Réunion - Working and dealing with the Réunionnais French
Benefits of Attendance
The aim of this seminar is to significantly improve the participants’ effectiveness in their professional relationships with the Réunionnais, 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 Réunionnais context and culture
- Analyse possible situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating
- Reduce stress and misunderstandings
- Decipher and understand Réunionnais 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 Réunionnais culture
- A French overseas département at a crossroads between Africa and Asia
- The largest island of the Mascareignes Archipelago
- Mascarin, Bourbon, La Réunion: historical timeline
- A multi-ethnic and multiracial society
- A tropical climate with volcanic influences
- An economy chiefly based on agriculture and tourism
3. The impact of values and behaviour patterns on professional dealings and relationships
- Family and community: Key factors
- Individualistic cultural development
- Monotheism and paganism
- A flexible and adaptable view of time
- Significant social disparities
- Festivities: important social occasions
4. The Réunionnais corporate world
- A liberal, state-supervised company structure
- Concerted decision-making, though open to discussion
- A fragile labour market
Module 2 : Succeeding in work with the Réunionnais
1. Effective communication with the Réunionnais
- The importance of networking
- Understanding verbal communication
- Implicit and unspoken communication
- The French language and Creole used on a daily basis
2. Adapting your working methods
- Effective management: an open mind, flexibility and charisma
- Recognising and praising individual performance
- Cafres, Z'oreilles, Malabars, Malgaches, Petits Blancs…: successfully managing plurality
- Lenient and benevolent supervision to encourage feedback
- Rumours and reputation: the importance of maintaining a respectful distance
- Pitfalls to be avoided
3. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Réunionnais
- Establishing your credibility
- Strategies for successfully forging relationships based on trust and confidence
- Responsiveness and inventiveness
- The value and obligations of a written contract
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
