Category Archives: Cultural intelligence

Searching for problems vs. searching for possibilities

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership, Short-term missions

Walking With The Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development, by Bryant MyersBryant Myers’ book, Walking With The Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development is an extremely thorough resource for Christians engaged in the work of world missions, especially those who are involved in community development among the world’s poor. One of my favorite parts of the book is in the chapter, “Development Practice: The Tool Kit.” In this chapter, Myers describes a discipline called Appreciative Inquiry (or “AI”)—an approach that looks at “organizing as a mystery to be embraced rather than a problem to be solved.”

According to Wikipedia, the basic idea of Appreciative Inquiry is to build organizations around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn’t. Consider this: What would you do if you were going into a new community where it was obvious there are glaring problems and crippling poverty? You might begin by asking and observing, “What’s wrong here? What needs fixing? Let’s list all the problems in order of importance and then work on them one by one.”  In contrast, check out these questions below from Myers, page 179—a list of questions that he says would be asked by someone with an “Appreciative Inquiry.”

  • What life-giving, life-enhancing forces do you have in your community? What gives you the energy and power to change and to cope with adversity?
  • Thinking back on the last one hundred years of your community, what has happened that you are proud of, that makes you feel you have been successful?
  • What are your best religious and cultural practices? Those that make you feel good about your culture? That have helped you when times were tough?
  • What do you value that makes you feel good about yourselves?
  • What in your geographical area and in your local political and economic systems has helped you do things of which you are proud?
  • What skills or resources have enabled you to do things your children will remember you for having done?
  • How have your relationships, both within and without the community, worked for you and helped you do things that you believe were good for the community?

Elsewhere in this chapter and actually, throughout the book, Myers deals head-on with the need to confront evil and oppression. We cannot simply avoid the reality of what is wrong. But I believe Myers is also articulating the tremendous value of recognizing that wherever God is present, he is at work! Even in the darkest places, God is there and He is at work. Consider the biblical support we find in Philippians 4:5 and 8 …

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; …

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

What if, in our work of serving an impoverished community or a cross-cultural partnership ministry, we always began with a focus, not on the need and the problem, but rather, on “whatever is true … honorable … just … pure … lovely … commendable”? What if in the work of short-term mission trips, leaders intentionally focused FIRST on learning what is good in the community being served? And doing this before trying to solve the problems, address the glaring weaknesses, and make it “better?” When we are coming alongside indigenous Christian leaders and their ministries in the majority world, this will go along way in building friendship and trust.

The appreciation, empowerment and dignity that people would feel would be tremendous, don’t you imagine? Myers writes,

The net result of such an inquiry is often spectacular. The laundry list of problems the community would like the NGO to fix is lost in the enthusiasm of describing what is already working. The community comes to view its past and itself in a new light. We do know things. We do have resources. We have a lot to be proud of. We are already on the journey. God has been good to us. We can do something. We are not god-forsaken. This is a major step toward recovering the community’s true identity and discovering its true vocation. With these discoveries a major transformational frontier has been crossed.

In the practice of healthy cross-cultural partnerships, it is vital for partnership advocates from the west to be intentional about looking for what is good, strong and beautiful before identifying what is ugly, sinful or weak. In doing so, could it be that we also may become more aware of our own needs, weaknesses and sins—and that ultimately, we are just as vulnerable and desperate for the saving grace of Jesus Christ?

Of course, this mindset and approach can be applied in not just far-away cross-cultural settings, but also in my own home, my family, church, business, or neighborhood.

After all, as Apostle Paul wrote, “The Lord is at hand!”

For more about the discipline of Appreciative Inquiry in cross-cultural partnership,
see “Week 11: Appreciation” in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.

