Written by Paula Caligiuri. Narrated by Marie T. Russell.

Do you feel comfortable—and even thrive—in settings that aren’t predictable? Do you view ambiguous and unknown situations as exciting rather than stressful? If you answered “yes” or “maybe” to either of these questions, working in other cultures or collaborating with international teams may be the perfect career fit.

People with a high tolerance of ambiguity are built for discovering new cultures, foods, world views, and foreign languages. They’re more able to navigate surprising and often-unspoken cultural assumptions and reactions—what a culture views as good or bad, right or wrong, appropriate or inappropriate. Additionally, research has connected traits such as tolerance and openness with many positive life outcomes, including happiness, creativity, and a motivation to learn.

Even if your tolerance of ambiguity is lower, there are proven ways to build this important cultural agility competency. Start with one or two of the following strategies and practice them until they become part of your routine or lifestyle.

Continue Reading at InnerSelf.com (plus audio/mp3 version of article)

Paula Caligiuri is a D'Amore-McKim School of Business Distinguished Professor of International Business at Northeastern University and president of TASCA Global, a consulting firm that specializes in assessing and developing culturally agile professionals.