Evidence of cultural competence

You have just met someone you hope will join your project team. You ask about their experience of diverse cultures and they say:

• I love laksa, and curries too. I really love Asian food.
• I have studied English since primary school and I watch a lot of Western television and movies.
• I have travelled all over the world and I love experiencing different cultures.

What are some more concrete (and less racist) responses people could make? It is important to acknowledge that it’s not THEM (whoever they are) who are diverse. We are all diverse – our cultures, upbringing, personal beliefs and values mean that we are all different from each other. This is not necessarily about "race" or about where people come from or what food they eat. It is about people sometimes making assumptions about individuals based on general knowledge of nations or ethnicities.

Valuing diversity might involve:

• A genuine curiosity as to what other people can bring to a team.
• A genuine interest in what people think, what they can do, and how everyone can learn from everyone else.
• A respect for different ways of thinking and a demonstrated ability to negotiate difference to achieve goals. 


Maybe you have:

• Worked on a project with a community group that shows your ability to work with a diverse cohort (What did you learn?)
• Been part of a student exchange (What did you assume? What did you learn about yourself?)
• Studied other cultures or languages (How does that give you an insight into your own culture?)
• Been involved in a multidisciplinary project (What did it teach you about how you see the world through your discipline area - accounting, marketing, management?)
   

You should start thinking about how you would provide evidence of your claims that you can work with diverse groups and in diverse settings.