Do you have enough Cultural Agility?

Cultural agility is the capacity to perform successfully in cross-cultural situations. 

There are some skills that you can develop to increase your agility:

• Self-awareness
• Flexibility to adapt
• Authenticity (feeling ok with being different)
• Curious about other cultures
• Honest with one’s bias and wanting to learn more

How to manage culture differences?

Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions. For example, feeling frustration, annoyance, nit sure if your message was understood, confusion with the meaning behind the words, feeling diminished, judged or misunderstood, not sure about what you have to do or when you have to finish a task. Not understanding the reaction of someone with something you said, avoid people due to discomfort.

All of this and much more are all signs of culture shock. 

What can you do to better manage cross-cultural encounters?

• Get educated on cross-cultural communication
• Compare your background with the culture you are going to live or work
• Ask for help from intercultural trainers, consultants or coaches
• Learn more about culture shock

Your success abroad depends on your knowledge and preparation and that includes learning about yourself.