Cultural Mindfulness: Going Beyond Cultural Stereotyping | ๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใใน๏ผๆๅ็ในใใฌใชใฟใคใใ่ถใใฆ
Originally written in English
Cultural intelligence is important and necessary, but it's Cultural Mindfulness that unlocks the path to successfully navigating today's multicultural workplaces.
The Japan HR Society (JHRS), now celebrating its 10th year, is a perfect example of cultural diversity. Itโs in our DNA. While most of our hundreds of members, newsletter and magazine subscribers (Japanese and foreigners alike) are based in Japan, the JHRS experience is undoubtedly enhanced by people and partners coming from all over the world. They add to the groupโs already colorful and diverse composition, making JHRS a melting pot of HR ideas, wisdom, and best practices all aiming to advance the HR agenda.
As expected, with cultural diversity comes differences in thoughts and actions โ a good and necessary outcome for the workplace. But the dynamics diversity brings also pose some unique challenges. If someone unintentionally or ignorantly commits some cultural faux pas, misunderstanding and miscommunication can easily arise.
As such, more and more professionals and organizations are investing in cultural training to help them navigate today's increasingly culturally diverse business spaces. Educating yourself to be culturally intelligent without proper context and framework, however, can lead to mindless cultural training. It results in cultural stereotyping, which only serves to exacerbate the original problem of cultural insensitivity.
So what is the solution? I propose Cultural Mindfulness.
Cultural Mindfulness Cultureis broadly defined as the ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular people or society. In an organizational setting, culture is the collection of written and unwritten values, philosophies and practices that govern how members of the organization behave and interact internally and externally.
Mindfulness, meanwhile, is commonly known as the psychological process of bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment. In other words, itโs โbeing at the momentโ or โliving in the momentโ and being conscious of our own thoughts and behaviours as we interact with other people or situations.
Combining the above definitions give us Cultural Mindfulness โ a state of being mindful of, first,your own cultural construct, and second, the cultural constructs of the other person you are interacting with at the moment of such interaction. It simply means basing your reaction or response to the actual stimuli (the other person) without the baggage of cultural stereotyping.
Itโs important to stress that the focus of cultural understanding or awareness should first be from within (yourself) and then manifest that externally by being mindful of other peopleโs cultural conditioning.
Why Cultural Mindfulness Simple answer: To avoid becoming too ethnocentric.
Ethnocentrism in itself is not bad. We all have and need a certain degree of ethnocentrism in our lives to have a healthy appreciation of our own background, origins and culture. Such perspective plays a significant role in how we define ourselves, form our belief systems, and identify with others. The challenge is to find the balance between knowing your own culture and being open to understanding the culture of others.
An ethnocentric worldview may lead us to:
a tendency to view our own culture as the โmaster cultureโ
develop a mentality or mindset of โusโ versus โthemโ
become too self-focused and self-absorbed
live within our own bubbles of reality and experience, and
become judgmental and worse, turn into bigots, our hearts filled with hatred and rage.
Another good reason to pursue cultural mindfulness is it helps us develop an awareness of our own cultural biases. We all have and need to have biases. As leading neuroscientist Dr. David Rock says,โIf you have a brain, you are biased.โ Unfortunately, there are just too many cognitive biases that we, as a species, have learned and accumulated as a result of thousands of years of evolution.
Image source: Cognitive Bias Codex
Having awareness of all of our cognitive biases is obviously impossible as well as insane. However, it's crucial that we try to be aware of our own cultural biases. The key is not to deny our own cultural biases but to recognize that we have those biases. And through the process of self-awareness and being open to how other people experience and view their own cultural biases, we can become truly mindful of our own and other peopleโs cultural lenses and conditioning. In essence, we become culturally mindful.
Practicing Cultural Mindfulness As an example, in Japan, the concept of being on time is predominantly observed and even expected. In fact, Japan time is actually 5 to 10 minutes earlier than the appointed time.
However, if a Japanese arrived late, we sometimes make a quick judgement that they are not being โJapaneseโ without even bothering to know the reasons why they were late in the first place. Is this a one-time event or is this a recurring behaviour of the individual?
