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| CONSULTING |
Why We Do It
For group training and individual coaching to be maximally effective, they need to be directly related to overall organizational context and needs. |
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What We Do
- Needs Assessment
- Customization of content and process to fit client’s needs
- Use of The Cultural Detective™ intercultural model an internationally developed, situation-based series of culture-specific training tools, for bridging across cultural divides.
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How We Do It
- Facilitation support for intact teams to be able to address their own specific issues, and to bridge across cultural differences.
- One-time or ongoing observation of and feedback on real-time interactions for constant improvement and development of cross-cultural competencies.
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| COACHING |
Why We Do It
Working in the US, as contrasted with Israel, requires a different communication style and expectations of peers, managers and subordinates, due to marked cultural differences in what is considered normative behavior and the way work gets done. Some examples of typical gaps that can lead to counterproductive results are:
- The US workplace operates under well defined legal constraints – these are mandatory and non-negotiable – as contrasted with the Israeli approach towards rules and regulations.
- The US shows elevated deference to hierarchy and larger ‘power distance’ contrasting with the Israeli more egalitarian approach, i.e., managing at ‘eye level’.
- The US requires higher attention than Israel to fine details of planning and process, and once finalized assumes they will be followed.
- Strong and direct critique, considered in Israel as normative and supportive, is perceived in the US as insulting or disrespectful.
- Questioning, which in Israel indicates engagement and commitment to the end result, is heard in the US as demeaning criticism.
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What We Do
A series of one-on-one coaching sessions with the following goals:
- Building cross-cultural effectiveness
- Understanding the US or Israeli way of thinking and what drives it
- Understanding and becoming familiar with key differences between required workplace strategies, tactics and skills in the US vs. Israel
- Creating strategies and building skills for cross-cultural communication and problem solving
- Avoiding costly mistakes, wasteful conflicts and miscommunication
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How We Do It
- Needs Assessment and goal setting meeting with the client
- Using The Cultural Detective™, an internationally developed situation-based series of culture-specific training tools for analyzing, resolving and bridging cultural differences
- Applying models and exercises relevant to real-life managerial situations
- Analysis of already existing cross-cultural situations and/or planning for future cross cultural interactions, to define optimal solutions
- Role playing for experiencing with new strategies
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Possible Topics (fitted to clients - can be chosen during coaching sessions):
- Review of key parameters of global, vs. local, management – culture (national and organizational), distance, time
- Cross-cultural communication skills - tools for working across cultural borders
- Making a professional first impression
- Constraints of the US or Israeli workplace, e.g., What is permitted or forbidden - What to beware of?
- Understanding and practicing American, as contrasted with Israeli, communication styles:
- Anticipating and avoiding typical kinds of miscommunications
- How to be aware of and understand correctly common communication codes
- Appropriate communication style
- Demonstrating listening, comprehension and responsiveness
- When and how to give positive and negative feedback
- E-mail clarity and politics (who to copy etc.)
- Cross-cultural conflict management
- How to build workplace relationships with Americans or Israelis
- How to negotiate and get what you want US or Israeli style
- Cross-cultural motivation and recognition
- Typical American or Israeli perceptions of each other and how to overcome them
- Leadership, hierarchy and ‘power distance’ - Contrasts in expectations of leaders, managers and subordinates vis-à-vis the organization; how to address ‘power distance’ appropriately
- How to bridge and leverage cultural differences to turn them from a barrier to an advantage
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Actual comments from our coaching clients |
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RELOCATION SUPPORT - LIVING AND WORKING IN THE US
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What happened to an Israeli executive sent from Israel to the US...
“There was a problem with our mail; it wasn't delivered. We called and tried to fix it a few times, but nothing worked. A friend suggested I go down to the central Post Office to talk to someone in person. I stood in line, and when it was finally my turn, he wouldn't help me. He kept saying “I’m sorry for your problems sir, I will do my best”, but when I pushed and asked when will it be fixed he had no answer. Finally I decided I had to make him understand how impossible it is to be without mail. I pounded on the counter and raised my voice. He called the security man who escorted me out telling me never to return. We are still not receiving any mail – it’s been a month.”
