Who Should Attend ?

Company managers and staff working and dealing with the Singaporeans

Benefits of Attendance

The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Singaporeans, 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 the context and the culture of Singapore
• 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 of the Singaporeans

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 Singaporean culture

• A city state surrounded by powerful neighbours
• A multiracial population. Extensive Chinese influence
• Singapore’s British and military heritage
• A successful economy based on trade and industry

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

• The importance of Chinese references and values
• Family traditions, the role of women and children
• The Singaporean approach to time and space: cyclical and unified
• Identifying private and public realms
• Attitudes to groups, hierarchies and authority: a quest for harmony and coherence
• Attitudes to risk and uncertainty

4. The corporate world in Singapore

• The main keys to understanding the way Singaporean companies operate
• Different approaches and working methods.  The notion of quality
• The market and employment: understanding and dealing with a number of specifically Singaporean factors and challenges
• The role of the state and of the Communist Party

Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Singaporeans

1. Effective communication with the Singaporeans

• Information flows, active listening: understanding the true meanings of Yes and No
• The value of the written word and the importance of non-verbal communication
• Identifying connexions and relationships. Maintaining a necessary distance
• The role of the interpreter: ensuring that your message gets across

2. Adapting your working methods

• Local management styles: a well-established sense of hierarchy
• A concept of responsibility similar to that of the Chinese
• Anticipating possible obstacles
• Project management, the team spirit, a sense of service
• Pitfalls to be avoided

3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Singaporeans

• The preparatory phase: negotiation is seen as both an art and a sport
• Identifying decision-makers and power chains/power conflicts
• Identifying negotiation styles
• 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 : allow others to save face
• Protocol and etiquette
• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code, etc
• Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
• Humour: a double-edged sword