Being culturally mindful in that instance means that we first must have an awareness of our own concept of time: is it several minutes before the appointed time, exactly on time, or several minutes after the appointed time? Then, we inquire about and seek understanding of the other person's concept of time. Finally, we find out the reasons that contributed to their delay (e.g., train delays, miscalculation of time, accident, or even laziness). From there, we can make a more informed reaction based on that incident and act accordingly.
The reverse is true. If a Filipino arrives on time to an appointment, people may be surprised because of the prevalent cultural stereotype of โFilipino timeโ which is later than the appointed time. Personally, I have always subscribed to the concept of โFilipino on timeโ and plan my appointments accordingly so that I show up at least 5 to 10 minutes in advance. Does that make me less of a Filipino and more of a Japanese? No, itโs simply a personal preference; I want to manage my own time while respecting other peopleโs time. That is, theoretically as per cultural stereotype I should be following Filipino time since I was born and raised in the Philippines. But in reality, I show up on time consistently (a Japanese cultural stereotype) even before living in Japan and learning its cultural norms.
In short, cultural mindfulness teaches us how to understand ourselves first and then others. When dealing with cultural issues, the first step is to withhold judgment for the moment. Be aware of our own cultural biases and conditioning, and then seek to understand the perspectives of the people we encounter.
We hope that this issue of The HR Agenda will help you gain some insights on how to become culturally intelligent and, more importantly, how to start being culturally mindful.
่ฑ่ชๅๆใใใฎ็ฟป่จณ
โโๆๅ็ใคใณใใชใธใงใณในใฏ้่ฆใงๅฟ ่ฆใ ใใๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใใใใไปๆฅใฎๅคๆๅ็ใช่ทๅ ดใใใพใ้ๅถใใใใใฎๆใ้ใใ
็พๅจๅต็ซ10ๅจๅนดใ่ฟใใฆใใThe Japan HR Society(JHRS)ใฏใๆๅ็ใใคใใผใทใใฃใฎๅฅฝไพใจ่จใใใใใใฏ็งใใกใฎDNAใซ็ตใฟ่พผใพใใฆใใใๆฅๆฌไบบใงใใใๅคๅฝไบบใงใใใๆฐ100ๅใซใใใถ็งใใกใฎไผๅกใใใฅใผในใฌใฟใผใปๆฌ่ชใฎ่ณผ่ชญ่ ใฎใปใจใใฉใๆฅๆฌๅจไฝใ ใใJHRSใฎๅใ็ตใฟใฏใไธ็ไธญใใๆฅใไบบใ ใปใใผใใใผใซใใฃใฆใ็ใใชใใๅไธใใฆใใใใใใใฎไบบใ ใฏใ็งใใกใฎHRใซ้ขใใ่กๅ่จ็ปใๅ้ฒใใใใใจใ็ฎๆใใJHRSใHRใฎใขใคใใขใป็ฅๆตใปๆๅช่ฏไบไพใ่ๅใใใๅ ดใจใใใใจใงใใฐใซใผใใฎใใงใซๅคๅฝฉใงๅคๆงใชๆงๆใใใใซ่ฑใใชใใฎใจใใฆใใใ
ๆๅพ ใใใใใใซใๆๅ็ใใคใใผใทใใฃใฏใ็ฐใชใฃใ่ใใ่กๅใ็ใใใ่ทๅ ดใงใฎๅฅฝใพใใๅฟ ่ฆใช็ตๆใงใใใใใใใใคใใผใทใใฃใๅผใ่ตทใใใใคใใใใฏในใฏใใ็นๅฅใชๅ้กใใ็ใใใใใ่ชฐใใๆๅณใใใใใใใฏ็ฅใใชใใงๆๅ็ใช็กไฝๆณใใใงใใใๅ ดๅใไธๅใจ่ชค่งฃใ็ใใใใใ
ใใใใใใจใใใใใๅคใใฎๅฐ้ๅฎถใป็ต็นใฏไปๆฅใฎๆๅ็ใใคใใผใทใใฃใๅขใใคใคใใใใธใใน็ฐๅขใใใพใใใๅใใใฆใใใใใซใๆๅ็ใใฌใผใใณใฐใซๆ่ณใใใฆใใใใใใใ้ฉๅใชๆ่ใจๆ ็ตใฟใใชใใพใพใซใๆๅ็ใคใณใใชใธใงใณในใ่บซใซ็ใใใใจใใ่ฉฆใฟใฏใใใฟใใใชๆๅ็ใใฌใผใใณใฐใจๅใใฆใใพใใใจใใใใใใจใใจใฎๆๅ็็ก็ฅ็ตใจใใๅ้กใใใใซๆชๅใใใใ ใใฎในใใฌใชใฟใคใๅใซ็ตใใฃใฆใใพใใฎใ ใ
ใงใฏใ่งฃๆฑบ็ญใฏไฝใใ็งใฏๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใๆๆกใใใ
ๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใใน ใใใใฃใฑใซ่จใฃใฆใๆๅใฏใ็นๅฎใฎไบบใ ใพใใฏ็คพไผใฎ่ใๆนใปๆ ฃ็ฟใป็คพไผ็่กๅใจๅฎ็พฉใใใใจใใงใใใ็ต็นใซใใใฆใๆๅใจใฏใ็ต็นๆงๆๅกใใฉใฎใใใซๅฏพๅ ็ใปๅฏพๅค็ใซ่กๅใๅฝฑ้ฟใๅใใใๅทฆๅณใใๆๆๅพใปไธๆๅพใฎไพกๅค่ฆณใปๆๆณใปๆ ฃ่กใฎ้ๆใงใใใ
ไธๆนใใใคใณใใใซใในใฏใ็พๅจ่ตทใใฃใฆใใ็ต้จใซใ่ชๅใฎๆณจๆใๆณจใๅฟ็็ใใญใปในใจใใฆใๅบใ็่งฃใใใฆใใใ่จใๆใใใฐใใไปใใใซใใใใจใใไปใ็ใใใใจใใงใใใไปไบบใพใใฏๅฅใฎ็ถๆณใซ้ขใใใจใใซใ่ชๅใฎ่ใใจ่กๅใซๆ่ญใๅใใฆใใใใจใงใใใ
