Cultural intelligence is essential for leaders, especially those operating in international environments. It enables them to understand how to effectively manage diverse teams, navigate challenges, and lead organizations toward success. Cultural intelligence is becoming an increasingly important skill in business because of how it impacts team building. One of the best parts of managing a team is getting to work with team members with each bringing a unique perspective and skillset to the table. Learning to lead with cross-cultural empathy, factor in different cultural backgrounds, and come to the table with cultural knowledge are all ways to improve your leadership skills.

Multicultural teams benefit from a diversity of opinion. To unlock the impact of a diverse team and build team synergy, you need to manage and encourage teamwork. That’s where a higher CQ (Cultural Quotient) comes in.

In today’s interconnected and globalised business landscape, cultural sensitivity is not just a virtue but a strategically  imperative for leaders. The ability to lead with cultural sensitivity has become a defining trait of successful leadership. It’s not merely about understanding different cultures; it’s about embracing diversity, fostering inclusion, and leveraging.

Cultural misunderstanding in the workplace is a miscommunication between individuals of different cultural backgrounds, which can lead to misinterpretations and negative consequences. It can occur when people assume that their own culture’s customs and norms are universal. It also arises when there are differences in language, values, beliefs, and expectations. At times even hand gestures are misunderstood by diverse cultural employees.      

Cultural misunderstandings can be harmful to an organization, as they can lead to confusion, conflict, and even decreased productivity.

Cultural sensitivity involves awareness, respect, and consideration of the values, beliefs, norms, customs, and traditions of diverse cultures. In global organizations this extends beyond the organisation’s internal culture to encompass the multicultural aspects of the customer base, employees, and partners worldwide.

For example, some team members are probably more comfortable with direct communication and feedback, whereas you might have other team members who are more comfortable with indirect feedback. Identifying what each team member needs to feel heard and welcomed at work is the best way to make them feel comfortable in a team. Many businesses operate on a global scale, serving customers from different regions, languages, and cultures. Cultural sensitivity enables CXOs to create experiences that resonate with diverse customer segments.

P&G is driven to make life better, not just within the company, but across the globe. P&G strives to make life easy of their employees who come from diversified countries, their consumers, and for people everywhere. As a part of the P&G team, everyone is committed to share that commitment. The organizations oversee teams that often span multiple countries and cultures. Being culturally sensitive fosters a more inclusive and collaborative work environment, driving innovation and employee satisfaction.

​​​​​​​P&G aims to be a model global corporate citizen. As organisations expand into new markets, understanding and respecting local cultures is critical for market entry and growth.
The company believes in transparency  in its business dealings, and it works to support good causes. All over world wherever P&G has its presence it strives to protect the environment and provide an appealing place to work to its employees; they are treated well and are given the opportunity to be all that they can be.

P&G hires people with high IQ, and at the early stages of career, employees have good opportunities to learn and grow. Upward mobility is not so easy. The management structure grows mostly from within.

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. This happens because P&G provides branded products of superior quality and value to improve the lives of the world’s consumers. Mishandling cultural nuances can lead to reputational damage. CXOs must ensure that their organisations are seen as culturally aware and respectful. This results in leadership sales, profit and value creation, allowing employees, shareholders and the communities in which we operate to prosper. Cultural sensitivity is not a static quality but a continuous journey of learning and adaptation.

The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is a brand giant. The world’s first maker of household products courts market share and billion-dollar brands. Its business is divided into three global units: beauty, health and wellbeing, and household care. It also makes pet food and water filters and produces soap operas. Some 25 of P&G’s brands are billion-dollar sellers, including Gillette Fusion, Always/Whisper, Braun, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Downy/Lenor, Folgers (which it reportedly plans to spin off), Gillette, Iams, Olay, Pampers, Pantene, Pringles, Tide, and Wella, among others.

