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Intercultural Solutions
The Centre for Excellence in Intercultural Education offers intercultural training for organizations and employers. Our intercultural and cultural diversity training for Canadian-born employees will enhance intercultural competence in the workplace and organizational contexts. We can tailor our workshops to your specific organizational needs through prior assessment and consultation.
In 2008, the Centre offered 47 workshops to over 1,300 people from 24 businesses and organizations.
For more information about our workshops, contact Darcy McDonald at 780-644-6758 or darcy.mcdonald@norquest.ca.
Testimonials
"We are very pleased to be partnering with NorQuest College on a number of exciting learning initiatives. The intercultural program was a huge success and the English Communications Program has been very well received within Stantec. We are very impressed with the level of professionalism and experience that all of the instructors bring to the classroom. Thank you for delivering programs that fit so well within the needs of our organization and its people"
Shawn Paulson
Director of Learning, Stantec
“I have learned much from your depth of knowledge and am inspired by your commitment to the intercultural educational learning that is so valuable and enriching. You bring clarity to an opaque area...”
Emma Bourassa
Faculty, Thompson River University
Cultural Foundations
Workshop 1
Above and Below the Waterline |
| Are there significant cultural differences that affect workplace behaviour?
The Waterline Model is an easy-to-use principle for interpreting cultural motivations in your multi-cultural workplace. You will use the model as a practical tool to discuss critical incidents. |
| Target Audience: |
Company-wide, corporate-level and conference presentations |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment to interpret cultural differences |
| Prerequisite: |
none |
| Length: |
2.5 hours |
Workshop 2
Three Global Cultural Orientations |
Why do other cultures act the way they do?
The three core cultural orientations provide a solid foundation for understanding cultural programming and for navigating your multicultural workplace. You will use each orientation as a tool to interpret real incidents at work. |
| Target Audience: |
Company-wide |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, strengthening cross-cultural relationships suspending judgment to interpret cultural differences |
| Prerequisite: |
none |
| Length: |
2.5 hours |
Workshop 3
Building Blocks of Canadian Culture |
What do other cultures say about working in Canadian culture?
Hierarchy, time, communication and belonging are all sources of cultural misunderstandings at work. You will use each building block to anticipate and resolve cross-cultural issues in the workplace. |
| Target Audience: |
Working professionals/company-wide |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, strengthening cross-cultural relationships and practicing cultural reflection |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations |
| Length: |
2.5 hours |
Workshop 4
Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| How do you understand accents, or be understood across language barriers? Communication is a two way process that involves both speaker and listener equally. You will develop the skills to converse with second language speakers in plain language and learn how to offer and solicit clarification despite language barriers. |
| Target Audience: |
Working professionals/company-wide |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, strengthening cross-cultural relationships, using plain language, giving and gaining clarification |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations |
| Length: |
2.5 hours |
Managing Cultural Diversity
Workshop 5
Interviewing for a Culturally Diverse Workforce |
Is there an intercultural lens to screen resumés, conduct interviews and avoid overlooking potential candidates?
Culturally determined ways of presenting oneself professionally can skew the interview process and make it easy to miss a “diamond in the rough.” You will learn to screen resumés through a cultural lens and ask the right questions to uncover a candidate’s professional skills and potential. |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers, human resources professionals |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, using plain language, giving and gaining clarification, and practicing cultural reflection |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 6
Performance Feedback in a Culturally Diverse Workforce |
How do I give constructive feedback to a culturally diverse workforce?
By understanding the differing values that various cultures place on directness, you can avoid the famous “feedback sandwich” approach. You will apply the competencies gained in the “Cultural Foundations” workshops to develop a step-by-step approach to giving sensitive feedback and managing culturally-based performance issues. |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers, human resources professionals |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, using plain language, interpreting and adapting feedback styles, and practicing cultural reflection |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 7
Managing Multicultural Teams |
What is unique about managing a culturally diverse team in a Canadian context?
Apply the competencies gained in the “Cultural Foundations” workshops for strategic HRM, specifically engaging in team activities that develop the habits of highly effective cross-cultural teams |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, using plain language, giving and gaining clarification, developing cohesion, and practicing cultural reflection |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 8
Intercultural Communication |
Why do other cultures say they understand my requests, but then do the opposite?
