Intercultural Competence

Definition
Inter-cultural competence is the ability to demonstrate respect for, interest in and understanding of a range of attitudes, beliefs and traditions and how these affect and contribute to the work of the British Council and achievement of its purpose and strategy. It describes the ability to contribute to the cultural dialogue needed to develop mutually beneficial relationships. All British Council staff need inter-cultural competence to engage creatively and effectively with customers, clients and colleagues in that dialogue. This competency draws on qualities of openness, cultural awareness, cultural understanding and emotional intelligence and how these are relevant to British Council values.

Sub skills
Level 1 - 

Open to new ideas and ways of understanding; demonstrates curiosity and seeks to be well informed about people who have different values, beliefs, opinions and customs; receptive to the positive contribution others can make; observes how others interact and uses this knowledge to deepen understanding of different cultures, environments and perspectives; builds trust and communicates respect for others; is able to deliver messages clearly to ensure shared understanding; motivated to learn and use other languages where the work context presents the opportunity to do so

Level 2 - 

Takes the initiative in approaching and meeting new people and actively demonstrates an interest in their different experiences and backgrounds; seeks out, recognises and uses creatively  what different people have to offer; uses accurate observation and understanding of local cultural contexts to improve overall performance; recognises when they have made a social ‘mistake’ and takes steps to avoid long term negative impact; communicates clearly, demonstrating the ability to minimise misunderstandings or miscommunication; makes use of opportunities to improve skills in other languages

Level 3 - 

Draws and accumulates lessons from different cultures, experiences and challenges to develop self-knowledge and insight; demonstrates the ability to tackle the unfamiliar or unforeseen creatively and productively to achieve business objectives; uses other languages in business/work contexts; adapts easily to different cultural settings; willing to explore critical differences in perspective to ensure mutually beneficial results; integrates people of different backgrounds into teams in order to achieve business objectives

Level 4 - 

Strategic decision making reflects a broad understanding of cultural issues and perspectives; demonstrates the ability to use ideas and concepts from other cultures creatively and in a way that demonstrates understanding and empathy; is quick to learn about new cultures, using past experiences to ‘read’ situations and people accurately; recognises and diffuses potential negative impact arising from cultural conflict/misunderstandings; highly effective in developing international contacts for business development

Assessment
Current methods used to assess ability in the skill.

Benchmarks
Statements that could serve as comparators for ability.

Relevant Higher Order Skills
Behavioural skills