P&G consists of over 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries. It began as a small, family-operated soap and candle company now provides products and services of superior quality and value to consumers in more than 180 countries. In P&G, every employee’s culture is respected. Their commitment begins with P&G’s Purpose, values and principles, in which sustainability is embedded, and manifests itself in a systemic and long-term way. They try to make their company better.  At P&G the workplace is made as inclusive as possible.

leaders need to be culturally sensitive because it helps them build strong teams, improve communication, and foster innovation. Leaders who are culturally sensitive can create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. This can improve morale and collaboration, and lead to better performance. They can improve communication by being mindful of language barriers and recognize how people from different cultures communicate. Foster innovation. Good leaders have leveraged on cultural diversity as a strategic asset to foster innovation and learning. This helps them to build better client relationships. When leaders respect other’s culture, they can mitigate risks. Leaders can avoid cultural insensitivity and make informed decisions to mitigate reputation damage and financial losses.

At Google different cultures are celebrated in a few ways. Inter Belief Network (IBN) are created where a network of member chapters that aims to create a culture of inclusion and tolerance for a variety of beliefs. The IBN also ensures that the voices of belief-based communities are represented in Google’s products. Asian Pacific American Cultures hub is a platform created in partnership with Google Arts & Culture partners to celebrate the history of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated. In this month with initiatives to uplift AAPI small business owners and creators. Google Arts & Culture celebrates festivals from around the world, including Diwali, which is a festival of lights that is important for Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs. Google Arts & Culture also celebrates the sports history of Mexico. Google’s culture is built on mutual respect, collaboration, and support. The company values individual differences and recognizes the importance of cultural diversity in achieving organizational success. 

Organizations which recognize cultural differences and celebrate them can easily avoid potential biases. Respect individual needs and beliefs by adapting leadership approaches to accommodate unique needs. Be open to diverse backgrounds by bridging cultural gaps to build meaningful relationships.

McDonald’s, one of the world’s most recognizable brands, has successfully implemented a “Think Global, Act Local” approach to cultural sensitivity. This strategy recognizes that while McDonald’s is a global brand, the customer experience must be adapted to local cultures. Here are key aspects of McDonald’s approach are  as follows:

Menu Localization: McDonald’s offers region-specific menu items to cater to local tastes and preferences. For example, in India, where beef is not widely consumed, the menu includes a variety of vegetarian options.

Festivals and Traditions: McDonald’s often runs special promotions and menu items aligned with local festivals and cultural celebrations. This not only reflects cultural sensitivity but also strengthens the brand’s connection with local communities.

Inclusivity McDonald’s is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion. Its workforce comprises people from diverse backgrounds, and the company actively engages in community initiatives to support cultural diversity and education.

Food is a symbol of our culture on a wide scale. Each one of us is raised eating the food related to our culture, we get recognized in other countries who we are based on our food habits. Food gives us national identity. Food is not only associated with happiness and health, but it also becomes what we seek throughout our lives. In challenging times food comforts us. Food culture globally is influenced by factors such as the local landscape and weather. For this reason, they vary in each country.

Cooking leads to healthier relationship with food; when cooked at home, it tends to be cheaper than eating out. When family members and guests compliment the food cooked by you the feeling is very satisfying. 

Food is integral part of our life. Sharing food with those we love is part of what makes us human. Globalization has made the world a global village. As the world grows smaller, it’s become easier to enjoy food from different countries, and many cultural traditions have developed around the celebration of food at religious holidays and family gatherings. We connect with our culture or ethnic group through food patterns. Food is often used as a means of retaining cultural identity. People from different cultural backgrounds eat different foods. The areas in which families live and where their ancestors originated influence food likes and dislikes.

Food culture consists of collective habits, rituals, beliefs, values, lifestyle, and practices around producing, procuring, and intaking food. The history of food defines our connections with our families, friends, and country at large. Food history is an interdisciplinary field that examines the history, the cultural, economic, environmental, and sociological impacts of food and human nutrition. It is distinct from the more traditional field of culinary history, which focuses on the origin and recreation of specific recipes.

If you are in Thailand, do not use a fork to push food into your mouth. Thailand offers a variety of delicious cuisines. One is spoilt for choice when it comes to the vast array of food items that are found in almost every nook and corner in Thailand. Just remember one thing – in this country, it is considered rude to use a fork to put food into your mouth. The people here believe that the fork must be used only to push food into the spoon. You can then use the spoon to eat the food.

