Interactive Webinar Series – Communicating Effectively Across Cultures

In order to support organisations to continue developing and motivating their people during the COVID-19 outbreak, Developing Global Leaders has organised a series of online webinars on cross-cultural competence.

The sessions are
•    addressing today’s key cross-cultural challenges in Asia
•    short and convenient
•    practical with plenty of tips and best practices
•    virtual, yet interactive and engaging
•    great value for money

Each session will be run by Dr. Zsuzsanna Tungli and will be delivered on two separate occasions in February and March so you can choose which time is most convenient. The maximum number of participants is 40 and seats will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Upcoming dates and session descriptions

1. Indirect vs Direct Communication and Saving 'Face'

Feb 26th - 14.00-15.15

Mar 10th - 09.15-10.30

Are direct communicators rude? Are indirect communicators hiding something? The way we give feedback and say 'yes' and 'no' have a great impact on interpersonal communication, recruitment and promotions as well as whether business deals get signed or abandoned. In this session we are looking at the values behind indirect and direct communication, how we perceive each other from 'the other side' and how we can adjust our styles depending on the situation and the cultures involved.

2. Hierarchy vs Equality

Feb 26th - 15.30-16.45

Mar 10th - 10.45-12.00

Why do some people dominate meetings while others don't seem to have an opinion? Different cultures have different approaches to hierarchy. This often influences information sharing as well as decision making. Empowerment can be challenging in hierarchical cultures and less hierarchical cultures may perceive the lack of speaking up as a lack of confidence or even competence. How can we differentiate between individual and cultural differences and ensure that everybody has an active role in meetings and decision making?

3. Verbal Communication Patterns and the Role of Silence

Mar 6th - 09.15-10.30

Mar 13th - 14.00-15.15

Are people lacking language skills, knowledge or confidence? Are others 'self-important' and love to listen to their own voice? Silence is not only a negotiation tactic but also something we use subconsciously in our communication. Bringing awareness to our preference and others' favored communication patterns will help participants understand the need for adjusting the use of silence in communication.

4. Building Relationships and Task Execution

Mar 6th - 10.45-12.00

Mar 13th - 15.30-16.45

Shall we get down to business immediately, shall we have some small talk or shall we build proper relationships first? Depending on our natural cultural preferences we have different expectations. When relationship-oriented people spend time getting to know each other, task-oriented people may perceive this as unnecessary time-wasting. On the other hand, when task-oriented people focus on the task at hand rather than also building a relationship with their counterpart, this may be viewed as too cold and uncaring by relationship-oriented people. Participants will learn how to focus on both task and relationship depending on their own preference and the context they are working in.

For more information, contact us at shibani.pandya@developinggloballeaders.com