Cultural openness and Integration.

In one of my articles, I wrote about the Expat Curve. War edition - for those of us who had to move because of the war, it is very important to integrate into the new culture as fast as possible. Usually, immigrants prepare for their move consistently and thoroughly, learning a lot about their new country. War refugees don’t have this opportunity, so when I arrived two years ago, I realised that I needed to quickly integrate and learn how Canadians think and live. 

The challenge of culture is perfectly described by Hofstede's metaphor of culture .

Culture is a "Software of the Mind" — mental programs that predispose us to certain patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Much like computers, we often run multiple software programs simultaneously to handle daily tasks, which can sometimes lead to overloads. What happens when people from multiple cultural models interact within a single setting? We have potential misunderstandings and conflicts. And even more - we will struggle to create a local network, find a decent job, and integrate our kids, etc. 

If we look at the topic wider, it’s not just about developing cultural openness but also about fostering Global Perspective. Having a global way of thinking requires seeing the world from the perspective of another person’s culture and using that awareness to create solutions and bridges. It also requires self-awareness—understanding one’s own culture and recognizing that it is one among many.

However, I won't delve into complex theory. Instead, I will return to what has helped and continues to help me keep cultural openness and integrate effectively in Canada. In this context, I will refer to the popular and still relevant 70/20/10 Development Model, which suggests that the most effective learning comes from practical experiences and social interactions, with formal education acting as a complementary component.

How to develop Cultural Openness? 

70%. Practical Learning. 

When we arrived in 2022, the first Canadians I began to communicate with in person were the family that hosted us. It was an amazing and invaluable experience because our hosts not only helped me with documents and my resume, they created a Kanban board with tasks for me, and I tackled them one by one with their strong support and guidance. What I observe among many Ukrainians today is that we are sometimes too home-centric. "How could it be otherwise?" you might say. "We miss the home that was taken from us." That is true. However, sooner or later, we need to adapt to our new life. In my opinion, the sooner, the better.

My experience with local Ukrainians wasn’t the most successful or inspiring, so I focused on interacting with Canadians, which had several advantages. Interacting with locals can provide deeper insights into the host country’s culture and way of thinking. 

Here are my recommendations:

• If you are looking for a job, attend local job fairs, join professional communities, and network with people in your industry and profession. If you already have a job, focus on building strong connections within your company. The training materials for the international HR certification SHRM even have a separate chapter on this topic called "Finding allies." In the era of AI and the automation of many professions and processes, in the age of Human Skills (previously known as Soft Skills), being a professional is not enough. It's important to be able to build relationships and be visible.
• Instead of constantly comparing and rejecting certain aspects of the culture of the country you now live in with thoughts like, "Everything is different here, they are different, everything is wrong," explore your own beliefs and biases. How might your experience unwittingly influence or limit your perspective? Notice how your closely held beliefs affect the way you make decisions. Practice challenging your biases.
• To expand your international scope, sign up for and attend webinars by speakers you respect, follow them on LinkedIn, and read their posts. At the very beginning of my journey, I really enjoyed Austin Belcak's webinar "How to Land Your Dream Job Without Applying Online."
• Put up a world map and a map of Canada at home, read and discuss international news. Let people know how your beliefs and experiences on and off the job have shaped you. Encourage them to do the same. What does it mean to be a woman who escaped the war in Ukraine? Why are Canadians so friendly, is that friendliness sincere? What is true and what is a stereotypical belief? 

20%. Social Learning. 

• Find a local mentor or coach with a proven track record and relevant experience in your area. This could be an immigrant who moved many years ago and built a successful career; someone who genuinely supports you and sees your potential; or a new friend who can gently and ethically recommend how to handle various situations
• Get inspiration and cultural visionary ideas from conferences or fairs or any other connections. Think about the implications for your plans and objectives you have in your new home. 
• Ask your new friends and acquaintances where it’s best to start in a new country to better understand its origins and peculiarities, and for their top 10 facts about it.

10%. Formal Learning. 

In addition to the many learning programs that help raise awareness about cross-cultural peculiarities, I also recommend the following resources.

1. Culture Map. E. Meyer. 
2. Navigate Cultural Differences to Succeed Across Borders. A Q&A with Erin Meyer.
3. Cultures and Organizations. Software of the Mind. G. Hofstede. 
4. How Leaders Create and Use Networks. Herminia Ibarra, Mark Lee Hunter.
5. Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success. David Livermore.
6. When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures. Richard D. Lewis
7. Global dexterity: How to adapt your behaviour across cultures without losing yourself in the process. A. Molinsky.
8. Success for the new global manager: How to work across distances, countries and cultures. M. Dalton. 
9. What is culture? S. Oatey.
10. The art of cross cultural relationships. Loren Pasquier. TED Talks. 

By embracing these ideas you can develop cultural openness needed to thrive in a new society. It’s about building bridges, fostering understanding, and harnessing the richness of cultural diversity to create meaningful connections and achieve personal and professional success.

To be continued...