How do you measure greatness?
Last week, we discussed how “the best” nations on Earth may quantify that quality.
Is “the best” measured in dollars? Is it measured in happiness? If so, how should happiness be measured?
The point made is that “bestness” and happiness are subjective and immeasurable.
So, when our views are ethnocentric and judgmental about other cultures as compared to our own, this sense of “better” and “worse” only exists in the context of one’s own cultural values and norms.
What is deemed “good” in your country may be viewed as “bad” in another.
Rather than working to uncover some objective methodology to judge another’s culture, it’s best not to judge at all.
As the great philosopher, Thumper, once said, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
You might use Thumper’s wisdom to improve your thinking processes and become less judgmental and critical when living and working in a foreign culture.
Second Principle
This is where acceptance comes in.
Forget the concepts of “better” and “worse” when working through cross-cultural differences. View conflicting issues, instead, as just…differences.
Some cultures see alcohol as sinful; others think a regular glass of red wine with dinner a few times a week is healthy.
These are just different cultural values and norms.
Queuing is law in some cultures; in others, it’s a mere suggestion.
Again, these are just different cultural values and norms.
Of our “Four Principles of Cultural Acceptance,” after refraining from judgment, we must also accept ambiguity when working in a foreign culture.
Accepting Ambiguity
Uncertainty, confusion, and the unknown are not easily acceptable concepts for the human mind.
Our brains love order and familiarity. We want the puzzle pieces to fit together, so the big picture will emerge.
We want to know what’s going on around us, so that understanding will return.
That’s why, when we are confronted with uncertainty in a multicultural environment, we seek out answers, explanations, or a pattern we can recognize.
Unfortunately, these things may not be there.
This is why coming to terms with ambiguity is essential when in a foreign environment.
In order to accept ambiguity, you must relinquish control. Although a solution may not be guaranteed, clarity only happens when you are not rigid in your own preconceptions and, instead, move out of the way for new connections to emerge.
Accepting ambiguity also means you must allow one question to have many answers. As in life, most everything does.
Next week, we’ll talk about how research has delved into the concept of ambiguity tolerance. Stay tuned.
Success Across Cultures 