ๅ ใฎ๏ผใคใๅใใใใใจใงใๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใจใฏใไบบใจ้ขใใๅใใใฎๆใซใใพใ่ชๅ่ช่บซใฎๆๅใจใๆฌกใซ็ธๆใฎๆๅใฎๅจใใใใซๆ่ญใๅใใฆใใ็ถๆ ใจๅฎ็พฉใใใใจใใงใใใๆๅ็ในใใฌใชใฟใคใใซๅฆจใใใใใใจใชใใ่ชๅใฎๅๅฟใปๅฏพๅฟใใๅฎ้ใฎๅบๆฟ๏ผไปไบบ๏ผใซๅบใฅใใใใใจใๆๅณใใใ
ๆๅ็็่งฃใพใใฏๆๅ็่ช่ฆใใใพใๅ ๏ผ่ชๅ่ช่บซ๏ผใใๅงใพใใใใฎๅพใซใ็ธๆใฎๆๅ็ๆกไปถไปใใซๆณจๆใๆใใคใคใๅคใซ่กจใในใใใฎใงใใใใจใๅผท่ชฟใใใใจใฏ้่ฆใงใใใ
ใชใใๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใชใฎใ๏ผ ็ญใใฏ็ฐกๅ๏ผ้ๅบฆใซ่ชๆฐๆไธญๅฟไธป็พฉใซใชใใใจใ้ฟใใใใ
ใ่ชๆฐๆไธญๅฟไธป็พฉ่ชไฝใๆชใใฎใงใฏใชใใ็งใใกใฏ็ใ่ชๅใฎ่ๆฏใปๅบ่ชใปๆๅใๅฅๅบท็ใซ่ฉไพกใใใใใซใ็ๆดปใซใใใฆใใใ็จๅบฆใฎ่ชๆฐๆไธญๅฟไธป็พฉใๆใฃใฆใใใใพใๅฟ ่ฆใจใใฆใใใใใใใ่ฆ็นใฏใ็งใใกใ่ชๅใๅฎ็พฉใใ่ชๅใฎ็ฉใฎ่ใๆนใๅฝขไฝใใไปไบบใจๅ ฑๆใใใใใงใ้่ฆใชๅฝนๅฒใๆใใใฆใใใ่ชฒ้กใฏใ่ชๆๅ้่ฆใจไปๆๅ็่งฃใซใชใผใใณใงใใใใจใฎ้ใซใใใฉใณในใ่ฆใคใใใใจใงใใใ
ใ่ชๆฐๆไธญๅฟไธป็พฉใฎไธ็่ฆณใฏไปฅไธใฎ็ตๆใใใใใใใใใใใใ
่ชๅใฎๆๅใโๆไธใฎๆๅโใจใฟใชใๅพๅ
โๆใ โใจโๅฅดใโใๅฏพ็ซใใใ่ใๆนใ็ฉใฎ่ฆๆนใ่ฒใฆใ
่ชๅทฑไธญๅฟใ่ชๅทฑ้ถ้ ใซๅใใใใ
่ชๅใฎ็ญใ็พๅฎใป็ต้จใฎไธญใ ใใง็ใใ
ๆงๆฅใซๅฆๅฎ็ใชๅคๆญใไธใใใกใซใชใใใใใซๆชใใใจใซใฏใ้ ๅบ่ ใซใชใใๅซๆชใจๆคๆใงๅฟใๆบใใใใ
ใๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใ้ฒใใๅฅใฎ็็ฑใฏใใใใ่ชใใฎๆๅ็ใใคใขในใธใฎ่ช่ฆใๅฉใใฆใใใใใใ ใ็งใใกใฏ็ใใใคใขในใๆใฃใฆใใใใใใฏๅฟ ่ฆใชใใจใ ใ้ซๅใช็ฅ็ต็งๅญฆ่ ใงใใใใผใใใใปใญใใฏๅๅฃซใ่จใฃใฆใใใใใไบบใ้ ญ่ณใๆใฃใฆใใ้ใใไบบใซใฏใใคใขในใใใใใๆฎๅฟตใชใใ็งใใกใฏใ็จฎใจใใฆใ้ฒๅใฎๆฐๅๅนดใฎๆญดๅฒใฎ็ตๆใจใใฆใๆฐๅคใใฎ่ช็ฅไธใฎใใคใขในใ็ฟๅพใป่็ฉใใฆใใใฎใงใใใ
Image source: Cognitive Bias Codex
่ช็ฅไธใฎใใคใขในใใในใฆ่ช่ฆใใใใจใใใใจใชใฉใ้ฆฌ้นฟใใฆใใใใๆใใใซไธๅฏ่ฝใงใใใใใใใ่ชๅใฎๆๅ็ใใคใขในใฎ่ช่ฆใซๅชใใใใจใฏ้่ฆใงใใใ่งฃๆฑบใฎใซใฎใฏใ่ชๅใฎๆๅ็ใใคใขในใๅฆๅฎใใใฎใงใฏใชใใ่ชๅใใใใใใคใขในใๆใฃใฆใใใใจใ่ช่ญใใใใจใงใใใใใใฆใ่ชๅทฑ่ช่ญใฎใใญใปในใจไปไบบใ่ชๅใฎๆๅ็ใใคใขในใใฉใฎใใใซ็ต้จใ่ฆใฆใใใใซใคใใฆใชใผใใณใงใใใใจใซใใฃใฆใ็งใใกใฏใ่ชๅ่ช่บซใจไปไบบใฎๆๅ็่ฒ็ผ้กใจๆกไปถไปใใซๅฏพใใฆใ็ใซๆณจๆๆทฑใใชใใใฎใงใใใ
ๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใฎๅฎ่ก ใ๏ผไพใจใใฆใๆฅๆฌใซใใใฆใฏใๆ้้ ๅฎใๅงๅ็ใซ้ ๅฎใใๆๅพ ใใใฆใใใๅฎใฎใจใใใๆฅๆฌๆ้ใจใฏใไบๅฎๆ้ใฎ๏ผๅใใ10ๅๅใงใใใ
ใใใใใใใๆฅๆฌไบบใ้ ใใฆใใใจใใใฎไบบใใชใ้ ใใฆใใใฎใใ็ฅใใใจใใใชใใงใๆฅๆฌไบบใใใใชใใจๅณๅบงใซๅคๆญใไธใใใจใใใใใใใใใใฎไบบใซใจใฃใฆใไพๅค็ใชใใจใชใฎใใใใใจใใใใใใใใจใชใฎใใ่ใใใซใ ใ
ใใใฎไพใงใๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใงใใใซใฏใ่ชๅ่ช่บซใฎๆ้่ฆณๅฟตใซใ่ช่ฆ็ใซใชใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใโๆ้โใจใฏใ็ดๆใฎๆ้ใฎๆฐๅๅใใใพใใซใใฎๆ้ใใใใใจใๆฐๅๅพใใใใฎใใใงใ็ธๆใฎๆ้่ฆณๅฟตใๆขๆฑใ็่งฃใใใใจๅชใใใฎใ ใใใใงใใฏใใใฆ็ธๆใฎ้ ๅปใฎ็็ฑ๏ผใใจใใฐใ้้ใฎ้ ๅปถใ่ฆ่พผใฟๆ้ใฎ้้ใใไบๆ ใๅใใฎ้ ใ๏ผใใใใใฎใงใใใใใใซๅบใฅใใฆๅใใฆใใใใฃใใใใงใฎๅๅฟใใใ็ธๅฝใฎ่กๅใใจใใใใใซใชใใฎใงใใใ
ใๅๅฏพใใพใ็ใงใใใ็ดๆใฎๆ้ใซ้ ใใใใใฃใชใใณๆ้ใใจใใใใ็ฅใใใๆๅ็ในใใฌใชใฟใคใใใใใใฃใชใใณไบบใๆ้้ใใซๆฅใใจใไบบใ ใฏ้ฉใใใใใใชใใ็งใฏๅไบบ็ใซใใๆ้้ ๅฎใฎใใฃใชใใณไบบใใจใใ่ใใซ่ณๆใใฆใใใฎใงใ็ดๆใฎ๏ผๅๅใใ10ๅๅใซ็ใใใใซใใฆใใใใใฎใใจใฏใ็งใใใฃใชใใณไบบใใใใชใใใๆฅๆฌไบบใใใใใใ ใใใใใใใงใฏใชใใใใใฏๅใซๅไบบใฎ้ธๆใฎๅ้กใ ใ็งใฏใไบบใฎๆ้ใๅฐ้ใใคใคใ่ชๅใฎๆ้ใ็ฎก็ใใใใฎใ ใ็งใฏใใฃใชใใณใง็ใพใใ่ฒใฃใใใใ็่ซไธใๆๅ็ในใใฌใชใฟใคใใซๅพใใฐใใใฃใชใใณๆ้ใซๅพใใฏใใงใใใใใใๅฎ้ใฎใจใใใ็งใฏใๆฅๆฌใซไฝใๅใๆฅๆฌใฎๆๅ็่ฆ็ฏใๅญฆใถๅใใใใใคใๆ้้ ๅฎ๏ผๆฅๆฌไบบใฎๆๅ็ในใใฌใชใฟใคใ๏ผใ่กใฃใฆใใใฎใงใใใ
ใ่ฆใใใซใๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใฏ็งใใกใซใใพใ่ชๅใใกใฎใๆฌกใซไปไบบใฎ็่งฃใฎไปๆนใๆใใฆใใใใๆๅ็ๅ้กใๅใๆฑใๅ ดๅใใใฎ็ฌฌ๏ผๆญฉใฏใๅณๆญใ้ฟใใใใจใ ใใพใ่ชๅใฎๆๅ็ใใคใขในใจๆกไปถไปใใซ่ช่ฆ็ใจใชใใๆฌกใซ็ธๆใฎ่ฆ็นใ็่งฃใใใใใซๅชใใใใจใ ใ
ใๆๅ็ใคใณใใชใธใงใณในใๅพใๆนๆณใซ้ขใใฆใใใใซ้่ฆใชใใจใจใใฆใๆๅ็ใใคใณใใใซใในใงใใๅงใใใใจใซ้ขใใฆใ่ชญ่ ใฎ็ๆงใไฝใใใฎๆดๅฏใๅพใใๆไผใใซใๆฌๅทใใชใใฐใจๅใซ้กใฃใฆใใใ