Pakistanis will often use their hands to eat rather than cutlery. However, it is considered bad etiquette to pass, serve or spoon food to one’s mouth with the left hand. It should be used to hold the plate or assist the right hand in serving food. Pakistanis often offer their guests additional helpings of food.

In Vietnam, during the meal, make sure to pass dishes to another person using both hands. When getting a serving of food, place the portion in a bowl or on a plate. If eating from a bowl, lift the bowl close to your face and not let it sit on top of the dining table as this will be considered an act of laziness.

In the Middle East, never use your left hand while eating. Make sure you do not eat with your left hand while you are there. This is primarily because people in the region associate the left hand with other functions such as washing, bathing, and using the restroom. So, if you reach out for food or eat with your left hand, it might seem disrespectful and unhygienic.

Indian cuisine reflects an 8,000-year history of various groups and cultures. Indian food is heavily influenced by two religions – Hinduism and Islam. It is influenced by cultural choices and traditions. Historical events such as invasions, trade relations, and colonialism have played a role in introducing certain foods to this country. Trade with British and Portuguese influence added to more diversity in Indian cuisine.

Food portrays culture of a country.  Food brings people together. The French know this better, and they cherish the time they get to spend with each other over a meal. In fact, UNESCO declared French cuisine a “world intangible heritage”. The French believe that taking a meal should be done in the company of others to relax and enjoy the meal. That applies to workmates, families, and any kind of foodie event. Usually, a French meal will take at least 2 hours and is pretty much always accompanied by wine or cider depending on which part of the country you are in.  

World intangible heritage also involves oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, and festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe and traditional craftsmanship.

Cooking engages our senses, it activates memories. The aroma of a dish can remind us of our grandparent’s house, or a favourite restaurant during a vacation. Food allows us to immerse in these memories. Also, cooking is a therapeutic way to relieve stress and boost mood. When we cook, we are constantly focused, prepping ingredients, stirring the ingredients, adjusting the seasoning, and monitoring the cooking process. All of this is helpful to divert any stress or anxiety. It is like meditation, with tastier outputs.

When we visit any cultural-based festival for instance a Russian festival, Malaysian festival, or an Italian festival we find that food is the festival’s focal point. This is because eating food is a social act, also, eating is part of how we become human. It is as important as speaking and taking care of ourselves. What we eat, makes us the kind of human we are.

For example, in Japan slurping is showing appreciation for food. It shows you loved the meal. Often, in many countries, making sounds while eating is considered ill-mannered. And slurping is a big NO. However, in Japan, slurping noodles and soup is considered acceptable, many believe it improves its flavour. Additionally, it is meant to express that the dish is being greatly enjoyed. The middle of the table is the most honoured position, and the second most important person seated next. The host sits at the middle of the table on one side, and the honoured guest in the middle on the other side, opposite the host. The honoured guest sits on the side of the table farthest from the door.

Italians don’t pair fish with cheese The Italians are known for their love of food and are famous for their cheese like parmesan cheese and mozzarella. However, never ever try to mix cheese and seafood, while you are there. It is considered a culinary disaster in Italy.

In South Korea, when people assemble for a meal, they wait for the eldest person at the table to eat first, before the others join in. This is believed to be a great sign of respect for the elders.

In China, you must not leave your chopsticks upright in a bowl. This is offensive as this is a common practice during funerals when the Chinese make offerings to the departed soul. It is also considered rude to place your chopsticks pointing in someone’s direction. Finishing the food on your plate is considered rude in China. Even if you find the meal delicious, it is important that you leave a small portion behind. This is a way of complimenting the host that he has fed you enough. 

In Chile, people try to eat almost everything with a fork, spoon, and knife. Even if the food involves items that can be enjoyed more with the hands like chicken drumsticks and wings, it is customary to use a fork and a knife. Here, people believe that food should never be eaten with one’s hands.

If you are in Russia, if you put your hand on the lap while eating, it is a bad manner. You can put them on the table or anywhere else but not on the lap. So, think before you eat, when in Russia.

In Tanzania, being on time for your meal is an insult to the host. If you want to be polite, show up late and they will appreciate the gesture.

