Bolivia - Working and dealing with the Bolivians
Objectives
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Bolivians, 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 Bolivian context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Bolivian 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 Bolivian culture
- A Latin American enclave crossed by the Andes
- A patchwork quilt of peoples
- The richness of the country’s pre-Columbian heritage
- Conquistadors, Bolivar and the army: a history of dictatorship
- A fragile economy helped by international aid
- Political renewal: a source of hope
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- The private sphere: a jealously guarded aspect of Bolivian life
- The importance of appearances
- A Catholic tradition and spiritual fervour
- Passion and emotions: a tradition of expressiveness
- The value attached to status and qualifications
- Clearly defined social classes
- A flexible view of time
4. The Bolivian corporate world
- Well-entrenched hierarchical corporate structures
- The importance attached to performance faced with the scourge of inactivity
- The influence of political parties in the labour field
- The prevalence of corruption
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Bolivians
1. Effective communication with the Bolivians
- Formality, small talk and politeness
- A direct but moderate communication style
- The importance of networks and networking
- Bolivian Spanish, regional dialects and English for business
2. Adapting your working methods
- Effective management: discipline, experience and leadership
- Building trust and confidence: kindness, an open mind and accessibility
- Managing and supervising: moderation, fairness and coherence
- Avoiding jealousy. Dealing with touchy and sensitive people
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Bolivians
- Identifying and defining strategies
- Giving relationships that personal touch to improve feedback and dialogue
- Paying careful attention to contractual documents
- Maintaining and developing contacts
4. Final handy tips
- Caution, patience and humility
- Protocol and etiquette
- Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code, etc
- Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
- Humour: a double-edged sword
