“Managing more effectively
in a foreign environment”
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
1
Expectations of participants,
needs assessment, objectives

The objective of this training is to support all of these
areas: the performance, the adjustment and
the development. Each participant should gain the
ability to form positive, mutual respectful, trust
relations with local nationals and people of diverse
backgrounds in the country of assignment.
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
2
What is culture?

“Culture hides more than it reveals and
strangely enough what it hides, it hides
most effectively from it’s own
participants. Years of study have
convinced me that the real job is not to
understand foreign culture but to
understand our own.” (Edward T. Hall)
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
3
Benefits of Cultural awareness /
of cross-cultural adaptability
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1.Increase self awareness
2. Build cross cultural understanding
3. Adapt skills
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
4
Differences
in cultural values
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Orientation to time
Orientation to activities
Orientation to relationships
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
5
The Developmental Model of
Intercultural Sensitivity
Denial
Defense
Minimization
Acceptance
Adaptation
Integration
”Another person becomes fully human to the
extent that we are able to let the other be
different from ourselves”

Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
6
Ecotonos/ a role play
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to teach teambuilding,
to improve the productivity,
to gain a better understanding of the
impact of different cultures,
to train alternative problem solving
methods
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
7
Levels of Competence

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Januar 2003
Unconscious Incompetence
Conscious Incompetence
Conscious Competence
Unconscious Competence
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
8
Artos

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Awareness
Resilience
Tolerance of Ambiguity
Openness
Self Assurance
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
9
Communication styles
“ How do you say something? Style refers to how
one speaks not what one says!"
 Low context - High context
 Direct - Indirect - Storytelling
 Faster pace - Slower pace
 Formal - Informal
 Rational - Emotive – Intuitive
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
10
Learning styles

Concrete Experience

Learning from feeling
Reflective Observation

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Learning by watching and listening
Abstract Conceptualisation
Learning by thinking
Active Experimentation
Learning by doing
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
11
Most Common Stereotypes of
Americans Held by Foreigners


The goal is to increase the awareness of
how the Americans are perceived by
foreigners
Even if these stereotypes are untrue,
unjustified, or if you personally are not
guilty, you will be blamed for them
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
12
The German Ways

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Politeness
Communication
Punctuality
Presentation
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
13
Listening is a Key Skill

Believing that listening to people is important and
worth taking the time
Being “Other Person” focused
Believing feelings are as important as facts
Believing that people are capable of solving their own
problems
Believing that empathy is important

Believing everybody has something valuable to say
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Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
14
Expats Success Factors

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The ability to communicate respect
The ability to be non-judgemental
The ability to accept the relativity of one’s
own knowledge and perspective
The ability to display empathy
The ability to be flexible
Understanding the protocols of discussion
Understanding and tolerance of ambiguity
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
15
Seven Habits of Global
Executives:
“Exemplar global leaders are
constantly curious, they seek for
new information, investigate the
world and challenge what other
people take for granted.”
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
16
Conclusion, expectations
reached?

Evaluation of program:
“Old habits can’t be thrown out the
upstairs window. They have to be
coaxed down the stairs one step at a
time.” (Mark Twain)
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
17
Closing
“I
may not have gone where I
intended to go, but I have
ended, where I intended to be!”
Januar 2003
Sabine Wagner
Communication is life
18