Cross-Cultural Competence for Executives and Students
In this increasingly global and interconnected world, leaders must possess more than just job-critical skills - they must be culturally agile. That is, they need the critical competencies that enable global professionals to work quickly, comfortably, and effectively in different cultures and with people from different cultures. For incoming or outgoing (study abroad) students, having a global perspective and the ability to effectively integrate and collaborate with others is critical for their college experience and for their future professional lives.
Global Aspect Human Capital Advisors, working in partnership with TASCA Global, offers a set of tools and programs to help leaders assess and develop their cross-cultural competence. These tools are appropriate for a variety of individuals, including those preparing for global work assignments (i.e., expatriates), leaders of globally distributed teams, or future global leaders (e.g., individuals currently pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees).
CAST/CASA – Online Cultural Agility Self-Assessment
CAST and CASA are self-administered online assessment tools. Respondents complete a series of questions and receive a detailed feedback report with their scores (and comparisons to normative benchmarks) on each of the cultural agility competencies. CASA can be used as a stand-alone development tool for individuals or it can be incorporated into one of our programs below. In addition to scores on each competency, CASA provides respondents with a detailed definition of the competencies and suggested behaviors to develop their cultural agility. CAST is similar to CASA but also includes interview questions and a behavioral rating scale (BARS) for each competency. CASA is ideal for development while CAST is ideal for personnel selection. Either tool can be used as a stand-alone instrument (either for development or selection) or incorporated into one of the programs described below.
Cultural Agility Development Center - For Executives
Global Aspect's Cultural Agility Development Center is designed as a two-day program, though the assessment process begins before the event with an online assessment of each participant’s cultural agility competencies and personality traits. The two-day event includes classroom training, facilitated discussion, one-on-one role-play simulations, and frequent behavioral feedback from trained observers.
"Global Aspect helped us create a competency based development center, for participants going through our signature program, Leading Across Boundaries, specifically focusing on identifying and developing competencies relevant to building Cultural agility in the participants. Our participants have singularly picked out the development center experience, as the one that prepared them most for their learning experience and subsequent application on the job." (OE Leader in Organization with employees in more than 60 countries)
In addition to receiving behavioral feedback throughout the development center, participants work with a culture coach to interpret their pre-assessment (CASA or CAST) results, review behavioral feedback in totality, then sit down to create a customized development plan. Following the center, participants can (as an option) continue meeting virtually with their coach to review progress and update their plan accordingly.
This two-day development program has been conducted in multiple countries, and it can be shortened (or lengthened) to accommodate client requirements and number of participants.
Cultural Agility Workshop - for Incoming International Student Integration or for Outgoing (pre-departure) Study Abroad Students
Universities recognize the importance of attracting, retaining, and engaging individuals who are able to work effectively in cross-cultural and multicultural situations. However, given that 40% of international students report that they made no American friends while studying in the United States, there is a clear opportunity to improve the integration of incoming international students.
While the Cultural Agility Workshop was originally designed for incoming international student integration (undergraduate or graduate), the tools and curriculum are also appropriate for outgoing study-abroad students. Whether incoming or outgoing, participants explore their own and others’ cultures in a highly interactive and participative setting. Prior to the workshop, participants complete an online cultural agility self-assessment (CASA), then review their customized feedback reports onsite and create a personal development plan based on their identified strengths and opportunities. In addition to the online assessment, time in the workshop is spent learning about culture, how culture impacts our underlying assumptions and how we interpret the world. Conversation-starters and tips for building meaningful relationships are presented and then practiced in the workshop and (if multiple sessions) between sessions as homework.
Like the Cultural Agility Development Center, the basic structure and tools for the workshop are set but each event is customized to client needs, schedules, and numbers of participants. Variations on the workshops have been conducted in global organizations as well as with international and domestic students at several universities (Duke, Northeastern, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Kent State, University of Maryland).
Global Aspect Human Capital Advisors, working in partnership with TASCA Global, offers a set of tools and programs to help leaders assess and develop their cross-cultural competence. These tools are appropriate for a variety of individuals, including those preparing for global work assignments (i.e., expatriates), leaders of globally distributed teams, or future global leaders (e.g., individuals currently pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees).
CAST/CASA – Online Cultural Agility Self-Assessment
CAST and CASA are self-administered online assessment tools. Respondents complete a series of questions and receive a detailed feedback report with their scores (and comparisons to normative benchmarks) on each of the cultural agility competencies. CASA can be used as a stand-alone development tool for individuals or it can be incorporated into one of our programs below. In addition to scores on each competency, CASA provides respondents with a detailed definition of the competencies and suggested behaviors to develop their cultural agility. CAST is similar to CASA but also includes interview questions and a behavioral rating scale (BARS) for each competency. CASA is ideal for development while CAST is ideal for personnel selection. Either tool can be used as a stand-alone instrument (either for development or selection) or incorporated into one of the programs described below.
Cultural Agility Development Center - For Executives
Global Aspect's Cultural Agility Development Center is designed as a two-day program, though the assessment process begins before the event with an online assessment of each participant’s cultural agility competencies and personality traits. The two-day event includes classroom training, facilitated discussion, one-on-one role-play simulations, and frequent behavioral feedback from trained observers.
"Global Aspect helped us create a competency based development center, for participants going through our signature program, Leading Across Boundaries, specifically focusing on identifying and developing competencies relevant to building Cultural agility in the participants. Our participants have singularly picked out the development center experience, as the one that prepared them most for their learning experience and subsequent application on the job." (OE Leader in Organization with employees in more than 60 countries)
In addition to receiving behavioral feedback throughout the development center, participants work with a culture coach to interpret their pre-assessment (CASA or CAST) results, review behavioral feedback in totality, then sit down to create a customized development plan. Following the center, participants can (as an option) continue meeting virtually with their coach to review progress and update their plan accordingly.
This two-day development program has been conducted in multiple countries, and it can be shortened (or lengthened) to accommodate client requirements and number of participants.
Cultural Agility Workshop - for Incoming International Student Integration or for Outgoing (pre-departure) Study Abroad Students
Universities recognize the importance of attracting, retaining, and engaging individuals who are able to work effectively in cross-cultural and multicultural situations. However, given that 40% of international students report that they made no American friends while studying in the United States, there is a clear opportunity to improve the integration of incoming international students.
While the Cultural Agility Workshop was originally designed for incoming international student integration (undergraduate or graduate), the tools and curriculum are also appropriate for outgoing study-abroad students. Whether incoming or outgoing, participants explore their own and others’ cultures in a highly interactive and participative setting. Prior to the workshop, participants complete an online cultural agility self-assessment (CASA), then review their customized feedback reports onsite and create a personal development plan based on their identified strengths and opportunities. In addition to the online assessment, time in the workshop is spent learning about culture, how culture impacts our underlying assumptions and how we interpret the world. Conversation-starters and tips for building meaningful relationships are presented and then practiced in the workshop and (if multiple sessions) between sessions as homework.
Like the Cultural Agility Development Center, the basic structure and tools for the workshop are set but each event is customized to client needs, schedules, and numbers of participants. Variations on the workshops have been conducted in global organizations as well as with international and domestic students at several universities (Duke, Northeastern, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Kent State, University of Maryland).