How can you build emotional intelligence to work with colleagues from different backgrounds?

Each interaction with a colleague from a different background offers a valuable learning opportunity. It opens the door to new perspectives, encouraging personal growth and the development of innovative thinking. But it is not an easy job. Working in a diverse setting can also stir up challenging emotions like confusion, frustration, or feeling misunderstood, potentially leading to stress. Since our cultural backgrounds influence our emotional responses. These responses can impact interactions with colleagues or customers. In these moments understanding our emotional state is the first and the most important step to transition from a defensive stance to a position of openness and learning.

In a diverse environment, start with learning about their values, communication styles, and social norms. Clearly express your thoughts and ideas, but also be mindful of how your message might be received in a diverse cultural context. Seek feedback to ensure that your communication is clear and well-received. Paying close attention to what your colleagues are saying, and make a conscious effort to understand their perspectives. These are the things to be kept in mind to keep the environment cheerful and vibrant.

I worked with global teams. I always asked for the correct pronunciation of their names. If they were approaching a holiday, I would ask them how they planned to celebrate it. I answered similar questions about American holidays. Being open to learning about each other's cultures helps get to know each other and builds camaraderie.

Juan from Spain and Liam from Ireland found themselves working on a project. Juan, known for his expressive gestures, and Liam, with his witty Irish humor, made an interesting duo. During a brainstorming session, Juan misinterpreted one of Liam's jokes, causing a bit of confusion. Rather than letting it linger, Liam, with a mischievous grin, said, "Juan, my jokes are simpler than a Spanish telenovela plot!" Juan, now getting Liam's humor, retorted, "Well, at least my gestures are more expressive than a Riverdance performance!" The room burst into laughter. What could have been a source of misunderstanding became an opportunity for shared jokes and a tighter-knit team.

Yes, communication is a key factor. It is necessary to improve communication. Adapting to style of communication to the people we are dealing with is essential for emotional intelligence. It is necessary to identify how to voice our opinions or what we need in such a way that it doesn't hurt anyone. Improving on active listening is another part of communication and an integral part. If we comprehend what the speaker is saying, we can then give a proper response and fully understand the speaker's perspective. People use verbal and nonverbal communication, and an emotionally intelligent person can grasp both forms of communication. If we are able to listen, then we demonstrate respectfulness.

You always need to keep an open-mind. Tell yourself that everybody has their own background, experiences, culture, habits, etc. Others can therefore bring new insights, teach you new things. Remember: you don’t know what you don’t know, and there isn’t one single person on this planet that knows everything about everything. Also, never judge! It’s not because something seems weird or someone does/says something funny, that they are wrong. Here again, there may be reasons behind that you have no idea about. Finally, be willing to learn. Listen, observe and do your best to understand others. The more you’ll do that, the more people will appreciate you and respect you.

Ask questions and listen. be curious. have an open mindset that things are different and not to assume your country's way is the only way to approach doing something