1. Materials for this Session:
SHRM HR Competency Model. If students would like to download this, it can be accessed at
Competencies for Senior-Career HR Professionals Session 9: Global and Cultural Effectiveness
Instructor Notes:
This session on Global and Cultural Effectiveness is a continuation of a series following four early-career-level sessions, two mid-career-level sessions, and senior- and executive-career-level sessions. This is the final session in the program.
SHRM Speaker
Title
Bhavna Dave, PHR
Director of Talent
SHRM member since 2005

2. Report: SHRM Research: Workforce Readiness and Skills Shortages
Due This Session
Reading Assignments
Article: “Global and Cultural Effectiveness: Recruiting is Social and Talent is Local”
Report: SHRM Research: Workforce Readiness and Skills Shortages
Instructor Notes:
Review what is due today.
Ask students if they have any questions about the content covered in Session 8.

3. Course Purpose
Provide undergraduate- and graduate-level students with an overview of the senior-career components of SHRM’s competency model, and provide focus on the Critical Evaluation, Leadership and Navigation, and Global and Cultural Effectiveness competencies.
Instructor Notes:
Review the course purpose on the slide.
Point out that this final session of the senior-career course is the continuation and conclusion of SHRM's Competency Model.
The model includes nine competencies. We have already focused on eight competencies and are now looking at the final, most essential competency for senior-level HR practitioners—Global and Cultural Effectiveness.
Mention that the course is geared toward graduate- and undergraduate-level students, If meant for both graduates and undergraduates, then what audience would more than an overview be geared toward? Please clarify this part.
You may choose to also mention that the session we are about to cover was designed with an intent to be included in larger University programs (such as BBA programs).

4. Course Structure
Session 1: Course Introduction and Critical Evaluation Competency.
Lesson 1: Course Introduction.
Lesson 2: Overview of SHRM’s Competency Model.
Lesson 3: Definition and Components of the Critical Evaluation Competency.
Lesson 4: The role of Critical Evaluation in HR.
Lesson 5: Application of the Critical Evaluation Competency
Session 2: Leadership and Navigation Competency.
Lesson 1: Definition and components of the Leadership and Navigation Competency.
Lesson 3: The Role of Leadership and Navigation in HR.
Lesson 4: Application of the Leadership and Navigation Competency.
Session 3: Global and Cultural Effectiveness Competency
Lesson 1: Definition and Components of the Global and Cultural Effectiveness Competency.
Lesson 3: The Role of Global and Cultural Effectiveness in HR.
Lesson 4: Application of All Competencies Wrap-Up.
Instructor Notes:
Three sessions are outlined on this slide.
The senior-career-level course comprises three 75-minute sessions. Time is very limited, so you will focus the content on high-level descriptions of the competencies and on a few practical exercises that will help students understand what these competencies “look like” in practice.
The course includes prereading, which students should have already completed.
The three senior-level competencies covered in the three sessions are the following:
Critical Evaluation, completed—covered in Session 7.
Leadership and Navigation, completed—covered in Session 8.
Global and Cultural Effectiveness, today’s topic.

5. Session 3: Lessons
Lesson 1: Course Introduction and Global and Cultural Effectiveness Competency.
Lesson 2: Overview of SHRM’s Competency Model.
Lesson 3: Definition and components of the Global and Cultural Effectiveness Competency.
Lesson 4: Application of All Competencies Wrap-Up.
Instructor Notes:
Review the lessons covered in today’s session.
Note: SHRM subject-matter experts carefully chose the content and activities for the three sessions. We also fully appreciate that instructors enjoy bringing their own perspectives and content to the course. You are free to add in more mini-cases, articles or any other content you see fit to drive the learning outcomes. Please ensure that any additional materials have proper citations and do not infringe on any copyright laws.
Depending on how many optional activities you add, you may need to expand how much time is devoted to today’s lesson.

