Rice from India, toys from China, coffee from South America or cocoa from Africa – the world of goods and consumers has been multicultural since the dawn of time – from the Great Silk Roads to the Spice Routes, examples abound. During their working life too, people are increasingly coming into contact with varying aspects of different cultures.
In order to make employees aware of possible cultural differences and prevent any culturally-based misunderstandings, companies can recruit the support of an intercultural trainer. Prof. Jürgen Bolten (49) is head of the department of “Intercultural Business Communication” at the University of Jena in Germany. He also runs seminars on training research and the underlying theory in his course leading to the qualification of “Intercultural Trainer and Coach”. In an interview with Mondialogo he spoke about intercultural qualification, experience abroad and the meaning of personality in the trainer’s profession.
Prof. Bolten, what makes a good intercultural trainer?
Prof. Bolten: A good intercultural trainer should be able to identify team processes,
by that I mean the way in which a team works. He has to be psychologically trained
in order to determine which actions take place in the team and to be able to
make a detailed analysis of this group. To this end, he should have a knowledge
of cultural history and not merely argue superficially with imperatives and
taboos, but also be able to offer explanations. He needs a good knowledge of
English because intercultural training sessions no longer take place in only
one language. In addition to this, it is absolutely essential for a trainer
to be able to inspire others and bring across intercultural aspects that he
himself has experienced. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that intercultural
trainers have gained no intercultural experience whatsoever.
So you’re saying that experience abroad is a must?
Prof. Bolten: Of course it is, but it shouldn’t have taken place 20 years
ago. I believe it’s very important to keep on gathering this experience.
By being regularly confronted with circumstances of a foreign nature, it will
become easier to come to terms with different cultural circumstances.
What were the reasons for the University of Jena to develop a comprehensive
course for intercultural trainers?
Prof. Bolten: The idea came from trainers and personnel departments in companies.
There is currently a very large range of intercultural training courses on offer.
Companies are feeling confused as far as the quality is concerned. There are
a few black sheep among the trainers because the job title “intercultural
trainer/coach” is not protected, so anybody can use it – even without
proof of qualification. That’s why the desire arose to be able to show
proof of a qualification and this course is aimed at changing this state of
affairs.
No doubt your graduates have good career prospects.
Prof. Bolten: That depends on the trainer’s personality. Of course they
can apply for a position within human resources. This qualification can be used
to prove that you have had a sound training and not – as is so often the
cause for criticism – that you can simply relate entertaining second-hand
anecdotes about the peculiarities of another country.
Can school students prepare themselves for working in intercultural teams?
Prof. Bolten: I notice that experience abroad leads to flexibility, something
which is not only important in the intercultural context. Even in dealings with
your own culture, time spent abroad often causes you to take a “cooler”
view of many things. You become more accepting and don’t cling so rigidly
to certain points of view. I would always advise young people – regardless
of whether they’re at school or students or trainees – to go abroad
when the opportunity arises. If possible for a year or longer. Thereafter continued
exposure to foreign experiences and in foreign environments is advisable to
maintain a flexible approach to new things.
Are there cultures that interact more easily than others do?
Prof. Bolten: No, there aren’t. Many believe that people from neighboring
or nearby countries would not have problems working together. But that’s
not the case. People think that they share a common understanding and proceed
from this misconception. On the surface it functions for a while – people
talk about the same thing but in reality they understand something completely
different. Because you think you’re talking about the same thing, no issue
is made of the differences at all. On the other hand, in the case of cultures
that are geographically far apart, we see that people are extremely cautious
and reflect a great deal. This doesn’t particularly encourage spontaneity,
but you tackle any difficulties more carefully, anticipate possible misunderstandings
and can sort them out more quickly.
Interview: Katarina Steinijans
Jürgen Bolten has been Professor for Intercultural Business Communication at the University of Jena in Germany since 1992. The German scholar is researching into intercultural communication and intercultural learning. He is also CEO of the business consultancy interculture.de , which provides advice for companies with international activities.
Interview in: www.mondialogo.org
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