Cross-cultural Team Building
Multicultural Teams
Multicultural teams are cause for hope as well as frustration, ranging from expectations based on synergies to the uncertainty regarding future intercultural irritation. Both are justified expectations. In order to effectively utilise the potentials of synergies and minimise the possibility of intercultural problems it is essential to professionally prepare the partners for the joint cooperation.

The Team-Building Process
The core objective of team building or preparation for cooperation is to define and agree behavioural, working and cooperation techniques that both sides accept. It is presumed that an effective, intercultural cooperation can only be established if there is a far-reaching mutual understanding for the partner's working and living environment.

To prepare and initially support the cooperation China Consultancy offers several steps:

Initially preparing participants from the different cultures separately serves to create a 'safe environment' where 'sensitive issues' can also be freely addressed. This training includes discussing expectations and if necessary correcting images of one's own and the other's culture.

Coming together in a joint workshop promotes informal exchange, lessens uncertainties with regard to the partner and establishes the foundation for the future partnership. Both sides have the chance to convey to their partners their perceptions, modes of thinking and acting. Hereby their counterparts will more easily be able to familiarize themselves with and understand their partners' attitudes and behaviour.

Example: Transfer of Know-How
Besides the areas of intercultural differences already presented (see: Cross-cultural Training / Contents) , the following points in connection with, for example, know-how being transferred cross-culturally, gain particular importance:

Different perception, thinking and behavioural patterns
Different communication strategies
Different attitudes towards feedback and criticism
Different customs regarding structuring of information
Different kinds of conflict management

Different methods and habits of learning and teaching
Different moderation and presentation techniques
Different management behaviour, delegation etc.
Different expectations
Different ways of identifying with the partner in the cooperation.

If a company disregards these or other essential intercultural factors it is very difficult to achieve sweeping success - no matter how good a training programme is that has been designed solely from a mono-cultural viewpoint. The differences in teaching and learning habits are too great and professional and social interaction within the company is too unfamiliar for the expected learning success to be achieved.

Focus
China Consultancy takes these aspects into account. Focus is on giving advice to partners of existing cooperations as well as on the conception and implementation of preparation for a cooperation or team-building workshops.

    
Consulting on existing cooperations
    
Concepts for team-building programmes
    
Conducting team-building programmes
    
Support of team-building programmes