A perspective on all cutlures of the world

1. INTERCULTURAL
WORKSHOP
Gayatri Tribhuvan

2. AGENDA
 Categorizing Cultures
 Effect of VUCA
 The Indian Chapter
 The German Chapter
 The China Chapter
 The Japan Chapter

3. ABOUT THE TRAINER
 Gayatri Tribhuvan- Executive Director- Bizmentors Pvt
Ltd
 Polyglot- speaks 11 languages including German, French
and Spanish. Runs own Foreign Language School- FluenC
 8 years of corporate experience and training experience,
international experience of Germany and UK
 Handles complete training curriculum, management and
delivery
 Completely up to date with the latest happenings in the
linguistics and social skills area

5.  TO PREDICT BEHAVIOR
 TO CLARIFY WHY THEY DO IT
 TO AVOID GIVING OFFENCE
 TO SEARCH FOR SOME KIND
OF UNITY

6.  MONOCHRONIC VS
POLYCHRONIC
 HIGH VS LOW CONTEXT
 PAST VS FUTURE ORIENTED

7.  DO JUST ONE THING
AT A TIME
 DO THINGS IN TURN
 FIRST THEY FINISH
ONE THING
 ORDER IS CRUCIALLY
IMPORTANT
 DO MANY
THINGS AT A
TIME (THE MORE
THE BETTER)
 PREFER MIXING
AND
COMBINING
THINGS
 ORDER IS NOT
IMPORTANT AT
ALL

9.  PAST
MATTERS!!!
 PERCEIVE
CURRENT
EVENTS AS
THE RESULT
OF THE PAST
 GREAT
RESPECT FOR
THE
ANCESTORS
 PAST DOESN’T
MATTER – IT IS
IN THE PAST =
NOT
IMPORTANT
NOW
 PRESENT
SERVES THE
PURPOSES OF
THE FUTURE
 PLANNING IS
CRUCIALLY
IMPORTANT

10.  INDIVIDUALIST VS COLLECTIVIST
 SPECIFIC VS DIFFUSE
 ACHIEVEMENT VS ASCRIPTION
 NEUTRAL VS EMOTIONAL

11.  SUCCESS IS
ACHIEVED BY EACH
INDIVIDUAL
 INDIVIDUAL
RESPONSIBILITY IS
GREAT
 HELPING IS LOW
 PERSONAL SPACE IS
HIGHLY
APPRECIATED
 SUCCESS IS A
RESULT OF GROUP
EFFORT
 INDIVIDUAL
RESPONSIBILITY IS
LOW
 HELPING IS HIGH
 PERSONAL SPACE
IS MUCH CLOSER
 FAMILIES LIVE
TOGETHER

13. STATUS IS BASED ON ACHIEVEMENT
(EDUCATION, JOB, PERFORMANCE)
STATUS IS BASED MAINLY ON
WHERE YOU COME FROM
(FAMILY, AGE, GENDER,
ETHNIC GROUP)

14.  INSCRUTABLE
 DEMONSTRATION OF
EMOTIONS IS CONSIDERED
IMPOLITE AND SILLY
 SHOWING EMOTIONS IS
GOOD
 LOTS OF GESTICULATION
 AFFECTIONATE
RELATIONSHIPS

15.  RULES ARE IMPORTANT
 TRUTH IS JUST ONE
 EGALITARIAN
 MONOCHRONIC
 LOGICAL
 TASK-ORIENTED
 FUTURE-ORIENTED
 BELIEVE FACTS
 SEPARATE FORMAL &
INFORMAL
 USUALLY DIRECT
 HIGH UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDANCE

16.  HUMAN TRANSACTIONS ARE
IMPORTANT
 PEOPLE-ORIENTED
 DOUBLE HORIZON (DOUBLE
TRUTH)
 POLYCHRONIC
 EMOTIONAL
 PAST-ORIENTED
 BELIEVE PEOPLE
 DON’T SEPARATE FORMAL &
INFORMAL
 USUALLY INDIRECT
 LOW UNCERTAINTY
AVOIDANCE

17.  HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
ARE IMPORTANT
 RESPECT-ORIENTED
 MUSTN’T LOSE FACE
 NEVER CONFRONT
 BOTH FACTUAL AND
PERSONAL
 PRESENT-ORIENTED
 INSCRUTABLE
 VERY INDIRECT
 SILENT
 HIERARCHICAL

19. LEWIS MODEL VIDEO

20. EFFECT OF VUCA
 Difficult to categorize
 No fixed behavior
 Adaptation is key
 Culture can be a guiding force, but cannot be taken as a thumb
rule
 Get to know the person on the whole!

21. THE INDIAN CHAPTER
 Essentially Multi-active
 Emotional
 High Context Culture
 Future Oriented
 Poly chronic
 Diffused
 Roundabout Communication

22. IMPORTANT FESTIVALS
 Around 40 festivals collectively
 Most festive period between August and November
 Dussehra- literal meaning 10 heads- indicates victory of good over evil
 Diwali- Festival of Lights
 Ganesh Chaturthi- Celebration of the elephant headed God
 Christmas
 Eid

23. WORKING WITH INDIANS
 Precise directions – sometimes the “How” needs to be addressed
 Direct questions need to be asked to prompt assertiveness
 Important to ask a clear “Yes” or “No”
 India can’t be generalized- India is adaptive and flexible
 Undergoing a state of immense transition
 Quite Competitive

24. GENERAL DO’S
 A greeting of Namaste is well appreciated, handshakes are also good
 Taking an interest in Indian culture and history
 Getting used to spice!
 Asking about family
 Opening up personally
 Wearing the right clothes for the right occasion
 Taking an avid interest in Cricket
 Developing a strong sense of patience and tolerance
 Take off footwear before entering an Indian home/temple/place of worship
 Take off hats/sunglasses when entering a temple/place of worship
 Donate to temples, tip decently.

