ELEVATE

During the SIETAR France conference in Paris, our project resonated with many people in the audience. We are pleased and proud to share the first outcomes of our project with members of the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research in France and across the world. Thank you again Prof. Dr. Andrea Cnyrim Alex Frame Romée Jager and Anna Zelno for your efforts i preparing the presentation and traveling to Paris. SIETAR Europa

What if the real challenge is not a lack of training… but how do we understand intercultural competence? This question guided our contribution at the conference “Intercultural Competence: Practices, Innovations and Controversies” (SIETAR France & Université Paris Cité). We are exploring a shift that feels obvious and yet is rarely implemented: 👉 away from one-off training 👉 away from individual-focused solutions 👉 towards a systemic, relational, and continuous learning approach Because intercultural competence is not something you have. It is something that happens in interaction. Some of the key ideas we shared: 🔹 It is not built in a workshop, but in everyday collaboration 🔹 Learning only creates impact when it is embedded in real work practices 🔹 Teams, not individuals, are the core space where competence develops 🔹 Organisations evolve from recognising diversity → to leveraging it as a source of learning, innovation, and belonging And this leads to a more uncomfortable reflection: If nothing changes in how people work together, training remains an isolated event. What actually makes the difference? → how feedback is given → how decisions are made → how misunderstandings are addressed → how reflection becomes part of daily work This is why we need to move beyond “learning interventions” towards organisational learning ecosystems: Spaces where reflection, dialogue, experimentation and follow-up are not extra, but integrated. Grateful for the exchange, the critical questions, and the openness of this community. 👥 Speakers: Prof. Dr. Andrea Cnyrim, Alex Frame, Romée Jager Anna Zelno #InterculturalCompetence #DEIB #OrganisationalLearning #Inclusion #Leadership #ELEVATE #Transcultural

🧩 Różnorodność w zespole nie daje wartości sama z siebie. Wartość pojawia się dopiero wtedy, gdy ludzie potrafią z niej korzystać: słuchać się nawzajem, rozumieć różne perspektywy, rozmawiać mimo napięć i wspólnie budować sposób działania, który nie wyklucza nikogo z rozmowy. To właśnie tutaj zaczyna się prawdziwe wyzwanie dla zespołów i organizacji. Nie w samym zauważeniu różnic, ale w tworzeniu takich warunków współpracy, w których różnorodność staje się źródłem uczenia się, lepszych decyzji i większej dojrzałości zespołu. Podczas najbliższego Power Hour będziemy mówić o tym, jak przejść od świadomości różnic do budowania common ground w zespole i jaką rolę może w tym odegrać podejście rozwijane w naszym europejskim projekcie ELEVATE. 📅 1 kwiecień 2026 🕛 19:00 📍 Online Bezpłatne wydarzenie, zarejestruj się: https://lnkd.in/d8SyD74X

Building trust becomes more complex when teams work at a distance. In virtual teams, members cannot rely on informal interactions or physical proximity. Trust therefore often develops through visible behaviours and communication patterns. Research highlights two complementary dimensions: 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 • reliability • competence • clear and predictable communication 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 • recognising contributions • showing respect for perspectives • making identities visible beyond the task Both dimensions matter. Competence builds credibility, while relational attention helps sustain meaningful collaboration. As organisations increasingly rely on 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, understanding how trust develops in these settings becomes crucial. This is closely connected to the mission of 𝗘𝗟���𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗘, which explores how organisations can strengthen 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, including those shaped by distance, digital interaction and cross-border teamwork. Because effective intercultural collaboration depends not only on what people know about difference, but also on how they 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀.

Not all teams have time to build trust slowly. Many project teams today are 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Members often start working together without a long history of interaction. This phenomenon is often described as “𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁”: a rapid initial form of trust that emerges when team members assume reliability based on 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀. In these settings, teams often begin collaborating 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁. But this initial trust is fragile. Research shows that it needs to be reinforced through early behaviours such as: ✔️ 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 ✔️ 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ✔️ 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 ✔️ 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 These early interactions often determine whether trust stabilises or begins to wear away. Understanding these dynamics is essential for international and intercultural collaboration, where teams frequently come together across organisational and cultural boundaries. At ELEVATE, we explore how relational dynamics such as trust shape collaboration in diverse teams and organisations, as part of our work 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. How have you seen trust develop in temporary or international teams? References: Meyerson, Weick & Kramer (1996); Kanawattanachai & Yoo (2013).

📣 Serdecznie zapraszamy na webinar "Różnorodność to fakt. Współpraca to kompetencja." 📆 1 kwiecień 2026 🕑 19:00-20:00 📍 Online BEZPŁATNE wydarzenie, rejestracja przez link: https://lnkd.in/d8SyD74X Webinar organizowany przez naszego partnera z Polski - DCONCEPT inspirowany doświadczeniami projektu ELEVATE. Pokażemy podczas niego, dlaczego przyszłość należy do zespołów, które nie zatrzymują się na świadomości różnic, ale rozwijają kulturę współpracy, refleksji, wzajemnego uczenia się i wspólnego szukania tego, co łączy. Jednocześnie przedstawimy narzędzie nad którym ostatnio pracowaliśmy w ELEVATE - Self-Assessment Tool, które wspiera organizacje w spojrzeniu z nowej perspektywy na to, jak podchodzą do różnorodności i na ile potrafią przekładać ją na codzienną praktykę współpracy. Zapisujcie się na wydarzenie i do zobaczenia! 😊

Trust plays a central role in how teams collaborate. But what do we actually mean by trust? In organizational research, trust is more than a personal feeling. Sociologist Niklas Luhmann described trust as a mechanism that helps people cope with complexity and uncertainty in social systems. In teams, trust becomes a shared expectation that others will act competently, reliably and in good faith. When this expectation exists, team members are more willing to: ✔ share incomplete ideas ✔ admit uncertainty or problems ✔ rely on others’ expertise ✔ experiment with new approaches These moments of vulnerability are essential for learning, knowledge sharing and innovation. For projects and organisations working across cultures, trust becomes even more important. Intercultural collaboration requires people to navigate differences in perspectives, communication styles and expectations. At ELEVATE, we explore how relational dynamics such as trust influence collaboration in diverse teams and organisations, as part of our work on strengthening transcultural competence in professional environments. 👉 How does trust emerge in the teams you work with? What helps, or hinders, its development?

