1. Human Competencies are the Foundation for Cross-Cultural Competencies
By: Bob Schout, ©2015 PowerSkills Training & Development, Inc.
I remember many years ago, long before I worked with federal government agencies, large
corporations, or travelled the world. I was a social worker on the south side of Chicago, working in
very low-income communities where so many forms of poverty existed (e.g., financial poverty for all,
educational and employment poverty for many, poverty-of-spirit and hope for some). The
communities that I worked within were enlivened by Mexican cultures, Puerto Rican cultures, African-
American cultures, Honduran cultures, Indian cultures and so many more. I was so excited to be able
to serve, and so afraid that I wouldn’t know how.
So many thoughts used to fill my mind each day that I’d encounter a new, or even familiar, person: “I
don’t know what their customs are. I don’t know what to say or how to say it respectfully. I don’t know
if they will take the services that I’m offering or even take me as someone who is trying….to help, to
serve, to make a difference.” Then one day, early in my career, as I took the train and bus to work,
and as those same questions scrolled through my mind, I remember saying to myself, “Bob stop
worrying yourself with what you don’t know. Do you know how to respect people? Do you know how
to love people? Do you know how dignify other’s intelligence by stepping back so others can move
forward? Do you know how to be humble and let others teach you? Do you know how to change
when others let you know that you need to change? Do you know how – and are you willing to - let
go of beliefs that you were raised with, that just may not be true about other people and cultures?”
The answers to each of the new questions that I began to ask myself was either a “yes” or a “no, but
I’m willing learn or do better.” Each of the new questions were not about the many cultural
competencies that I should have learned about in school, but which were never taught. They were
about human competencies that I needed to learn and apply in life when interacting with all cultures
and all peoples, everywhere locale and in every situation. From that point on I did my best to
cultivate, within myself, human values and virtues which would help me bridge the cultural
competency gaps brought about by cultural ignorance, lack of cross-cultural practice, and the
blindness of social privileges.
Values are our agreements that we make with the world around us. If we say that we value “respect”
then – just by saying it – we are agreeing to try and listen to others objectively, accept different
perspectives, be patient while others have their say, etc. Virtues are our internal, powerful, guidance
system that keeps us in alignment with our values. Sometimes we state that “respect” is a value of
ours, but then when a certain person or group wants to have their voice heard or be treated in an
equal manner (a voice that we adamantly oppose or a manner in which we don’t want to have to
comply) then respect goes out the window. That’s when virtues have to kick into high gear. We have
to be guided by internal patience, move into tolerance, become more compassionate, become
curious and ask questions to expand our understanding, seek harmony, or choose acceptance of
‘what is’ even if we don’t agree. The values of hospitality, respect, service….are cornerstone
agreements for anyone seeking to work across cultures. The virtues of humility, dignity, acceptance,
patience, curiosity….are virtues that will keep all cultural explorers on the right footing as they trek
into unfamiliar territory.
The term “cross-cultural competency” is really a misnomer. We can never become fully competent
across all cultures. Believing so means that one believes that cultural categories or groupings are
homogeneous; which they aren’t. There are cultures within cultures, and a person from one “culture”
is actually a blend of many cultures (e.g., generational cultures, race-ethnic-national cultures, gender
cultures, work style cultures, etc.). What we CAN DO is allow ourselves to be in continuous cultural

2. skill-appreciation-knowledge cultural competency development; and it all begins with the development
and consistent ‘living” of human competencies. Chances are that if we don’t continuously
acknowledge, work on, and apply human competencies to work life and daily interactions then we’re
not just tripping up during cross-cultural interactions, we’re tripping up during interactions within our
own families, cultural peer groups, and with folks all over the place.
I hear people – those who don’t want to hear all of this – often say, “we’ll I don’t mean to insult any
particular group; this is just me, I act like this with everyone.” I, internally, shake my head and my
inside voice gets a little sarcastic as I think, “wow, what you’re actually saying is ‘just be okay with me
insulting you, I haven’t matured yet’.” I don’t mean that last internal-voice statement as an insult. I
mean it as a matter-of-fact. We are all in continuous growth-mode, and all trip up from time to time.
But only children and adolescents loudly proclaim – and want the listeners to go along with and not
call them on – behaviors that are self-centered, socially immature or inappropriate, and needing to be
changed. It is not embarrassing to admit that you need to humbly learn or that you need to ask
questions. Far from it; doing so demonstrates maturity, the courage to grow, openness via the
invitation you give to others, appreciation for difference itself, and so much more. It’s the ‘adult’ thing
to do.
Here are some human values and virtues that you may wish to consider quietly or begin to overtly
work on. As we engage in these external agreements and internal motivations, especially in the
context of working with people who represent a variety of cultures (e.g., gender, orientation,
age/generation, nationality, geographies, experience, etc.), we become much more open to learning
and therefore much more proficiently competent during interactions. We must also respectfully ask
others to do the same for, and with, us (i.e., the cultures that we represent). It’s a two-way (or many-
wayed) street.
Value Agreements Virtue Motivators
 Equality
 Fairness
 Respect
 Appreciation
 Accountability
 Advocacy
 Allying
 Humility (about your own gaps or trip-
ups)
 Dignity (towards all others)
 Curiosity (about culture)
 Acceptance (of others; of ‘their’
perceptions about you; and of your
starting point)
 Patience (with yourself)
Create your own cheat sheet to carry into meetings or interactions. Post these in your office. Make a
mental plan about how you will develop and demonstrate these values and virtues. Don’t wait on, or
expect gratitude for working on these. Remember, they are human competencies. We shouldn’t need
to be thanked for acting in human/humane ways towards other humans. The ‘thanks’ that you’ll
receive from others will come in the form of ‘inclusivity’ and ‘invitations’ into conversations and
relationships. – Bob Schout
©2015 PowerSkills Training & Development, Inc. and Robert J. Schout. All rights reserved.
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