The International Center’s fourth annual Leadership Across Cultures event concluded October 19 after featuring a variety of workshops, guest speakers and other activities for local leaders. The overarching goal of the event—which is overseen and organized by The International Center’s Global Competency Training Manager, Ansuyah Naiken—is to foster international cooperation in the workplace and encourage tolerance in a rapidly globalizing Indianapolis.
“It was about equipping leaders working in the global space with skills and competencies so that they can be successful with whatever part of the world they’re working in,” Naiken said, pointing out that even workers who do not travel are often exposed to other cultures via phone, Skype or everyday interaction.
The two-day event began with an opening reception Wednesday evening to welcome the 20 participants ahead of the two-day event. Speakers included Dr. Yulia Tolstikov-Mast, Michael Overdorf, Brian Cox, and Ersal Ozdemir. Each offered their insights on how to behave respectfully in intercultural situations both in the United States and abroad.
Global Competency Intern Brooke Elliott helped Naiken prepare for the event over a series of weeks. Elliot said that she had never been part of planning such an event and found the experience valuable. Her point was echoed by Antonio Navarro, Principal Research Scientist at Eli Lilly.
"It helped me conceptualize things that I intuitively knew," Navarro said. "It was very eye-opening to hear other people's views of the same situation. It increased my awareness of how important it is to consider this topic when interacting with other cultures in the workplace."
Thank you to everyone who helped plan and supported this fantastic event!