Myths to reject—to help your partnership succeed, part 3 of 3

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Indigenous ministries, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership, Short-term missions
  1. “Getting things done is more important than relationships.”
    This is a classic weakness found in many unhealthy partnerships. In the west, we love our formulas for success and our to-do lists. In the majority world, there is a greater value given to relationships,  community harmony and “the journey together.” Jesus teaches us that a vital relationship with him is essential for fruitfulness (John 15:4). Bearing fruit, getting things done flows out of healthy relationships.
  2. “It’s cheaper and easier to just give the job to the nationals.”
    Careful here. There can be an unhealthy attitude in the saying, “More bang for the buck” that suggests partnership with nationals is mainly about the money or the method. The idea of “using the nationals because it is cheaper” can be disrespectful and dehumanizing—both toward the indigenous Christian men and women with whom we are partnering, as well as the western missionaries who live and serve in the majority world at significantly higher cost. Financial stewardship is, of course, an important issue. But it is only one of many variables in the work of Christian world missions.
  3. “We can do partnership quickly.”
    In the American South, there is a saying, “Git ’er done.” I love the spirit behind this saying—hard work, no wasting time, that can-do attitude. But when working in cross-cultural partnerships—in communities where things move much more slowly, where competition and speed is not as important as group harmony—we must adjust to a slower pace. After all, we are their guests! Isn’t it true that relationships and trust are built slowly? Expecting to get things done fast usually results in big disappointment, and can damage a cross-cultural partnership.
  4. “Cross-cultural partnership is easy; we can go it alone.”
    Healthy cross-cultural ministry partnerships require education, training, hard work and many other investments over a long period of time. There are no shortcuts; it’s the law of the farm: You reap what you sow. Furthermore, to think you don’t need the wisdom and experience of missionaries and mission partnership experts is arrogant, and it violates the principle of the interdependence body of Christ—“the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of you: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (2 Cor. 12:21). The local church should not say to the professional mission practitioner—neither should the professional mission practitioner say to the church—“I have no need of you.” This African proverb sums it up: “If you want to fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Myths to reject—to help your partnership succeed, part 2 of 3

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Indigenous ministries, Organizational competence, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership
  1. “You can’t trust the nationals.”
    One of the greatest gifts we can give to one another in cross-cultural partnerships is friendship, and friendship is nothing if it is not rooted in trust. According to Daniel Rickett in his book, Making Your Partnership Work, the greater the interdependence and the greater the cultural distance, the greater the need for trust. If you have little trust, you simply will not have a healthy or lasting partnership. As Steven M. R. Covey says in his book, The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything, “High trust is the critical career skill in the new global economy.” See also the intro video for Week 5: Trust, in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.
  2. “We’re just being biblical” … or … “We don’t need cultural intelligence.”
    According to Brooks Peterson in his book, Cultural Intelligence: A Guide To Working With People From Other Cultures … Cultural Intelligence is the combination of: Knowledge About Cultures + Awareness of Yourself and Others + Specific Skills and Behaviors. Cultural intelligence (CQ) is important because there is a great temptation to think … “We’ve been Christians a long time, we have been successfully following Christ for many years, building his kingdom in our community” … “We do not need to learn that much about cultural differences and how to adjust our thinking and behavior when working cross-culturally; after all, aren’t we all one in the Body of Christ?” … “Only full-time resident missionaries need to develop deep cultural understanding.” In reality, cross-cultural partnership practitioners will benefit just as much from cultivating cultural intelligence as resident missionaries. My definition of cultural intelligence is as follows: Understanding deeply our diversity and unity, for the glory of God. For more on CQ, check out the intro videos for Weeks 5–8 in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey; all of these lessons are devoted to Cultural Intelligence.
  3. “Accountability is not that important.”
    Actually, accountability is vitally important—because appropriate accountability is biblical. It is modeled in Scripture again and again. “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Note also the word, “appropriate.” Finding the right level of accountability going both ways is a matter of cultural intelligence and organizational competence. Without appropriate accountability, your partnership can easily move toward frustration, distrust, or failure. See also the intro video for Week 10: Accountability, in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.
  4. “There’s not much risk in cross-cultural partnerships.”
     Reread point number 1 and point number 3, above. How much money is wasted by not doing our “due diligence!” Our tendency is to underestimate the risks of cross-cultural partnership, especially if we  expect success to be easy. To reduce the risks, going through a learning journey like The Beauty of Partnership is extremely helpful—it reduces the risks by giving you the KSAs (knowledge, skills and attitudes) necessary for a developing a healthy cross-cultural partnership. And once you have gained these KSAs, you can confidently and wisely take wonderful big risks for the glory of God! See also the intro video for, Week 3: Risk, in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.

