International House Berkeley

International House Times 9 International House Times 9 W hat happens when students from five countries and four continents spend two intensive weeks together in an immersive learning experience at I-House? Culture shock and a healthy dose of chaos of course, but also the cultivation of leadership skills and lifelong friendships across cultures. e Global Leadership and Innovation course is CIL's signature leadership development program for external clients. Since 2016 CIL has welcomed international students each summer and winter for this course, providing a transformative educational experience. Summer 2019 marked a high point for this course. With students from China, Chile, Turkey, Egypt, and Russia, it was a truly global experience. is diverse student body became a living laboratory for students to experience in real- time the challenges and opportunities of working in global and multicultural teams. A telling example arose in a dynamic discussion about how different concepts of time and ways of managing time impact levels of trust and respect in the workplace. One student from Chile explained, "If you want us to arrive at 10:00 a.m. then say the meeting will start at 9:45 a.m." In contrast, a student from China expressed, "If you ask us to show up at 10:00 a.m. we will show up at 9:30 a.m." e facilitators used this and other instances of culture clash as ripe moments to emphasize "It's not right or wrong, it's just different," and connect these challenges to the skill of managing global meetings effectively and building inclusive teams. One of the hallmarks of the course is a "learn by doing" approach. Students engage in a variety of simulations. In one such simulation, a leader must uncover the preferred leadership style of a group and motivate them to accomplish a task together (in this case building an innovative structure out of Legos). Much more than just playing with Legos, this simulation brought out students' gut reactions and feelings about "the way things should be done." rough critical reflection and discussion about this and other experiences, students gained self-awareness and insight into the different values that drive their preferred styles of leading, communicating, and working with others. ey also developed greater awareness of others' cultural norms and values, and practiced effective skills to adapt their behavior to build bridges across difference. During the second week of the program, students dove into the topic of innovation. e week began with site visits to local startups and companies across a range of industries, from Berkeley's Citris Foundry, to QuSwami, to Google. After seeing innovation in action at these sites, students put it into practice through a Design Sprint using the methods and mindsets of Design inking. In less than 36 hours, students developed prototypes for creative solutions to the challenges associated with traveling to the U.S. as an international student. At the end of the two weeks, many students expressed how this program was both meaningful and unforgettable for them and helped them become not only better leaders but better people. For the CIL team, the benefits are mutual— working with this incredible group of students has made us a stronger team and organization. n Transformative Education The Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership's (CIL's) Global Leadership & Innovation Course During the Global Leadership simulation, students learn about different styles for motivating people into action Students practice the mindsets and methods of Design Thinking for innovation

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