Freie Plätze:
Cultural Minefields and Cultural Sensitivities
The ongoing internationalization strategy has already turned WU into a dynamically international environment, and a great place to interact with many different cultures in the world. But sometimes these intercultural interactions leave us scratching our heads: did I say something wrong? Or was it just an individual thing? Or was I simply being too sensitive? Could I read the situation better next time? How can I show respect while doing my job? How can I be professional in emotionally difficult situations?
Wrapped in layers of cultural preferences (country, region, class, profession, age etc.) there is, of course, an individual, a person who certainly does not want to be treated as a stereotype. And people who share the same culture often have very different views of what their culture actually is. This makes intercultural interactions an interesting, but sometimes difficult field to manoeuvre. Whether you consider it a minefield or a playground, to handle intercultural communication in the workplace successfully it is very important to be well equipped with some useful thoughts and techniques.
This is the theme of this workshop.
Target Group
WU staff who would like to strengthen their ability to communicate authentically and effectively in an international work environment.
Workshop Goals
This workshop will provide participants with a practical approach to everyday workplace intercultural communication. On completion of both modules they should have acquired the practical experience to build healthy and productive workplace relationships with people from other cultures. This means they will be much better at communicating authentically and effectively in the international workplace.
Participants will also benefit from the knowledge and experience gained from the field of emotional intelligence (sometimes called "social intelligence" or "being smarter with emotions"). Emotional intelligence has been described by one expert, Joshua Freedman, as: "Your ability to accept, be fully aware of and understand emotions in yourself and in others, and your ability to then use this awareness to better manage your behavior and relationships." It is an important tool to improve, for example, how we interact with people in a way that makes them feel valued and thus leads them to value their interactions with us.
And, of course, there will be a collection of useful intercultural tips and tricks. But even better, you will learn how to build your own tips and tricks.
Workshop Content
Day 1 – Intercultural communication – the fundamentals
What we can practically do, in our workplace interactions, to benefit from the various theories of how culture works, and where the big differences – the "minefields" are.
We look at attitudes to time, to the environment and to each other, concentrating on:
- Cultures within cultures
- The "iceberg" approach: visible cultural factors above the surface and the hidden cultural drivers that are below the surface
- Body language
- Different cultural perspectives on time and its importance (polychronic vs. monochronic time)
- High power vs. low power distance
- High vs. low individualism
- Low vs. high risk-taking societies
- High vs. low masculinity societies
- Rules vs. relationships
We finish with participants writing an action plan for putting this learning into practice at work.
Day 2 – Intercultural communication - Advanced level
The workshop will begin with participants feeding back on the results of the action plan from Workshop Module 1. We hear about the actual workplace experience of participants since Workshop Day 1, and how they have put the learning into practice. We will ask participants to discuss and select their next steps to greater success in handling intercultural communication. We will use the “Wheel of Cultural Interaction” as our main tool here. This is a dynamic action tool used to identify the smallest action step that will provide the greatest and fastest improvement in future interactions.
Participants at this level will also practise some aspects of a tool used to identify the preferred communication style of the person they are talking with in a particular situation, and learning to select a style that builds a motivating connection to the other person.
This is particularly useful tool for overcoming stubborn communication blockages and misunderstandings.
Methods
Using case studies, dialogues, discussions and role-play this workshop will offer a forum to exchange experience and to practise a range of tips and techniques for communicating much more effectively in the international workplace. It will also provide many opportunities to share our own intercultural experience, success stories and learning with others.
Location, Date and Time
Thursday, 13 October 2016, 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Thursday, 1 December 2016, 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
All registered participants will be informed of the location by email one week before the event.
Fees and Registration
This workshop is open to a limited number of participants. The registration deadline is 29 September 2016.
Please note that you should notify us before the registration deadline if you are unable to attend the workshop. Otherwise the full fee will be charged.
Please let the Personnel Development and Planning Office know if you will not be attending. There are often waiting lists for the workshops, and this will give one of your colleagues the chance to attend. In addition, if we can fill the vacancy with someone from the waiting list, no cancellation charges will apply for you.
To sign up for this workshop, please click "Register" at the bottom of this page. For any further information please contact Elke Rittersbacher (elke.rittersbacher@wu.ac.at, DW 4448).
The course fee is €40.
Trainer
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Terence Pritchard, M.A., ACC
Terence Pritchard, a certified ICF (International Coach Federation) coach, has experienced first-hand the intercultural joys and complexities of living for longer periods in several different countries. He has worked with clients from many different countries, including those studying and employed at Birmingham University in the UK, and is now based in Vienna. He is currently coaching leadership skills to the country management teams of a Vienna-based pharmaceutical company which has offices across the Balkan countries, Russia and Poland. |