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O R K S H O P
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Dr
Zareen Karani Araoz and Professor Alberto Araoz of Managing
Across Cultures will facilitate a workshop aimed at providing
a contrast to the formal conference sessions and giving the
participants a taste of what practical intercultural training
involves.
The workshop is included in the cost of registration and
is open to all conference participants.
Objectives:
i. To raise an awareness of the often hidden, but critical,
impact of cross-cultural interactions and differing mind-sets
and beliefs to the larger diplomatic process
ii. To help participants experience and participate in
activities that raise that awareness
iii. To offer an introduction to some tools for developing
more effective intercultural communication and empathy in diplomacy
iv. To introduce
participants to the potential of professional intercultural
training and its impact and possible contribution as a
powerful and essential tool for meaningful diplomacy
Agenda and Process:
The process will be very interactive, with varied
activities, that will draw on and
balance the presentations participants have heard.
A short Needs Assessment questionnaire will be sent to the
enrolled participants, to get further input and understand
their unique situations and expectations.
1. Barnga:.
A simulation/card game demonstrating some basic premises of
intercultural communication.
2. The
Impact of Culture on Diplomacy: A connection will be made
between the behavior of people in this game and real life
situations, interactions and building relationships
(developing trust, negotiating, communicating) in their
diplomatic work. This will include a very short introduction
to some cross-cultural concepts, working with Karani Lam's
Models of Culture (Dimensions of Culture, Individual Cultural
Differences, Different Perceptions of Reality).
An activity, based on the Dimensions of culture will be
utilized to help participants become aware of some of the
forces that have shaped them, as individuals and products of
their cultures. How this affects their work as diplomats
working across cultures will be explored.
3.
Cultural
self-awareness: an
interactive and lively process of understanding one's own
values and conditioning, and the mind-set and assumptions they
bring to their work.
i. Guided
imagery: Part of this will be in the form of a structured
guided imagery of one's childhood and the conclusions of life
that one picks up along the way. A contrast of "Growing
up in India" "or "Growing up in the XX
cultures" will be presented to help participants
understand their differences and the reasons behind them.
(Illustrated by culturally-based, candid transparencies.
ii.Value sharing:
Participants will also be paired to help them determine some
of their core values through an activity, and then share them
through a milling process.
4.
To
See Ourselves As Others See Us:
We will conduct a very lively, stimulating, simulation
(developed by Managing Across Cultures) of preparing various
cultural groups to come together for a joint project, based on
the differing mind-sets and values each brings, based on an
instrument, "Cultural Ways of Being". The activity
will include role-plays and a suggested model of Intercultural
communication for Diplomats.
5. Sensitive Areas of Diplomatic Work, critically
affected by cultural perceptions, and that might be impacted
by the value differences that have emerged, will be discussed
in small groups. Also, areas where Intercultural training can
support and enhance diplomatic work will be identified: E.g.
orientation, cross-cultural team-building, Relationship &
Trust building, incorporation in evaluation criteria,
preparing for negotiations, intercultural management training,
global leadership training, conflict resolution, etc. Possible
action plans for the future will be explored.
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