Cultures have social norms, learned in childhood, that teach them to navigate life and find success. Communication can include the saving of face, the use of emotion or silence, or even a smile. You will contrast Canadian with other communication styles, and learn how to increase productivity despite cultural barriers. |
| Target Audience: |
Working Professionals |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, strengthening cross-cultural relationships, and clear communication |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
2.5 hours |
Workshop 9
Cross-Cultural Conflict Resolution |
Is it culture or just personality?
Just as conflict can be caused by cultural or personality differences, so too are the responses to it. You will gain insight into various cultural approaches to resolving conflict and determine your own conflict style. We will explore contemporary Canadian approaches, identify biases in North American approaches, interpret cultural tendencies in conflict situations, practice culturally sensitive conflict resolution approaches, and reinterpret conflict as innovation. |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers, human resources professionals |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, using plain language, giving and gaining clarification, de-escalating conflict, and practicing cultural reflection |
| Prerequisite: |
Intercultural Communication, 3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
4 hours |
Strategic Human Resources Management
Workshop 10
Establishing an Intercultural Advisory Committee |
How can I maximize a multicultural workforce?
An Intercultural Advisory Committee has an “ear to the ground” and can work internally to help new Canadians integrate, as well as advise on or mediate cultural issues like gender differences, hygiene and religious observance at work. The Intercultural Education Centre will facilitate your group as you lay out the scope of influence and the roles of the advisory committee, and introduce ideas that may accelerate the integration and retention of new Canadians in your organization. |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers, human resources professionals |
| Core Skill Set: |
|
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 11
Developing Internal Cultural Liaisons |
Who are my informal cultural leaders at work?
In an organization with substantial numbers of new Canadians, informal leaders usually arise within ethic groups. They usually speak on behalf of a cultural group or are called in to liaise/ translate for HR personnel. The Intercultural Education Centre will provide the training for the cultural liaisons and facilitate your group as you define tasks and roles. |
| Target Audience: |
Human resources professionals, new Canadians |
| Core Skill Set: |
|
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Intercultural Communication, Cross-cultural Conflict Resolution |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 12
Developing Communication Coaches for New Canadians |
Can basic mentoring principles translate across culture?
Yes, but native-speaking mentors do not necessarily know exactly what communication coaching new Canadians need in order to speak clearly, concisely and build consensus in the workplace. We will look at the mainstream Canadian communication style and language-specific challenges for new Canadians from the Near/Mid and Far East, Latin America, Africa and Europe. The workshop will equip participants with strategies and vital content knowledge to mentor non-native speakers towards better workplace communication. |
| Target Audience: |
Fluent speakers of English preferred |
| Core Skill Set: |
|
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 13
Implementing Cultural Diversity Training |
How do you implement intercultural training?
Optimal directional planning is best derived from those who best understand their organization, in collaboration with relevant specialists. The Intercultural Education Centre will facilitate your group as you define tasks and roles for implementing the training initiative; identify strategies for communicating the initiative; plan the collecting, analyzing, and reporting of data; and incorporate the initiative as part of the larger organizational system. We will contribute intercultural expertise where applicable. |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers, human resources professionals |
| Core Skill Set: |
|
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 14
Handling Culture Shock |
How do you handle culture shock?
Travelling abroad usually includes a period of culture shock and adjustment. Using the Bennett Continuum Model, you will map out the journey to adaptation and integration, discuss the conflicting dynamics of language learning, and discuss the potential identity issues that travellers/immigrants experience. |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers, human resources professionals |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, managing cultural change and settlement hurdles, practising cultural reflection |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers, Intercultural Communication |
| Length: |
3 hours |
Workshop 15
Culture Specific Workshops |
What are the unique characteristics, advantages and challenges when working with specific cultural groups?
Each workshop is 2 ½ hrs long and explores the core cultural values of each group, the worldviews, and communication styles. . For example, working with the Far East, the Middle East, Latin Americans, Africans, Northern Europeans, and Southern Europeans. |
| Target Audience: |
Department heads and managers |
| Core Skill Set: |
Suspending judgment, interpreting and negotiating differences, managing cultural change, and practising cultural reflection |
| Prerequisite: |
3 Global Cultural Orientations, Building Blocks of Canadian Culture, Communicating with Second Language Speakers |
| Length: |
2.5 hours |
Last updated:
April 29, 2008
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