Working with the East Europeans

Overview

Our briefings are designed for employees working with Russians and Central Europeans, including the Czechs, Slovakians, Hungarians and Poles. We thoroughly review the people and their business culture and provide practical information on their countries.

Objectives

• Learn about each country’s heritage and the major differences between the Western and Eastern cultures of Europe.  This session includes a briefing on national heroes, symbols, myths and legends.
• Understand how the typical institutions work, with their hierarchies, planning and administration.
• Understand preferred communication styles, such as honesty, bluntness and ‘selective’ politeness.  We offer advice for handling situations when ‘real’ or ‘emotional’ behaviour has been vented.  Knowing how and when you need to adapt your business behaviour to create a positive impression.
• Appreciate the need for building long-lasting relationships and the preference for critical business decisions to be discussed on a face-to-face basis.
• Gain an appreciation of the attitude to time and deadlines, particularly the high value placed on punctuality, scheduling future events and meeting deadlines for completion and how continuity and stability is preferred to change.
• Learn lots of practical tips to assist you in your next encounter with your East European partners.

Additional topics for expatriates may include developing future personal and organisational strategies for adapting to the new environment, the four stages of culture shock and advice on coping for the family.