Transkulturelle Kompetenz von Teams🌍 Viele Organisationen arbeiten in zunehmend diversen und internationalen Kontexten, und stehen dennoch vor einer zentralen Frage: Wie gelingt echte Zusammenarbeit in komplexen und diversen Kontexten – jenseits von Zuschreibungen und über unterschiedliche Perspektiven, Erfahrungen und Kontexte hinweg? In diesem Webinar, organisiert in Zusammenarbeit mit ELEVATE, zeigen Prof. Dr. Julika Baumann Montecinos und Dr. Tobias Grünfelder Campoverde, PhD von Transcultural Caravan, was es bedeutet, transkulturelle Kompetenz in Teams und Organisationen zu entwickeln. Statt ausschließlich kulturelle Unterschiede zu betrachten, liegt der Fokus darauf, wie Teams gemeinsame Praktiken gestalten, mit Komplexität umgehen und Zusammenarbeit über verschiedene Perspektiven hinweg aktiv entwickeln. Im Rahmen des Webinars stellen wir außerdem ausführlich das Self-Assessment-Tool für transkulturelle Kompetenz in Organisationen vor, das wir im Rahmen des ELEVATE-Projekts entwickelt haben. Das Tool unterstützt Organisationen dabei, den eigenen Stand sichtbar zu machen, Entwicklungsfelder zu identifizieren und gezielt nächste Schritte in Richtung wirksamer transkultureller Zusammenarbeit zu gehen. Außerdem sprechen wir darüber: • was transkulturelle Kompetenz ist und wie sie sich vom interkulturellen Ansatz unterscheidet • was sich im „trans“-Ansatz verändert: von der Fokussierung auf Unterschiede hin zu Beziehungen, Kontext und gemeinsamer Gestaltung von Zusammenarbeit • praktische Impulse zur Förderung von Kooperation in diversen und hybriden Teams Für wen ist das Webinar geeignet: • HR-Verantwortliche, People & Culture Expert:innen sowie DEI-Praktiker:innen 👥 • Führungskräfte und Teamleitungen in internationalen oder multikulturellen Kontexten 🌐 • Berater:innen, Trainer:innen und Facilitator:innen 🎯 Herausforderungen in Organisationen: • Hohe Diversität, aber wenig gelebte Zusammenarbeit • Schwierigkeiten, Vielfalt in konkrete Teampraktiken zu übersetzen • Missverständnisse durch kulturelle Zuschreibungen statt Fokus auf Beziehungen Was Sie mitnehmen: • Ein vertieftes Verständnis transkultureller Teamdynamiken • Konkrete Perspektiven zur Verbesserung der Zusammenarbeit • Ansätze und Impulse für bessere Kommunikation und Kooperation • Ein praxisnahes Self-Assessment-Tool, mit dem Sie transkulturelle Kompetenz in Ihrer Organisation einschätzen und gezielt weiterentwickeln können • Inspiration zur Entwicklung gemeinsamer Arbeitsweisen in diversen Teams 💡 Ihr Nutzen: Sie gewinnen Klarheit darüber, wie Sie von kulturellem Bewusstsein zu wirksamer Zusammenarbeit im Team gelangen. Eventdetails: • 📅 Datum: 09. April 2026 • 🕓 Uhrzeit: 4:30–5:30 PM CET • 💻 Format: Online Referent:innen: @Prof. Dr. Julika Baumann Montecinos & Dr. Tobias Grünfelder Campoverde, PhD (Transcultural Caravan) Anmeldung: https://lnkd.in/gUQNMbtg

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲: 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. But relational perspectives highlight something different. Collaboration emerges through 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. Trust, reciprocity and mutual expectations are continuously shaped through communication and shared experiences. This means collaboration is not a static condition, it is a 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. When teams cultivate strong relational practices, they reduce coordination costs and create conditions for shared learning and innovation. At 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗘, we focus on understanding and strengthening these relational dynamics in 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Through research and practice, the project explores how organisations can better develop 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 in complex and diverse environments. Because sustainable collaboration is ultimately built 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲? One often overlooked capability is 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. Team self-awareness is the collective ability of a team to observe itself while working. It means recognising interaction patterns, emotional dynamics, assumptions, and tensions as they emerge especially in complex or high-pressure situations. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? Because teams that develop this shared awareness can adjust their behaviour in real time. They notice when communication breaks down, when power dynamics influence decisions, or when misunderstandings start to grow. Instead of reacting too late, they can pause, reflect and recalibrate how they work together. In international and interdisciplinary collaborations, this capability becomes even more important. Diverse perspectives enrich teamwork — but they also require teams to be attentive to how they interact. At 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗘, we explore how relational approaches such as team self-awareness support 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Through research and practice, the project aims to better understand how relational dynamics shape learning, cooperation and knowledge sharing in complex environments. Because successful collaboration is not only about 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗱𝗼  but also about 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. #Teamwork #Collaboration #Relationality #InterculturalCompetence