10 International Competencies
International Competencies
Openness
New Thinking
Open to new ideas and ways of understanding
‘In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.’Shunryn Suzuki
Welcoming Strangers
Proactive in getting to know different people
‘A man's feet may be planted in his own country, but his eyes should survey the world and its people.’ George Santayana
Acceptance
Readily accepts people and behaviours that are different
‘We must have strong minds ready to accept facts as they are; rather than how we would like them to be.’Harry S. Truman
International Competencies
Flexibility
Flexible Behaviour
Changes behaviour to fit in
‘We cannot change anything unless we are flexible enough to accept it.’Carl Gustav Jung
Flexible Judgment
Keeps an open mind
‘Minds are like parachutes - they only function when they are open.’Sir James Dewar
Learning Languages
Puts effort into learning and practising languages
‘The limits of my language should not be the limits of my world.’Ludwig Wittgenstein
International Competencies
Personal Autonomy
Inner Purpose
Guided by clear values and sense of direction
‘Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.’
Leonardo da Vinci
Focus On Goals
Concentrates on achieving objectives despite distractions
‘You've got to be careful Eeyore; if you don't know where you are going you might get lost.’A. A. Milne 'Winnie the Pooh’
International Competencies
Emotional Strength
Resilience
Bounces back after failure
‘Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.’Jerome Kern
Coping
Equipped with effective ways of dealing with pressure and stress
‘If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it;and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.’
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Spirit of Adventure
Eager to try new experiences
‘Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.’T. S. Elliot
International Competencies
Perceptiveness
Attuned
Sensitive to non verbal means of communication
‘The most important thing in communicating is to listen and hear what’s not being said.’Peter Drucker
Reflected Awareness
Aware of the impression he/she makes on other people
‘Mirror Mirror on the wall, am I the fairest of them all?’Prussian nursery rhyme
International Competencies
Listening Orientation
Active Listening
Ensures proper understanding
‘He who does not understand your silence will not understand your words’Elbert Hubbard
International Competencies
Transparancy
Clarity of Communication
Uses clear and straightforward language
‘Crystal is like language because the best glass is transparent and crystal clear; so it is with language’Beatrice Ward
Exposing Intentions
Clarifies the what, how and why of intended actions
‘When you present your own ideas clearly and specifically - you significantly increase their credibility.’Stephen Covey
International Competencies
Cultural Knowledge
Information Gathering
Takes time to find out about other cultures
‘To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.’Chinese Proverb
Valuing Differences
Openly expresses appreciation of differences
‘Greetings. I am pleased to see we are different. May we together become greater than the sum of both of us’
Traditional Vulcan Greeting, Star Trek
International Competencies
Influencing
Rapport
Sets people at ease and builds trust
‘You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.’Golda Meir
Range of Styles
Adopts influencing style to suit the audience
‘Among giants be a dwarf; among dwarfs be a giant, but among equals aim to be an equal.’Stanislaw Jilec
Sensitivity to Context
Seeks out the real decision makers
‘To know the pains of power, we must go to those who have it; to know its pleasures,we must go to those who are seeking it.’
Charles Caleb Colton
International Competencies
Synergy
Creating New Alternatives
Uses cultural differences to synthesise new options
‘The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time,and still retain the ability to function.’
F. Scott Fitzgerald
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