AIM International
Multi-Cultural Teams
Interpersonal Skills
Host Church
Multi-Cultural Teams
Goals/Objectives
To identify cultural similarities and differences within your team and demonstrate respect for teammates in practical ways while seeking to gain a better understanding of their cultures
To identify and demonstrate attitudes that foster openness and unity within a multi-cultural team
‘One of the greatest stumbling blocks to understanding other peoples within or without a particular culture is the tendency to judge others’ behavior by our own standards.’
James Downs
AIM sees great value in ministering in team settings. A team, for our purposes, is a group of people who share a common purpose, goals, and approach for which they hold themselves accountable within community. You may not be assigned to a specific team, but you are likely living and ministering among other workers from different cultures in a setting that fits the above definition.
While there are many advantages to working with others, adjusting to the various cultures on your team can at times be more overwhelming and challenging than getting to know your host culture.
To read profiles for various cultures, click here.
It is vital that you take time to explore, acknowledge, and learn to respect one another’s differences so that you can effectively engage in ministry together.
Here are some suggestions that may help you to do that:
- Know yourself (strengths, weaknesses, coping mechanisms, biases, triggers that set you off, etc). These are addressed more fully on the ‘Interpersonal Skills’ page.
- Try to remember: it’s not always wrong; sometimes it’s just different. Do not be quick to judge, but instead seek to understand the background and the differences of your teammates’ cultures. For example, some words that would be considered inappropriate or offensive in one culture are perfectly acceptable—even among Christians—in another culture.
- As a team, share some key cultural traits, vocabulary, habits or ‘quirks’ from each of your home cultures. Find out and discuss as a team how each of your cultures approach various issues (decision-making, conflict resolution, family attitudes, finance, supervision, leadership, teamwork, worship, hospitality, etc). How are the cultures represented on your team similar to one another? How are they different? Keep in mind that within those cultures, you also each have unique personalities, giftings and preferences.
- Share what you appreciate about another teammate’s culture. As a team, do this periodically, making sure over time to show appreciation for all the cultures represented on your team.
- Practice good conflict resolution when your differences collide.
- An excellent resource you may want to consider reading either individually or as a team is The Culture Map by Erin Meyer.
To Discuss
As you continue to get to know those around you, think about these questions and be prepared to discuss them with your facilitator (and possibly as a team):
• What have you learned about your teammates’ cultures?
• What could you do to show respect for the other cultures on your team? What adjustments might you need to make regarding your own culture in order to do this?
• In the midst of the differences, what common ground do you share with each of your teammates?
• Are you insisting on your own way? How open are you to doing things differently?
• Are you considering your teammates’ cultures when making suggestions or decisions that may affect them?
