IDI applications - cultural competence for team building, diversity training, leadership development

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Developing Core Intercultural Competence

Application of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Version 3

With Individuals, Teams, and Entire Organizations

Index to the MDB Group Intercultural Competence Section
Introduction and intercultural terminology The benefits of working with MDB Group
Developing core intercultural competence: IDI Applications - individual, team, organization productivity & innovation	You are here!
Intercultural Development Continuum (IDC) - the theory
Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) - the assessment tool
Sample IDI feedback report - to see the profound culture-general feedback
Utilizing culturally-based preferences and tendencies: CWQ Applications - boosting productivity and innovation of specific groups
Culturally-Based Preferences and Tendencies (CBTs) - the research basis
Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire™ (CWQ) - the assessment tool
Sample CWQ feedback report - to see the focused and practical feedback

This page discusses the various types of applications for which IDI version 3 is well suited.

Core intercultural competence is:

Relevant to virtually any organization, domestic or global, with a diverse and/or cross-cultural workforce or customer base.
About the mindset regarding diversity and cultural difference of an individual, team, or entire organization. This is the extent to which diversity and cultural difference tend to be avoided, thought of in polarizing terms, acknowledged and minimized, or fully valued and understood for its full effect and potential.
A "culture-general" skill applicable to situations involving all dimensions of diversity and cultural difference. This includes organizations whose customers are other organizations - bear in mind that your customer organizations also have a diverse and/or cross-cultural workforce making their purchase decisions!

MDB Group uses the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to measure and provide a basis for developing core intercultural competence. The new version 3 IDI was developed by Dr. Mitchell Hammer. It is based on the Intercultural Development Continuum (IDC), which is an advanced adaptation of Dr. Milton Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS). In today's global marketplace for talent and business,

IDI is an essential business productivity tool.

It is your choice! Read on or call us now to discuss how our seasoned, practical, friendly experts can help you achieve the business results you seek.

The ability to communicate effectively with people of different backgrounds, cultures, or perspectives is essential to creating an inclusive, productive, and innovative workplace. This capability, called well-developed core intercultural competence, is the basis for leveraging peoples’ inputs to improve profitability and business results and to grow your organization.

Training, coaching, and development are more effective when done using the IDI. Why? Learning interventions can take two approaches:

“Meet” the participants at their current developmental readiness and use stage-appropriate techniques to encourage development.
Attempt transformation by confronting the participants with significantly more advanced concepts of inclusion and cultural sensitivity than they likely are ready to process.

Research and experience show that the developmental approach is more likely to have a constructive outcome whereas the transformational approach carries with it a higher risk of creating upset and backlash.

IDI enables the more-effective developmental approach. The participants' current level of core intercultural competence can be measured accurately. Stage-appropriate development may then be designed and implemented for each participant or group of participants.

IDI is used with individuals, teams, and organizations. The following table summarizes typical IDI applications:

Scope	Objectives	IDI Applications
Individual	• Coaching and development - Executive, leader, manager - More-inclusive decision making and leadership - Building cross-cultural communication effectiveness	• Assess core intercultural competence • Basis for - Intervention design - Ongoing coaching and development
Team	• Facilitated team building and development; leadership development focusing on - Intercultural communication - Team productivity - Conflict resolution • Diversity training	• Assess individual and team core intercultural competence • Diagnose ineffective relationships and communications • Basis for - Improved intervention design - Ongoing learning
Organization	• Build productivity, innovation, and creativity • Develop competencies and skills; create a more-inclusive, supportive, productive work environment • Diversity training	• Assess overall organizational core intercultural competence - “Pre” and “post” learning intervention •Basis for - Diversity strategy design - Organization training design

MDB Group is pleased to provide certified IDI administrators to work with you in any capacity needed. We provide complete coaching and developmental interventions based on the IDI. We also provide administration and interpretation services to other consultants in support of their work with their clients.

Please call us; we will be happy to discuss how you may realize the full business benefits of the Intercultural Development Inventory.

Related links
The Intercultural Development Inventory is a valuable diagnostic and development tool. It has applications in building individual and team effectiveness, improving cross cultural communication and teamwork, conflict management, executive coaching, and general workplace assessments.

Intercultural Development Continuum (IDC) description	IDC is the theoretical basis for the IDI. IDC is an advanced adaptation of Dr. Milton Bennett's earlier Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS).
Intercultural Development Inventory description	IDI is a culture-general instrument. It measures intercultural competence relating to cultural difference stemming from all aspects of diversity.
Workforce productivity, innovation, and creativity	Building cross-cultural communication competence, or the ability to communicate with other people, helps build team effectiveness.
Executive coaching and leadership development	When an executive takes on new challenges, success frequently hinges upon developing new insights or building new abilities to communicate and work with people having different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.
Conflict resolution	Diagnosing and addressing ineffective communications is frequently at the heart of resolving workplace conflict.
Workplace assessments	Workplace assessments may involve diagnosing individual, team, or organizational intercultural sensitivity and communications competence. These assessments facilitate designing strategies, action plans, development, and training matched to peoples’ current state of development. This helps ensure a successful business-related outcome.

Next steps
Please call us so that together we can start growing your business and your organization through intercultural competence.

Your business success is our most important objective.