Kenya - Working and dealing with the Kenyans
Objectives
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Kenyans, enabling them to be operational right from the start.
At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to to:
- Be aware of their own cultural baggage
- Fully understand Kenyan context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Kenyan 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 Kenyan culture
- An East African nation in the very heart of the Rift Valley
- The impact of colonisation
- A patchwork quilt of tribes and ethnic groups spanning eight provinces
- An agricultural and service-based economy
- The failed dream of long-term political stability
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- Family life as a social bedrock
- A predominantly patriarchal society.
- Christianity, Islam and animism: religious fervour as part of daily life
- An adaptable view of time. The notion of time being subject to the requirements of personal life
- A respect for age and authority
4. The Kenyan corporate world
- A pyramidal company structure
- The differences between the private and public sectors
- The advantages and privileges of decision-makers
- Personal commitment and “fear of the boss”
- The role played by the political parties
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Kenyans
1. Effective communication with the Kenyans
- A reduced personal space
- Greetings and etiquette
- Networking and mediators
- Kenyan English and the advantages of learning Swahili
2. Adapting your working methods
- Building trust and confidence: Prudence, humility and neutrality
- The key qualities of a good manager: experience, qualifications and charisma
- Supervising decisions and dealing with the time required to have them implemented
- The importance of socialising outside work
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Kenyans
- Meeting the key players to improve responsiveness
- Giving relationships that personal touch to get things moving more quickly
- Patience and persistence
- 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