The history of the country also has an impact on the food culture and traditions of the people living there. In United States, you can easily see how layers of food culture have created the melting pot of cuisines that exists in the USA today. American cuisine is influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its early history between 1492 and 1800. Colonisation brought European ingredients and cooking styles to the America. Today, there are several foods that are commonly identified as American, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese, and meat loaf.

Conclusion

People connect to their cultural through food recipes and patterns. Food is a means of retaining cultural identity. People from different cultural backgrounds eat different foods. The upbringing and part of globe in which families live and where their ancestors originated influence food like and dislikes.

Our values are important because they help us to grow as humans. All decisions we make are a replication of our values and beliefs, and they direct our actions. Our values help us reach specific goals in life. Each endeavour of ours is directed by our values. Values are the core of the human character.

Milton Rokeach (1918 – 1988) was a Polish-American psychologist. He taught at various Universities in America. A Review of General Psychology survey, published in 2002, ranked Rokeach as the 85th most cited psychologist of the 20th century. Rokeach had conducted a well-known experiment in which he observed the interaction between three mentally ill patients at the Ypsilanti State Mental Hospital, Michigan, USA. The hospital is closed since 2006. Rokeach found in his experiment that the three men on whom he investigated personal values, each claimed to be Jesus Christ. Rokeach confronted them with one another’s inconsistent claims while encouraging them to interact personally as a support group. Rokeach also attempted to manipulate other aspects of their misconceptions by inventing messages from imaginary characters. He did not, as he had hoped, provoke any lessening of the patients’ delusions. But, his inventing messages did bring a number of changes in their beliefs, which Rokeach documented.

While initially, the three patients quarrelled over who was holier and reached the point of disagreements in mental and physical forms, eventually each explained away the other two as being patients with a mental disability. By the way, it is interesting to note that the graduate students who worked with Rokeach on the project had been strongly critical of the morality of the project because of the amount of lying and manipulation by Rokeach and the amount of distress experienced by the patients. 

As time passed, the men started to humour one another’s delusions. They even became friends, defending each other against other patients. They stopped arguing and talked about routine things and avoided the subject of Jesus entirely. I like to quote this experiment in my lecturing on Organizational Behaviour because when we accept realities, the majority of disillusions vanish allowing us to accept ourselves with our plusses and minuses.    

Rokeach added a comment in the final revision of the book that, while the experiment did not cure any of the three Christs, “It did cure me of my godlike delusion that I could manipulate them out of their beliefs.”

For most people, their central beliefs about the world and the physical reality around them cannot be questioned and are harder to shake.  In the political world, the politicians take advantage of people’s beliefs in their religions; the belief in and worship of superhuman controlling power, especially their God or gods cannot be shaken. Politicians play one religion against the other to rule the society.  Values form the basis for the formation, continuity and development of each culture.

We see that even today the ongoing battle between ardent creationists and people defending scientific theories about evolution.  Creationist arguments are notoriously erring based on a misinterpretation of evolutionary science and evidence. It is difficult to shake the values of people suffering from delusions that they are someone else; disproving it can be extremely difficult since they will simply reject any external evidence. 

In the case of the three patients at the centre of the experiment by Rokeach probably all three were suffering from an extremely strong central delusion that reflected how they viewed reality itself.  Identity is at the core of what we believe about ourselves; it is most important how we look at ourselves; how we see ‘our’ world which is based on our strong beliefs. In the business world also a proper understanding of culture is essential for developing and maintaining business relationships, negotiating deals, or conducting sales or marketing campaigns. Businesses and people are getting more and more global, providing much impetus to the popular saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”.

Every individual and every organization is involved in making hundreds of decisions every day. The decisions we make are a reflection of our values and beliefs, and they are always directed towards a specific purpose. That purpose is the satisfaction of our individual and collective organizational needs.

Values describe the personal qualities we choose to symbolize to guide our actions; the sort of person we want to be; the manner in which we treat ourselves and others, and our interaction with the world around us. They provide the general guidelines for our conduct. Values in short are that which are good, desirable, or worthwhile. Values are the motive behind purposeful action. Values are essential to ethics. Ethics is concerned with human actions, and the choice of those actions. Ethics evaluate those actions and the values that underlie them. It determines which values should be pursued, and which should not.  

