At an international bank in a glistening building in Paris, Pierre is frustrated because his Irish colleague will not provide him with adequate information to complete his tasks. Ryan is equally frustrated because he doesn’t understand why Pierre can’t trust him and the data he’s already provided. Worlds away, at an under-resourced, inner city public high school in Chicago, Illinois, Mrs. Sanchez is frustrated daily by her student, Tyrone, who won’t settle down and be quiet and always ends up in detention. Tyrone can’t figure out how Ms. Sanchez doesn’t recognize that he really likes her class!
Every day, IOR Global Services works with companies experiencing the challenges that Ryan and Pierre are facing. Whether it’s part of an international merger bringing together national and corporate cultures, or colleagues that communicate virtually but struggle with one another’s styles, IOR works with companies and individuals to help them strategically consider the question: “Who adapts to whom?”
Non-profit organizations experience many of the same challenges that multinational corporations face when it comes to understanding, recognizing and managing cultural differences in productive, culturally competent ways.
IOR is very pleased that as part of our non-profit initiative we are working with Chicago-based UMOJA Student Development Corporation to help their diverse staff continue to develop the skills to talk about and to bridge cultural difference.
As their website describes, “UMOJA equips young people to succeed in college and confidently claim their future…by building a web of dynamic relationships where schools, families and communities partner to bridge the gap between the talents and ambitions of low income young people and the resources they need to thrive.”
With greater intercultural competence, UMOJA staff can more effectively help the students and teachers they serve to understand and work productively with one another. And just like the employees of the corporate organizations we work with, UMOJA staffers are learning to consider the question “Who adapts to whom?”
On December 20th IOR delivered a three-hour session at Manley High School in Chicago where UMOJA is based. It focused on dimensions of culture; organizational and individual values; and communication styles. The UMOJA staff, already very familiar with the challenges of diversity and cultural difference, was enthusiastic and engaged. During the program, many UMOJA staffers were already generating ideas for incorporating aspects of the program into their work with students and teachers both in the schools they serve and at UMOJA University – a training ground for teachers and administrators.
According to UMOJA’s founder, Lila Leff, the workshop was “…useful, specific and practical. So applicable to all staff, across experiences, ages and job descriptions… more complex and textured than I’ve seen or thought of. “
It was a pleasure and privilege to work with such a passionate, devoted group of individuals, and we look forward to building our relationship. IOR is also interested in learning more about the organizations that our corporate clients support as we continue to expand our visibility in the non-profit sector. As our communities become more complex and diverse, the need for intercultural development opportunities in non-profit organizations is clear, but resources are always tight. IOR hopes to be able to begin to bridge that gap in the community in which we live and work.
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CHARISSE KOSOVA, Manager of Intercultural Training and Development, designs and develops intercultural curricula and manages IOR’s international training team. In addition, Charisse facilitates face-to-face and virtual programs focused on intercultural communication skills, building multicultural teams, and developing strategies for addressing the challenges of the global workplace.
Charisse has lived and worked in the US, Morocco, Japan and the UK and in Ethiopia as a child. In London, she led work exchange department for an international education organization. In Japan, she provided language and cross-cultural consulting for Japanese professionals in the manufacturing industry. In Austin, Texas, Charisse was IOR’s lead trainer for the Motorola Semiconductor intercultural training project. She also developed cross-cultural training seminars for University of Texas. Charisse has spent considerable time in the non-profit sector and was the Training Coordinator at Literacy Chicago; Program Director at Literacy Austin; and a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco for two years.
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