Guinea - Working and dealing with the Guineans
Objectives
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Guineans, 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 Guinean context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Guinean 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 Guinean culture
- West African nation long known for its resources
- A multiethnic society
- The Muslim traditions of this secular state
- The impact of French colonisation
- The stigma left by years of repression and political instability
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- Family values
- The changing status of Guinean women
- A sense of friendship and personal relationships
- A rather haphazard view of time
- A respect for age and status
- A community-based tradition: the significant role of tribes and ethnic groups
4. The Guinean corporate world
- A hierarchical and paternalistic company structure
- Formality and etiquette: an integral part of business life
- Working methods and the notion of quality
- The role of politics and influential friends
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Guineans
1. Effective communication with the Guineans
- An oral tradition
- The importance of non-verbal communication
- The deceptive advantage offered by the use of the French language
2. Adapting your working methods
- Effective management: a businesslike attitude, leadership and temperance
- Building trust and confidence: a willingness to listen, perseverance and humanity
- Supervising: dealing with touchy or sensitive people
- Encouraging feedback
- Striking the right balance between firmness and flexibility
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Guineans
- Forging relationships: the importance of small-talk and socialising
- Meeting the right people
- Establishing your credibility
- The importance of keeping your word
- Time, priority and deadline management
- 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
