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This week we’re asking the question: why does cultural diversity matter in the workplace?
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LEE MARTIN: Welcome to Week 2 of Harnessing Cultural Diversity. Last week, we learned more about culture and what it involves beneath the surface beyond food and festivals. We also examined how our own culture can influence how we think and behave in ways we might not have realised. Now that we have a better understanding of the role culture can play at the individual level, it’s time to turn our attention to cultural diversity in teams. Why does cultural diversity matter? As we go through the week, we’re going to explore how the cultures in a team can affect the way the team functions.
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We’ll identify how we can benefit from working in multicultural teams, and we’ll examine why challenges and misunderstandings can occur within diverse teams. To do this, we’ll reflect on some short case studies and discuss together how we can apply what we’ve learned to analyse what is really going on in these multicultural team situations. Later in the week, we’ll explore the emergence of global virtual teams and think about the challenges we face when our colleagues aren’t located in the same country as us. As you can tell, we’ve got another fascinating week ahead with lots to cover. Let’s get started by sharing in the comments what you are interested in learning more about this week.

Welcome to Week 2 of Leading Culturally Diverse Teams in the Workplace.

This week we’re asking the question: why does cultural diversity matter in the workplace?

To do this, we’re going to look closer at:

  • how cultural diversity can impact team functioning
  • cultural faultlines, or subgroups, that form within multicultural teams
  • the complexities of working in global virtual teams (GVTs).

We’re going to explore the challenges and opportunities of working in multicultural teams so that, by next week, you’ll be ready to start learning more about the strategies and frameworks to tackle them.

As you go through this week, we encourage you to reflect on how these ideas translate to your own team.

Your task

Watch the video from Lee to hear more about what we’ll be learning this week.

Next, share in comments what you’re most looking forward to.

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Leading Culturally Diverse Teams in the Workplace

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