Who should attend ?

Company managers and staff working and dealing with the Angolans

Benefits of Attendance

The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Angolans 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 Angolan context and culture
• Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
• Reduce stress and misunderstandings
• Decipher and understand decision-making and negotiation processes

Training Approach

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 Angolan culture

• Angola: a huge, multi-faceted country
• A multiethnic but relatively uniform population
• A substantial international community in the multiethnic urban areas
• The impact of poverty
• The post-war nation
• Exponential growth and a subsistence economy
• The educational system and its problems

3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships

• Community-mindedness and a respect for age are both key aspects
• Changing traditions after 30 years of war
• The relative transformation of the role of women
• A significant musical and artistic tradition
• Time as a power-enhancing strategy
• Mediation as opposed to confrontation

4. The Angolan corporate world

• Angolan companies: a clear hierarchical structure
• The “Angolanization” of executive staff.  A work ethic to be instilled
• Women within the company and the importance of intermediaries
• The power of the state and the authorities.

Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Angolans

1. Effective communication with the Angolans

• The emphasis on verbal communication
• Friendly and informal interpersonal relationships
• The ambiguity of life as a western manager in Angola
• The special characteristics of Angolan Portuguese

2. Adapting your working methods

• The special characteristics of corporate life in Angola
• Angolan executive staff and their relationship with expatriates
• Responsibilities and decision-making: patience and firmness
• Maintaining trust and confidence: dealing with touchy people
• Identifying cultural traits and customs
• Understanding organizational structures, procedures and decision-making processes
• Anticipating possible obstacles
• Project management, the team spirit, a sense of service
• Pitfalls to be avoided

3. Successful meetings and negotiations with Angolans

• Long term preparations
• Identifying decision makers
• The special characteristics of Angolan contracts and their 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