6. Course Introduction and Global and Cultural Effectiveness Competency
Lesson 1:
Course Introduction and Global and Cultural Effectiveness Competency
Instructor Notes:
Remind students: By now you have covered four early-career-level competencies, two mid-career-level competencies and two other senior/executive-level competencies.
Students should be very familiar with the next slide (an overview of the SHRM Competency Model). However, require students who missed the earlier career modules to go back and review the eight prior competencies as external self-study.
Ask students to share their impressions of the way the first eight competencies covered so far fit together.
Ask them what appears to still be missing.
Ask them before covering today’s content, “What do you think Global and Cultural Effectiveness means? (Revisit this during the wrap-up at the conclusion of the session.)
Tell them their perspective will evolve even further by the time they complete this module.

7. Learning Objectives
Describe the three elements of SHRM’s Competency Model most applicable to senior-career-level professionals.
Apply the concepts related to the Global and Cultural Effectiveness competency to key roles and duties performed by HR professionals.
Explain the relevance of the Global and Cultural Effectiveness competency to the job of an HR professional.
Identify and explain the subcompetencies and behaviors that underlie the Global and Cultural Effectiveness competency.
Analyze the role that the Global and Cultural Effectiveness competency plays in helping HR professionals address real-world issues.
Demonstrate the ability to apply all nine competencies in various contexts.
Instructor Notes:
Review the learning objectives.
Emphasize that the course is intended to give students opportunities to apply the concepts they are studying and to see what these concepts “look like” when practiced in the field of HR.
Ask students: What do they hope to get out of this final senior career session?
Point out that a wrap-up activity covering all nine competencies will end this session.

8. Overview of SHRM’s Competency Model
Lesson 2:
Overview of SHRM’s Competency Model
Instructor Notes:
Ask students: “By a show of hands, how many of you completed the early-career module on the first four competencies of HR and the mid-career module on the two mid-level competencies and the first two senior/executive modules?”
The next slide will be an overview of the model for students who have not completed the early-career module and the first lesson of this module. Require these students to review the eight prior competencies as external self-study.
Ask the rest of the students to share some of the things they learned and how their perspective of the HR field has changed.
Ask students before covering today’s content, “What do you think Global and Cultural Effectiveness means?” (Revisit this during the wrap-up at the conclusion of the session.)
Tell them their perspective will evolve even further by the time they finish the module.

9. Competencies for Senior-Career HR Professionals
SHRM Competency Model
Competencies for Senior-Career HR Professionals
Instructor Notes:
Review the SHRM Competency Model (we will present the definitions, descriptions and further information in other slides).
See if the students are clear about the distinctions between the nine HR competencies.
Point out again that from this point forward in the class, we will be focusing on the final competency relevant to senior/executive-level HR professionals (Global and Cultural Effectiveness).
Remind them that this competency is considered a nontechnical, or behavioral, competency.
Remind them that a technical competency represents what you know, whereas behavioral competencies represent how you convert your knowledge into observable behaviors. Success is not just about what you know, but also about how you use the knowledge you possess.
The full model, definitions, competencies, subcompetencies and exemplar behaviors are online at

10. Levels of Experience Career Level/Years Executive 15 or more Senior
8-14
Entry
0-2
Mid
3-7
Typically is the most experienced person in HR
Holds the top HR job in the organization or VP role
Very experienced generalist or specialist
Holds a formal title such as director or principal
Instructor Notes:
Students have seen this graphic before, multiple times: It depicts the career of HR professionals as they gain more experience.
When explaining the graphic, tell students that the graphics with the number in them represent years of experience (e.g., Senior 8-14 denotes 8-14 years of experience; executive denotes 15 years or more).
Also point out that most people in HR begin their career as a specialist in some function (e.g., a compensation specialist), and as they gain experience, they learn about other specialties. Ultimately they may advance through their specialty, but typically executive-level HR professionals have to be knowledgeable about all HR functions.
Generalist or experienced specialist
Manages projects or programs
Titles include HR manager, generalist or specialists
Specialist in a specific support function
Titles include HR assistant, HR coordinator, junior recruiter or benefits clerk

11. Importance of the Competency
As part of the creation of the new competency model, SHRM surveyed its members.
Over 32,000 respondents rated the importance of each competency for HR professionals to successfully perform their jobs at the identified career level.
The rating scale ranged from 0 to 3.
Instructor Notes:
Understanding how the many thousands of SHRM members rated the importance of the various competencies will provide needed perspective to the students.
Seeing the ratings is a useful career management tool, because it will help students understand what they need to master and the benefits of doing so, or the drawbacks of not doing so.

