Storytelling across cultures

Eastern and Western communication and management styles differ greatly. China Circle offers insightful training on intercultural management and communication for you and your team. Packed with visual examples and exercises on diverging perceptions and communication styles, we improve understanding by switching between perspectives.

Ardi Bouwers and Tao Yue are both certified trainers using the Intercultural Readiness Check and the Diversity Icebreaker. Ardi's two decades of experience in international journalism - with a special focus on cultural differences - has provided her with a sharp eye and ear for how a message comes across. Ardi and Tao are perfectly equipped to help you and your team to tailor your presentation, video or brochure to an audience from another continent.  If you want intercultural feedback when preparing for an important keynote presentation, you can ask for one-on-one consulting sessions. If you want to adapt your video production or company brochure to a new audience, we offer customized workshops to make a group or a team more aware of cultural differences and barriers. 

A SELECTION OF WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS

Your China strategy
- Evaluating the consequences of China's rise and Chinese political developments for your organization
Telling your story across borders
- Creating a new narrative for your services, cities, products and more.
Effective leadership across cultures
- About hierarchy, feedback and trust.
Negotiating in the Netherlands and China
- Useful hands on training for Dutch, Chinese and other internationals
Circles and straight lines
- Understanding and improving East-West communication.
Why do we have to adapt (and not them)?
- About perceptions, intentions and what is considered 'normal'.
Storytelling, from Confucius to social media
- Dealing with delicate issues? Trying to build East-West bridges? Age-old storytelling techniques help to convey your core message across cultures in a 21st century style. More info here.
Storytelling in the Digital Age
- Storytelling for business, targeting technical and non-technical people. Stories are 'data with a soul' and can easily bridge cultural differences.
Effective Intercultural Leadership
- Hierarchical or egalitarian? Top-down or consensual? How to motivate your multicultural team, solicit input and give feedback.

NEW: CHINA BUSINESS LUNCHES and CHINA POLICY LUNCHES

 

In cooperation with Krijger & Partners, China Circle presents highly interactive lunch sessions on China's rise and its implications for international business and government, by Alex and Ardi, complemented by your choice of speaker: for example Ties Dams, Ed Kronenburg, Bei Wang or Valérie Hoeks. By the end of the lunch, you and your company will be better equipped for the Chinese Century.

Intercultural management

Our Intercultural Readiness Check-group-workshop provides all participants with a deep understanding of their individual intercultural sensitivity, intercultural communication, skills of building commitment and managing uncertainty. Before the workshop, all participants will be asked to fill out a scientifically tested questionnaire and they receive a personal 10-page feedback report. That provides a firm basis for dealing with questions such as: How to improve communication with your Dutch or Chinese counterpart? What is a consequence of personality and what of cultural differences?

The Diversity Icebreaker tool enables us to learn about personality and East-West cultural differences in a non-threatening environment. Fill out a short questionnaire, discover your preferences and the differences between ‘me’ and ‘you’ in a light-hearted and fun way. The Diversity Icebreaker is also an excellent tool for an in-company training session, cementing ties in your Chinese/Dutch team, as it makes people reflect, ask, listen and talk to each other.

We also offer Personal Coaching on the basis of your IRC, especially aimed at managers and team members of Dutch companies operating in China and vice versa. We will deal with questions such as: How to cope with diversity in your team? How to lead your team when one colleague is un-cooperative? How to perform well, if your boss seems to ignore you? How to make your partner feel at home in The Netherlands or China, too?

A standard workshop is 3 hours.
For larger groups we work with 2 facilitators.
Of course, our workshops and training sessions can be tailored to your specific needs. Prices will be adjusted, depending on extra preparation and development time. All workshops are suitable for diverse groups and teams: Dutch and Chinese, Asian and European or any other East-West mix.

We prefer small workshop groups, with a minimum of 6 and maximum of 16 participants.
Coaching is individual, unless you request group coaching.
We usually work with two facilitators, one from Europe and one from Asia.

Our wonderful workshop space

You are more than welcome in our workshop space – with a zen-like atmosphere and an intimate green garden  – in the center of The Hague. We offer excellent espresso, tasty teas, cookies & chocolate and more. The space has proven to be excellent for half-day, full-day and even two-day training and workshop sessions. Another location of your choice is possible as well.

For more information and requests for tailor-made offers, please contact:
ardi@chinacircle.nl or call +31-6-2323 4404
.