Cultural Competency: Why - and How - Every Company Must Develop This Skill for Internal and Cross-Border Diversity
Where: Las Vegas, NV
When: February 9, 2012
Event Home
Date:
February 9, 2012
Time:
9:00am - 3:30pm
Location:
Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
3770 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV
For PowerPoint from this Best Practice Session, click below. You must have your Member ID and Password to access the information.
To succeed in today’s complex, highly interconnected multicultural world, a deeper competency in cross cultural behavior is critical for everyone in the workforce. How do we engage workers at all levels to foster unprecedented levels of innovation and problem solving abilities? What are the cultural and societal pitfalls that, today, often act as barriers? Even a highly trained cadre of top leadership – one that is very culturally competent – is not sufficient to drive your business successfully.
The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, developed by Milton Bennett in 1986, is among the gold standards for building cultural competency. Bennett offers a fresh take on his work, tying it particularly to our increasingly global workforce where even U.S. corporations may find themselves playing on a global stage (via suppliers, clients, business partners), and where even intra-country interactions can be fraught with cultural missteps.
Diversity Best Practices invites you to work with diversity experts and colleagues to strengthen core inclusion skills and make the critical link between workplace diversity and cultural competency. Gain new perspectives and insights from one of the leading authorities on the subject of cultural competency.
Presentations:
General Session PowerPoint
Milton Bennett, PhD. - KeynoteAgenda
Thursday, February 9, 2012*
8:00 am – 9:00 am Breakfast/Registration
9:00 am – 9:15 am Welcome Remarks
Carol Evans / CEO / Diversity Best Practices
Anton Nikodemus / President and Chief Operating Officer / Monte Carlo
Debra Nelson / Vice President Corporate Diversity and Community Affairs / MGM Resorts International
9:15 am – 9:40 am Core Competency Focus for Diversity Practitioners: Cultural Competency
Andrés Tapia / President / Diversity Best Practices
9:40 am – 10:40 am Keynote and Conversation: The Melting Pot is Dead… But Now What?
Until recently, diversity and inclusion seemed like far-away goals that simply needed to be achieved. Now that they are the everyday reality in many organizations, further challenges are emerging. More acknowledged diversity demands a higher level of awareness about personal and cultural differences, and more inclusion generates an increased need for intercultural communication and multicultural team management skills. This presentation will specify the two dilemmas that now need to be resolved in multicultural organizations and societies, unity/diversity and adaptation/authenticity, and examine their implications in the areas of product development, talent management, policy/ethics, and multicultural marketing. By integrating these polarities into effective processes, organizations can create better climates of respect for diversity and build the intercultural competence necessary to finally derive the value of that diversity.
Milton J. Bennett, Ph.D. / Director / Intercultural Development Research Institute (IDRInstitute)
10:40 am – 11:00 am Break
11:00 am – 12:15 pm Best Practices Panel
A deeper competency in cross cultural behavior is critical for today’s business success.Hear from diversity experts and colleagues about how to strengthen core inclusion skills and make the critical link between workplace diversity and cultural competency. Each panelist will share their insights of best practices and pitfalls in the areas of the think tank session topics.
Moderator:
Andrés Tapia / President / Diversity Best Practices
Panel:
Linda Jimenez / Vice President of Inclusion & Chief Diversity Officer / WellPoint. Inc.
Pamela Culpepper / Senior Vice President Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer / PepsiCo
Sherri Gilligan / Senior Vice President Marketing & Advertisement / MGM Resorts International
Fred Keeton / Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of External Affairs / Caesar's Entertainment
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm Luncheon: Greater Cross Cultural Competency through Communication
During this luncheon, participants will join a communication style exercise, lead by one of Italy's top communications experts. Participants will complete a brief assessment, have the opportunity to relfect on their own communication styles, discuss strengths and limits of the style and consider how misunderstanding in the workplace might be related to differences in communication styles.
Facilitator:
Dott. Ida Castiglioni / Assistant Professor / University of Milano Bicocca
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm Think Tank Sessions
Breakout sessions draw on cultural competency acumen to identify opportunities where diversity leaders can help propel business and operational strategies forward. Participants will apply Dr. Milton Bennett’s model to the following areas/businesses: product development, talent management, multicultural marketing, and policy/ethics.
Product Development
What role does Cultural Competency play when developing products and services? What key elements need to be considered when doing business in a diverse community or in a specific country? As companies work to strengthen and build their products and services, what strategies are used to ensure external communications and branding reflect customer needs? How do approaches vary in the global marketplace?
Facilitator:
John Sequeira / Senior Diversity Advisor, Global Diversity Inclusion Practice, Central HR / Royal Dutch Shell
Talent Management
How can you leverage Cultural Competency when designing Human Resource plans and managing internal processes? What shifts in the workforce do diversity practitioners need to prepare for when considering recruitment and retention initiatives? What roles can affinity/business resource groups take on in building a stronger awareness around cross cultural competency?
Facilitator:
Dott. Ida Castiglioni / Assistant Professor / University of Milano Bicocca
Policy/Ethics
A lack of progress for key racial and ethnic minorities, the particulars of which vary, is prompting companies to seek ways to address gender and racial gaps in their businesses. How do you create ethically appropriate behaviors that are applicable from a Cross Cultural perspective?
Facilitator:
Elizabeth A. Campbell / Partner & Chief Diversity Officer / Andrews Kurth LLP
Multicultural Marketing
In today's diverse marketplace place with its large demographic shifts, multicultural marketing has grown in importance. The rapid increase in people using social media and products designed to address their needs and interests demonstrates the extent to which opportunities present themselves to our businesses. How do you apply the learnings of Cultural Competency that can translate into market growth?
Facilitator:
Debra Nelson / Vice President Corporate Diversity and Community Affairs / MGM Resorts International
2:15 pm – 3:15 pm Think Tank Report Back/Action Plans
Presenters selected from each of the Think Tank discussion groups will share critical highlights and action plans with the general session. This report back segment will reinforce the focus on deepening cultural competency acumen to increase opportunities for diversity leaders to make their work relevant to the top and bottom line.
Facilitator:
Andrés Tapia / President / Diversity Best Practices
3:15 pm – 3:30 pm Closing Remarks
*Agenda subject to change
Registration
To register, click here!
If you have any questions, please contact Client Services Director Meghan Donnelly at donnelly@diversitybestpractices.com or 202.463.3782.
Speakers
Senior Diversity Advisor, Global Diversity Inclusion Practice, Central HR
Sponsors
Hotel & Travel
Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
3770 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 730-7777
Attendees can receive a discounted room rate of $45/night midweek or $109/night during the weekend at the Monte Carlo by mentioning Diversity Best Practices - Group Code XDBP02 - when calling for reservations.
The cut off date for booking rooms at the discounted rate is January 27, 2012.
