Concepts and Objectives

Culture influences the assumptions human beings make about basic questions. In the workplace it produces different attitudes (to time, hierarchy, teamwork, planning and rewards), different working practices and different styles of communication

This seminar is designed to allow participants to explore their own cultural conditioning and then confront it with that of others. The focus is on understanding the relativity of our own assumptions, learning something about other people’s and then applying this to working relations and communication.

Participants

This seminar is designed for a group of maximum 10 participants who work in a multicultural environment. All participants will be asked to complete a pre-course questionnaire, to ensure that seminar contents are relevant.

This seminar is held entirely in English and participants should thus have a “good working knowledge” of the language. We are happy to interview participants in case of doubt.

Content

• know yourself: an opportunity to explore our own attitudes to time, communication, interpersonal relations, truth. Our view of “normality” as a relative concept;
• how others see us: what preconceived ideas and stereotypical views do my partners hold of us? Differences in perception and implications for our own behaviour;
• learn something: the facts we need to know about the cultures we have dealings with; the factual bases for values, attitudes and behaviour;
• how we see others: awareness of stereotypes and their limitations; tools for building models to help us understand other cultures (facts > attitudes > behaviour);
• communication: good communication practice in different cultural environments.

Methodology

The approach is active, practical and involving. Simulations, with feedback and analysis and interactive exercises are the main vehicles for this seminar. Reference may be made to the work of Hofstede, Trompenaars, Hall and others, as well as to original research carried out by Canning. However, theory is kept to a necessary minimum, with the focus on the practical implications of cross-cultural variables and solutions to real problems.

Format, Venue, Timing

The format is usually a 1-day workshop which can be held at Canning Italia in Milan or on your company premises everywhere in Italy and abroad. Please contact our offices on +39 02 4801 5840 or send and enquiry to Indirizzo e-mail protetto dal bots spam , deve abilitare Javascript per vederlo . We will be happy to discuss your needs.