Description
Since 2023 we have been delivering Intercultural Communication Training. This training is a one-day course that provides participants with the opportunity to develop the skills and confidence to communicate effectively and respectfully across cultural divides. It builds knowledge and understanding about the different approaches to communication within other cultures and how to navigate these successfully.
Our Intercultural Communication Training has been developed from an academic perspective, which incorporates theoretical concepts, but applies it to daily interactions. It takes a thoughtful and purposeful approach to educating by providing the context for all participants to be both teachers and students.
It is a unique training day, designed specifically to curate challenging and heartfelt moments that seek to meaningfully impact the individual at a personal and professional level. It starts with a discussion of bias and a Cultural Intelligence test and progresses from there.
It is the people that make the place – and it is the place that makes the people. With this in mind, we believe investing adequate time and resources in developing the person will inevitably develop the professional workplace.
The course aims to develop Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in participants. ICC is the ability to communicate successfully in a multicultural setting by utilising knowledge of varying cultures’ communicative customs, such as phrases, gestures, expectations and other behaviours. In a business context, ICC aids in curating a harmonious working environment and provides a framework for effective and meaningful communication across varied ‘patterns of culture’. It shifts away from the traditional diversity and inclusion training and focuses instead on utilising human connection as a foundation for interpersonal understanding and communication – as well as social and professional transactions.
The Cross et al.1 Cultural Competency framework has been adapted to emphasise the process of achieving cultural competency, which occurs along a continuum and sets six stages including: 1) cultural destructiveness, 2) cultural incapacity, 3) cultural blindness, 4) cultural pre-competence, 5) cultural competency and 6) cultural proficiency.
We also adopt a ‘Pro-Active Cafe’ approach to having ‘social transactions’ with members of the broader community. A truly fabulous task structure that is unique to the design format of Sherlock & Dutta Consulting.
Our final task for the day involves a cultural audit of the organisation. We utilise the knowledge and experience of the staff involved in the training, scaffolded with the concepts explored during the day, to evaluate the organisation and develop a list of areas of improvement. We also provide several tasks that are specifically tailored to the organisation, which are designed to build and develop cultural proficiency within the participants.
The training is intended to assist all levels of staff from ‘front-of-house’ and operational staff to senior management with improving their capacity and capability to communicate effectively with individuals from other cultural backgrounds. The course scaffolds the ability to conduct meaningful dialogues both within the organisation and external to it. The training can be run either in-house or at an external facility and can cater to a maximum group size of 20.
Previous Feedback from Participants
‘It forced me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to have more understanding and not be on ‘Auto-Pilot’.’
‘Very engaging and interactive. Challenging!’
‘I was surprised that some of my co-workers feel they have to leave their ‘culture’ behind at home.’
‘It was confronting to examine our own biases about different cultures, but it a safe place to share – quite cathartic and inspiring. I feel much more capable of talking to other cultures.’
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- Cross, T., Bazron, B., Dennis, K., & Isaacs, M. (1989). Towards a Culturally Competent System of Care, Volume 1. Washington, DC: CASSP Technical Assistance Center, Center for Child Health and Mental Health Policy, Georgetown University Child Development Center ↩︎