In the aftermath of the deeply disturbing racist, brutal, and fatal act against George Floyd, and the revelation of similar acts against other black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour, one wonders if organizations are thinking about and reviewing how they manage diversity. The die has been cast, and it seems to me that organizations cannot languish any longer, if they have been doing so, in a state of complacence. To continue as such is tantamount to concurring with the status quo, and that has both serious moral and business implications. [Read more…] about The Intercultural Development Continuum TM: an organizational development tool for changing and improving how diversity is managed.
10 Myths about Intercultural Competence Development.
I have been working for several years to help professionals build intercultural competence. During that time, I have also met people who shared their reservations about intercultural competence training with me and, due to those reservations, they were reluctant to get involved. After having heard those reservations or misconceptions or myths repeatedly, I realize it is important to provide more clarity on the subject and to set the record straight.
[Read more…] about 10 Myths about Intercultural Competence Development.
5 Listening Strategies for Creating More Meaningful Intercultural Interactions
Do you reflect on the strategies you use at your work place to communicate with individuals who have a different cultural background from you? Do you use the same strategies you use with the co-worker or customer who is culturally different from you as you use with the co-worker or customer who shares the same culture as you? What about active listening? How would active listening be used in an intercultural interaction?
[Read more…] about 5 Listening Strategies for Creating More Meaningful Intercultural Interactions
A Collection of Leadership Tips for Building Intercultural Competence
The following list of leadership tips will be added to on a continuous basis. I hope you find them thought-provoking, inspiring, and helpful.
[Read more…] about A Collection of Leadership Tips for Building Intercultural Competence
“Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel”: a straightforward story about bridging cultural differences.
In this month’s blog post, I thought I would expand on one of the leadership strategies I introduced last month that could help to improve intercultural relationships, namely: avoid underestimating and discounting talent because of cultural differences. In so doing, I am also going to share a rather in-depth description and example of the kind of positive outcomes a leader could enjoy if she or he developed a few helpful habits. These habits include:
4 strategies that leaders can use to improve intercultural relationships and productivity.
Do certain strategies lend themselves better to the management of a diverse team? Could these strategies improve our interactions and relationships with people from cultural backgrounds that are different from ours? Would these strategies help to bridge cultural differences that affect productivity in our organizations? The answer to all these questions is a resounding “Yes!”
What then, begs the question, might these strategies be? [Read more…] about 4 strategies that leaders can use to improve intercultural relationships and productivity.
