Businesses and organisations worldwide have been faced with the reality of VUCA, an environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, for at least two decades. The recent pandemic has only added to the list of challenges leaders are facing. Intercultural competence is high on the list of skills needed to deal with VUCA by no longer being seen as a ‘nice to have’. It is an emerging set of skills that is required in every workplace with diverse teams and in international organisations and businesses.
Generic management or communication courses tend to be ‘Western-oriented’ and based on implicit cultural assumptions about what is ‘good management’ or ‘effective communication.’ English as a medium of communication also poses certain challenges for both non-native and native speakers alike. Intercultural competence is becoming even more critical in the age of remote digital working where it has become even harder to work with people and connect, build rapport with new contacts and manage existing teams. In addition, the pandemic creates a world that is more divided, and the situation is only getting worse. Countries are becoming more distant, and it affects people’s opportunity to experience cultural differences first-hand by immersion.
This course draws on interdisciplinary research to provide the participants with the necessary awareness, know-how and practical skills needed to become more effective at intercultural interactions. Although we acknowledge that culture doesn’t equal country, generation, profession, gender or organisational differences and be equally (if not more) prominent, the course examines how nationality may affect how we think and behave and therefore communicate, manage, and collaborate. Intercultural competence does not only enhance leadership but also responds better to a VUCA workplace that requires agility, resilience, and collaboration and communication skills.
Today’s world is increasingly diverse as companies embrace globalisation and respond to the shifting landscape of the pandemic. The ability to effectively interact, work and develop meaningful relationships with professionals across different cultures and social groups is essential in a global workforce.
Discover how VUCA (an environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) represents a set of challenges that all businesses face, and how becoming culturally competent in a globalised, VUCA world can open new markets and networks, promote mutual enrichment, and improve productivity and efficiency.
Drawing on interdisciplinary research, this course will provide you with the necessary awareness, know-how and practical skills needed to become more effective at intercultural interactions. You will draw on various models to analyse your own experiences in order to develop a personal development plan to address effective interactions at work in the face of significant challenges.
Who Should Attend?
🎓 Individuals working in organisations that span across cultures, languages or countries.
🎓 Expatriates (expats), or those working in a non-native country and looking to develop their workplace communication skills.
🎓 EDIB (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging) professionals keen to learn more about building intercultural communication into their diversity & inclusion models.
Key learning objectives
- Define VUCA and examine the challenges it presents to today’s workplace
- Assess how developing intercultural competence adds value to the VUCA world
- Define intercultural competence using a three step framework
- Define culture and how it affects interactions
- Assess the limitations of culture models
- Analyse case studies where cultural differences have caused misunderstandings/ frustration/ upset
- Apply a range of cultural dimensions to explain misunderstandings/ frustration/upset from past experiences
- Assess your own communication preferences and working style in order to develop your self-awareness
- Anticipate potential challenges arising from your preferences
- Demonstrate an ability to use empathy in your interactions
- • Identify the different stages of the culture adaptation process
- Apply the describe-interpret-evaluate framework to deal with unfamiliar situations
- Assess the challenges of English as a lingua franca in the workplace
- Analyse strategies to overcome these challenges
- Define inclusion in a modern workplace
- Evaluate strategies for improving interaction in culturally diverse teams
- Evaluate your learning from the course and set goals for future development
- Complete a SWOT analysis of your individual context and develop a personal development plan
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Assess the impact of VUCA on today’s workplace.
- Define culture and critique several cultural models.
- Explain the effect of cultural differences on interactions.
- Identify individual and cultural preferences for working practices and demonstrate the use of empathy when evaluating others.
- Define the culture adaptation process and develop a strategy to foster effective interactions at work.
- Assess the opportunities and challenges of using English as an international working language and develop strategies to use it effectively and inclusively.
- Apply inclusive teamwork and/or leadership skills to complete tasks in a multicultural workplace.
- Evaluate and apply experience and knowledge to create a personal development action plan.
