Who Should Attend ?

Managers of multicultural Project teams working internationally

Benefits of Attendance

The objective of this seminar is to significantly improve the participant’s ability to coordinate an international project team federating different working approaches. By the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to help them to:

• Identify and make the most of cross-cultural advantages
• Improve the team’s efficiency using an adequate way of communicating
• Manage an international transverse project
• Create group consciousness and  team dynamics
• Develop distance-working skills
• Adapt their working methods to a virtual environment

Training Approach

• Exercises and case studies based on the experience of the participants in the company
• Personalized Action Plan and cross-cultural strategies
• Access to the Nomad’ Network, an exclusive online tool for Akteos’ clients and experts: find resources, exchange experiences, knowledge and insights

Programme Outline

Module 1: Setting up a project with a multicultural team

1. Meeting the challenge and the opportunity of international project teams

• Building high-performing teams (characteristics and life cycle)
• Meeting the triple challenge of managing across cultures, organisations and distances

2. Understanding the impact of cultural differences on professional relationships

• Understanding the fundamentals of culture and value systems
• Stereotypes and the dream of a common language
• From culture shock to synergy: the different stages of cultural adaptation

3. Mapping cultural differences

• Surfacing the differences in working practices and communication styles
• Harmonising working and decision making practices
• Recognise, respect and reconcile cultural differences

4. Managing across cultures : communicating direction

• Getting the team to work toward a common goal
• Communicating direction: getting your message across using the appropriate style

Module 2: Organisation and roles

1. Managing across organisations

• Identifying the players and interests in a matrix environment
• Building on the four cornerstones of transversal management: cooperation, communication, control and community
• Adapting your management style

2. Defining common process

• Defining common practices in terms of organization and communication
• Managing international teleconferences effectively
• Constructing shared meaning through a range of communication styles

3. Defining roles and responsibilities

• Identifying the roles/skills needed
• Clarifying roles and responsibilities
• Leveraging complementarity

4. Effective team communication strategies

• Communicating the operational framework, roles and responsibilities
• Preventing and managing miscommunication

Module 3: Optimising team synergy

1. Managing across distances

• Meeting the challenge of managing across distances: leadership, organisation, and relationships
• Using ICT to optimise efficiency

2. Supporting your team : coaching

• Empowerment, coaching and feedback
• Effective questioning techniques
• Adapting your listening style to the other person’s  communication  style

3. Motivating your team

• Giving feedback in an intercultural environment
• Improving team performance : affirmative/developmental feedback
• Adapting your communication style

4. Handling conflict and building a culture of cooperation

• Cultural attitudes to conflict
• Communicating difficult messages
• Surfacing and managing conflict
• Synergy through differences: best practices