Who Should Attend ?

Employees preparing for an assignment in Venezuela 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 Venezuela.

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

• Be aware of their own cultural baggage
• Understand Venezuelan context and the culture
• Analyse situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating more effectively
• Reduce and manage the symptoms of culture shock
• Understand Venezuelan 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 Venezuela

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 Venezuelan culture

• A multiethnic and multicultural country
• A major player on the international scene
• An outstanding tropical heritage
• An economy marked by inequality and heavily influenced by oil production

3. Venezuelan values and behaviour patterns

• A macho society currently undergoing change
• Venezuela’s longstanding catholic tradition
• Hospitality and tolerance
• Emotion and passion
• Socialization via festivals and entertainment
• The importance attached to appearances
• A free and unfettered approach to time

4. Practical day-to-day information in Venezuelan

• Focus on the host town
• Transport, administration, housing, hygiene and healthcare
• The problem of urban violence
• Social life, leisure activities
• Learning the language
• Schools, extracurricular activities, sport

Module 2 : Successful professionnal integration in Venezuela

1. The Venezuelan corporate world

• A centralised company structure
• A commitment to one’s work. Adaptability
• The myth of the American model
• Advantages and privileges.  Criminal organizations and corruption

2. Effective communication with the Venezuelans

• The importance of greetings and courtesy.
• The importance of eye contact and gestures
• A direct and informal communication style
• Spanish and English for business

3. Working with Venezuelan teams

• Effective management: flexibility, an open mind and modesty.
• Building trust and confidence: leading by example
• Supervision and an ability to listen
• Joint decision-making
• Maximising team spirit and cohesion

4. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Venezuelans

• Building a climate of trust
• Establishing your credibility: professionalism, legitimacy and perseverance
• Preparing the post-negotiation phase
• Written contracts, their interpretation and implications

5. Final handy tips

• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code
• Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
• The Venezuelan sense of humour.