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To fully appreciate the importance of nuance in intercultural interaction, as well as to grasp the key elements and challenges involved, we encourage you to begin by reading our previous blog dedicated to this topic. This foundational overview will provide valuable context for the strategies discussed here.
In today’s increasingly diverse public sector, the ability to interact effectively across cultures is crucial for delivering high-quality services. Building on our earlier examination of the main components and challenges of intercultural interaction, this blog delves into practical strategies that European public administrations can adopt to address these challenges and foster more inclusive and effective collaboration.
Image generated by Napkin.ai by Paul Courtois
- Developing cultural awareness
This step is fundamental for fostering positive intercultural interaction and involves a threefold approach.
First, by questioning your own biases and reflecting on whether your reactions to other cultures are shaped by facts or assumptions.
Second, by actively learning about other cultures through reading, travel, or engaging with people from diverse backgrounds, which deepens understanding and mutual respect.
And third, by shifting from an ethnocentric perspective – judging other cultures by your own standards – to ethnorelativism, which recognises all cultures as unique and valid, enabling you to appreciate differences without judgement and interact more effectively in multicultural environments where diversity is seen as an asset rather than a barrier.
| A civil servant accustomed to a direct communication style initially believes this approach to be the most efficient and feels frustrated when a colleague from another cultural background prefers longer meetings and communicates more indirectly. However, after taking time to reflect and learn about their colleague’s professional customs, the civil servant adapts their approach and comes to appreciate that both communication styles are valid and effective in their own contexts. |
- Cultivating cultural empathy
Cultural empathy involves more than simply recognising differences; it requires emotionally connecting with others and genuinely seeing the world from their perspectives, fostering deeper intercultural understanding.
This is achieved through active listening – attending to tone, body language, and context, while suspending judgement and asking open-ended questions to encourage respectful dialogue.
It also means consciously moving beyond one’s own cultural viewpoint to understand the context behind unfamiliar practices, rather than making quick judgements.
Ultimately, true respect for cultural differences comes from appreciating their value as sources of enrichment and learning, which helps all parties grow and develop stronger mutual understanding.
| A civil servant from one cultural background listens carefully to a colleague from another culture who is expressing concerns about a new policy, asking open-ended questions and withholding judgement to fully grasp their perspective.
By appreciating and valuing their colleague’s different approach, the civil servant recognises this diversity as an opportunity for learning and enhanced collaboration. |
- Knowing when and how to act
In intercultural settings, it is essential to assess cultural dynamics and communication styles before taking action. Adapting your approach helps prevent misunderstandings and enhances collaboration.
People vary in their ability to adapt, often balancing their own cultural habits with the need to adjust to new situations. It is important to identify where flexibility is possible without compromising core values, and to find a balance between respecting local norms and gradually introducing new practices – for example, by blending your usual working methods with those of your counterparts.
Understanding why individuals may resist adapting in cross-cultural contexts is also key to improving cooperation. Several factors play a role, such as cognitive biases, which can lead people to interpret others’ behaviours through stereotypes or confirmation bias (see our previous blogpost for more details). Additionally, the thinking process itself can vary: when confronted with new information, people may initially react instinctively, but it is important to quickly shift to slower, more logical thinking to avoid snap judgements. Richard Lewis’s model further highlights that behavioural types – linear-active (task-oriented and direct), multi-active (emotional and multitasking), and reactive (relationship-focused and indirect) – influence how people interact and adapt.
Finding the right approach involves determining how much flexibility is possible without losing sight of your goals. To encourage intercultural adaptation, it is helpful to communicate openly about cultural expectations and differences, allow for gradual adaptation at each person’s pace, and foster a climate of trust where mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning.
| A civil servant observes that their counterpart from another culture favours flexible deadlines and informal discussions. In response, they initiate an open conversation about mutual expectations and find ways to blend both working styles, fostering trust between them.
