Working with the Latin Americans

Overview

Our briefings are designed for employees working in Latin America, including Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay.  We thoroughly review the people and their business culture and provide practical information on their countries.

Course Content

• Geography – location, size, climate, resources, oil, minerals
• People – original inhabitants, Colonialist inhabitants, identity/diversity, languages/dialects
• History – from Columbus to liberation, oil, relationships with Britain, civil war, military prowess
• Social conditions – wealth distribution and poverty, conservation of wealth (friends, families, political), social exclusion, crime levels, law and order
• Religion – catholic Christians, beliefs and value systems, hero worship, astrology, voodoo
• Political scene – a divided society: where do you sit? Where to get a balanced view and when to express your opinion
• Economic environment – oil revenues, imported goods, subsidies and bartering, dollar exchange rate

Overview of the Venezuelan Business Environment

• The work environment, protocols: business cards, social courtesies, working week, wages, salaries and commissions, punctuality
• The importance of hierarchy and age, roles and responsibilities, employment issues, the significance of family/networks/relationships, The significance of contacts with ‘palanca’, the significance of business cards to establish bonafides
• Setting up a Latin America team, hiring and firing, Latin American staff versus British staff

Why Culture?

How do they see you? What will they be looking for? How to earn their respect. How do you see them? Using Cultural differences to your advantage

Key Differences between Western and Latin Logic, Management and Work Habits

Drivers and motivators, attitude to work and money, decision-making, purpose of meetings, ethics in business, attitude to time/to people/to environment

Communication and Negotiation Skills

Cultural sensitivity in language, Latin American style of communication and negotiation style, verbal and non-verbal communication

Strategies for Working Effectively Together: Practical and useful tips that will help cement relationships and get the best out of multi-cultural working

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.