Intercultural competence is the ability to be able to work effectively with other cultures through an understanding of the attitudes and customs of other countries or organisations. Let’s look at an example of cultural differences regarding greetings. When you visit another country you may not necessarily greet people in the same way that you do as when you are in your own country. In some countries, it is customary to kiss people on each cheek, whereas in others you have to bow, and in some you may even rub noses to say hello. The traditions and customs that you are used to may not be acceptable in your host country. So, intercultural competence is all about being aware of these differences, and being able to behave keeping local norms in mind. It is also about keeping an open mind when dealing  with people from different cultures.

When we consider different cultures, we can also think about differences in working styles in business. Therefore intercultural competence is also about understanding other companies’ ways of thought and being receptive to these different ways of thinking. With business becoming more and more international nowadays, it is not uncommon to deal and work with different countries. Businesses need to communicate and work together in order to achieve business goals, which is why intercultural competence is so important. A lack of sensitivity can offend your host and therefore adversely affect vital business relationships.

This is why training in intercultural skills is seen as useful for anyone working in an international or multicultural environment, for example public sector staff such as doctors and nurses, as well as corporate staff working with colleagues or clients from different cultural backgrounds. Cross-cultural competence training enhances people's skills, and therefore future employment opportunities, by providing them with self-awareness and confidence-building exercises. In addition to this, it develops 'people skills' which means the ability to deal with people with sensitivity and empathy.

So, other than training, what can we do to improve this skill? The main thing is to be open and understanding to other communities. Don’t make assumptions about people based on their, or your, culture. Do some background reading, or talk to people who have experienced the host culture, and adapt your behaviour accordingly. And finally, if you do make a mistake, try to reduce any negative impact. Admitting that you were unaware that your behaviour or remark would cause offence is better than trying to brush over any upset you may have inadvertently caused.

Within your work, think about a time when you were in the situation where you had to deal with a different culture. What was the business outcome? Was it successful? How far do you think the success was due to your intercultural competency? If you can think of a number of situations where you have had a successful business outcome with a different host culture, you may be able to show that you have this skill.

Furthermore, by making the effort to learn about new environments, whether it is the language, the customs, or the attitudes of the people, you are demonstrating that you have intercultural competence. In fact, you are already demonstrating this as you are willing to learn another language, and are reading this article in order to practise your English. So you now have another aptitude that you can add to your work skills!