Cross-Cultural Competencies & Teamwork for IT Professionals

Cross-Cultural Competencies and Cross-Cultural Communication are according to several influential websites considered among the 10 most important skills for the future.

By understanding Cross-Cultural differences and knowing how to deal with these differences you will have a better understanding, fewer misunderstandings and conflicts, and gain higher productivity and job satisfaction in your work life.

This 2-hour course is for IT professionals who want to understand themselves and other cultures better and get invaluable tools for their professional toolboxes when they are working in Cross-Cultural IT environments.

Whether you are an IT specialist, a software developer, an IT project manager, an IT delivery manager, an IT sales manager, or perhaps an IT HR manager, this course will teach you invaluable knowledge and tools for working with colleagues, partners, stakeholders, and clients from different cultures.

The course consists of 4 main parts or learning objectives:

Learning objectives:
1. Comprehension where we look at how to understand yourself and people from other cultures better

2. Communication where we look at how different cultures use different styles of communication and how you should be aware of these

3. Competencies where we will give you important tools for your professional toolbox

4. Collaboration where we will look at ways you can improve your collaboration when working in Cross-Cultural environments.

The course instructor has worked in the IT sector for more than 10 years, in Denmark, Ukraine, and Turkey. He has had IT development teams in Ukraine, Poland, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Georgia, USA, India, and Pakistan and has had clients from most parts of the world. This course is built on these experiences from the perspective of the IT professional, the manager, and the client.

By taking this course you will definitely improve your soft skills and understanding about cross-cultural differences.

What Will I Learn?

·What are cross-cultural differences all about and why we should care about it

· Typical idiosyncrasies and stereotypes and why we should try to avoid them

· The concept of Low and High context cultures – one of the most important topics in cross-cultural understanding

· Some country examples where Low and High context cultures differ in ways of communication and collaboration

· How trust is sometimes built differently in Low and High context cultures

· How some cultures are individualistic and some are collectivistic. And how that can impact our collaboration together

· How some cultures see time as monochronic whereas others see it as polychronic and what that does to each culture’s understanding of time and collaboration

· How some countries have a low power distance whereas other cultures have a high power distance between managers and subordinates, and how that can come into play in cross-cultural collaboration

· How some cultures practice a direct communication style whereas other cultures practice a more indirect communication style. And learn what to be aware of when communicating with someone using a different communication style than your own

· How to give and receive feedback outside your cultural comfort zone

· Get some practical tips on how you can moderate your way of communication when collaborating with someone from another culture

· Dos and don’ts when communicating across cultures

· Different ways to negotiate across cultures

· How to understand and step outside your comfort zone

· Steps you can use to expand and step outside your comfort zone

· How to challenge yourself, flex and adapt to new situations and meet new people from other cultures

· An example of how you can practically flex and adapt to new situations when working with people from other cultures

· Learn about how we need to take into account, not only the cross-cultural aspect but also the company culture and interpersonal differences when collaborating with other people

· Some different types of company cultures and how they can impact communication, decisions, and the speed of collaboration

· Some typical interpersonal differences and how they can affect your collaboration

· Conflict management in cross-cultural teamwork and learning about different ways to solve conflicts

· How to work with shared Mission, Vision, and Values and why it’s so important for cross-cultural teamwork

· How you can start seeing cross-cultural differences as potential opportunities instead of threats

· Why it’s important to emphasize the “WE” rather than “Them” and “Us” and get tips on how to celebrate “WE” when working in cross-cultural teamwork

· Why ground rules, processes, and expectations are crucial for good cross-cultural teamwork and learn what they are

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have access to the course materials?

You can view and review the lecture materials indefinitely, like an on-demand channel.

Can I take my courses with me wherever I go?

Definitely! If you have an internet connection, courses on Udemy are available on any device at any time. If you don’t have an internet connection, some instructors also let their students download course lectures. That’s up to the instructor though, so make sure you get on their good side!