Working with a Stranger: Cross-Cultural Strategies for the Local Staff of Expat Manager

Most cross-cultural training is a one-way street. Expatriates get trained in how to work effectively in an foreign-to-them culture; they receive explanations as to why things happen the way they do; and they get an insight into both the behavior and the value system of their local colleagues.

Yet the local personnel almost never receives similar training on how to work with expatriates. So they work side by side with their foreign colleagues all the while guessing and not fully understanding why things are done a certain way. This often creates resistance, miscommunication, low employee morale, and a myriad of other problems for both the local staff and the expatriate managers. The result – low output, low efficiency, a frustrated workforce, and a less-than-possible success.

That's why cross-cultural training needs to become a two-way street.

Global Coach Center, capitalizing on its cross-cultural, expatriate, and coaching experience, has become among the first companies to offer cross-cultural training to your local employees. We offer companies that invest into other markets and open global operations the following solutions:

• A fully-developed, customized cross-cultural training delivered by our experienced facilitators in any country where you operate (English, Russian, and Spanish language capability is available at the moment).
• A training module which you can incorporate into your own HR training.

Other arrangements are also possible. For a customized solution please contact us.