Cross-Cultural Training, Families and Workgroups

Cross-Cultural Training

We specialize in helping people live and work across cultures, whether they are moving to a new country, or working in a multicultural environment at home. We prepare them to live and work with people who have different cultural values and attitudes, basing our training on our own extensive research on intercultural transition. We train multicultural workgroups, professionals whose work involves helping international newcomers relocate, and people moving to a new country. In every case, we custom-design our training workshops to accommodate each person, family or work group's needs and pre-existing skills.

Through our extensive research on global transferees and their families and our Executive Director's background as a psychologist, our training workshops are particularly insightful about:

The steps sponsoring organizations and individuals can take to enhance the chances of a successful assignment and a life-changing experience for all
The particular challenges families face in moving across cultures
How people can learn to see the world from a different cultural vantage point and thereby increase their ability to work and live across cultures.

Please contact us to discuss your cross-cultural training requirements and to receive information from us on our pricing structure for this training.

Multicultural Workgroup Training

"This training was very relevant to my job in different areas. I can apply it immediately. What was most valuable about this training was understanding the values behind culture and how different countries use them and the sharing of experience"

"The training allows me to understand if "problems" may be cultural vs. individual. Allows me to be more proactive in planning communications, outlining tasks, etc".

Anonymous reviews from training workshop for a pharmaceuticals research company

In today's world, it is not only people who are moving from one country to another who need to understand cultural issues. Those who work on a daily basis with people from other cultures -- even if they never leave home -- need to understand how culture affects work practices too. Companies with joint ventures, factories, clinical test sites, or marketing functions in other countries, for example, all face daily challenges as they do business with people whose values and work practices may be quite different than their own. What cultural values do we bring to a staff meeting, a negotiation session, or a performance evaluation? Do others perceive us as we intend to be perceived? How are teleconferences and email affected by cultural differences in communication style? What's the best way to handle missed deadlines and employees who are chronically late? How does one distinguish between habits that are personal and those that are cultural? Each training workshop is custom-designed to address the organization's most pressing questions and concerns.

Conducted by Dr. Anne P. Copeland

For more details about our Multicultural Workgroup Training:
Goals
Methods
Sample Program

Staff Cross-Cultural Training: for Professionals Who Help International Newcomers Relocate

"I was surprised that I found the training so enlightening. I grew up in England with an Italian mother and a Latvian father; I really thought I knew just about all I needed to know about cultural differences. However, the sessions really made me think about the underlying reasons behind these differences. Thanks for including me in the pilot program!"

Franca Lukefahr, Corning, NY
Destination Services Provider for Full Circle International Relocations

We offer cross-cultural training designed for professionals who work directly with International newcomers -- like real estate agents, destination service providers, teachers, and medical personnel. These professionals are often among the first host nationals a newcomer meets. They have a unique opportunity to interpret the host culture in a helpful and insightful way. We give them the tools and understanding they need to do their jobs more effectively and improve the service they offer.

This training is also available in webinar format.

Conducted by Dr. Anne P. Copeland

For more details about our Staff Cross-Cultural Training:
Goals
Methods
Sample Program

Relocation Cross-Cultural Training: for People Who Are Moving to a New Country

"I can't tell you how much easier my life would have been in the last 10 months if I'd had this training when I first arrived rather than now."

-Dutch trainee

To work and live effectively in a new country, expatriates must know three things:

The basics of the new country's history, politics, business norms, education system, and demographics,
How cultural values affect perceptions, values and communication,
Why moving to a new country can be difficult and how to manage these challenges

We offer pre-departure and post-arrival cross-cultural and repatriation training programs for US residents moving overseas, international newcomers to the US, and individuals and families repatriating to the US. Every training program is tailor-made to meet the individual needs of the trainees and their families. Family circumstances, special interests and needs, existing knowledge, and time availability are just some of the factors we take into consideration when creating an enriching and fully integrated training program for individuals or expatriates and their spouses/partners.

We offer specialized versions of this cross-cultural training for:

Spouses and Partners: The spouse or partner's adjustment is one of the secret links to making any international assignment a successful one for the entire family. Virtually every study that has examined the causes of overseas assignment success finds the same thing -- that family and spouse/partner adjustment are the most important factors. Too often spouses'/partners' needs are disregarded, and they are left to their own devices when it comes time to move. The Interchange Institute's ground-breaking multinational surveys of accompanying spouses clearly identify a number of steps that sponsoring organizations and families can take to enhance the chances of good family adjustment. These steps are incorporated into our training for expatriates and spouses. Spouses can be trained along with the expatriate employee, however, we do offer individual programs for spouses only as well.

