When working in a foreign setting with different norms and rules, you’re likely to make cultural mistakes. But you can lessen their impact by engendering people’s trust in the first place. Make sure your foreign counterparts believe you care enough to try to learn about their culture, even if you haven’t fully mastered the rules. Work hard to show genuine interest, curiosity, and respect. But, you also need to be authentic. Don’t fake an interest in Indian food, for example, if you could care less about culinary arts. Find a pursuit that genuinely appeals to you and explore that. Otherwise, it will be clear to your colleagues that you’re trying to ingratiate yourself, not learn about the ins and outs of their culture.
Adapted from “Preparing for Inevitable Cultural Faux Pas” by Andy Molinsky.
