Relationships are a powerful part of who we are — especially during the holidays, when they tend to take on an even more significance. Our relationships can make us feel like we belong and have something important to contribute to those around us.
Relationships can strengthen us, motivate us to affect change in our world and, more importantly, to be changed. Despite our best efforts, however, it can be difficult to connect with people and experience all the benefits that relationships have to offer if we don’t try to understand others’ cultural backgrounds. That is why developing “cultural competence” in ourselves and encouraging it in those around us is so important.
Cultural competence is defined as “the ability to effectively interact, work and develop meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds.” Cultural backgrounds can include the customs, behaviors and beliefs of people from groups that are not our own. Here in the U.S., we are living and working in an increasingly culturally diverse environment, where we are expected to interact, communicate, build relationships and work effectively with people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Furthermore, modern technology has made interacting across cultures around the world a very frequent and common occurrence. Working toward and encouraging cultural competence in our workplaces, homes and among our closest friends and family can allow us all to become more informed, kinder and more tolerant global citizens.
Even those of us most inclined to increase and improve the quality of our interactions with those outside our cultural circles must consider that cultural competence is not something to be mastered. It is a lifelong process that focuses on increasing self-awareness, developing social skills and improving behaviors around diversity, as well as gaining the ability to advocate for others.
So, this holiday season and beyond, let’s work to become more culturally competent in our personal and professional lives, and let’s encourage those around us to do the same. After all, better understanding and tolerance of our fellow human beings is the best gift we can offer our community, our state and our world.
ELEMENTS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE:
- Acknowledge cultural differences.
- Understand your own culture.
- Engage in self-assessment.
- Acquire cultural knowledge and skills.
- View behavior within a cultural context.
