Who Should Attend ?

Employees preparing for an assignment in Mexico and their partners

Benefits of Attendance

This seminar aims at significantly improving the ability of the participants to meet the challenges of living and working abroad. The objective is to enable them to identify the stumbling blocks that lie ahead and to be able to adapt and integrate in Mexico.

At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:

• Be aware of their own cultural baggage
• Understand Mexican context and culture
• Analyse situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating more effectively
• Reduce and manage the symptoms of culture shock
• Understand Mexican mindset, work practices, decision-making processes and negotiating styles
• Strike the right balance between personal et professional lives

Training Approach

• A cross-cultural approach of International Mobility
• Country specific trainers
• Personalized and familiy focused action plan
• 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 : Successful personnal integration in Mexico

1. Cross-cultural awareness : the key to a successful expatriation

• Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
• Culture shock and the integration process
• Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes

2. Key aspects of Mexican culture

• A racially mixed country proud of its identity
• Historical influences
• The critical influence of religion
• A country with a very promising future
• Education: a means of social betterment

3. Mexican values and behaviour patterns

• The role of the mother: a national institution
• Festive traditions
• An elastic view of time
• A spirit of hospitality
• A class-based society

4. Practical day-to-day information

• Focus on the host town
• Security: vital precautions to be taken
• Transport, administration, housing, hygiene and healthcare
• Countless cultural treasures waiting to be discovered
• Social life, schools, extracurricular activities, sport

Module 2 : Successful professionnal integration in Mexico

1. The Mexican corporate world

• Mexican companies: a highly paternalistic environment
• A strong hierarchy
• The importance of status
• The influence of politicians and political parties

2. Effective communication with the Mexicans

• Openness and sociability: avoiding the pitfalls of familiarity
• Correctly interpreting gestures
• Maintaining your image and your standing
• Mexican Spanish, the English language and the role of the interpreter

3. Working with Mexican teams

• Building trust and confidence: forging personal relationships
• Managing fairly and sensibly
• Taking decisions without ruffling feathers
• Motivating, delegating, providing feedback and handling conflicts

4. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Mexicans

• Personal commitment
• Taking all participants into account
• Learning to be patient
• Work time verses leisure time
• The value of the written word

5. Final handy tips

• Caution, patience and humility
• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code and appearance
• Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion