Cultural Competence: What It Is, Why It's Important, and How to Develop It

By Shelley Maberry

Cultures around the world do things differently. Although core human needs are the same – love, faith, food, water, shelter, health – how we achieve those goals can differ widely. You don't have to go to another country to find someone with a different culture. Travel from rural America to urban America, or state to state, and you can feel and see a noticeable shift in culture. You likely experience different cultures in your town. You might even have a different culture than your spouse (even if you were raised in the same area). Have you ever had a disagreement with your significant other about parenting, finances, or the way to cook dinner? Chances are you've brought the culture of your upbringing into your relationship. We all have a way of looking at the world, and whether we realize it or not, we carry our culture with us wherever we go. Cultural competence is the ability to understand and interact respectfully with different cultures. This eBook will explore what it means to be culturally competent, why it's essential, and some of the best ways to develop cultural competence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shelley Maberry
• Release date: Apr 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005726843

Shelley Maberry

Shelley Maberry is the founder, of Maberry Consulting & Evaluation Services, Heartland Institutional Review Board, and The New D/B/A. Maberry has over 30 years of consulting and training experience with a diverse academia and private sector background. She has multiple degrees and certifications in Business Entrepreneurship, Diversity and Inclusion, Education, Program Evaluation, and Public Health.

Book preview

Introduction

Cultures around the world do things differently.Although core human needs are the same – love, faith, food, water, shelter, health – how we go about achieving those goals can differ widely.

You don’t have to go to another country to find someone with a different culture. Travel from rural America to urban America, or from state to state, and you can feel and see a noticeable shift in culture.

You likely experience different cultures in your own town. In fact, you might even have a different culture than your spouse (even if you were both raised in the same area).

Have you ever had a disagreement with your significant other about parenting, finances, or the way to cook dinner? Chances are you’ve brought the culture of your upbringing into your relationship.

We all have a way of looking at the world, and whether we realize it or not, we carry our culture with us wherever we go.

Cultural competence is the ability to understand and interact respectfully with different cultures.

This eBook will explore what it means to be culturally competent, why it’s important, and some of the best ways to develop cultural competence.

What is Cultural Competence?

Cultural competence is the ability to understand and interact with people of different cultures. This skill is beneficial in both personal and work relationships. Understanding other cultures