Working Effectively Across Cultures

An introductory intercultural sensitization workshop designed to enhance communication skills with customers, suppliers and colleagues from different business cultures worldwide.

This workshop is an introductory cultural ‘sensitization’ workshop. It is designed to help participants to understand, experience and develop effective cross-cultural communication with customers, suppliers and colleagues from a variety of different business cultures. Its overall target is to provide participants with a challenging and stimulating experience of the importance of cultural adaptation in their business life and also to equip them with a tool with which to prepare personal strategies for communicating their business messages effectively across cultures.

 

Specific Targets

  • To provide participants with an overview of the positive and negative effects of cross-cultural business communication in a dynamic, practical, challenging and enjoyable training atmosphere.
  • To provide participants with a tool and a ‘language’ to analyse and adapt to each others cultural viewpoints and behaviours with a view to minimising misunderstandings and to creating a basis for improved cross border communication.
  • To analyse and compare key aspects of a range of business cultures relating to TLC’s members’ operations e.g. China, India, Korea and France.
  • To leave the participants with a strong sense of the importance of cultural adaptation and the determination to apply their new learning to their actual job situations.  

 

Workshop Leader

Since 1993, Brian Howe has been a trainer, adviser and coach in the area of cross-cultural communication to some of the world’s leading companies and organisations. His company, Jacaranda Training, delivers workshops and consultancy services throughout Europe and beyond.

 

Workshop Programme

 

Meeting & Greeting

Communication seen as ‘programmed behaviour’. An Introductory demonstration.

 

What is ‘Culture’?

Understanding ourselves before we try to understand others.

 

Communication as the Vehicle for your Message

 

The Planet Simulation

Finding out what it’s like to be on ‘the other side’!

 

Putting Ourselves on the Culture Matrix

Using the Jacaranda Culture Matrix to identify what we have in common and what might separate us from a variety of other business cultures.

 

Where it Matters: The Key Business Pressure Points

Where your communication vehicle can enhance or hinder your message across cultures.  A brief overview of such situations as meetings, presentations, time orientation, telephone calls, people management, decision making processes & electronic communication.

 

Arguing & Defending Your Case Across Cultures

A Review of Different Thinking processes around the world.

 

Focus on Key ‘Culture Zones’

A brief overview of some of the key business behaviours in countries and regions around the world.

 

Open Forum

Sharing experiences so far. Next steps.

 

Note: Participants will receive a short pre-session questionnaire to allow the trainer to focus the workshop on specific experience and need. 

 

Next Steps

Meeting the World is an introductory programme for those doing business in any culture of the world. For those requiring more depth on specific business cultures, a series of country and region specific programmes is available e.g. Working Successfully with China, Working Successfully with Japan, Negotiating with the French.

 

 

Maximum number of delegates: 15

 

Cost: 2 units

 

To register please email our Training Co-ordinator on registrations@thelearningcollaboration.com 


Download: /object/course/8150/doc/TLC_Working Effectively Across Cultures.pdf