The Baltic States - Working and dealing with the Balts
Objectives
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Balts, 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 Baltic context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Baltic 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 Baltic culture
- Three countries, three languages and three cultures
- Russian domination and the scars left by the USSR
- A strange and piercing climate
- Ancient civilisations with well-rooted traditions
- The combination of an economic miracle and social precariousness
- The challenges of European integration
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- Strong maternal and family ties
- Detail and precision
- Self-control and mistrust of others
- A closer relationship with nature
- Pride in one's identity
- Individuality as part of a group
4. The corporate world in the Baltic States
- The persistence of Soviet mindsets
- The influence of the American model
- A discreet, caring State
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Balts
1. Effective communication with the Balts
- The sound of silence
- Stating, listening and asking
- Networking and immediate communication
- The "Russian question": pitfalls to be avoided
2. Adapting your working methods
- Dealing with touchy and sensitive people. The Balts’ sense of honour
- Supervising, managing and verifying
- Centralised decision-making, though open to discussion
- Building loyalty: the role played by the working environment
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Balts
- Effective preparation. Demonstrating your professionalism
- Follow-up, perseverance and faith
- 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, etc
- Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
- Humour: a double-edged sword