25. GENERAL DON’TS
 Eating with the left hand. (Can’t help it if you are a lefty)
 Expressing public displays of affection
 Calling India and Pakistan “same” or “similar”
 Hurting sentiments by being too direct
 Complaining about the cows on the street or photographing them, or
stereotyping India as a village
 Complaining about infrastructure
 Blowing noses in public

26. VIDEOS

27. THE GERMAN CHAPTER
 Essentially Linear-active
 Neutral
 Low Context Culture
 Past Oriented
 Mono chronic
 Specific
 Direct and Assertive Communication

28. IMPORTANT FESTIVALS
 Day of Reunification- October 3rd
 Easter- March/April
 Christmas- (Weihnachtsmarkt)
 Erntedank- Thanksgiving- Oct/Nov
 Importance of Vacations- Blockpause

29. WORKING WITH GERMANS
 Research, preparation and facts are key
 Admitting incognizance is not a defeat/failure
 Planning is 60%, Execution is 40%
 Direct Communication is appreciated
 Equal proportions of individuality and harmony
 Dislike risks and uncertainty
 Time is valued more than money
 Firm handshakes appreciated along with good eye contact

30. GENERAL DO’S
 Be clear, assertive, planned, direct and precise
 Take an avid interest in football, culture (except war), the German language
 Small talk about topics like weather, sports and hobbies, travel
 Value time
 Be transparent
 Be confident and certain about your plans and execution with figures and facts
 Give decent importance to grooming and cleanliness
 Be well informed about rules, follow them (Garbage separation)- Always ask if unsure. Questions are
welcome!
 Maintaining the “Power of Distance”
 Gift wine (preferably Italian/French) or Chocolates
 Tip decently

31. GENERAL DON’TS
 Jaywalking
 Mentioning or talking about War/Hitler
 Breaking the Sunday/’Ruhetag’ rules
 Wishing before the birthday
 Not being punctual- being late
 Complaining about German Bread
 Being indecisive, uncertain, vague, unsure, unplanned
 Asking too many personal questions and not respecting the body bubble
 Talk loudly in public

32. VIDEOS

33. THE CHINA CHAPTER
 Essentially Reactive
 Neutral
 High Context Culture
 Future Oriented
 Poly chronic
 A mix of specific and diffused
 Silent and observant communication

34. IMPORTANT CHINESE
FESTIVALS
 Spring Festival/Chinese New Year
 Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao)
 Qingming festival (Tomb sweeping day)
 Dragonboat Festival( Duanwu)- Eating Zongzi
 Mid Autumn festival
 Chongyang Festival ( Day for the elderly)

35. GENERAL DO’S
 Learn Mandarin
 Greet back with applause if greeted so
 Gift fruit- regarded as very polite
 Engage in small talk regarding family
 Address Seniority first
 Present gifts/cards etc. with both hands
 Drinking from bowl and using fingers for food on own plate
 Refuse the gift few times before accepting it
 Take off hats/sunglasses/footwear when entering a home/temple/place of worship
 Be calm
 Praise- Mianzi
 Sample everything and praise food verbally

36. GENERAL DON’TS
 Keeping chopsticks upright in the food
 Interrupt seniors while talking
 Too firm handshakes
 Too much eye contact
 Bowing to greet
 Using own chopsticks to take food from the main serving
 Spit bones into the bowl.
 Take last pieces from serving tray without asking
 Write things in red
 Gift wrap in black/white
 Gift things to do with number four/Gifting a clock
 Respond negatively when asked about family etc.
 Be touchy feely
 Discuss Religion in the open

37. VIDEOS

38. THE JAPAN CHAPTER
 Essentially Reactive
 Neutral
 High Context Culture
 Future Oriented
 Monochronic
 Specific
 Silent and observant communication

39. IMPORTANT JAPANESE
FESTIVALS
 More than 300,000 ‘Matsuris’
 Kanda, Awa, The Snow festival are a few…

40. WORKING WITH JAPANESE
 It’s never “I”, it is always “We”
 Aggression is not appreciated
 Being punctual, organized and thorough is important
 Compromising attitude is appreciated
 Listening is preferred over speaking
 Strong presence of Hierarchy

41. GENERAL DO’S
 Learn Japanese
 Bow while greeting
 Exchange cards with both hands with proper card holders
 Slurping while eating
 Appreciating food
 Queuing
 Follow Shrine Rituals while visiting temples

42. GENERAL DON’T’S
 Talk loudly
 Too much of eye contact
 Giving the card with one hand and not bowing
 Being unpunctual
 Being Unclean
 Blowing the nose in public
 Tipping
 Unwrapping gifts in front of guests
 Standing too close and being touchy feely
 Placing chopsticks in upright positions
 Gifting things to do with numbers 4 and 9

43. VIDEOS

44. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!