Inter-Cultural Effectiveness

We also have access to a wide network of intercultural specialists who can deliver in other languages.

Each of our facilitators is at least bilingual.

Although most courses focus on national cultures, Intercultural challenges have several layers: 

• individual personality, 

• team and functional cultures, 

• corporate culture, and 

• national cultures.

Courses can also focus on specific types of participant cohorts, for example buyers who deal with specific supplier cultures, or team & project team leaders who need to deal with multicultural teams.

Here is an example of a course exploring intercultural effectiveness and dealing with conflict / difficult conversations:

Culture and Conflict

(A course on intercultural effectiveness and dealing with conflict)

Duration: 

• 2-3 days face-to-face, or

• 4x4hour sessions virtual

Pre-course preparation by participants

• If the course is face-to-face, approximately 2 hours of pre-course preparation are required. This involves doing self-assessments on self-awareness, cultural awareness, communication, and conflict styles.

• If the course is virtual, 3-5 hours of pre-course preparation are required. This involves reviewing some of the core concepts, models and tools before the virtual workshop, as well as the self-assessments referred to above.

Key Objectives

• Introduction to Cultural Awareness & Effectiveness

• Understand one’s own culture and its impact on our individual personality and communication style.

• Explore the different dimensions involved when comparing national cultures.

• Introduction to basic conflict management models and tools, necessary to deal with intercultural communication and conflicts.

• Equip participants with the tools, skills, behaviours and attitudes required to have difficult conversations in an intercultural context.

Main contents

• Understand basic human behavioural psychology.

• Review the main research and tools available for understanding the various dimensions involved in communicating effectively and building trust across national cultures (Hofstede, Hall, etc.).

• Focus on one tool and approach in particular: The Culture Map by Erin Myer.

• Prepare “Difficult Conversations” role-plays using the intercultural and conflict management tools explored in the course.

• Difficult Conversation Role-plays in trios (Influencer-Opponent-Observer)

• Learnings & next steps from role-plays and course.

Methodology

• Experiential exercises and learn by doing.

• Role-plays for Difficult Conversations.

• Work in groups for intercultural case-studies.

• Use of group and paired-sharing exercises for preparation of role-plays.

Target Audience:

• Primarily for people who lead or work in multicultural teams & organization, &/or who frequently work with stakeholders (e.g., clients, suppliers, regulators, collaborators, etc.) from different cultures.