Using the Intercultural Development Inventory to Build Intercultural Competence and Inclusive Practices as Evaluators

Many of our partners and clients have asked about the strategies and tools we use at OMNI to build our intercultural competence and inclusive practices, as part of our broader commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). One tool we’ve found instrumental is the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®).

Recognizing its potential to deepen our EDI work, our EDI Director, Dr. Paola Molina, trained as a Qualified Administrator (QA). The IDI is one of many resources we employ as part of our EDI Action Plan. In Part 1 here, we want to share some reflections on integrating the IDI into our organizational work, focusing on our internal use. We will follow up in an upcoming blog on how we’ve utilized it in projects.

What is the IDI?

The IDI is a theory-based, developmental psychometric instrument grounded in a comprehensive, cross-culturally validated intercultural competence theory. What does that really mean? Let’s consider three key components of the IDI.

1. Psychometric Instrument: The IDI measures an individual's or group's mindset and skillset, helping better understand successes and challenges related to intercultural interactions.

2. Developmental Assessment: It assesses intercultural competence, empowering individuals and groups to increase their effectiveness in engaging with cultural differences. The IDI measures progression along a pathway of increasing complexity in understanding and responding to cultural differences, facilitating cooperative conversations and growth.

3. Continuum Measurement: Intercultural competence is measured on a continuum ranging from monocultural orientations (Denial and Polarization) to a transitional mindset (Minimization) to more intercultural or global mindsets (Acceptance and Adaptation).

The IDI serves as a tool for both group and individual intercultural competence assessment and development. When teams take the IDI, two reports are generated:

• Individual Profile Report: Provides information about an individual’s mindset and skillset toward cultural differences and commonality. Participants also receive an Individual Development Plan (IDP) designed to enhance intercultural competence through self-guided activities such as reflection questions, engaging in relevant activities, and accessing learning opportunities.

• Group Profile Report: Provides insights into a group’s perspectives on cultural differences and commonality, developmental opportunities, and potential organizational implications.

These reports enable individuals to work on their own growth while understanding and engaging in conversations about where the group stands collectively.   

How We Use the IDI

At OMNI, we have used the IDI both internally with our senior leadership team and on health equity training and capacity-building projects with clients. In this blog, we focus on our internal use of the IDI.

Assessing OMNI’s Leadership Team with the IDI

OMNI’s leadership team took the IDI assessment in June 2023 as part of advancing our EDI action plan and fostering a more inclusive culture. With the results in hand, each member of our leadership team met with Dr. Molina to review individual results, discuss where we are on the continuum, and reflect on our IDP for personal growth. Subsequently, Dr. Molina facilitated a group discussion to interpret our group profile and foster accountability and continuous growth as a team. In that meeting, our leadership team committed to:

• Weaving discussions around group and individual development related to intercultural differences into our regular team meetings.

• Inviting leaders to take the IDI annually to benchmark progress and track growth.

• Increasing engagement in OMNI’s voluntary Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) monthly learning meetings.

• Identifying new objectives to support our EDI Action Plan, embedding equity in our organizational culture, service production, delivery, and business operations.

Learning Lessons

The IDI has helped us understand both our current state of intercultural competence and a pathway for our future. By pinpointing developmental opportunities and revealing gaps between self-perception and actual actions, the IDI has provided a roadmap for growth.

One significant impact of utilizing the IDI is how it has facilitated open and candid conversations within our leadership team. Through the lens of the IDI, we've discussed individual perceptions, biases, and what inclusive leadership means to each of us. This internal learning journey has fostered a culture of vulnerability and continuous improvement within our team.

Our journey with the IDI has been transformative, providing valuable insights and actionable strategies to enhance our intercultural competence. By integrating the IDI into our practices, we have gained a clearer understanding of our current capacity and identified specific areas for growth. This process has underscored the importance of continuous learning and open dialogue in fostering an inclusive culture. As we move forward, we remain committed to leveraging the IDI and other tools and resources within our EDI Action Plan to drive meaningful progress.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we will explore how we have applied the IDI to our client projects.