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Cultural Detective® Business Case
Public Relations Academy Singapore
Kathleen Curran, Cultural Detective Co-Author Singapore & Malaysia

Overview of Client:
The Public Relations Academy is a department of the Ministry of Information,
Communication and the Arts (MICA), Singapore. The goal of the PR Academy is
to raise the professionalism of Singapore government communicators by
providing professional development programs, workshops, seminars, and
conferences in areas such as strategic communication, speechwriting,
presentation skills, and facilitation skills.

Servicing primarily the public sector, the PR Academy is structured similar to a
corporate university in which workshops and events are scheduled for individual
contributor sign-up and participation as well as customized for intact workgroups.

Opportunity/Needs:
The workplace in Singapore today encompasses a wide range of cultures: the
ethnic groups native to Singapore, i.e., Chinese, Indian, Malay, Eurasian, as well
as foreign talent from around the world, which the government is striving to
weave into the fabric of the Singapore society.

On another level of culture, the Public Relations Academy provides skills training
for civil servants from many Ministries and special Units, e.g., the National
Heritage Board, National University of Singapore (NUS), the police force and
other government bodies.

Recognizing this cultural diversity and complexity, the Public Relations Academy
sought a workshop that would help enhance the skills needed to work across
differences of all kinds, not just a specific culture.

Cultural Detective Solution:

The 2-day workshop was designed around tools that participants could employ
immediately in their workplace. The tools can stand alone; however, in this
workshop, they were built in a developmental manner.

Cultural Detective: Increase Productivity, Strengthen Relationships www.culturaldetective.com
Kris Bibler, Cultural Detective Business Development
kris@culturaldetective.com
ph: 913.764.2624

Tool 1: Appreciative Inquiry
First, the facilitator conducted a module entitled “Listening for Learning,” which
used an Appreciative Inquiry approach. These listening skills were used, with
reminders, throughout the workshop.

The facilitator then used experiential activities to introduce different aspects of
the Cultural Detective Model, making each element a separate tool.

Tool 2: Subjective Culture
Each person chose ten values from a list of common values, then narrowed that
down to their top four. Participants wrote each selected value on a separate slip
of paper, then was asked to give one value away. The point was to see if they
could choose, which one they would choose to give away, what it felt like to do
so, if they or another accepted the new value easily or with difficulty. What were
the circumstances that made this process easier or more difficult, (e.g., if the
value was similar to their own, or if the new value was not one they had initially
selected but was not contrary to their overall value system.) The participants
were then challenged to throw a value away.

Next in this section of Subjective Culture was to help participants find value in
merging/bridging their values in a collaborative way. Each “table culture” was
instructed to develop a slogan or motto that represented them and all their
values.

Using art would also be effective for illustrating Subjective Culture. The “table
culture” could create an inclusive picture or image using drawing or other
materials. As actual words would not be there, all would need to feel
represented by imagery.

Tool 3: Cultural Literacy
Facilitator then told a story, based on a personal cross-cultural clash and
debriefed it using the Cultural Detective Model—actions and cultural sense. From
there, the facilitator led a discussion of the participants’ experiences of other
cultures, and their own organizations/teams/units. These activities were geared
around understanding another in context—Cultural Detective’s Cultural Literacy.

Participants were then given a variety of cases; some included national cultural
differences and others highlighted differences in work styles. Each table
conducted their own analyses on flipcharts.

ph: 913.764.2624

Tool 4: Bridge Building
The facilitator began this segment by brainstorming with participants what
makes a good bridge. The list included, for example, touching and connecting
both sides, a solid foundation, good quality materials, sound design and
intentions, skilled craftsmen, able to withstand all kinds of weather, spans
obstacles, and long lasting. The metaphor was so powerful that participants
naturally started discussing their cases and naturally raised bridge ideas that
might be effective in their cases as well as in some real work issues.

They then went back to their case analysis and developed bridges, with the list
of bridging best practices in mind. The list became the criteria against which
each suggested bridge was measured against. Each table developed their own
list of bridges; following, all had the opportunity to review other tables bridges
and add to the list ones they felt should be added.

Initially, bridges were very much “he needs to…” “she should…” - very much
pointed to one side or the other of an issue. Through this exercise, everyone
realized that connecting both sides was the most difficult, in the sense that they
needed an overarching goal/vision that encompassed individual needs.

Tool #5: Strategizing for Effectiveness
The session concluded with a Strategizing Tool, based on each individual’s own
upcoming intercultural needs, and designed to apply learning to real life.

Future Improvements
1. Following the Bridge Building segment, tables could discuss situations they
have been in previously and together select one to develop and address
using the same Cultural Detective process – Subjective Culture, Cultural
Literacy and Bridge Building.

2. A generic piece on cultural differences should be introduced after Cultural
Literacy, as participants now understood the interactivity of intercultural
communication, and were curious about the dimensions of culture.
Analyzing an event first clearly prevented stereotyping pitfalls. The
cultural dimensions can be elicited from the context of the case and
expanded on, rather than vice versa.

ph: 913.764.2624

Cultural Detective Benefits and/or Measurable Results:
Avoided stereotypes via an inductive approach.
Enhanced effectiveness and competence rather than just knowledge.
Created a hunger for further learning.

Client Testimonials:
“It takes a lot of constant effort and monitoring not to rely on assumptions.”

“This helps me be more objective, less judgmental.”

“The intention and purpose for working together must be clear to proceed
effectively.”

“It starts with me.”

ph: 913.764.2624

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