Recently, the Association for Talent Development (ATD), a professional membership organization that supports individuals who develop the knowledge and skills of employees in organizations around the world highlighted a list of cultural competencies which the author thought was necessary in the workplace. This TD at Work excerpt identifies 10 competencies essential for people who wish to be effective in international talent development assignments.

They are:

1. Knowledge of One’s Own Culture (Cultural Self-Awareness)

2. Knowledge and Appreciation of Other Cultures

3. Global Perspective and Mindset

4. Respect for the Values and Practices of Other Cultures

5. Cultural Flexibility, Adjustment, and Resiliency

6. Ability to Acculturate Learning Programs and Events

7. Communication Skills 

8. Cultural Empathy

9. Patience and a Sense of Humor

10. Commitment to Continuous Learning

The author, Michael J. Marquardt, has over the past 40 years worked in nearly 80 countries and has trained more than 100,000 leaders and HRD professionals. He explains that such things such as becoming conscious of one's own values and carefully examining them and grasping what other cultures consider important are some of the many attribute which successful Human Resource  professionals need. These attributes also carry over to military personnel working with people of other cultures in our own military and in experiences that they have abroad.

To read more about these competencies, click here to read the article.