By acknowledging and accommodating these cultural differences in work habits, and allowing for gradual adaptation, they enhance collaboration while still maintaining focus on the project’s objectives. |
- Developing intercultural communication
Effective intercultural communication goes far beyond simple translation. It involves a deep understanding of cultural differences, adapting your language and communication style, and being flexible in your approach. Active listening to both verbal and non-verbal cues is essential for fostering respectful and meaningful exchanges.
Language proficiency is a crucial component of clear communication. This means having a strong command of the working language, including its vocabulary, grammar, tone, rhythm, humour, and idioms – all of which can vary significantly across cultures. Grasping these subtleties not only improves clarity but also enriches intercultural dialogue.
Additionally, mastering your interlocutor’s professional jargon and commonly used language is key to effective communication in multicultural settings. Every professional field has its own specific terms and expressions, and understanding as well as correctly using them helps to improve clarity, build trust, and facilitate smoother collaboration.
| A civil servant and her colleague have different mother tongues but need to work together on a joint policy project. To support effective collaboration, the civil servant goes beyond using the shared working language by also learning the specific technical terms and idioms commonly used in her colleague’s national public administration. She also recognises that, in her own culture, sarcasm is often used as a form of humour, but this is not the case in her colleague’s culture, and she adjusts her tone accordingly.
By adapting their language and communication style in this way, they ensure clearer communication and help to build stronger professional relationships. |
- Building cultural bridges
This approach focuses on creating common ground to foster trust and understanding among people from diverse backgrounds. By focusing on similarities, it becomes easier to break down barriers and promote openness within teams or groups.
One effective way to build this foundation is by identifying shared values, experiences, or beliefs, which can serve as a basis for trust and collaboration.
Facilitating spaces for intercultural dialogue – such as through workshops, mentoring programmes, or cultural events – also encourages meaningful exchange, ongoing learning, and the development of intercultural skills.
To address tensions that may arise from cultural differences, it is important to seek compromises that respect everyone’s values and practices. For instance, when team members have different decision-making styles – one favouring speed and another preferring consensus – a balanced solution could involve setting a clear decision timetable, allowing time for consultation and reflection, and structuring the process in stages that combine thoughtful discussion with timely decisions. This method helps balance efficiency and consensus, while honouring the cultural preferences of all involved.
This approach means creating common ground to foster trust and understanding between people from different backgrounds. Focusing on similarities helps break down barriers and encourages openness.
| Two heads of unit were having a conversation and realised that, despite their seemingly different cultural identities, they had similar ideas about what makes a public service work. Together, they decided to start a monthly workshop on this topic with their respective teams, giving them some space to address potential culturally influenced issues in the process of their public administration. |
How to improve intercultural Interaction
In today’s globalised world, intercultural interactions are at the heart of both personal and professional relationships, presenting not only challenges such as ethnocentrism and communication barriers, but also valuable opportunities for growth.
Successful intercultural interaction is not about imitating others’ cultural practices, but about sincerely understanding and thoughtfully integrating different perspectives while remaining true to your own values. By adapting your behaviour to the cultural context and building on authentic understanding, you can bridge cultural divides and foster harmonious, effective collaboration.
This reflection leads to a crucial question: how do intercultural skills shape international negotiation, conflict resolution, and value creation in a globalised world? Delving into this topic could yield valuable insights for organisations seeking to optimise cross-border interactions and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes in an increasingly interconnected environment.
| Would you like to strengthen or develop these essential skills? Join us for a two-day training course happening in October 2025 – ‘Mastering Negotiation skills in a cross-cultural environment ’.
This course will enable you to:
At the end of this course, you will be better equipped to navigate the complex landscape of intercultural interactions/negotiations, turning challenges into opportunities. Investing in the development of your intercultural skills is no longer a luxury, but a necessity in our interconnected world. Join us for two days of training and take the first step towards a career as an accomplished intercultural negotiator. |
Declaration of AI assistance: generative artificial intelligence tools have been used to review and correct wording and potential spelling errors in this blog. The final analysis, arguments, critical insights, and conclusions are the result of the authors’ work and remain under their sole responsibility.
Want to know more?
If you are interested in learning more about the topics of Soft Skills and Negotiations, please have a look at our previous blogs.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the authors and not necessarily those of EIPA.
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