Background information on the subject of intercultural competence

Intercultural Competencies and Their Relevance in Everyday Working Life

Intercultural behavior and rules of etiquette for conduct in foreign countries are part of the leadership qualifications in the global age. Those who work in foreign cultures should know their cultural norms and values, be open to foreign customs and have a high degree of frustration tolerance. Whether a short-term business contact or a longer stay in another country - personal competence, sensitivity for other people and interest in foreign things are a must for every professional and manager.

Knowing other customs is a must for business contacts abroad; getting to grips with them is the free program. Part of the compulsory program is to familiarize oneself with the rituals and basic conditions of interaction: Greetings, manners with both sexes, dress code, rules for eating and drinking, and for behavior in public. It is necessary to adapt as a guest in a foreign country. To operate a joint project as a business partner requires more than rules of etiquette and cultural habits.

The freestyle requires knowing the expectations of one's own nationality, being aware of habits in everyday business and being able to deal with their frustration. In order to get to know the strategies of individual action, feedback from an uninvolved party is needed. Only then can habits and demands be changed. In addition, communication strategies are needed that put the foreign culture in the foreground and put one's own patterns on the back burner. In international cooperation, intercultural competence will develop on both sides, because as in all partnerships, compromises are sought by all parties involved in order to achieve a successful result.
The seminar provider Management-Institut Dr. A. Kitzmann offers trainings on the topic "Intercultural Competence".

Author: Management-Institut Dr. A. Kitzmann