On January 22nd at the Columbus Club in St Thomas, STELIP hosted the second session of their ongoing intercultural competency training. Facilitated once again by the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre’s Michele Manocchi, and expanding on the ideas and topics from session one, this event featured discussion on slang, best practices in the workplace and comparing / contrasting communication styles across cultures.
Proving especially effective was the ‘test’ taken at the end of the session that required participants to identify along a communication spectrum how their personal preferences of communication and behaviour compared not only to other cultures but also to their own colleagues and other participants in the session. Discussing these differences and distinctions in communication styles illustrated the logic and rationale behind them, permitting understanding of other communication styles even when not personally preferred.
The ability to reflect on cultural difference and an openness to understanding before casting judgement underpins much of the lessons learned thus far in the training, and STELIP is excited and encouraged to see the material received so enthusiastically by all participants in attendance. Anyone who attended the first training but was unable to attend the second is invited to contact Tom or Petrusia at 519-631-9800 for information on future training opportunities.