There are three types of values: 

Character Values

Character values are the universal values that you need to exist as a good human being.

Work Values

Work values are values that help you find what you want in a job and give you job satisfaction.

Personal Values

Personal values are the things that are important to us, the characteristics and behaviours that motivate us and guide our decisions.

In 1973, Rokeach published his book “The Nature of Personal Values” the book occupied the final years of his career. In it, he suggested that a relatively few “terminal human values” are the goals that a person would like to achieve during his or her lifetime. These values vary among different groups of people in different cultures. These values can predict a wide variety of culture. Rokeach’s theory led to a series of experiments in the next decades starting in ’80s.

In a global economy, no nation is self-sufficient. Each is involved at different levels in trade to sell what it produces, to acquire what it lacks. The cultural distinctions that affect international business obviously go far beyond the product, price, place or promotion.  Business organizations and nations are inter-dependent.

National character is an expression which describes forms of collective self-perception, sensibility, and conduct which are shared by the individuals who inhabit a nation/state. The term “national character” is used to describe the lasting nature, characteristics and unique life styles found among the populations of particular national states. This behavior is sometimes considered on an abstract level, that is, as cultural behavior without actual reference to necessarily different personality modalities. It may also be considered as motivated by underlying psychological mechanisms characteristic of a given people. National Character comprises of well-designed personality characteristics and patterns that are archetype among the adult members of a society. In other words, it is the sum total of the habits and attitudes, desires and inclinations, views and opinions, motives and standards, beliefs and ideas, and hopes and aspirations of an individual or a group which they share or interact with others in society.

National culture impacts how people interact with each other. In the business world, culture guides decision-making, behavior, thinking patterns and values. Each country has distinguishing national and regional cultural characteristics. The success of any prospective foreign business partnership centers on awareness of and respect for those distinctions. From a handshake, dressing standard, acceptable physical distance during conversation requires sensitivity to avoid misunderstandings. Attitudes differ on humor, punctuality and gestures can make a huge difference to business dealings in foreign countries.

Europe has had a long history of self-conscious awareness of national differences. In normal conversation and in articles we find thoughts of the differences between Danes and Swedes, between Belgians and Dutch, between Germans and Italians, or even between northern and southern Italians, northern and southern Belgians, or northern and southern Dutch. Every national group develops over a period of time based on certain stereotypes of members of other national entities. Commonly held stereotypes get developed for certain objectives, for certain detachments or with changing degrees of approval of the traits. While the perception of behavioral differences has led to a great deal of verbal expression and rough writing, only since the 1940.  Serious efforts been made by anthropologist, psychologists and sociologists to explore systematically the validity or precise nature of the perceived differences with respect to underlying personality formations.

Japanese people believe more in socialism than individualism. They care about the national wellbeing. Therefore, they put more emphasis on harmony with others rather than having their own determined attitude.  Japan is known for its culture of discipline and hard work. It is a testimony to the collective will and discipline of the Japanese people that despite being devastated in World War II, they quickly recovered and became one of the leading economies of the world and are, today, counted as one of the developed countries.  They have a unified national character as people, language, culture, ethos, cuisines, are consistent across the country.

India is a land of diversity. It’s a diverse society, where people from different castes, colour, religion come together to give India a vibrant, dynamic and unique national character. The nation celebrates Diwali, EID and Christmas with equal zeal and vigor. Such diversity is hard to find anywhere else in the world and, therefore, differentiates us from the rest of the world.

In the formulation of implementation of foreign policy, a deep understanding of the character of a nation is one of the vital factors. Such understanding becomes part of almost every phase of foreign policy planning and execution. It helps in solving international problems in the areas of defense, diplomatic dealings, economic, political and trade.

Since a number of the national-character studies were conducted in a period of total war and were concerned with enemy or occupied countries, which were therefore inaccessible to direct research, substitute techniques had to be developed. Research of this kind came to be known as “the study of culture at a distance” (Mead & Métraux 1953). Nationals residing outside their countries were interviewed for reminiscences about child-rearing patterns and social attitudes influencing interpersonal relationships within their national states. In addition, since the societies studied were highly literate and employed mass means of communication, novels, cartoons, newspaper articles, and photographs were all available for systematic analysis. These materials were carefully examined for recurrent themes or other clues to customary attitudes and social perceptions that would point to possible underlying personality differences in the structure or hierarchy of values. The most important resource that is essential for nation building is not money, not big buildings but people. People form the backbone of any country and give it its distinct character.

