips to Broaden Your Cultural Intelligence and International Protocol Skills
By: Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick
“In a shrinking world with ever increasing competition, Americans are finding they need to know more about other cultures to survive both at home and abroad.”
- Brooks Peterson, author of ”Cultural Intelligence.”
By now it should be evident that no nation on earth can thrive in the twenty-first century without being connected in some way to the other nations around the world; nor can corporations or their executives remain isolated and expect to be successful. People around the world will inevitably need to interact with one another in more and more ways: professionally, diplomatically, economically, socially, and so forth. For today, we are all participants in one way or another in the global marketplace.
The following 10-point guide is for anyone planning to work or do business internationally.
1. Be open to new ideas, new cultures, and new ways of doing business. ”Ignoring cultural differences isn’t innovative or clever; it’s arrogant and bad for business,” writes Mary Murphy Bosrock in Asian Business- Customs and Manners. 2. Project global awareness. Be up-to-date about the world’s economic, political, and cultural activities. It isn’t enough to know what is going on in your own country. Act as though you are a “global citizen.” Be concerned and interested in being knowledgeable and keeping current about what is happening around the world. 3. Avoid cultural misunderstanding. Never go to another country without first studying that country’s culture and understanding how it differs from yours. Know what phrases and gestures are considered rude in your host country, and don’t pretend to be fluent in your host country’s language if you are not. 4. Recognize the importance of rank and status. ”Citizens of the United States are generally known for addressing one another by their first names, a habit that most of the world does not follow,” writes Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway in Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands. 5. Understand global communication styles. “Gestures and body language communicate as effectively as words—maybe even more effectively,” says Roger E. Axtell, author of Gestures—The Do’s and Taboos of Body Language Around the World. Identical gestures often mean different things among different societies. 6. Adopt global conversation skills. Learn the most common words and phrases in your host country’s language. When you say “ Good morning,” “please,” and “thank-you,” in your host country’s language, he or she will be flattered that you have made the attempt to speak his or her language. 7. Maintain professional demeanor and appropriate business attire. The informal U.S. glad-hand greeting, after making an entrance, must be toned down considerably in other countries. Your demeanor must be confident, but the most important aspect of your behavior is the display of respect. 8. Use proper protocol to develop and maintain business. In other countries, overall, business interactions are becoming more relaxed; however, you should still be prepared for a more formal atmosphere. Protocol: Err on the side of formality 9. Dine and socialize in the global, Continental style. “How you eat and respond to food is essential for diplomacy. Your table manners can quickly make or lose foreign friends,” writes Mary Murphy Bosrock in Asian Business-Customs and Manners. 10. Respect the religion, politics, culture and holidays of your host’s country. Showing consideration and respect for another’s beliefs and customs will always serve you well. Although one usually avoids discussing religion or politics with new acquaintances, you should be aware of the religions that are practiced in your host’s country.