This seminar trains the participants in strategies for leading,
facilitating, and participating in international meetings and
discussions plus intercultural awareness
training plus English language support (correction and feedback,
effective phrases, vocabulary expansion).
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Balancing Advocacy
and Inquiry
— This is a concept
developed at M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). It
highlights the tendency of western business people to concentrate on
advocating (befürworten) their own ideas and solutions. This
strategy shows how to discover greater areas of possible solutions by
becoming more open to feedback about one’s own ideas and becoming more
open to the ideas of others.
Six Thinking
Hats
— This is a
strategy for dealing with complex or controversial topics during
group discussions. It is helpful for eliminating pointless
repetition and preventing more powerful members from dominating
less powerful members. It also saves creative ideas that
otherwise get destroyed by negative thinking before they can be
fully developed. Finally, it can help to minimize western-style
assertive behavior which would otherwise conflict with many
other cultural styles.
English for
Meetings
—
Participants receive specific language protocols that are
appropriate for facilitating — as well as participating in —
international
meetings in
English.
Speaking
Practice
— Short
practice activities (“mini-meetings”) allow the participants to
practice the language they have been given.
Facilitating
Practice
— Each
participant chooses a work-related or business topic, plans an
agenda for that topic, and facilitates a meeting using that
agenda.
This activity is captured as a video file and either copied to
the participant's notebook computer or burned onto a DVD to take
away after the course.
CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCE
Cultural
Dimensions
— Participants
learn various ways that cultural differences are measured and
compared, the so-called “dimensions” of culture. Participants
also contemplate their own culture in these terms as a necessary
basis for interacting with other cultures.
The Three Basic
Types of Culture
— Participants learn an alternative way of grouping the
cultures of the world into three basic culture types. This
easy-to-remember concept is forms a sensible basis for
discussing cross-cultural conflict.
Cultural
Profiles
— Information
about specific foreign cultures regarding topics such as meeting
and greeting people, doing business, dress, dining, social
entertaining, gift-giving, and body gestures is provided and
discussed. Where possible, new behaviors are practiced.
ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY
Correction and
Feedback
—
Corrections
are made throughout the course and helpful suggestions for
improvement are made as much as possible. Questions from the
participants about English are always welcome and short
explanations of the rules are given as necessary.
Vocabulary
Building
— As much as
possible, participants will be given not only correction for
their mistakes but also alternatives for what they have said
correctly, to expand their English horizons. Additionally, when
participants say something especially well, this is pointed out
for the benefit of everyone.
Classic Mistakes
—
Some mistakes
are typical for Germans. Some of the more important ones will be
explored in a spirit of fun.
Language Level Requirements
— Participants
must be able to speak English at an intermediate level or
higher. In other words, one
must be able to take part comfortably in English
discussions. English corrections will be given and explained,
and vocabulary improvements will be offered.
OPEN SEMINARS
At this time, this SCT seminar is
not offered as an open seminar.
PRIVATE SEMINARS
Private seminars are for groups or teams from a single
organization.
They can take
place at the client's site or a conference hotel of the client's choosing.
Private seminars
can run from 09:00 to 17:00 each day
or they can include evening programs and overnight stays in a hotel.
Group size:
maximum 8
Duration:
3 days
Pricing Information: Please
contact SCT.
GOALS
·
To
improve one’s performance as facilitator of meetings in English.
·
To learn
a new method for harmonizing the discussion process when discussions become
too complex or political.
·
To learn
language strategies that help to avoid cross-cultural communication.
·
To get
speaking practice in English plus individual correction and feedback.
·
To learn
and practice active listening techniques.
·
To
understand the importance of listening, especially in cross-cultural
situations.
METHODS
The concepts taught on this course are presented as text and as verbal
input by the trainer. Methods and strategies are practiced by the
participants in simulated meetings and in pair work.
Emphasis is given to the role of facilitator but the role of participant
provides a lot of speaking practice for all. Discussions have to
do with work-related topics and general topics of interest to the group.
The final day “meetings” will be filmed along with feedback. Video CDs
of each participant’s performance will be made available after the
course.
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