12. Importance Rating Scale
0 – Not important: Not required. No impact on job performance.
1 – Minor importance: Minor impact on job performance. Could still perform effectively.
2 – Important: Important impact on job performance. Would have difficulty performing effectively.
3 – Critical: Critical impact on job performance. Could not perform effectively. Major consequences to effectiveness.
The importance rating of each competency will be reviewed in these sessions
Instructor Notes:
Taken from p. 138 of the book Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals.
Review the slide.

13. Required Upon Entry (RUE)
Respondents also rated if proficiency in each competency was required upon entry into an HR position at the identified career level.
The rating scale ranged from 0 to 1.
Instructor Notes:
The “Required Upon Entry” rating is also based on feedback from the surveyed SHRM members and tells students what they need to have mastered (mostly) by which stage of their career, again providing a roadmap for career advancement, a guide for future studies and perspective.

14. The RUE rating of each competency will be reviewed in these sessions
RUE Rating Scale
0 – Not required upon entry/time of hire: Not expected to enter the HR profession at this level with this competency. Training provided.
1 – Required upon entry/time of hire: Expected to enter the HR profession at this level with this competency already well developed. Training not provided.
The RUE rating of each competency will be reviewed in these sessions
Instructor Notes:
Taken from p. 138 of the book Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals.
Stress as noted on the slide: You must already have this competency when you arrive at the respective level.

15. Global and Cultural Effectiveness
Ratings
Global and Cultural Effectiveness
Instructor Notes:
Taken from p. 162 of the book Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals.
Give students a few moments to observe the table.
Ask them for their observations.
If needed, point out the higher ratings of the Importance and RUE scores now that we are at the senior level and have advanced from early- to mid-level and from mid-Level to senior/executive levels.
Ask, “What do these findings mean?”
These findings indicate that HR professionals will gradually develop this competency throughout their careers, so they will be ready when they reach more responsible levels.
The findings also indicate that they cannot neglect the development of this general behavioral competency in the belief that focusing on developing their HR skills is more important. Global and cultural effectiveness is a skill they must develop to be successful in senior-level HR positions.
Ask, “What happens if HR professionals are not proficient in this competency?”
Potential answer: HR professionals seen as lacking in Global and Cultural Effectiveness, or as appearing not to have it in a job interview, may not be promoted or hired into the roles they want.
Tell students: The SHRM Competency Model can be a helpful roadmap for your career and future studies, because you now know what you need and when you need it.
Consider these points:
More generations than ever before are well represented in the workforce.
Women make up an increasing large percentage of the workforce and at progressively higher levels.
More entry-level professional jobs are open than there are “traditional” U.S. college graduates to fill them.
The longer you are in the work world, the more diverse you will find your workforce, and the less likely your organization is to be successful if you marginalize the contributions of these employees.
Discrimination may be illegal, but beyond the law, it is a business imperative that you embrace and maximize the capabilities of everyone on your team.

16. Lesson 3:
Definition and Components of the Global and Cultural Effectiveness Competency
Instructor Notes:
Begin by asking the students what they think of when they hear the words “global and cultural effectiveness.” Some typical responses may include:
Conducting business according to different laws and cultural mores.
Managing staff in many countries and the corresponding hiring, promoting, transferring and pay challenges.
Diversity and a multicultural workforce and the possible corresponding misunderstandings.
These may be reasonable conclusions based solely on the words “global and cultural effectiveness,” Ask students to describe a person they have worked with who demonstrated strong Global and Cultural Effectiveness (the person does not have to work in HR).
Have students describe the specific things this person did that led the students to believe the person had good global and cultural effectiveness skills?
How did the person make everyone on the team feel valued and included?
How did the person invite the contributions of all team members?
What kinds of benefits did the students observe from the person being inclusive and welcoming?

