Who Should Attend ?

Company managers and staff working and dealing with the Chileans

Benefits of Attendance

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

• A Latin American giant
• A generally uniform population 
• A well-established catholic tradition
• The painful impact of the military dictatorship
• The delicate political and economic situation

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

• The continued existence of "machismo"
• The influence of the religious institutions
• Pride and a sense of honour
• An inflexible class system
• A sarcastic sense of humour
• Emphasis and expressiveness
• The importance attached to qualifications and status

4. The Chilean corporate world

• A somewhat conservative organisational structure
• Concerted decision-making
• A strong work ethic
• The role of the state and of the church

Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Chileans

1. Effective communication with the Chileans

• The rules of gestural and non-verbal communication
• Implicit communication
• Spanish and English for business

2. Adapting your working methods

• Building trust and confidence: education, experience and an open mind
• Effective management: responsibility and decision-making
• Dealing with touchy or sensitive people
• Anticipating reticence
• The role of mediators

3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Chileans

• Discipline and punctuality
• Identifying strategies
• Creating a favourable climate
• Understanding written contracts, their interpretation and 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