What happened to a family of an Israeli COO relocating from Israel (as told by the wife)
“We came with our 15 year old daughter from Israel. She is a bit shy, and we worried about how she would fit in and adjust. As an educational counselor, I knew how important the first days at school would be. I set up an appointment with the principal. We talked about the classes my daughter would take, and I asked about other Israelis and if it would be possible to have her take the same classes. The principle seemed surprised, and said he didn't know if there are other new Israelis or what classes they would be taking. I asked about after school activities and clubs. He said she could choose whichever club she wanted to that would suit her interests. He then asked me if there were “challenges” with my daughter, and if she would need extra help. I was so happy he understood and answered, “Yes, she will need extra help”. He then suggested a psychiatrist. I was shocked. My daughter is completely normal, and the questions I asked would be considered quite routine for any new student in an Israeli school. I suddenly realized that I had, without intending it, already created a negative stigma for my daughter in the eyes of the school staff.”
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Why We Do It
Daily life in the US is very different from daily life in Israel. Communication style and expectations of how things get done can be surprisingly different, due to marked cultural differences in what is considered normative behavior. Some examples of typical gaps Israelis and Americans experience when relocating to each other's countries are:
- In the US environment there is more emphasis than in Israel on formalities and legal constraints that are mandatory and non-negotiable, as well as importance attached to defined procedures. This contrasts with the Israeli informal approach towards rules and regulations as usually being negotiable, often by louder and more emphatic tone. Americans in Israel need to learn how to ‘push’ Israeli-style to get what they need, while Israelis need to learn what is negotiable and what is not in the US, and how to communicate without seeming inappropriately aggressive.
- Israelis make a sharp demarcation between people they are familiar with and strangers. Americans in Israel need to know that Israeli staring without smiling isn't a sign of hostility, rather simply of non-recognition. Likewise, Israelis need to understand that just because American strangers smile and make small talk with them doesn't mean that all Americans are not genuine.
- In the US a high value is placed on planning and scheduling. The approach toward time is that it is a valuable resource not to be wasted. This is one of the reasons behind having a “play date”. Israelis need to learn how to cope with the American approach if they want to help their children find American friends.
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What We Do - Support Options
- One or more coaching sessions for individuals or families – can be done face-to-face or by phone or e-mail
- Group orientations
- Availability for just-in-time questions and support during the transition adjustment period
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How We Do It
- We utilize our extensive experience supporting relocates to and from the US and Israel.
- We make use of our professional knowledge of encounters with another culture and the process of relocation.
- We refer to our own personal experience relocating ourselves to and from Israel and the US.
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Actual comments from our relocation clients
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SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS |
We provide a resource book with background information about Israel that is useful to go into relevant topics in more depth and detail than is possible in coaching or training. It covers aspects of the Israeli environment and how to succeed when dealing with typical Israeli business practices. |
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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF ISRAEL WITH THE FOLLOWING QUIZ |
| True or False |
Answers |
| When in negotiations with Israelis, raising one's voice will make you seem out of control and will damage your chances of getting what you want. |
FALSE
Israelis see expression of emotion as being authentic. Talking louder will make them listen to you better and respect you more, and will help you get what you want.