17. Global and Cultural Effectiveness Definition
The ability to value and consider the perspectives and backgrounds of all parties.
Instructor Notes:
Review the definition provided.
Elaborate on this information if you sense doing so is required for understanding.
Notice how “perspectives and backgrounds” is at the core of the definition. The competency is not just about people from different countries.
From Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals, ©2015, SHRM, p. 79

18. Global and Cultural Effectiveness Description
Demonstrate
nonjudgmental
respect
Understand
rules, customs, laws, regulations and business operations
Maintain
openness to ideas
Appreciate
commonalities, values and uniqueness of all humans
Adapt perspective/behavior to meet cultural context
Instructor Notes:
Review the description provided.
Elaborate on this information if you sense doing so is required for understanding.
When reviewing the description, remind students that Global and Cultural Effectiveness is very much a people-to-people competency and that they should not get the impression it only relates to large multinational operations.
Some real-world thoughts on this description:
Maintaining openness to ideas and demonstrating nonjudgmental respect: Judge ideas on their merit, not on their source. If it makes sense for your organization to start or stop doing something, or do it differently, then the change should be made. It is shortsighted and harmful to dismiss a beneficial idea just because of its origin. Consider the negative and demotivating message it would send to other people of the same race, religion, age, gender and so on.
Having strong core values: This description applies not only for the individual future HR practitioners sitting in this class, but also for the organization as a whole. Although the need for adaptability and flexibility are often cited as important to success, you do not have to abandon who you are. Rather, find different ways to be live your values when interacting with other cultures, religions, races and so on or when working in different countries.
Have
strong core
values
Embrace
inclusion
Have
fundamental trust in others
Possess
self-awareness/humility; learn from others
From Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals, ©2015, SHRM, p

19. Global and Cultural Effectiveness Examples
Interact one-on-one with individuals who are new to the organization or who need to be included in a project in the organization—particularly if they are coming from outside the current location or represent a very different perspective.
Celebrate diversity.
Discuss the importance of heterogeneous teams, and practice what you preach.
Take the opportunity to incorporate global business and economic trends into business discussions.
Instructor Notes:
Remind students that they will have a duty to develop the next generation of HR professionals.
In some ways, Global and Cultural Effectiveness may be less obvious as a needed skill, but in other ways it is one of the most obvious skills given the diversity in many workplaces today.
After the students look over the examples provided, ask them if they can think of other examples of how Global and Cultural Effectiveness manifests itself in the workplace. Do not spend a lot of time on their examples, since you are about to review the subcompetencies and the behaviors.
Some possible real-world examples:
Building relationships with individuals outside your department/organization.
Celebrating diversity by celebrating holidays that represent large segments of your workforce, even though they may not be specific to the country you are in (an example is celebrating Chinese New Year the U.S.). Celebrating diversity can also occur in meetings and formal business operational aspects in which the focus can be on diversity of thought. In this case, the focus should be on showing appreciation for different perspectives and consideration of points of view that are less mainstream but on careful consideration can provide good opportunities for the operation.
Now that they have seen the formal definition, description and examples of the Global and Cultural Effectiveness competency, ask them to share an example of someone they knew who lacked Global and Cultural Effectiveness abilities and how it adversely affected the office, department, store, etc.
From Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals, ©2015, SHRM, p. 84

20. Global and Cultural Effectiveness Subcompetencies20
Global Perspective.
Diversity Perspective.
Openness to Various Perspectives.
Empathy.
Openness to Experience.
Tolerance for Ambiguity.
Adaptability.
Cultural Awareness and Respect.
Instructor Notes:
Remind students that a subcompetency is related to the general competency and may be subsumed by the general competency.
Choose a few of the subcompetencies on the slide that you think are particularly important to successfully using Global and Cultural Effectiveness, and provide your perspective on why these are so important. For example:
For openness to various perspectives, you can tell students that being open fosters the creativity and collaboration that every organization needs to be successful regardless of its industry, size, etc.
Ask students, “How can organizations best prepare for and respond to changing labor force demographics?”
For adaptability, you might talk about how important it is that organizations and their leaders monitor developing trends and outside influences and determine how they can turn them to their favor or mitigate negative impacts.
For empathy, you can talk about the importance of (referring back to Slide 18) of appreciating the commonalities, values and uniqueness of all humans.
Have students refer to their preparatory activity “You Can’t Do Good Work Without a Good Workforce” in the Student Prereading document.
Have students identify aspects of this competency that relate to the preparatory activity.
What factors discussed in the SHRM research report do they think are particularly germane to this competency?