Children And Teens: Parents' largest worry is often centered on their child's adjustment. Children, and especially teens, may be confused and upset with the anticipated changes, and feel powerless, as they are usually not the ones making the decision to leave. We work at communicating with children and teens, discussing their fears and uncertainties, as well as discussing all the new and exciting challenges they will face in their new country. We discuss the training day with the parents, easing their concerns and allowing for open dialogue among all participating family members.
Conducted by Dr. Anne P. Copeland or one our network of professional trainers who have been trained by Dr. Copeland

For more details about our Relocation Cross-Cultural Training:
Goals
Methods
Sample Program

Training Details
Goals For Multicultural Workgroup Training:

To maximize the cultural sensitivity of real or virtual workgroups that include people from several cultures.
To learn how to avoid misunderstandings based on cultural differences.
To learn how to communicate verbally and non-verbally with colleagues in other cultures.
To understand the role of different cultural values and communication styles in work, everyday living, and teaching situations, and how to work effectively with people with differing styles.
To improve understanding of local cultural differences and communication styles that exist globally and within the United States.
To recognize how culture influences the perceptions, values, attitudes, communication, behavior, daily life and the practice of business.
To become aware of the limits of any single cultural perspective.
To learn to adjust behavior during interactions with colleagues from other cultures, as needed.
To plan for making adjustments to business processes in light of local expectations.

Methods Used In Multicultural Workgroup Training:
. Short lectures
. Perspective-taking exercises
. Role plays
. Simulation game
. Self-reflection and assessments
. Small group discussion
. Group problem-solving and card-sorting activity
. Question and Answer period
. Action Planning (application of training to trainees' own situation)

Sample Two-Day Multicultural Workgroup Program: (Note: Order of presentation and emphasis of training may be modified after learning more about the trainee group and its needs)

Introduction and Establishment of Expectations and Needs
What We Do (and Don't) Mean by the Word "Culture"
Classic Models of the Meaning of Culture
How Others See US Americans and How Will Others See Me?
Brief Overview of How Cultural Values Affect Workplace Issues, with emphasis on expectations about leadership, negotiation style, conduct of meetings, and business writing
Simulation of the Experience of Crossing Cultures
Cultural Differences in the Workplace: Data and Application from Around the World
Communication Styles: The Dangers of Not Understanding the Role of Culture
Tips for Business Travelers to Host Country
Application of Training: Analysis of trainees' own management approaches in light of their own cultural values, communication styles, and learning styles, and in light of current multicultural situations
"Ask the Expert" Question and Answer period for covering any unanswered questions
Wrap-Up and Evaluation

Goals for Staff Cross-Cultural Training

To maximize the cultural sensitivity of professionals who work with global transferees and their families.
To review the historic, political, educational, and economic background of the host country, highlighting how to explain the ways these influence current events and today's social values and problems.
To learn how to avoid misunderstandings based on cultural differences.
To understand the role of communication styles in work, everyday living, and teaching situations, and how to work effectively with people with differing styles.
To review the common course of culture shock and how to recognize and manage it.

Methods for Staff Cross-Cultural Training
. Perspective-taking exercises
. Short lectures
. Role plays
. Simulation game
. Self-reflection and assessments
. Small group discussion
. Group problem-solving and card-sorting activity
. Question and Answer period
. Action Planning (application of training to trainees' own situation)

Sample One-Day Program Staff Cross-Cultural Training: (Note: Order of presentation and emphasis of training may be modified after learning more about the trainee group and its needs)

Introduction and Establishment of Expectations and Needs
What We Do (and Don't) Mean by the Word "Culture"
The Importance Of Understanding Your Own Cultural Values
USA 101: Historic and Political Roots of Current Social Issues, and How to Explain This to Newcomers
Cultural Differences that Affect Service Providers
Communication Styles: The Dangers of Not Understanding the Role of Culture
The Surprising Course and Management of Culture Shock
Eleven Reasons Moving to a New Country Can Be Difficult (and What to Do About It)
Ask the Expert" Question and Answer period for covering any unanswered questions

Goals For Relocation Cross-Cultural Training

To maximize the cultural sensitivity of relocating employees, in preparing them to conduct business with colleagues from other cultures.
To learn how to avoid misunderstandings based on cultural differencesderstand the role of communication styles in work, everyday living, and teaching situations, and how to work effectively with people with differing styles.
To understand the historic, political, educational, and economic background of the host culture well enough to interpret current news events and social problems.
To learn about the common course of culture shock and how to manage it, for oneself and one's family.

Methods Used In Relocation Cross-Cultural Training:
. Short lectures
. Perspective-taking exercises
. Role plays
. Simulation game
. Self-reflection and assessments
. Small group discussion
. Group problem-solving and card-sorting activity
. Question and Answer period
. Action Planning (application of training to trainees' own situation)

Sample Two-Day Program for Relocation Cross-Cultural Training: (Note: Order of presentation and emphasis of training may be modified after learning more about the trainee group and its needs)

Introduction and Establishment of Expectations and Needs
What We Do (and Don't) Mean by the Word "Culture"
Classic Models of the Meaning of Culture
How Others See US Americans and How Will Others See Me?
Host Country 101: Historic and Political Roots of Current Social Issues
Brief Overview of Host Country's Cultural Values and Business Approaches, with emphasis on expectations about leadership, negotiation style, conduct of meetings, and business writing
Cultural Differences in the Workplace: Data and Application from Around the World
Communication Styles: The Dangers of Not Understanding the Role of Culture
Tips for Business Travelers to Host Country
Application of Training: Analysis of trainees' own management approaches in light of their own cultural values, communication styles, and learning styles, and in light of current multicultural situations
The Surprising Course and Management of Culture Shock
Eleven Reasons Moving to a New Country Can Be Difficult (and What to Do About It)
"Ask the Expert" Question and Answer period for covering any unanswered questions
Wrap-Up and Evaluation