(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)
17. Inclusive mindset and Intercultural competence
Willingness and competence to embrace diversity and include people and collectives with different views and backgrounds.
In this item we combined attitudes and skills. Being actively interested in seeking out, consider and involve individuals and groups with diverse backgrounds, identities and views is one facet. More specifically, working in international contexts means that differences in culturally conditioned norms, values, attitudes, expectations, behavioural patterns, etc. play significant roles for successful collaboration. Intercultural competence requires awareness of the possibility of intercultural differences, to some extent knowledge about common dimensions of differences (e.g. regarding power distance, gender roles, high- or low-context communication, decision-making practices and communication skills.
A specific aspect of an inclusive mindset mentioned in the survey was willingness to listen to and adapt to local knowledge. Another facet of an inclusive mindset is willingness to share power.