Cross cultural understanding: a handbook to understand others’ cultures

C. Dealing with Difference 
Use the following statements to reflect on how well suited 
you are to be an international student/employee. How many 
are true you? 
1.
I am a sociable person and have a lot of friends. 
2.
I enjoy travel, and learning about new culture. 
3.
I have always been good at learning languages. 
4.
I enjoy dealing with ambiguous situation. 
5.
I am tolerant of people who disagree with me. 
6.
I am prepared to change plans according to what happens. 
7.
I am a good listener. 
8.
I can cope with stress. 
9.
I have experience working abroad. 
10.
I have partner/family who is/are also keen in living 
abroad. 
11.
I am patient when things don‘t work out as I want them 
too. 
12.
I prefer to work in a team rather than on my own. 
The more of those statements you ca honestly agree with, 
the more suitable you are for work in a n international context. 

---

Cross Cultural Understanding | 57 
Based on a research, Marx (in Gibson, 2000) enlists - in 
order of priority - what personal manager in German 
companies looked for in international manager: 
1.
Social competence 
2.
Openness to other ways of thinking 
3.
Cultural adaptation 
4.
Professional excellence 
5.
Language skills 
6.
Flexibility 
7.
Ability to manage/ work in a team 
8.
Adaptability of the family 
9.
Patience 
10.
Sensitivity 
Note that on the list, professional excellence doesn‘t come 
at the top of the list. If technical skill is the only criterion for 
working aboard, the result will be rarely successful. Where 
aggression, speed, and competitiveness may be important in a 
monocultural environment, they could be dangerous ii an 
intercultural one, where qualities, such as adaptability, and 
high tolerance for ambiguity are more important.