21. Global and Cultural Effectiveness Behaviors
1. Has a strong set of core values while operating with adaptability to particular conditions, situations and people.
2. Maintains openness to others’ ideas and makes decisions based on experience, data, facts and reasoned judgment.
3. Demonstrates nonjudgmental respect for other perspectives.
4. Works effectively with diverse cultures and populations.
5. Conducts business with an understanding and respect for the differences in rules, customs, laws, regulations and business operations between own culture and all cultures.
6. Appreciates the commonalities, values and individual uniqueness of all human beings.
7. Possesses self-awareness and humility to learn from others.
Instructor Notes:
Discuss the Global and Cultural Effectiveness behaviors with the students. The list continues on Slide 22.
Ask students to pick a few behaviors that they feel are critical to successfully implement the subcompetencies. For example:
For openness to various perspectives, they might point out that “maintains openness to others ideas” and “makes decisions based upon experience, data, facts and reasoned judgment” and “demonstrates nonjudgmental respect for other perspectives” are three key behaviors that allow you to be successful.
As an alternative (if time allows), you could turn this into a quick activity. Before class print out the list of behaviors on a piece of paper, and cut the paper into strips with one behavior on each strip. Place the strips into a bowl. There are 14 behaviors, so ask for 14 volunteers. Have each draw a behavior from the bowl. Have each volunteer read his or her behavior out loud then match it to one of the subcompetencies (it would help if you flip back to the subcompetency slide for this part of the activity). Once students pair the behavior they chose to a subcompetency, ask the rest of the class if that behavior could also support other subcompetencies.
Continue until all 14 students have matched their behaviors to at least one subcompetency.
An accelerated version of this is to just have four or five students pick a behavior from the bowl, not covering all the behaviors.

22. Global and Cultural Effectiveness Behaviors (continued)
8. Embraces inclusion.
9. Adapts perspective and behavior to meet the cultural context.
10. Navigates the differences between commonly accepted practice and law when conducting business in other nations.
11. Operates with a global, open mindset while being sensitive to local cultural issues and needs.
12. Operates with a fundamental trust in other human beings.
13. Takes the responsibility to teach others about the differences and benefits that multiple cultures bring to the organization to ensure inclusion.
14. Incorporates global business and economic trends into business decisions.
Instructor Notes: Review the slide. Check for understanding.

23. Ways to Develop Global and Cultural Effectiveness Skills23
Participate in global conference calls or Skype interviews to experience global differences.
If feasible, accompany a co-worker on a global trip.
Become the mentor or buddy of an expatriate HR manager.
Take on assignments that enable you to learn and understand the variety of cultures currently present in your organization.
Participate in employee relations scenarios in which cultural differences appear to be at least part of the underlying problem.
Instructor Notes:
Have the students review the ideas on the slide for developing Global and Cultural Effectiveness skills. The list continues on Slide 24.
Encourage them to provide additional ideas for how to develop skills to master this competency. One might be to attend cross-cultural awareness/training provided by their organization. Another could be to facilitate focus group discussions with employees from different backgrounds (e.g., generational, race, ethnicity, gender).
Point out that that the SHRM Competency Model emphasizes the need for HR professionals to be perpetual, lifelong learners. Graduating with their degree is only the beginning of their education, not the end.
Remind them that their prereading article “Global and Cultural Effectiveness: Recruiting is Social and Talent Is Local” focuses on how the “continued globalization and a widening skills gap will require global talent acquisition strategies.”
From Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals, ©2015, SHRM, p. 80