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| The history of the Jewish people over thousands of years has little to do with the culture of modern Israel or traits seen in the Israeli business world. |
FALSE
To understand why Israelis think and act as they tend to do, it is very helpful to understand how modern Israel and its people were shaped by Jewish history over thousands of years. |
| Israeli innovation has resulted in it being the world's leader in patents for medical devices. |
TRUE
Israel has cutting edge technological, agricultural and bio-medical industries. The Cell phone, Instant Messaging and Drip Irrigation were all invented in Israel. |
| In Israel personal relationships at work are an important factor in getting work done well together. |
TRUE
In Israel, boundaries between work life and social life are blurred. People who work together are usually also friends. Establishing some kind of personal connection with Israelis helps motivate and facilitate working together well. |
| If an Israeli audience sits quietly listening to a presentation, it means they are concentrating on understanding the content. |
FALSE
Israelis show their interest in the topic of a presentation by asking many questions. If they sit quietly, they may not be really listening, or may not care about the content. |
| There is no daylight savings time in Israel. |
FALSE
Daylight Savings time is approximately from Apr. 1 – Sep. 30. It changes yearly according to the Jewish calendar and Jewish holidays |
| The narrowest part of Israel is less than 10 miles |
TRUE
The narrowest part of Israel is less than 10 miles from west to east near the city of Kfar Saba. |
| When driving in Israel I can turn right on a red light. |
FALSE
Turns in Israel can only be done with green lights or green arrows. |
| There are days when all restaurants are closed and you can't eat outside |
TRUE
On designated days of mourning in Israel and on some religious holidays all public places of eating are closed. If you are in Israel during those times, you need to ask your hotel or Israeli hosts how you can obtain meals. |
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| TRAINING |
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Sample programs:
- Working effectively with Israelis (or Americans)
- Israeli-US Cross Cultural Effectiveness
- Team building for teams with Israelis and Americans working together
- Best practices and competencies for working across borders of culture and/or distance
- Working and living in the US (or Israel)
- “What’s the problem?” – Israelis and Americans working together
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| Options for Objectives / Outcomes |
Options for Content |
- Describe the dynamics of culture
and how it plays out in the business setting
- Explain specific ways Israelis and Americans approach work,
workplace relationships and communication
- Identify core values that shape characteristic Israeli vs. American behaviors in the workplace
- Objectively contrast Israeli and American cultures to neutralize
negative perceptions and attitudes
- Review general concepts of
bridging across cultural differences
for increased teamwork effectiveness
- Apply learned cross-cultural
knowledge and skills to bridging across cultural differences for increased individual
and organizational effectiveness
- Use individual cross-cultural
behavioral competencies
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- Opening
- Contrast US & Israeli Work Tendencies - Interactive exercise: “Multicultural Workplace Styles™“
- Basic concepts related to culture
- Israeli or US business culture and what shapes it
- Cross-cultural communication – Interactive application of model to role play with audience analysis
- Israeli or US Workplace Quiz™ - Interactive discussion: how cultural concepts and values play out in the workplace
- Cross-cultural Perceptions & Dynamics - Attitudes to Rules & Regulations - Interactive exercise: Analysis of case study
- Interactive work using The Cultural Detective™“ Model (an internationally developed situation-based series of culture-specific training tools. Analysis and plan for resolution of scenarios that relate to typical real situations in the organization)
- Practice skills for key intercultural contexts in the work environment such as e-mail and phone, 1:1 and team meetings, giving and receiving feedback, conflict, negotiations, etc.
- Bridging methodologies – Interactive discussion on applications
- Closing
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| Key takeaways / main learnings stated by participants after going through IAIA workshops: |
- New and positive understanding of Israeli and American mind sets and behaviors in the work environment
- How to keep an open dialogue on cross-cultural differences
- New understanding of situations that created frustration in the past
- Approaching work with Israelis and Americans with a different attitude more ready to assume and look for positive intent,
not taking things personally
- Knowing what to expect and how to understand negotiations, giving and receiving feedback, agreements relating to deadlines, making requests of Israelis or Americans
- How to get what is needed from Israelis and Americans
- How to be more effective in communicating with Israelis and Americans
- How to build positive working relationships with Israeli and American colleagues
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Actual comments from our training clients
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| SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS |
Sample Title: "What's the Problem? Working and Interacting Effectively Across the Israeli-American Cultural Interface"
Sample Abstract:
- What is "polite"?
- What is "sincere"?
- What is "confrontation"?
- What is "listening"?
When Israelis and people in the US interact, it is easy to recognize areas of cultural differences such as communication style, expectations in meetings and presentations, manager-employee roles, building client relationships. What is not apparent is the impact of those differences. Cultural gaps can sabotage success if discounted, or can be turned into a competitive edge if correctly managed.
Israeli-American Intercultural Advantage (IAIA) experts, who work with business and private sector individuals and organizations, share key problem areas and methodologies to examine specific differences between Israeli and American cultural approaches to communication, getting things done, expectations from others and more, in order to address bridging for success in our workplaces and community.
Actual comments from our audience members |
List of references available on request
Contact us to find out how we can help you turn cultural diversity into a business advantage!
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©2006-2008 Israeli-American Intercultural Advantage (IAIA). All Rights Reserved.
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