April’s Chapter Presentation facilitated by Barbara Boldt of Dynamic Global Communications
If you missed April’s chapter meeting, you shouldn’t have. It was one of the most engaging, informational, and enjoyable meetings our chapter has seen. The topic was “Where in the World are your Trainees?” The presenter, Barbara Boldt, is an International Communication Specialist. She has spent many years training business professionals across the globe in cross-cultural communication and team-building. Barbara’s company, Dynamic Global Communications, provides training for multinational companies to manage multi-cultural teams effectively.
GDASTD members have an engaging discussion about cultural norms
The training style used in the presentation was very effective. Each table group selected a different culture that was familiar to one or more group members. Barbara then identified one way that a participant’s cultural heritage might influence their behavior. After much discussion, each group recorded where, on a graduated scale, members of their table’s culture would fall in comparison with other cultures. We repeated this exercise for a total of five different concepts:
- Individual vs Collective Relationships
- Egalitarian vs Hierarchical Relationships
- Factual vs Conceptual Reasoning
- Monochonic vs Polychronic View of Time
- Low-Context vs High-Context Communication
Cultural differences provided material for some stimulating discussions
Finally, all the table groups recorded their cultural analysis on a flip chart to compare the differences. The chart helped us visualize how the cultural influences that affect our trainees’ behavior can vary by their heritage. When participants in a workshop come from a variety of countries, trainers need to be especially sensitive to those differences. For example, a German student might be impatient for class to begin precisely on time, while a Mexican student may not view the starting time as a priority.
Barbara Boldt reveals an analysis of the differences in cultural influences
I found the presentation enlightening, and the small group discussions were very engaging. Barbara did a stellar job facilitating the learning activities and compiled the results of our discussions into a simple and meaningful visual. Thank you, Barbara, for a stimulating evening. Gracias! Danke! Merci!
ATD Detroit 