Who Should Attend

Anyone working in an international environment and willing to acquire cross-cultural communication and work more efficiently with foreign counterparts.

Benefits of Attendance

The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with foreign contacts, enabling them to be operational right from the start. By the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:

• Understand the culture of the people with whom they interact professionally
• Be aware of their own cultural preferences
• Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of improving communication
• Making the most of cultural differences and the added value they generate
• Reduce stress and misunderstandings in a cross-cultural environment
• Successfully work within a multicultural environment

Training Approach

• A comparison of European, Latin, Anglo-Saxon and oriental business practices
• Exercises and case studies based on the experiences of 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

The following programme is based on examples taken from European, Latin, Anglo-Saxon and Oriental cultures

Module 1: Estimating the influence of culture on behaviour

1. Getting to understand the origins of every culture

• Estimating the influence of historical conflicts
• Measuring the impact of economy, geography and regionalisms
• Identifying the role of religious doctrines, philosophies and social norms.

2. Identifying cultural differences in a Global World

• Getting to understand different mindsets
• Detecting what unite/divide people
• Identifying factors of homogeneity

3. Measuring the consequences of one's culture on his working styles

• Understanding the importance of power distance
• Detecting the degree of masculinity and femininity
• Measuring one’s tolerance for change and uncertainty
• Identifying individualist and collectivist cultures
• Approaching different types of time management (linear, circular, rigid, flexible)

4. Estimating the influence of time

• Distinguishing rigid and flexible time conceptions
• Detecting monochronism and polychronism
• Approaching rhythm and dynamism
• Understanding the differences between a linear and a circular time conception

Module 2: Optimizing your working choices

1. Identifying key cross-cultural management skills

• Analysing cultural profiles (personal/national)
• Estimating the advantages and drawbacks of cultural diversity
• Detecting one’s main strengths and weak spots
• Cultural development and personal challenge: impacts on my job

2. Adapting your communication

• Understanding the meanings of words and getting to know how to pass on a message
• Identifying ways of questioning
• Learning how to use ambiguity and clarity
• Examining one’s attitudes, body language, silences and space management
• Learning the characteristics of long-distance communication

3. Creating a climate of trust

• Detecting cultural customs and codes
• Proceeding using consensus or conflict
• Understanding the organization, methods and decision processes
• Identifying how networks and clans work
• Anticipating tough issues

4. Adapting your working methodology

• Managing time and priorities
• Identifying  decision-makers and  power struggles
• Optimizing meetings depending on cultures
• Detecting different negotiation styles
• Understanding the characteristics of a contract