Is cultural competence more important in one industry than others? Well, let’s take the case of the healthcare industry. Generally we visit healthcare providers in a state of anxiety or vulnerability i.e. when something is not going right. Simply put, we generally do not go to a hospital when we are feeling good right?
The need for cultural competence manifests itself more acutely in situations where we deal with people in a state of anxiety and vulnerability. And when it comes to healthcare, anything and everything is ‘personal’ which makes it a unique challenge. A little story…The day my first son was born, I was in the delivery room with my wife, our new born and my mother-in-law.
The nurse walks into the room and simply does what she usually does as a matter of routine. She is just following the procedure i.e. asking questions to my wife. The conversation goes something like this:
a) Pointing to me, the nurse asks ‘Is this your husband?’, and my wife says ‘Yes’
b) The nurse continues to ask, ‘Is he the father of your child?’, at which point my mother-in-law cannot believe her ears.
What a defamatory question is that? How insulting? What a character assassination?
Well, I have to acknowledge that every culture and society has a certain norm around morality. However, in certain cultures the sanctity of marriage and the relationship of a man and wife is sanctity. In many cultures, having a child outside of marriage or being a single mom is a taboo, it is a matter of family honor. Sometimes, seemingly innocuous actions may be offensive to customers/ peers from a diverse cultural group.
What has been your experience in this context? Have you run into cultural challenges specific to any industry? Share your thoughts and insights.
Cultural Competence Think Tank 