24. Ways to Develop Global and Cultural Effectiveness Skills (continued)24
Collaborate with colleagues from different generations on a work project.
Host multicultural team-building opportunities.
Assist with preparing an employee for an expatriate assignment.
Identify what inclusion might look like in your organization or how it might be different from location to location.
Develop a draft training program related to inclusion and awareness, and then work with staff to revise the program—thereby learning or being exposed to new perspectives.
From Defining HR Success: 9 Critical Competencies for HR Professionals, ©2015, SHRM, p. 80

25. Rapid Recap
Definition: The ability to value and consider the perspectives and backgrounds of all parties.
Description:
Maintain openness to ideas.
Demonstrate nonjudgmental respect.
Understand rules, customs, laws, regulations and business operations.
Appreciate commonalities, values and uniqueness of all humans.
Adapt perspective/behavior to meet cultural context.
Embrace inclusion.
Have strong core values.
Possess self-awareness/humility. Learn from others.
Have fundamental trust in others.
Instructor Notes:
Recap the key points about the Global and Cultural Effectiveness competency as outlined on the slide.
Ask students the following questions:
Now that we’ve learned more about Global and Cultural Effectiveness, what do you think it means?
How have your perspectives changed since we asked this question at the start of class?
What have you gained a new appreciation for?
Did anything cause you to be skeptical?

26. Rapid Recap (continued)
Ratings:
Instructor Notes:
Ask, “What do you think of the Importance and RUE ratings for Critical Evaluation now that know more about the competency and have completed the activity?”
The value and usefulness of Global and Cultural Effectiveness may be limited in the early-career stages, but the seeds of a larger perspective are planted in the early stages.
Learning the skills and knowledge associated with a practitioner HR role may be critical in the early- and mid-career phases, but being able to gradually fit that knowledge and work into the big picture is what carries a practitioner along the path to senior- and executive-level roles.

27. Benefits, Challenges and Risks
What is the greatest benefit of developing this competency for:
The individual HR practitioner?
The individual’s HR department?
The individual’s organization as a whole?
What is the greatest challenge to being able to develop it?
Instructor Notes:
Review the benefits, challenges and risks as outlined on the slide.
As you cover these, be certain to address each in the context of the individual, the HR department and the organization as a whole. Students should attempt to look at each competency using these three perspectives as best they can at this point in their education/career.
Doing this exercise helps students consider the following:
Their HR career roadmap.
How they would lead and develop an HR department/team.
How they would contribute to an organization as a true business partner.
What is the greatest risk of not developing it?

28. Weaknesses
1. How can a weakness in this area (i.e., with this competency) affect:
The individual and his or her career?
The individual’s HR department?
The individual’s organization?
Instructor Notes:
Review the impact that weakness in this competency can have as outlined on the slide.
Ask students to share where they think they are now, and how they can develop strength in this area.

29. APPLICATION of ALL Nine Competencies
Lesson 4:
Instructor Notes:
Unlike in prior sessions, this time we will conduct an activity that recaps all nine competencies that we have covered.
APPLICATION of ALL Nine Competencies

30. What’s Your Angle? Activity Instructor Notes:
Refer to the document “Final Session Activity—Applying All of the Competencies: What’s Your Angle?" for complete activity guidance.
If students are not already divided into groups, divide them now according to which optional way you select to run this activity.
Choose which of the challenges you will discuss.
Guidance for the activity is included in its description.
Circulate unobtrusively, and make observations to comment on during the wrap-up.
Do not get involved in the conversation. Let it happen. Everyone will share after.

31. What’s Your Angle? The Debrief Activity Instructor Notes:
Discuss your observations. Ask the students how they would feel dealing with these scenarios in the real world.
Refer to the document “Applying All of the Competencies—What’s Your Angle?” for complete activity guidance.
These events are examples of the kinds of challenges HR professionals and leadership teams face every day.

32. Due Next Session Reading Assignments
This is the final session. We’ve covered all nine competencies! This slide may be deleted, or if there are reading materials relevant to the content of the next class, they can be added here.
Instructor Notes:
Remind students about assignments due next session for other course content not related to the SHRM Competency Model.
Ask students if they have any remaining questions from today’s session.