The Global Academy is ideal for organizations that are working internationally or are hiring international employees.

In such organizations the potential for misunderstandings increases exponentially due to differences in language, value orientations, or communication styles (and sometimes all three).

The Global Academy focuses on helping participants understand the significant cultural differences that impact the global workplace and learn the skills to work more effectively across those differences. It includes four modules which can be delivered as part of the live curriculum or as a separate self-guided course.

The Global Academy is ideal for organizations who: 

• Have employees who live or travel overseas
• Are expanding their virtual workforce across borders
• Hiring employees who have immigrated to the United States
• Desire a well-rounded culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Global Academy can be combined with other training options available to create a comprehensive DEI curriculum for both international and domestic organizations.

And likewise, in the same way U.S. individuals need to recognize cultural differences so they can work more effectively across borders, so do their international partners. The Global Academy modules can also be adapted to an international audience to help them work more effectively with U.S. Americans.

Here is what is covered in The Global Academy:

When working with individuals from other countries cultural differences are expected, but that doesn’t always mean they are easy to recognize or effectively navigate. Each culture has subtle nuances that when understood allow you to create synergy with others and accomplish goals more effectively. When these differences are ignored, or you’re simply not aware of them, the results can be catastrophic.

In this module we focus on developing the ability to recognize the impact of culture on behavior as well as significant ways cultures vary from each other. Here is a sample of discussion topics: 

• The importance of recognizing cultural differences in the workplace
• Challenges you can expect when working with culturally diverse clients
• U.S. American values and how they differ from those of other cultures. For example:
  • The value placed on the group over the individual
  • Varying attitudes toward authority
  • Fatalism and tradition versus action and change
• The various ways cultural differences impact the organization

How we communicate is key to negotiating deals successfully, effectively moving projects forward, and developing the relationships that are vital to organizational goals. 

In this module participants will explore communication style differences across cultures. Sample discussion topics include:

• Communication styles across cultures and how to recognize the differences
• Common misconceptions that exist with language diversity
• Important culture variations in interruptions, pauses and silence, degree of directness, and many others
• Techniques for successful intercultural communication such as:
  • Making yourself understood and assessing how well you’ve been understood
  • Keys to communicating with clarity
  • Specific techniques for understanding non-native English speakers

Studies show that at least 50% of communication is done non-verbally. It also shows that body language and nonverbal cues differ greatly across cultures. In this module participants will explore topics like:

• How non-verbal behaviors affect how we as humans communicate
• Important cultural differences in nonverbal behavior such as:
  • How close is too close?
  • When is touch appropriate?
  • What do variations in eye contact really mean?
  • Is the meaning of a smile universal?
  • How should you read a handshake?
  • Do I have to worry about my legs and feet too?
  • When is “yes” not a “yes”?
  • Why are they always late?

What participants have learned so far is only useful if they can put it into action in their day-to-day lives. In this module participants will explore what it means to be culturally competent so they can work more effectively across differences. Sample discussion topics include:

• What it means to be culturally competent and why it’s a necessary skill when working across differences
• The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, and the stages of delivering culturally responsive services
• The traits that culturally competent professionals share
• Specific strategies for improving your cultural competence skills

Depending on your organization's needs and vision, we will develop a curriculum that will facilitate the fastest path to achieving your goals.

All modules are delivered in person or through a virtual classroom with Luiza Dreasher. In addition to short teaching sessions, they include case studies, skill-builder activities, self-assessments, small-group discussions, role-playing, Q&A, and other interactive pedagogy. This will give participants an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during each of the modules.

The Global Academy is designed to create long-standing change and goes deeper than one-and-done training sessions.

For most organizations, this training can be completed in four weeks or fewer. Full implementation of organization-wide initiatives can take up to a year; the benefits, though, will certainly be long-standing.

The end result will be a culturally competent workforce ready to work more effectively in a global economy.