Virtual Cultural Awareness Training

Home-based Training for Home Workers

In these difficult times, many of Global Business Culture’s clients are looking at innovative approaches to learning & development delivery as a way of both keeping the learning process moving and helping drive motivation and engagement for colleagues who are currently having to work from home. Many of these colleagues remain focused on cross-border activities and now is a perfect time to help them improve their ability to work across the barriers of culture, geography, language and culture through virtual cultural awareness training.

In order to continue to support our clients during these challenging months we have put together a comprehensive series of short, punchy 60-minute virtual cultural awareness webinar workshop sessions which address some of the key elements of effective cross-border working:

• Developing International Business Relations
• Effective Cross-border Communication
• Managing in a Global Virtual Environment
• Country-specific Briefings
• Managing International Conference Calls

These courses can be taken as a block of five workshops over a set period or clients can use this as a pick-and-mix menu by selecting the areas of most interest to them.

In addition to these virtual cultural awareness webinars we are also able to support organisations through our cultural awareness digital learning hub, Global Business Compass. This online portal provides a wealth of learning opportunities including:

• A general introduction to cultural differences eLearning programme
• Video masterclasses by internationally recognised cultural awareness expert Keith Warburton
• Country-specific eLearning modules
• 40 country-specific cultural profiles
• 40 country-specific factsheets
• Interesting blogs on lots of different aspects of global cultural difference

Taken together, the webinars and online digital hub allow companies to offer a truly comprehensive learning & development support package to people who are currently home-working.

Virtual Cultural Awareness Training Webinars

An overview of the content of the virtual workshops we are offering can be found below:

Developing International Client Relations

This programme looks at the cultural aspects underlying all cross-border working with a view to asking people to reassess their global interactions. Topics covered include:

• How cultural differences impact on relationship-building
• Being aware of our own cultural bias
• Understanding client expectations
• Adapting to expectations of international contacts
• Some key elements impacting on effective client relationship-building:
  • Effective meetings
  • Getting to decisions
  • Communication

Effective Cross-border Communication

 Communication is always difficult but cross-border communication can be even more challenging due to different style of language used in different countries and the fact that we all speak different native languages. This programme looks to improve people’s ability to communicate effective across cultures and across cultures.

• Global communication style differences and how these can impact on interpersonal relationship-building and lead to miscommunication
• Using English as the common international language – how we can ensure cross-team understanding
• Effective email and telephone communication tips

Managing in a Global Virtual Environment

Employees are increasingly being asked to manage people across the barriers of culture, geography, language and technology. This presents a real challenge to traditional leadership approaches. This programme highlights some of the key areas that managers need to factor-in when working in a complex international setting. Issues covered include:

• Why managing virtually is more difficult than managing locally
• Setting clear goals and the need to revisit those goals regularly
• Focusing on giving team members enough context
• Clarifying roles and responsibilities
• Factoring in cultural differences
• Escalation approaches
• Focusing on building relationships
• Feedback loops

Country-specific Briefings -Japan (sample)

Understanding the business culture of a country is an essential part of doing successful business in that country. This Japan-focused programmes looks at some key Japanese cultural characteristics across a range of topics. Issues covered include

• Understanding the importance of face
• Japanese hierarchies and their impact on communication flow
• Consensus decision-making
• Detail orientation and risk appetite
• The key importance of relationship-building
• Long-termism
• Communication issues

This programme is a sample programme on Japan, but similar courses could be run on other countries including:

• China
• India
• USA
• Germany
• Gulf
• Etc

Managing International Conference Calls

Conference calls are an essential business tool when working with distant colleagues, clients or other stakeholders but they have the potential to be extremely unproductive and frustrating. This programme is designed to give delegates a toolkit for managing effective conference calls. Issues covered include:

• Conference call preparations
  • Agendas
  • Technology
  • Pre-meeting materials
• In-call techniques
  • Participant engagement
  • Summarising
  • Managing difficult participants
  • Considering non-native speakers
  • Action pointing at the end of the call
• Post-call issues
  • Meeting notes
  • Looping back on action points

Global Business Compass

For a quick overview of the benefits our cultural awareness training digital hub can bring to your business take a look at the video below: