I consider myself fluent in intercultural communication, and I have been fortunate to develop my intercultural communication skills through personal, academic, and professional experiences. Growing up, I had my friends in the neighborhood who came from cultural and ethnic backgrounds different from mine. In college, I frequently hang out with people from different cultural and national backgrounds. I currently work as an accountant for the City of Douglas and frequently interact with stakeholders from diverse cultural backgrounds whether they are my colleagues, clients, or suppliers.
It is important for me to achieve a certain level of intercultural communication competence because I interact with people from other cultural backgrounds on almost daily basis. Moreover, I plan to pursue career opportunities with multinational firms in the future, and it is highly likely for me to take temporary international assignments or probably relocate to another country for few years. The movement of capital has become more mobile, and it is highly likely I may be advising international clients in the future. Intercultural communication competence also helps me in personal and academic life. I take classes with students from other cultural backgrounds, and are frequently grouped with them in project teams. Having a certain level of intercultural communication competence improves my working relationship with my team members and enables the team to perform well . Similarly, I have many friends from other cultural backgrounds and the quality of my interaction with them requires me to have at least minimal knowledge about their cultures and communication style.
I am also an avid traveler, and intercultural communication competence serves me well in other countries, especially, those with quite different cultural values and communication styles than mine. Intercultural communication competence also helps me identify personal bias and stereotypes about other cultures.
Intercultural communication competence is important to succeed in personal, academic, and professional lives. Globalization has transformed our world and our interactions with people from other cultures will only grow over time.
Work Cited
• Callen, David. How Intercultural Competence Drives Success in Global Virtual Teams. 2008. 26 November 2015 <https://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2010/08/how-intercultural-competence-drives-success-in-global-virtual-teams/