Myths to reject—to help your partnership succeed, part 1 of 3

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Godly character, Indigenous ministries, Organizational competence, Training
  1. “I have more to teach than to learn, more to give than to receive.”
    When it comes to cross-cultural partnership ministry, it’s often the other way around. You may indeed have much to teach, but if you have this attitude, it will be an obstacle to serving well. Why not engage in cross-cultural partnership to learn together, to discover what God is teaching all parties in the partnership? What’s more, given that the church in the west is generally in significant decline (see my blog post, 15 August 2009), shouldn’t we rather learn from our brothers and sisters in the majority world—how to pray, strategize, serve and suffer well in the cause of Christ?
  2. “We can partner without being invited.”
    I recently heard of a mega-church that decided to build a school in Africa for half a million dollars, and then also committed to fund it for 10 years. Seems like a worthy goal, except for one huge thing: This was done without consultation from the local leadership, without local “ownership”—essentially, without being invited. This is probably a train-wreck waiting to happen. It belies a lack of trust and respect for local leaders, and violates the spirit of humble servanthood. For more on this, see my blog post, “Have we been invited?”
  3. “I can control the partnership with the right system.”
    I am aware of a cross-cultural partnership which began with this attitude: “We absolutely can’t let this fail” … “We have to control this as much as possible” … “One of us from our side will sit on their board of directors, and we are going to MAKE SURE there are no problems.” What do you think happened? The partnership failed miserably—and there is an ongoing three-year lawsuit between these Christian partners. The result has been that thousands upon thousands of dollars have been squandered, along with untold heartache and the name of Christ defamed.
  4. “My ministry model is the most biblical.”
    If you believe that, you have probably labored intensely to be faithful to the Word of God—and paid a significant price to do so. This is a good thing. But isn’t it also true that your ministry model is influenced in part by your culture, your worldview, and peer group? Your ministry model is one way of obeying the Scriptures, and it is possibly no more biblical than a myriad of other ministry models found in the majority world. Consequently, we should be very cautious in trying to extend our unique ministry model across other cultures around the world.

To Catch the Wind: A New Metaphor for Cross-Cultural Partnership

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission

The article referenced by the title of this blog is downloadable by clicking on this link. The article grew out of a dialog I shared with Alex Araujo and Mary Lederleitner in 2008 when we were discussing the possibility of The Beauty of Partnership curriculum. Turns out it was the basis for Alex’s outstanding presentation at 
the 2008 COSIM conference, and is now an important part of The Beauty of Partnership learning journey. This article is written principally by Alex Araujo, Senior Partnership Consultant, Partners International.

PwerboatAndSailboat

The main idea of this article is that we can have healthier cross-cultural partnerships by understanding the paradigm through which we see ourselves, our world, and our ministry partners in the majority world. Alex Araujo offers the metaphor of the powerboat and the sailboat to help us see contrasting paradigms—the “powerboat mindset” versus the “sailboat mindset.” Since this article was presented in June 2008, Alex Araujo has further developed and refined the material. Alex has presented this material in several missions consultations and executive leadership gatherings. This question was often raised: If the powerboat represents the western mindset, does the sailboat represent the non-western mindset? Alex’s answer is No, the sailboat represents the biblical mindset. What then represents the non-western or “majority-world” mindset? Answer: The rowboat. The chart below clarifies the distinctions. See the full article here.

What do you think of this metaphor for cross-cultural partnership ministry? Is it helpful? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this metaphor?

Does Jesus Christ have cultural intelligence?

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Training, Uncategorized
A formula for cultural intelligence (Brooks Peterson)
A formula for cultural intelligence (Brooks Peterson)

Knowledge about Cultures + Awareness of Self and Others + Specific Skills = Cultural Intelligence (CQ). This is according to Brooks Peterson in his book, Cultural Intelligence: A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures (page 13).

In the interaction that Jesus has with the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4, we have the opportunity to understand Jesus Christ through this lens of cultural intelligence.

  • Jesus displays accurate knowledge about both his Hebrew culture and the culture of Samaria;
  • Jesus displays an extremely keen awareness of himself and the Samaritan woman, and,
  • Jesus displays enormous skill in relating cross-culturally to a woman with whom no Jewish man would have been seen, much less have a deeply meaningful conversation.
CHRIST with THE WOMAN AT THE WELL
CHRIST with THE WOMAN AT THE WELL

I love this story, and I love discovering new facets of the perfections of Jesus Christ. Take a look at John 4 again, and consider seeing it through this “formula:” Knowledge about Cultures + Awareness of Self and Others + Specific Skills = Cultural Intelligence (CQ). What do you see in the perfections of the Lord’s cultural intelligence?

Note: A lesson series in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey combines a study of John chapter 4 along with a reading in Brooks Peterson’s book. You may download this study by clicking on this link.

What does all this have to do with the practice of cross-cultural partnership? Simply this: Without CQ—cultural intelligence—cross-cultural partnerships are doomed to failure, or at best, very limited results. Some Christians think that only career missionaries need to actually develop proficiency in cultural intelligence, and that partnerships in the global church don’t require it. Nothing could be further from the truth! There is a need for cultural intelligence by anyone doing any type of ministry that is done cross-culturally. That is why Mission ONE has developed The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.

Don’t you want to be more like Christ—who is perfect in his cultural intelligence?