Working with Italians

The training approach to Working with Italians is highly interactive and dynamic. The aim is not to deliver ready-made solutions but to encourage participants to ask the right questions.

Objectives

  • Better perceive the influence of culture on behaviours and visions of the world, for both individuals and groups
  • Reduce and manage the pitfalls associated with culture shock
  • Understand the Italian culture to improve business communications
  • Acquire a number of keys to negotiate and manage effectively in an international context
  • Mobilise new tools to resolve conflicts that may arise within a multicultural team

Who should attend?

  • Managers of companies looking to expand their business activities into the Italian market
  • Sales representatives and purchasing agents
  • Individuals and teams who communicate and work with Italian colleagues and business partners on a regular basis

Duration

1-day and 2-day formats are available.


Did you know?

Although Italy has a long and rich history, it is quite young as a nation. It wasn’t until 1861 that the independent city-states came together to form the Kingdom of Italy. Regional differences are therefore stronger in Italy than in many other countries and business travellers should not assume that what works in Milan will work equally well in Rome.

Course content

1/ Brief overview of the current Italian context

  • Socio-economic factors
  • Regional differences: Rome is not Milan for business

2/ Reflections by participants on the Italians

  • Debriefing: stereotypes and prototypes
  • Similarities and differences: a question of degree?
  • Your culture seen by the Italians & vice versa

3/  Understanding the Italians: Values and behaviours

  • The Italian particularism
  • Be serious or enthusiastic?
  • The relational proximity
  • « Disponibilita »
  • Socialising and networking
  • La Bella Figura
  • « Chiacchiere» (discussions) and theatrics

4/ Getting down to business

  • The « Dirigenti »
  • The Italian manager « Furbo» (cunning)
  • Participating in and leading meetings
  • How to make effective presentations
  • Email communication
  • Official and unofficial org charts

5/  Examples of misunderstandings with the Italians

  • Implicit and explicit communications
  • Emotions in the workplace
  • Decision-making processes

6/  Analysis of situations identified during the preparatory phase

7/  Do’s and Don’ts for working with Italians

  • Establishing a trusting relationship
  • Motivating