Who Should Attend ?

Company managers and staff working and dealing with the Malays

Benefits of Attendance

The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Malays, enabling them to be operational right from the start.

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

• Be aware of their own cultural baggage
• Fully understand Malay context and culture
• Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
• Reduce stress and misunderstandings
• Decipher and understand Malay 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 Malay culture

• A country situated at a crossroads between India and Asia
• The impact of colonialism
• A multiethnic and multi-confessional society
• A strong political authority, a dynamic economy
• The educational system

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

• The family: a cornerstone of society
• The Islamic tradition
• A sense of hospitality and natural restraint
• The changing role of Malaysian women
• A respect for status and age
• Tolerance and courtesy
• A flexible view of time
• A constant quest for harmony

4. The Malay corporate world

• A paternalistic tradition
• Devotion to work and personal commitment
• The impact of the Chinese and Indian communities in the business world
• Professional relationships

Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Malays

1. Effective communication with the Malays

• Understanding discrete gestural communication
• The spoken language as a source of social cohesion
• The importance of networking
• Communication styles and methods
• The advantages of learning the Indo-Malaysian language

2. Adapting your working methods

• Establishing your credibility: experience and leadership
• Effective management: supervising, listening and advising
• Giving relationships that personal touch
• Responsibilities and decision-making
• Motivating, delegating, providing feedback and praise, conflict resolution

3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Malays

• Building trust and confidence outside the working environment
• Identifying negotiation styles and decision-makers
• Time, priority and deadline management
• 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