Overview
- Time Frame: 3 hours
- Suggested # of participants: 10-18
- Materials Needed: Values cards, developing intercultural competence cards, PowerPoint projector, …
- Room Setup: 3 tables of 6 each
Intercultural competence has always been part of American history—from the connections amongst Native American tribes and with the waves of immigrants that would come later, and still arrive on our shores today.
However, an Anglo-European cultural framework became the norm for America’s value system and normative behaviors. Today, we have a better understanding and appreciation for the importance of retaining and celebrating different cultural systems and frameworks.
In this workshop, we focus on how intercultural competence can be used first, as a starting point for self-awareness, and then from there, how this understanding can funnel out through the lens of intercultural competence.
- What is intercultural competence?
- How does one know if they are acting in an interculturally competent way?
- What are the theoretical underpinnings of intercultural competence and how does this translate into action in the workplace?
- How can diversity lead to better decision-making?
| Facilitator outcome: | Participants will be able to: |
| 1. Introduce the definition of intercultural competence with the emphasis on behaving and communicating appropriately and effectively. | Define intercultural competence through the lens of appropriateness and effectiveness. |
| 2. Teach students that the foundational piece of intercultural competence is self-awareness. Enable students to explore their own self cultural-identity and the values that are part of their own cultural identity. | Identify and communicate their personal and cultural values. In designing intercultural work and workplaces, they will be able to plan using the foundation of self-awareness. |
| 3. Introduce students to the skills needed in intercultural work: adaptability, empathy and humility. | Respond and reflect to a written prompt on how they can emulate these traits in their own workplace. |
| 4. Provide an overview of different intercultural competency models (Deardorff’s UNESCO, the DMIS, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and the GLOBE study). | Discuss snapshot profiles as a group to evaluate characteristics of intercultural competence. |
| 5. Have participants integrate and reflect the materials presented through a case study | Apply knowledge to workplace case study and analyze the most effective practices to promote intercultural competence in an organizational context. |
| 6. Provide time for personal reflection and integration. | Self-assess where they are on the DMIS continuum. Outline action steps. |
| 7. Provide students with follow-up materials. | Further explore intercultural competence and next-steps on their own. |
Workshop Materials |
Sample Agenda
| 1:30 – 2:00 | Introductions & Icebreakers
|
| 2:00 – 2:30 | Connecting the Dots of Your Cultural Background
|
| 2:30– 2:40 | Break |
| 2:40-3:00 | Presentation |
| 3:00-3:50 | Case Study: Why Diversity Can Lead to Better Ideas |
| 4:10-4:30 | Reflection & Integration
Ask students to share what actions steps they will be taking. |
Pre-Workshop Email
We recommend sending out the pre-workshop email one-week before and a short follow-up two days before the workshop. This workshop does not require any pre-work before the workshop, but you could include a link to a TED Talk to help prime students for the workshop experience.
Here’s an example:
Dear Workshop Participants:
There is no pre-work required for this workshop. You will need a pen. If you do have 18 minutes to spare, we recommend watching this TED Talk, “The danger of a single story” before the workshop.
We look forward to meeting with you soon,
- Post-workshop handouts
Diversity wheel
Poster
Slides - Post-workshop email
For those of you in the sciences, I thought these articles may be of interest to you:
Science and Intercultural Competence
- How Point of View Affects How Science is Done:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/point-of-view- affects-how-science-is-done/ - Science and Culture: How western science could learn a thing or two from the way science is done in other cultures https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p
mc/articles/PMC1315909/ - In what ways are scientists and their theories affected by culture?
http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/science/cp2.htm - The Craft of Cross-Cultural Engagement This is from a colleague at the U of M Craig Hassel who works with local tribal communities.
Further Reading
Bennett, M. J. (2004). Becoming interculturally competent. Toward multiculturalism: A reader in multicultural education, 2, 62-77.
Deardorff, D. K. (2010). A comparative analysis and global perspective of regional studies on intercultural competence.
Giles, S. (2016). The most important leadership competencies, according to leaders around the world. Harvard Business Review. Online.
Hammer, M. R., Bennett, M. J., & Wiseman, R. (2003). Measuring intercultural sensitivity: The intercultural development inventory. International journal of intercultural relations, 27(4), 421-443.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (1991). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind (Vol. 2). London: McGraw-Hill.
House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., & Gupta, V. (Eds.). (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Sage publications.
Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., De Luque, M. S., & House, R. J. (2006). In the eye of the beholder: Cross cultural lessons in leadership from Project GLOBE. The academy of management perspectives, 20(1), 67-90.
Websites & Videos
Cultural Dimensions Videos
Short two-minute videos on different cultural dimensions:
- Achieved Status vs. Ascribed Status
- Direct vs. Indirect Communication Style
- Display of Emotion Cultural Dimension
- Low vs. High Power Distance
- Me vs. We
- Task vs. Relationships
The Danger of a Single Story-TED Talk
Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Website
Compare the cultural dimensions of different countries by using this interactive site.
Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)
View research and sample reports on the IDI.
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Value Rubric
Developed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, through a process that examined many existing campus rubrics and related documents for each learning outcome and incorporated additional feedback from faculty.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or if there are resources/connections that would be helpful. I’m more than happy to help!
References
Bennett, M. J. (2004). Becoming interculturally competent. Toward multiculturalism: A reader in multicultural education, 2, 62-77.
Deardorff, D. K. (2010). A comparative analysis and global perspective of regional studies on intercultural competence.
Giles, S. (2016). The most important leadership competencies, according to leaders around the world. Harvard Business Review. Online.
Hammer, M. R., Bennett, M. J., & Wiseman, R. (2003). Measuring intercultural sensitivity: The intercultural development inventory. International journal of intercultural relations, 27(4), 421-443.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (1991). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind (Vol. 2). London: McGraw-Hill.
House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., & Gupta, V. (Eds.). (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Sage publications.
Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., De Luque, M. S., & House, R. J. (2006). In the eye of the beholder: Cross cultural lessons in leadership from Project GLOBE. The academy of management perspectives, 20(1), 67-90.
Cultural Dimensions Videos
Short two-minute videos on different cultural dimensions:
- Achieved Status vs. Ascribed Status
- Direct vs. Indirect Communication Style
- Display of Emotion Cultural Dimension
- Low vs. High Power Distance
- Me vs. We
- Task vs. Relationships
The Danger of a Single Story-TED Talk
Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Website
Compare the cultural dimensions of different countries by using this interactive site.
Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)
View research and sample reports on the IDI.
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Value Rubric
Developed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, through a process that examined many existing campus rubrics and related documents for each learning outcome and incorporated additional feedback from faculty.