Margaret Mead, Who is a strong advocate of national character studies has distinguished three approaches. First, there is the analysis of relationships between the basic learning common to children within a nation or culture and later characteristics witnessed in the behavior of adults within the same society. Adults shape up based upon their formative childhood experiences. Second, there are societal studies of the pattern and structure of interpersonal relationships. In any society, there are cultural sanctions operating continually which reinforce behavioral patterns, and thus there is an expected consistency in cultural formations. Third, based on studies comprising simple comparative descriptions of those cultural configurations national character gest distinguished.

A number of studies in national character are concerned with correlating the central role of culturally prevalent child-rearing practices with resultant personality modalities found in the adult. In these studies, variables such as weaning and toilet-training practices are seen as diagnostic of differential formative socialization experiences.

Another type of national-character study examines the basic personality traits that are necessary for at least a working minority of individuals within a society to keep that society functioning on its own terms. When Erich Fromm, the psychoanalyst, discussed national character (1941) he contended that in an industrial society with ever-increasing bureaucratization and standardization of occupations, the personality traits of discipline, orderliness, and punctuality are necessary. These traits have to be present in a significant portion of the population. Sociopolitical interpretations

One of the basic objectives of national-character studies is to examine the tensions underlying the political and social structures of modern states. Social tensions are particularly apparent in societies that are rapidly changing. For example, one type of social tension that is frequently observed results from the systematic attempts of an elite to establish particular patterns of directed social change, in spite of the unavailability of sufficient individuals whose training and social experience equip them for achieving the goals set by the elite. Some national-character studies seek to differentiate between the patterns that are characteristic of the elite and those patterns of the population that have been imposed upon it.

If necessary personality traits are not forthcoming from a proportionate number of individuals within the society, the society will not function well in terms of newer values, whatever the elite controlling the society attempts to do. Even though institutional legal structures are consciously changed in accord with social planning, if characteristic changes in socialization experiences do not accompany these changes in such a manner as to facilitate the appearance of adequate motivational behavior, the sought-after change will not become stabilized and self-perpetuating. With passing time, attitudes become rooted in a system of beliefs, traditions, taboos, habits, customs, and inhibitions constitute the distinctive culture of a state.

Change is simply inevitable. Change is something that will happen no matter how hard we try to stop it. Change is a part of the world we live in. Day turns into night and night into new day. Sun rises and sets. Seasons change. A new born slowly starts maturing. With every passing moment, events change. And most of these events cannot be predicted. Sometimes, the changes that take place in our lives are slow, and sometimes even anticipated. While other times, the changes are immediate and sudden. Abrupt changes can throw us into a place of fear and uncertainty.

Both abrupt and anticipated changes make us anxious. Moreover, changes whether anticipated or unanticipated don’t always produce an outcome that we favor; for instance, a couple might date for 10 years, get married and soon their relation becomes wobbly. The couple might have had anticipated good time in the 10 years dating, but things end in bad taste. In another example, a student hardly prepares for a competitive exam; he gives the exam for the heck of it but passes it! So, the point is we hardly have any control on events taking place in our life.

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) was first developed by Albert Ellis (American Psychologist) in the 1950s. Although Ellis had initially done work in the field of Behaviorism, later became convinced of the causal nature of cognitive (conscious intellectual thinking) processes. He went on and developed a model of behavior that involves a continuous relationship between environmental factors and the internal mental state of human mind. According to Ellis, a person’s cognitive process determines according to his expectations from life, and the way he interacts with life. A happy person will interact happily with others, while a depressed person might interact with a weighed down attitude with others.

For Ellis, the alphabets ABC offered insights into how to overcome self-defeated behaviors and cognition. The “A” here stands for activating events in life. It includes of all good, bad and the ugly events in life. The everyday obstacles and difficulties that everyone is forced to deal with just as a consequence of interacting with the world. The “B” stands for our belief system. It is our belief system which leads us to think positive in an adverse situation to overcome the hardship. The “C” represents the consequences that arise as a result of our belief. Negative beliefs underpin and contribute to negative outcomes, and that having positive beliefs about confronting adversity naturally lead to good results.

