IIMC Program Topics & Activities

Day 1 (starting at 1:00pm)

Kick-off Luncheon “Becoming a Learning Cohort” During the luncheon, you will be guided through team-building activities, to get to know each other and to come together as a learning cohort. You will be beginning to create a psychologically safe learning environment for yourself and for others.

Session 1 “Intercultural Learning Essentials” You will gain foundational knowledge for intercultural learning. Topics covered will include culture, intercultural competence, diversity, inclusion, and cultural adaptation. You will be introduced to the basic definitions of these theoretical concepts as well as various ways in which these concepts can be used in coaching and other situations. In addition, an assessment tool, Intercultural Conflict Styles Inventory (ICSI) will be used to explore communication and conflict management styles. This understanding will allow you to develop your own language - ways in which you talk about these topics - which will subsequently help you be more articulate in communicating with your coaching clients when these topics arise and need to be discussed.

Session 2 “Exploring Diversity in You” You will be introduced to the idea of Diversity of Diversity. You will learn such models as Diversity in You and Layers of Diversity. These models will help you be introspective to see the complex and dynamic make-up of who you are as a person. At the same time, the models will help you look outwardly to identify various, multi-layered environmental factors that influence you and shape who you are. The learning will not only allow you to understand yourself in new ways but also allow you to understand your clients in new ways. 

Day 2 (starting at 9:00am)

Session 3 “Diversity Story and the Yin-Yang of Intercultural Learning” Building on learning from Session 2, you will share your individual Diversity Story, a story of how you have become who you are with your own internal and external influential factors. The uncovering and articulation of your diversity story is a powerful exercise for practicing trust-based, clear communication. Focus will be also given to the 'listeners'. When others share their stories, you will be tasked with a set of listening goals, focusing on various aspects of the stories and using the model Yin-Yang of Intercultural Learning.

Session 4 “Intercultural Development Mindset” You will learn the theoretical framework, Intercultural Development Continuum, which is central to the learning and development of intercultural competence. You will also discuss what it means to you to take a developmental approach to coaching. To deepen this understanding, you will be uncovering the results of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), which you will have completed online prior to the program. This knowledge will serve as a basis for further understanding and articulation of Intercultural Coaching Competence, covered in later sessions.

Session 5 “Intercultural Coaching Competence – Part 1” In this session, you will apply the Intercultural Development Continuum to coaching situations. You will first use case study scenarios in your learning activity and later some real-life examples from your own coaching experience. A focus of the discussion will center around, but are not limited to, connecting intercultural competence (or insufficiency thereof) with professional ethics as a coach and what it means for obtaining and maintaining professional standards at a high level.

Session 6 “Intercultural Coaching Competence – Part 2” Continuing from the Part 1, this session will shift the focus to the application of intercultural competence in coaching engagements. You will use case studies and role plays to experience how different levels of intercultural competence might play out in coaching. This will allow you to reflect on how your coaching approaches and how you guide your clients may or may not be skewed in certain ways, due to your own intercultural competence.

Session 7 Evening Activity “Intercultural Dialogue” After enjoying the dinner together, you will be playing an educational game to have a facilitated dialogue. This activity will facilitate your "asking" and "telling" about topics related to your experience of diversity and their cultural experience. The "ask" activity will offer an opportunity to practice interculturally aware, non-judgmental listening, and the "tell" activity will challenge you to share your own personal cultural stories and/or insights in a way that others can understand and relate to. This session will allow you to experience what it is like to co-create a safe, positive, and learning-oriented dialogue on topics related culture and cultural difference, so you can apply this skill to your conversations with clients.

Day 3 (starting at 9:00am)

Session 8 “Information & Knowledge Parking Lot” Throughout the program, you will be encouraged to take notes of the questions you have. Some questions will be addressed during sessions, but some will be placed on a "parking lot" wall. These parking lot questions will be answered in this session, to clarify and add knowledge content.

Session 9 “Taking Alternative Perspectives” In this session, you will learn a model, 7-Step O-I-E, which helps you understand and practice how one can intentionally 'take alternative perspectives.' This model offers a step-by-step approach for identifying your own initial perspective on cross-cultural experiences, and then creating possible, alternative perspectives and actions. Equipping yourself with this skill will enable you to assess your coaching approaches from a new angle and multiply your options for how to facilitate clients' progress.

Gift Award Luncheon "Gifting Each Other" As part of the luncheon session, you will engage in an activity, Gift-Mapping. This will be an opportunity to re-examine your own 'gifts' and reflect on your learning and growth through the program. You will also identify the gifts of others, which you noticed or experienced during the program, and you will present those 'gifts' to each other. This activity will allow you to experience a new way of communicating with each other and exchanging affirmation. 

Day 4 (individual virtual meeting, scheduled for a later date)

Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Individual Feedback This will be a one-on-one session between you and a qualified IDI administrator, in person (where possible) or by phone or Skype. You will receive your individual assessment report from the IDI and interpretive feedback. This will contribute greatly to your own awareness of intercultural competence and how you can continue to work on further developing it. You will end the session with some concrete action ideas. 

Once registration is complete, content may be adjusted to better accommodate learners' needs.