Cultural Vistas is an international non-governmental organization that aims to develop graduate students to be young leaders who are skilled and socially aware citizens. Through exchange programs, participants gain professional experiences internationally. They have over 30 unique exchange programs annually executed across 130 countries. One of which is The Edmund S. Muskie Internship Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, wherein the foreign Fulbright graduate students from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Caucasus had hands-on work experience in the U.S. The program has complemented and enriched their studies before returning to their home countries. 

To supplement the program, HueLife created and delivered a professional training program for the first Edmund S. Muskie Internship Program Alumni Conference. It was held in Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), Kazakhstan’s capital, and its attendees represented 12 countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. The event was organized by Cultural Vistas with the support of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan. 

Conference organizers sought HueLife’s help to enhance connections and inspire ideas by guiding the diverse group of participants through professional development training. Attendees included nearly 70 program alumni from twelve countries and local U.S. Embassy staff. Their goal is to reconnect, share professional development experiences, and reflect on the impact of their experiences on themselves and others. These experiences included finding that upon their return from the program, their communities hadn’t changed, that alumni were now viewed as threatening to some but liberating to others. Their relationships with family and close friends were challenged by the disparities between their intellectual growth and the reluctance to accept change from others. 

• Communication and Leadership Effectiveness. To understand the impact of personality on communication and leadership effectiveness while experiencing change, HueLife trainers had participants complete an Insights Discovery profile. The profile provides a foundation for a deeper look into each person’s behavioral patterns regardless of their ethnicity or industry. 
• Engagement and Peak Performance. To explore the concepts of engagement and peak performance through the lens of personality, stress, and change, the group examined the less conscious mind, sleeping memories, and lessons that can either help connect individuals or create barriers. Consideration was also given to the way individuals communicate across cultures and the impact that conversation has on their successes and failure. 

The effectiveness of communication increased. They can now comfortably communicate and engage, hence the people around them responded positively. Among the participants, new relationships were built and existing bonds were strengthened. Participants increased their confidence in taking leadership roles and implementing change.  

Personal growth and changes may be difficult to accommodate for people who are not used to your new ways. Effective conversations will help in handling such circumstances.  

Testimonial: 

“The event [was] organized well and gave the participants enough time to interact with one another. I really enjoyed the presentations by other Muskie Alumnus; the wide range of topics covered so many things – from humanitarian aid and cultural heritage preservation to teaching practices and methods of personal effectiveness. I learned a lot through the Discovery Insights workshop, which offered a new perspective on my work and leadership style.”

– Nurganym Agzamova, Kazakhstan 

“We hoped for a high energy, all-encompassing, miracle type of event that could suit our huge numbers and a diverse group of alumni from 12 countries – and HueLife came to rescue. The uniquely personalized Discovery Insights training became the staple of our event and collected numerous “a-ha” moments and conversation pieces even long after everyone left Kazakhstan. We saw our participants bonding not only over their shared experiences in the U.S. but also over their new discoveries of human dynamics through vivid exercises and highly applicable work-life scenarios. Kudos to HueLife for being a powerhouse like no other!“

– Natalia Etten, Program Officer, Washington, D.C 

Who should consider this training?

Organizations and individuals who want to gain effective communication, leadership, and engagement skills.