What does it take to collaborate online?

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the skills needed for effective working online have come to the forefront of many people’s attention. Researcher Alexandra Kolm and colleagues conducted a systematic review of empirical studies of this and found that 6 competence domains emerged for effective virtual teamwork

An Alternative to Unconscious Bias: A Rapport Management Approach

In recent years, numerous organisations have been implementing unconscious bias training, with the aim of enhancing diversity and inclusion. This has become particularly important in view of the Black Lives Matter movement. Yet more recently the whole notion of unconscious bias and associated training has been subject to a significant amount of criticism and in December 2020 a UK government minister announced that such training for civil servants in England would be scrapped. What then is the problem with unconscious bias and what kind of training could replace it?

Effective Teamworking — Leveraging Diversity


Many people, especially in international business, have asked this question: Does team diversity promote performance or hinder performance? In this insight piece Helen investigates this question

Bulding Rapport — Key Elements

In many ways, rapport is a slippery term and it’s not always easy to translate into another language. Yet it’s also an important concept, widely referred to in sectors such as healthcare, customer service, and public security. In fact, we all need to build rapport with those around us. So, what is rapport and how can it be managed?

Understanding Culture — Key Features

Culture forms an integral part of all of our lives and can be both enriching and challenging. Yet it is often extremely elusive, with many different interpretations. Here we explain some key features that are particularly important for us as we live and work in diverse communities and engage in international projects or business.