Is your cultural expert qualified?

In the past few years, I have seen a proliferation of people promoting themselves as "cultural experts."

On the one hand, this is great. The world can certainly use more people who care about connecting across cultures and helping others do the same. ?

But regrettably, enthusiasm isn't always matched by qualifications. Sometimes, people's social media skills surpass their intercultural knowledge.

This can lead to well-intentioned people saying things that sound good and get lots of engagement, but that are actually unfounded, incomplete, or incorrect.

It can also lead to people unknowingly misrepresenting the intercultural field, or behaving in ways that don't align with its ethics.

For many reasons, there isn't one credential that you can use to verify a cultural trainer, coach or consultant. (E.g., someone working in a social justice capacity within a particular country might need different qualifications than someone working in relocation, global teams, or international education; meanwhile trainers, coaches and facilitators may have different certifications).

Instead, what you can do is inquire about four key areas:

?? Academic degrees + professional certifications (this is important, because it shows that they have knowledge, not just opinions).

?? First-hand experience crossing cultures themselves (this is important, because it shows that they understand what it's like to do this).

?? Professional experience helping people across cultures (this is important, because it shows that they can help other people achieve their goals).

?? Engagement in the intercultural field (this is important, because it shows that they are keeping up with research and are familiar with professional standards).

For each category, don't just ask what their qualification is. Ask them to explain how it has shaped their practice as an intercultural professional, and how it would enable them to support you and your specific needs.

As you listen, pay attention to their ability to articulate their package of qualifications, their approach to culture, and how they would work with you. There is no right or wrong answer, but a qualified person will be capable of having this conversation with you and should even anticipate it. And of course, you can also request testimonials, too.

Finally, you should also consider your own comfort in working with this person. While stepping outside of your comfort zone will be part of the cultural learning process, you want to feel good about the person who is supporting you. Everyone's personality preferences are different, but ideally, you should be able to imagine establishing a rapport with them, getting feedback from them, etc.

In the end, you will have to make a judgment call - but if you pay attention to these four categories and their ability to engage in a discussion about them with you, you increase your chances of success in finding a good fit. (It might help you ensure that you follow qualified "experts" too on social media, too).

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