Beyond language: professional relations with people of different cultures
This course is an essential primer for anyone working in a culturally integrated setting or doing business overseas.
In Intercultural communication for international business we examine the elements that create culture, and show how cultural differences can impact business relationships. We provide skills and tools to assist understanding of the personal, cultural and corporate communication style of another culture, so you can project the right image to be understood, generate trust, and develop good working relationships.
By the end of this workshop you will have an understanding of your own cultural communication style, and how those from other cultural backgrounds might perceive you. You will have a toolkit to experiment with effective communication techniques for communicating more effectively with international colleagues, partners and clients.
Please note that, while this course is an excellent beginning, if you have imminent reason to travel or relocate abroad for business, we recommend that you contact us about resources that can help you prepare more thoroughly.
Program content
- What’s in a culture? We outline the ingredients that create culture, including geography, climate, history, language, and various types of tradition
- Appearances: the facilitator explores manifestations of culture in a number of settings, both work and personal
- Tools to approach intercultural relations: we provide some basic tools that can be used to facilitate relationships when working across cultures
- Specific cases: before the workshop, participants are requested to present the facilitator with the specific intercultural challenges that they face. On the second day of the course, we put the tools in our kit to use and apply them to these challenges through roleplaying scenarios
Learning objectives
- Gain self-awareness: learn about the elements that created your culture, and how that effects your view of other cultures
- Build confidence: cultural competency training promotes self-confidence in individuals and teams through empowerment
- Break down cultural barriers: intercultural training demystifies the ‘other’ and creates awareness of shared humanity
- Build trust: awareness leads to dialogue which leads to understanding which results in trust
- Open horizons: by gaining insight into how others view the world, your opportunities with them grow
- Develop new social skills: and learn to work with different people with sensitivity and empathy
- Develop listening skills: become a better listener, and thereby a better communicator
- Learn to emphasize common ground: and move towards creating a shared understanding
Who should attend
- Anyone who does business with people from or in another country, planning to relocate for business, or who works in a highly culturally diverse team
- Executives
- Managers
- Entrepreneurs
- Team leaders
- Project managers
- Sales representatives
- Healthcare professionals
- Teachers
for more information or to book a course, contact us.