The 21st-century workplace looks and feels radically different from the 20th century. The culture of the United States of America, which was defined as primarily a Western culture (European) in origin and form, is now influenced by a multicultural ethos that includes African, Native American, Asian, Polynesian, and Latin American. Even within these races, many ethnicities and subgroups have differences in languages, religions, food, celebrations, work ethics, art and most importantly, traditions. This “melting pot” has greatly influenced and challenged employees and leaders of organizations to develop the cultural intelligence to interact effectively with people who may think, act and work in a manner different from our primary culture.

In this course, you’ll be guided through a conversation about cultural intelligence, why it’s an important skill to have in the 21st-century workplace, the four dimensions of cultural intelligence and strategies to practice becoming more culturally intelligent. This will lead to developing an individualized action plan to assist you in creating a workplace where you can demonstrate to your fellow employees an enhanced understanding and respect for cultural traditions.

What Will I Learn?

• State reasons why cultural intelligence is an important skill in the 21st-century workplace.
• Identify the four dimensions of cultural intelligence.
• Summarize strategies that can be used to improve your cultural intelligence.
• Develop a written action plan to outline what you will do to enhance your cultural intelligence and others in your workplace.