Cultural Awareness
international workeducationcommunity programmescustomer servicemulticultural teams
What Is Cultural Awareness?
Recognize that values, communication styles, expectations, traditions, and social norms can differ across people and communities.
Why Does Cultural Awareness Matter?
Cultural Awareness matters because behaviour that seems obvious or appropriate in one context may be interpreted differently in another.
What Does It Look Like?
Someone applying cultural awareness may:
- •asks about context instead of treating one cultural norm as universal
- •checks assumptions about communication, time, hierarchy, or etiquette
- •adapts interaction without stereotyping the individual
How to Develop Cultural Awareness
You can develop it by:
- •research the cultural context of a group you will work with and separate documented practices from stereotypes
- •ask open questions when a norm is unfamiliar
- •review a cross-cultural interaction and identify where your own assumptions shaped your response
Where Can Cultural Awareness Be Useful?
Cultural Awareness can be useful in areas such as:
international workeducationcommunity programmescustomer servicemulticultural teams
Careers Where This Skill Can Be Useful
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