Evaluation is another cultural barrier when trying to understand others (also noted in the previous section on Stereotypes). Evaluation allows us to approve or disapprove, agree or disagree, assess right or wrong – to judge. When heightened feelings and emotions are involved, evaluation can happen quickly, and interactions can end or be disregarded immediately. Evaluation takes place at all levels, from the interpersonal to the sphere of global politics.
While evaluation can help us build some kind of comprehension, it only occurs at a superficial level based on our own cultural conditioning. It neglects the thoughts and actions expressed through the perspectives of others. We see our culture as natural and as normal, and find it difficult to be open minded and shift our perspectives when cultural patterns differ from our own.
It takes both the awareness of our internalized positions, the drive to risk changing our own perspectives, and the reinterpretation of our values to try to more deeply comprehend why someone thinks and acts differently from us.
Examples:
- Sarah, a student from Berlin, was studying and doing her master’s research at an exchange university in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Although she was supposed to stay for a full year, she left after only three months. She stated that the Taiwanese supervisor did not know how to work with students. He told them what to do rather than discussing approaches to their research. Sarah found the professor’s process completely unacceptable. It wouldn’t be done this way in Germany!
- As part of a development partnership, employees from Brazil and Angola were seconded to work at each other’s organizations for six months. Eduardo, from Brazil, began working with his counterparts in Luanda, Angola. He became very frustrated after only two weeks, because he felt that the Angolans paid very little attention to deadlines and that their administrative procedures were completely wrong. He wrote an email to the HR coordinators to voice his disapproval.
- My Canadian friend Philippe was working as a building engineer in Dubai. After six months on the job, he was promoted to project manager. One day, a group of sheiks (the funders) came in to view the site and asked Philippe for an overview. Philippe was quite critical about the way the project was being carried out and made some suggestions for improvement. The sheiks looked quite confused, and the next day, Philippe was taken to the main office, where he was reprimanded for being critical of such prominent men. He was handed his passport and given 24 hours to leave the country.