Slovenia - Working and dealing with the Slovenes
Benefits of Attendance
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Slovenia 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 Slovene context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Slovene 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 Slovene culture
- A tiny enclave-state
- An ethnically uniform but socially divided society
- The impact of the Yugoslav conflict
- A stable and prosperous nation
- The challenges of European integration
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- A progressive and egalitarian society
- The tradition of hospitality
- The family: a social bedrock
- Honour and identity
- An organized approach to time
- Socialization through sport and entertainment
4. The Slovene corporate world
- An employee-friendly company structure
- A focus on productivity and performance
- Working methods and the notion of quality
- Professional relationships
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Slovenes
1. Effective communication with the Slovenes
- An explicit communication style
- Deciphering non-verbal communication
- The importance of networking
- The advantage of learning Slovenian for business
2. Adapting your working methods
- Building trust to gain respect
- Dealing with touchy or sensitive people
- An emphasis on cooperation and a willingness to listen
- Encouraging feedback
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Slovenes
- Reliability, precision and efficiency
- Initiating a mutually beneficial relationship
- Giving relationships that personal touch
- 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
- Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
- Humour: a double-edged sword
