CULTURAL AGILITY

Creating a culturally aware and agile

workforce

OBJECTIVES

Define and contextualize the term Global Professional

Identify cultural patterns and dimensions generally displayed by specific
countries
Define Cultural Agility
Develop Cultural Agility Competencies affecting behavioural responses
Cultural Minimization
Cultural Adaptation
Cultural Integration

HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THESE?

Provides
Checks
guidance

assignments

WHO IS A GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL FOR YOU?

Draw what you think global
professionals wear to work
Provide 2-3 main tasks or
responsibilities he/she needs
to fulfil daily
Enumerate this global professionals
skills and strengths
Outline 2-3 challenges that they
may face when working with
multicultural colleagues

THE ANATOMY OF A
GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL
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GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS IN THE WORKPLACE

A Global Professional is any individual who is working with, for, or
alongside those of different nationalities, whether in a domestic or
international context. - Paula Caliguiri, "Cultural Agility: Building a
Pipeline of Successful Global Professionals

WHATS IN IT FOR YOU?

What is the best way to navigate in

this challenging,
dynamic, connected, and evolving
business environment?

Cultural Agility
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BECOMING CULTURALLY AGILE

Cultural
Awareness
Knowing key
patterns and traits
displayed by the
people and culture
you interact with

Cultural
Sensitivity
Understanding the
differences
between your
context and theirs,
and possible
explanations
behind behaviours

Cultural Agility
Responding
appropriately to
these behaviours
in order to be
successful in any
endeavour

Control

Describes the perception of people about their destiny and comfort level
with change
Internal vs. External

Motivation

Identifies the value of recognition and achievement and the distinction of

ones personal and professional lives
Status vs. Balance

Looks at how time is perceived if schedules are more important

Controlled vs. Fluid
Looks at how people communicate, including verbal and non-verbal
expression
Direct vs. Indirect
Determines the degree of comfort required for interpersonal relationships
Interpersonal vs. Transactional
Defines whether the group or individuals interests are more important
Group interest vs. Individual interest

Formal vs. Informal

Hierarchical vs. Egalitarian

Time
Communication
Relationship
Interests
Style
Structure

CULTURAL AWARENESS: DIMENSIONS

CULTURE WIZARD YOUR TOOL FOR CULTURAL AWARENESS

Thomsonreuters.culturewizard.com/default.aspx

Culture Calculator
Your Profile

Country Specific Information

ACTIVITY

With your groups, access the Culture Wizard website.

Go to Country Specific Information or Country Profiles
Using the different binaries per cultural dimension, complete the information
needed for each of the countries in the table below:
Country
Canada

Structure

Style

Interest

Relationship Communication Time

Control

Motivation

United Arab
Emirates

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Caution!
Cultural
Dimensions
are not
absolutes

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CULTURAL AGILITY
In sports, AGILITY is defined as having the
ability to change the bodys position
efficiently.
Cultural agility is the skill that enables
Cultural
agilitytoworks
theand
same
way! to
professionals
analyze
respond
different cultural situations in the most
efficient and effective way

ANALYZE

RESPOND

Go beyond cultural AWARENESS

- Paula Caliguiri, "Cultural Agility: Building a Pipeline of 12

Successful Global Professionals"

CULTURAL AGILITY RESPONSES

CULTURAL AGILITY
Cultural Minimization

Cultural Integration

Control the cultural

differences to achieve
consistency

To create a new set of

norms by finding
solutions acceptable
to both (or all)
cultures, without over
representing any
culture

School Uniform

Cultural Adaptation
To adjust to cultural
differences and act in
a way that is expected
by the other cultures
norms and behaviour

Travelling abroad

Starbucks Philippines
vs. Starbucks
-Customized drinks
-Personalized service

-Local colour (coffee, decoration)

-promos

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CULTURAL AGILITY AS A SKILL

Cultural
Minimization

Minimizing the effect of the other

culture and allowing your values
and norms to take precedence

Cultural
Integration

Creating new norms by taking a

collaborative approach and using
traits and norms of both cultures

Cultural
Adaptation

A skill that requires

Conforming to the norms of the

culture you are in

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- Paula Caliguiri, "Cultural Agility: Building a Pipeline

A STORY OF CULTURAL AGILITY

- Paula Caliguiri, "Cultural Agility: Building a Pipeline of

15
Successful Global Professionals"

Cultural Agility: Practice

SCENARIO EVALUATION

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SCENARIO EVALUATION

Evaluate the assigned scenario with your group.

Identify the cultural agility response used in each situation.
Cultural Minimization
Cultural Adaptation
Cultural Integration

Evaluate if the response used for each situation was the best one that could
have been used given the situation presented.
If you have an alternative response, create it and provide justifications why
you think your alternative response is the more appropriate one than what is
provided.

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Cultural Agility: Application

PRACTICAL EXERCISES

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PRACTICAL EXERCISES
Evaluate the assigned scenario with your group.
Identify the cultural agility response which you feel would best fit your
assigned scenario
Cultural Minimization
Cultural Adaptation
Cultural Integration

Come up with the response or action you would take. Make sure you tag the
response or action to the cultural agility response/s.
Create a quick role play for your assigned scenario which shows the response
you recommend.

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POINTS TO PONDER

What are you being asked to do?

What is the goal of the given task?
What is best way - from the perspective of cultural agility - to accomplish this
task?
Would it be best for me to adapt my behaviors, leadership style, communication
style etc. to be more effective?
Or would it be better for me to maintain certain behaviors in order to uphold certain
norms?
Or would it best to look for points of compromise to come up with a new norm or
practice?

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CULTURAL AGILITY IS A SKILL THAT REQUIRES

Look for and take note of:

examples of cultural agility responses in your day to day experiences
opportunities to practice the responses in your work interactions

Share your experience and insights by responding to the survey to be sent to

you 30 days post training.

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CULTURE WIZARD: YOUR TEAM PROFILE

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WHAT ARE YOUR KEY

TAKEAWAYS?
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