Costa Rica - Working and dealing with the Costa Ricans
Objectives
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Costa Ricans, enabling them to be operational right from the start.
At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:
- Be aware of their own cultural baggage
- Fully understand Costa Rican context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Costa Rican decision-making and negotiation processes
Programme Outline
Module 1 : Understanding cultural differences
1. Intercultural awareness, the key to success in international business
- Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
- The basics of effective intercultural management
- Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes
2. Key aspects of Costa Rican culture
- A Latin American country with extensive resources.
- Ticos, Nicas, Cabecar, Bribri, Afro-Costa Ricans: a multi-ethnic population
- A well entrenched tradition of Catholicism
- Remarkable economic and political stability
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- Hospitality, friendliness and a general love of life
- The significant and fundamental role of family life
- A macho tradition
- Religious fervour
- The importance of the work ethic
- Laughter and a sense of humour
- “Tico-time”: an adaptable view of time
- Dances and festivities: collective social activities
4. The Costa Rican corporate world
- A hierarchical company structure involving concerted decision making
- The importance attached to status
- Working methods and the notion of quality
- The role of the state, the church and the authorities
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Costa Ricans
1. Effective communication with the Costa Ricans
- Implicit and roundabout communication
- The importance of formalities
- An extensive use of gestural communication
- The advantages of learning Spanish
2. Adapting your working methods
- Taking account of regional differences
- The right combination: leadership, qualifications and experience
- Patience, discipline and perseverance
- Building trust and confidence: respecting others and giving praise where praise is due
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Costa Ricans
- Discovering and understanding the local situation
- Giving relationships that personal touch and developing social links
- Time, priority and deadline management
- Understanding written contracts, their interpretation and implications
- Organising the post-negotiation phase
4. Final handy tips
- Caution, patience and humility
- Protocol and etiquette
- Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code
- Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
- Humour: a double-edged sword
