Slovakia - Working and dealing with the Slovaks
Benefits of Attendance
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Slovaks 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 Slovak context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Slovak 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 Slovak culture
- An outstanding natural and cultural heritage
- A tradition of Catholicism
- From Czechoslovakia to the Slovak Republic
- A uniform society with distinctive minorities
- The challenges of European integration
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- The Slavic tradition
- Courtesy and a respect for age
- The cult of friendship
- A well-entrenched rural and communal tradition
- Prudence and self-control
- A rigid view of time
4. The Slovak corporate world
- The continuing impact of the Soviet system
- Punctuality, hierarchy and formality
- Concerted decision-making
- Working methods and the notion of quality
- Professional relationships
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Slovaks
1. Effective communication with the Slovaks
- Avoid talking needlessly
- The importance of eye contact
- The role of non-verbal communication
- Russian or Slovak?: Some pitfalls to be avoided
2. Adapting your working methods
- Moderation, a spirit of initiative and professionalism
- Managing and leading
- Actively encouraging feedback
- Encouraging joint decision-making
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Slovaks
- The importance of out of work activities in the business world
- Reliability and coherence
- Demonstrating your professionalism
- 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
