International Leadership and Organizational Behavior from Coursera

Leaders in business and non-profit organizations increasingly work across national borders and in multi-cultural environments. You may work regularly with customers or suppliers abroad, or be part of a globally dispersed cross-functional team, or an expatriate manager on an international assignment. You may be a member of a global online community, or a development aid worker collaborating with an international network of partner organizations. In all of these contexts, your effectiveness as a leader depends on how well you understand and are able to manage individual and collective behaviors in an intercultural context.

In this course – together with a team of Bocconi expert faculty and Bocconi alumni – we’ll explore the theory and practice of international and intercultural leadership and organizational behavior. Social science research has revealed systematic ways in which our behavior differs across cultural contexts – enabling us to more effectively work across borders. Insights from psychology, neuroscience, sociology and anthropology, from communication studies and from management scholarship allow us to understand what shapes individual and group decision making, what enhances or weakens team performance, and how we can build and use our social networks. And the shared practical experience of international leaders allows us to identify concrete steps to enhancing intercultural leadership competence, and to be cognizant of common leadership challenges.

Learning about organizational behavior provides a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills and to reflect on your own behavioral tendencies. How do you usually make important decisions? What motivates you and how do you try motivating others? How successfully do you leverage and integrate diverse skills and views in a team? Do you prefer professional relationships with a close-knit group of trusted colleagues, or with a far-flung network of acquaintances from all walks of life?

If you really want to learn how organizations behave and take decisions and at the same time develop leadership skills, then this is the course for you.

We are looking forward to welcoming you and supporting you on this journey of learning and discovery.

COURSE SYLLABUS

Week 1 - Leadership Acumen. International perspective on leadership, common traps & challenges, and opportunities of intercultural leadership.

Week 2 - Navigating Culture. Impact of cultural differences on organizations, decoding culture, culture classifications and stereotyping, developing intercultural intelligence.

Week 3 - Communication. Communication and its impact on leadership identity and relationships, managing communication to improve decision making, steps for developing your intercultural communication skills.

Week 4 - Motivation. Views on individual motivation, cultural differences in motivation, developing motivation and commitment in teams.

Week 5 - Networking. Patterns of interpersonal relationships in/across organizations, strategically developing social networks and social capital, norms for networking across cultures.

Week 6 - Conflict. Effective / defective conflict management approaches, dealing with ethical dilemmas.

Thanks to the participation of our alumni and of the Bocconi Alumni Association, participants will have practical insights on international leadership.

RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND

All are welcome! Some prior exposure to basic issues of organizational behavior (communication, decision making, motivation, etc.) is useful, but not required.

What's inside

Syllabus

LEADERSHIP ACUMEN

In the first module we outline the basics of leadership and leadership development with an international mindset, exploring common traps & challenges, and opportunities of intercultural leadership.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Covers international leadership, which is a vital topic in the globalized job market

Taught by a team of Bocconi expert faculty and Bocconi alumni who bring extensive experience in international leadership

Examines cross-cultural leadership and organizational behavior, which many international leaders need to understand

Develops intercultural competence, a core skill for international leaders to succeed

Uses insights from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, anthropology, communication studies, and management scholarship to provide a well-rounded understanding of international leadership

Includes practical insights on international leadership from Bocconi alumni and the Bocconi Alumni Association to supplement theoretical knowledge

Reviews summary

International leadership and organizational behavior

According to learners, this course offers a solid foundation highly relevant for professionals working in international and multicultural environments. Students particularly value the insights into navigating culture and effective communication strategies across borders. The course provides a blend of theory and practical applications, with many finding the contributions from Bocconi alumni to be especially valuable for real-world context. While generally well-received for its structure and content, some reviewers noted that it could be challenging at times, requiring dedication to fully grasp the concepts. Overall, it's seen as a beneficial learning experience for enhancing leadership skills in a global setting.

Provides a solid theoretical base.

"Appreciated the blend of academic theory and practical tips provided throughout the course."

"Provides a solid theoretical foundation in organizational behavior and leadership."

"Goes beyond just theory, offers actionable steps."

"Balances key psychological and sociological insights with management scholarship."

Course is logically structured and flows well.

"The course is logically structured week by week, making it easy to follow the progression."

"Modules build nicely on each other, providing a solid learning journey."

"Content is presented clearly and concisely."

"The flow from leadership basics to specific challenges like conflict management felt very natural."

Improves international communication.

"The focus on communication and its impact on relationships across cultures was very helpful."

"Provides concrete steps for developing intercultural communication skills."

"Learned how to manage communication effectively to improve decision making in diverse teams."

"Gave me tools to encourage open and productive conversations across cultural barriers."

Deepens understanding of cultural impact.

"The module on navigating culture was particularly insightful and well-explained."

"Helped me understand systematic ways behavior differs across cultural contexts."

"Provides excellent frameworks for decoding culture and developing intercultural intelligence."

"Gained a much better understanding of how cultural differences impact organizations and teams."

Valuable real-world insights from alumni.

"The contributions from Bocconi alumni were fantastic, adding significant real-world value."

"Loved hearing the practical experiences and advice shared by experienced Bocconi graduates."

"Alumni shared helpful perspectives that grounded the theoretical concepts in reality."

"Hearing about real-life challenges and how they were handled by alumni was very useful."

Content is highly relevant for international work.

"This course provided me with practical tools I could immediately apply to my role managing a global team."

"Learned strategies directly applicable to my international work environment. Highly relevant content."

"Great insights for navigating cultural differences and improving communication in a multinational company."

"The examples shared were very relatable to my job and the challenges I face working across borders."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in International Leadership and Organizational Behavior with these activities:

Compile a resource list on intercultural leadership

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A resource list will help you stay organized and keep track of the information you learn throughout the course.

