Cross-cultural Communication

Why Cross-cultural Communication training?  When working with colleagues from other countries and cultures have you ever been frustrated by the fact that they do things in ways that are fundamentally different to your own? That their priorities in the workplace may differ to yours? That they seem to be sending you mixed messages—and that their body language is confusing?

The role of Cross-cultural Communication training: These different attitudes and behaviours are more than likely to be conditioned by culture—values, assumptions and perceptions that are instilled early on in life and are expressed in the way we behave and interact. These cultural influences are so deep that we act upon them instinctively—in everything we do, from the way we stand and talk, to the way we deal with superiors, conflict and decision-making. Since these differences are so deep and intuitive, they can lead to substantial misunderstanding and miscommunication. Nowhere can this be more detrimental than in an international workplace, where misunderstandings based on culture can make or break lucrative business deals, international mergers and any other type of cross-cultural working.

Communicaid’s Cross-cultural Communication courses will raise your cultural awareness and enable you to communicate effectively across cultures. Designed in close collaboration with you and your organisation, our Cross-cultural Communication courses will develop your own cross-cultural skills and enable you to work more effectively with counterparts from other cultures.

Benefits

Communicaid’s Cross-cultural Communication course will provide you with:

- In-depth cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication skills for understanding of the

  impact of cultural differences on working relationships

- The necessary foundation and tools to become culturally competent

- A better understanding of the cross-cultural challenges facing multicultural workplaces

- The opportunity to enhance cultural sensitivity and competence

- Practical tools to reduce cultural misunderstandings and encourage positive cross-cultural  

  working relationships

Who should attend

Communicaid’s Cross-cultural Communication course will be of benefit to you if:

- Your organisation is growing its business beyond national borders

- You and your staff are increasingly working with colleagues in other countries

- Your staff is becoming more culturally diverse

- You are involved in multinational projects and programmes

Course content

All our Cross-cultural Communication courses are designed to meet the specific needs of our clients depending on their specific requirements and existing skills set.   A Cross-cultural Communication skills course typically includes:

- What is cultural awareness and what does it mean to have cross-cultural communication

  skills?  

- Cultural values and attitudes (time, space, group dynamics, authority, tasks, relationships)

- Communication styles

- Cross-cultural management skills

- Working together across cultures

- Developing cross-cultural communication skills  

- Language issues

- Tips and strategies for specific countries

Approach

Cross-cultural Communication courses are available seven days a week, 365 days a year, either at one of our training centres in London, Paris, Frankfurt and New York or at your offices in any location worldwide.  We usually recommend a one or two day course but can also offer a more flexible format to suit your schedule.

Suitably tailored cross-cultural communication skills materials will be used throughout your Cross-cultural Communication course and your trainer will provide a balance of structured input and discussion of case studies and scenarios relevant to your own particular context.

The most appropriate training format, content and approach for your Cross-cultural Communication course will be discussed during your diagnostic consultancy (please click here to read more about our approach).

Cross-cultural Communication course trainer

Your Cross-cultural Communication course trainer will be assigned to you following the results of your diagnostic consultancy according to your objectives and areas of focus.  Detailed below is a sample profile.

AMB

AMB combines her own first-hand experience of living and working in numerous different cultures with academic studies and extensive work experience in the field of cultural awareness. She has personally relocated across cultures several times since childhood and has an empathetic appreciation for those living and working across cultures.

German by birth, AMB completed her secondary education in London and Brussels, and then returned to the UK to undertake her first degree.  After graduating, she worked at the European Commission in Brussels, then spent seven years in Washington, DC, editing the European Commission’s EUROPE magazine.  On her return to the UK, AMB worked as a freelance consultant, maintaining her links with the European Commission providing liaison, translation and cultural awareness services.   More recently, AMB worked as European Officer for Brighton and Hove City Council for two years, before returning to full-time education to pursue her Masters.  She graduated from the University of Luton at the end of 2003 completing her dissertation on the role of culture in international mergers.

AMB has delivered many Cross-cultural Communication courses since joining Communicaid at the beginning of 2004 working with a number of key clients including Gillette, Adidas, Colt Telecom and GSK.  She has recently relocated to France and delivers cross-cultural communication courses in both the UK and France.