Video Arts launches new e-learning course on managing multicultural teams

LONDON - Aug. 20, 2013 - PRLog -- Video Arts is distributing a new e-learning course which highlights a best practice approach to building, leading and working in cross cultural teams.

Called Managing Multicultural Teams, the two-hour interactive resource explains how leaders and members of international teams can build trust and commitment, achieve cross-cultural collaboration and work together more effectively in face-to-face and virtual meetings.

Using a video case study of a fictional international team, the course illustrates how culturally-motivated behaviour and different attitudes - to issues such as punctuality, communication style, team leadership, hierarchy, trust and relationship building - can impact on team dynamics.

“With increasing globalisation, more organisations are creating international teams to meet their business challenges,” said Martin Addison, CEO of Video Arts. “If you’re asked to lead or work in a multinational team, this resource will prepare you for the experience. The video case study brings the concepts to life and shows the mistakes and misinterpretations that can occur when managing cultural diversity. The learning points will enable you to utilise everyone’s knowledge, skills and expertise to achieve the team’s goals.”

Developed by WorldWork, a company that specialises in cross-cultural learning resources, Managing Multicultural Teams is divided into three modules: Recognising differences explains the advantages and disadvantages of working in a multicultural team, the leadership challenges involved and the importance of valuing different cultural approaches. Managing the differences shows the key stages of development of an international project team; practical ways to move successfully from start-up to high performance and how to deal with conflict and set-backs. Sustaining the energy covers the challenges of working and communicating virtually and how to maintain momentum, and avoid communication breakdown, across distance.

The SCORM-compliant e-learning course is presented by Louise Evans, an intercultural consultant, who acts as a virtual guide. With interactive exercises, quizzes, video clips, animated sequences, downloadable articles and a ‘knowledge check’ to reinforce and embed the learning, Managing Multicultural Teams can be used either for self study or it can be blended with other learning interventions. It is available on the Video Arts iLearn platform.

“This is an easy-to-navigate course that’s presented in bite-sized chunks, so people can learn at their own pace,” said Martin Addison. “It’s a cost effective way for organisations to provide consistent training in cultural sensitivity.”

For further information, please visit www.videoarts.com or call +44 (0) 20 7400 4800.

Background notes: Founded in 1972, Video Arts is the world’s leading provider of video-based learning. It delivers management and soft-skills training, via e-learning, mobile learning and training videos, in 40 languages to clients in 50 countries. The company has won over 200 awards for its learning content and is now part of the Tinopolis Group.