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Overview

In our diverse and globalized workplaces, the ability to lead across cultures is essential for organizational success. Intercultural Leadership immerses you in the dynamic world of cross-cultural leadership through hands-on, experiential learning. You'll explore how intercultural competence drives effective global and cross-functional leadership, while recognizing that dominant and non-dominant cultural dynamics are always present in the workplace. These dynamics shape workplace norms, team interactions, and even your own leadership style, often in ways that go unnoticed unless carefully examined.

This 12-hour course combines online self-study with two consecutive half-day classroom sessions on SAIT's main campus, all completed within one week. Through interactive simulations, case studies, and collaborative exercises, you’ll develop practical strategies to lead diverse teams with cultural awareness, empathy, and adaptability. The course will help you build your personal awareness of these dynamics and strengthen your intercultural competence, while also examining the systems and structures that reinforce dominant cultures and can either limit or protect marginalized voices.

By the end of this course, you’ll have created a personalized action plan designed to enhance your intercultural leadership skills and contribute to more equitable and inclusive workplaces.

This course is ideal if you:

  • are a skilled individual performer stepping into leadership roles and want to build intercultural competence
  • bring leadership experience from another country and need to adapt your style to Canadian workplace dynamics
  • want to enhance your ability to lead diverse teams with cultural awareness and empathy
  • are a technical or trades professional moving into coordination roles requiring cross-cultural leadership skills.

This course draws on a foundation of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) concepts and terminology. We recommend completing PERS 020 - Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Starter Pack before registering for this course.

Upon successful completion of this course, you'll be able to:

  • examine the value of intercultural competence in effective global and cross-functional business leadership
  • examine how to lead teams with an awareness of the dominant and non-dominant cultural dynamics that influence workplace interactions
  • apply strategies to lead diverse teams with cultural awareness, empathy, and adaptability
  • develop a personal action plan to enhance intercultural leadership skills in a business context. 

To request a course outline, contact ConEdAdvising@sait.ca. 

If you're certified by a professional association, this course may qualify for continuing professional development (CPD) hours to help maintain your certifications/designations. Please check with your association to confirm eligibility.

Upcoming dates

Select an available section and add it to your cart. When you're ready, proceed to check out to sign into your student account and complete your registration.

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Registration closes seven days before the start date for on-campus, online scheduled, and blended courses, and one day before the start date for online self-paced courses.

After you've completed this course

Upon successful completion of this course, you'll be able to self-print a proof of completion document from your Continuing Education student account.

Costs

Textbook and supplies

Included in the purchase of this course, you’ll receive:

  • Course curriculum accessible online in Brightspace (D2L)
  • Learning materials/hand-outs distributed in class

Technology

To be successful in this course, you’ll need:

Note: Bringing your laptop to class is not required.

Aldred building

Financial support

Financial opportunities are available to help pay for your course fees. Learn more about how to reduce your education or training costs with available awards, bursaries, loans and grants including the Canada Alberta Job Grant. 

Learn more

Train your team

Interested in group training opportunities for this course? Tell us about your organization's needs, and one of our training consultants will contact you within one business day.

Contact us

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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.

We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Visit Natoysopoyiis Resource Centre