From the moment one comes into the world, begins to develop his/her belief system. A person’s belief system forms on all rational and irrational inputs which go into him. As a child one does not have a well formed capacity for logical inference therefore developing one’s belief system is not necessarily rational process. It is rather a process based upon one’s experience in the world. As a person matures, his abilities develop and his understandings expand. He starts gathering information and he gathers evidence for making decisions. His belief system also depends a lot on his traditional background. He makes or breaks dogmas depending on how authoritative he is. On the other hand, if a person is vulnerable and a follower of some bossy associates in life, his associations matter a lot.  Cheerful and positive associations make us happy, negative associations make us sadder and nagger. Revelations are equally important in our life in constructing our belief system. Revelation has the power to unmask things and it can unfold many mysteries in life. Revelation is divinity. Wisdom helps us to live healthier life.

“C” is consequences. They are result or effect, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant. They also mean an act or instance of following an act. Consequence is a result or an outcome.

 People have slaughtered each other in wars, people have gone length into investigations which sometimes are twisted and turned as per demand of time. Irrational politics in the world has created havoc leaving the rationality far behind. Bad political actions for centuries have been based on racism, religion and dogmas. See how powerful beliefs are. They are so overly powerful that they can make or break global systems. I want to quote here yesterday, on 7^th Jan 2015 how some brilliant cartoonists in France were killed by some fundamentalists.

Belief in religion makes people so blind that yesterday’s news of hooded gunmen killing cartoonists with pen names Charb, Wolinski, Cabu, Tignous and Honore who were famous for expressing their feelings towards all forms of authority with the world’s spiky, no-holds-barred political cartoons. Religion can make us so blind. These cartoonists’s irreverence has cost them their lives. They were most revered and controversial cartoonists in France. And why were these intelligent and fearless cartoonists shot? It’s because they drew caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad and other controversial sketches which raged feelings of Islamic community. See how our beliefs can mar our logic very easily.

Throughout history, humankind has paid reverence to beliefs and mystical thinking. Organized religion has played the most significant role in the support and propagation of beliefs and faith. This has resulted in an acceptance of beliefs in general; regardless of how one may reject religion, religious support of supernatural events gives credibility to other superstitions in general and the support of faith, belief without evidence, mysticism, and miracles. Most scientists, politicians, philosophers, and even atheists support the notion that some forms of belief provide a valuable means to establish “truth” as long as it contains the backing of data and facts. Belief has long become a socially acceptable form of thinking in science as well as religion.

It is therefore very important to change, to twist our old and trodden belief system and design a healthy and empowering system. However, it is interesting to note that rational thinking requires the adherence to beliefs.

Artificial beliefs and memories can affect people’s attitudes, at least in the short term. One gets to choose his beliefs. One also get to choose the actions that he chooses to take but sorry nobody gets to choose the consequences of his beliefs. According Rational Emotive Therapy, people contribute to their own psychological problems by the way they interpret events and situations. However, every human is empowered to change his belief system. Irrational beliefs in our life only trouble us and do not help us. One can learn skills to get over the disputing irrational thinking.

At any point in life, it is worth to spend some time and focus on self-interest, self-direction, and tolerance of self and others, flexibility, self-acceptance, and scientific thinking. It is always better to adopt this type of balanced thinking which helps in experiencing a minimum of emotional disturbance. Albert Ellis said that all psychological problems stem from the way people think about things. The core of much psychological trouble comes because of irrational ideas that are self-defeating.

So friends, the beliefs you have about yourself can drive your long-term behavior. Maybe you can trick yourself into taking some important decisions that requires your basic behavior. But, if you don’t shift your underlying identity, then it’s hard to stick with long-term changes. The root of behavior change and building better habits is your uniqueness. Each action you perform is driven by the fundamental belief that it is possible. So if you change your identity – the type of person that you believe that you are, then it’s easier to change your actions. You are the carver of your destiny.