Browse courses on Leadership

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Create a new document or spreadsheet.
Add a header for each type of resource (e.g., books, articles, websites).
As you come across new resources, add them to the appropriate header.

Read a book on navigating culture

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This book provides a framework for understanding cultural differences and how to adapt your communication style to different cultures.

View Penguin Readers Level 4: No Rules Rules (ELT... on Amazon

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Purchase or borrow the book.
Read the book at your own pace.

Find a mentor who can provide guidance on intercultural leadership

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A mentor can provide you with valuable guidance and support as you develop your intercultural leadership skills.

Browse courses on Leadership

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Identify the qualities you are looking for in a mentor.
Network with people in your field and ask for referrals.
Interview potential mentors to find the best fit for you.

Five other activities

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Show all eight activities

Practice using cross-cultural communication techniques

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Practicing cross-cultural communication techniques will help you develop the skills you need to communicate effectively with people from different cultures.

Browse courses on Intercultural Communication

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Find a partner or group of people who are from different cultures.
Engage in conversation with your partner or group.
Be mindful of your own cultural biases and assumptions.
Pay attention to the verbal and non-verbal cues of your partner or group.
Adapt your communication style to the cultural background of your partner or group.

Learn about intercultural business etiquette

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Understanding business etiquette in different countries will help you avoid cultural misunderstandings and build stronger relationships with international colleagues and clients.

Browse courses on Cross-Cultural Communication

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Watch videos or read articles on cultural etiquette in different countries.
Find a mentor or coach who can provide guidance on the topic.
Practice using intercultural business etiquette in simulated situations.

Attend industry events and conferences

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Attending industry events and conferences is a great way to network with professionals in your field and learn about the latest trends.

Browse courses on Leadership

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Research industry events and conferences that are relevant to your field of interest.
Register for the events that you are interested in attending.
Prepare a brief introduction and talking points to use when networking with other attendees.

Develop an intercultural communication plan

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Creating a plan will help you think through the key steps you need to take to improve your intercultural communication skills.

Browse courses on Intercultural Communication

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Identify your target audience and their cultural backgrounds.
Research the cultural norms and communication styles of your target audience.
Develop specific strategies for adapting your communication style to your target audience.
Create a timeline for implementing your plan.

Develop a presentation on intercultural leadership

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Creating a presentation will help you synthesize your knowledge of intercultural leadership and communicate it to others.

Browse courses on Leadership

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Choose a topic for your presentation that is relevant to your field of interest.
Research the topic thoroughly.
Develop an outline for your presentation.
Create slides for your presentation.
Practice delivering your presentation.

Career center

Learners who complete International Leadership and Organizational Behavior will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Public Policy Analyst

As a Public Policy Analyst, you'll research and analyze public policy issues. You'll make recommendations to policymakers on how to improve public policy. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Educator

As an Educator, you'll teach students about a variety of subjects. You'll work with students from all backgrounds, and you'll need to be able to motivate and inspire them. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Social Entrepreneur

As a Social Entrepreneur, you'll use your business skills to solve social and environmental problems. You'll start your own company or organization to address issues such as poverty, hunger, and disease. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Peacebuilder

As a Peacebuilder, you'll work to prevent and resolve conflict in war-torn and post-conflict societies. You'll work with local communities to build peace and reconciliation. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Diplomat

As a Diplomat, you'll represent your country's interests abroad. You'll work with diplomats from other countries to build relationships and resolve conflicts. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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International Development Worker

As an International Development Worker, you'll work to improve the lives of people in developing countries. You'll work with local communities to develop and implement programs that will address issues such as poverty, hunger, and disease. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

As a Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, you'll be responsible for developing and implementing corporate social responsibility programs for a company. You'll work with stakeholders to identify and address social and environmental issues. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Diversity and Inclusion Manager

As a Diversity and Inclusion Manager, you'll be responsible for developing and implementing diversity and inclusion programs for an organization. You'll work with employees from all backgrounds to create a more inclusive and equitable workplace. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Nonprofit Manager

As a Nonprofit Manager, you'll be responsible for managing the operations of a nonprofit organization. You'll work with a variety of stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, and clients. You'll need to be able to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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International Business Manager

As an International Business Manager, you'll be responsible for managing the international operations of a company. You'll work with clients and partners from all over the world, and you'll need to be able to navigate cultural differences and manage conflict effectively. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Human Resources Manager

As a Human Resources Manager, you'll oversee the human resources function of an organization. You'll be responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and developing employees. You'll also develop and implement policies and procedures that will help the organization attract and retain top talent. This course may be helpful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Organizational Development Manager

As an Organizational Development Manager, you'll work to improve the effectiveness of an organization. You'll develop and implement programs that will help employees reach their full potential and contribute to the organization's success. This course may be helpful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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Management Analyst

As a Management Analyst, you'll study the operations of an organization and make recommendations for improvement. You'll work with clients to identify and solve problems, and you'll develop and implement new systems and procedures. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the analytical and problem-solving skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll also learn about different management theories and how to apply them to real-world situations.

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Strategy Consultant

A Strategy Consultant provides advice to businesses on how to improve their performance. You'll work with clients to develop and implement strategies that will help them achieve their goals. This course may be helpful to you because it will help you develop the analytical and problem-solving skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll also learn about different business models and how to navigate the global economy.

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Business Project Manager

As a Business Project Manager, you'll oversee the planning, execution, and closure of projects within a business environment. You may work in a variety of industries, including technology, healthcare, and finance. This course may be useful to you because it will help you develop the leadership and organizational behavior skills necessary to succeed in this role. You'll learn how to motivate and lead teams, navigate cultural differences, and manage conflict effectively.

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