Lithuania - Working and dealing with the Lithuanians
Benefits of Attendance
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Lithuanians, 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 Lithuanian context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Lithuanian decision-making and negotiation processes
Training Approach
- Exercises and case studies based on the experience of participants in the company
- Personalized action plan and cross-cultural strategies
- 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 : 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 Lithuanian culture
- A Baltic state located at a meeting point between the Russian and Polish cultures
- A uniform society with significant minorities
- A changing economy
- The challenges of European integration
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- A male-dominated and patriarchal society currently undergoing change
- Basic values, customs and practices
- A devoutly Catholic nation
- The importance of appearances
- National pride
- Humour and level-headedness
- Self-control
4. The Lithuanian corporate world
- Lithuania's changing management culture
- Relatively concerted decision-making processes
- Privileges and favouritism
- The importance and recognition of skills
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Lithuanians
1. Effective communication with the Lithuanians
- Greetings, etiquette and politeness
- The power of visual aspects and non-verbal communication
- The importance of networking
- The value of learning Lithuanian
2. Adapting your working methods
- Reliability, charisma and experience.
- Flexibility, tolerance and an open mind
- Distance and sociability: striking the right balance
- The advantages of joint decision-making where feedback and follow-up are concerned
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Lithuanians
- Forging relationships and giving them that personal touch
- Setting the scene. Defining the context for your meeting
- Discipline and professionalism
- 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
- Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
- Humour: a double-edged sword
