Services / Consulting - Connection
Paris, 2024
Pateau Consultants is conducting several cross-cultural sessions for Sonepar, a leading technical solutions provider to electrical industry professionals.
Lyon, March 12th, 2024
Jacques Pateau is Key Note speaker at the annual EMEA meeting of EJ, the world leader in access solutions. Topic : "The importance of culture for sustainable development."
Paris-Bonn, February-September 2024
Pateau Consultants continues to support Buyin, the JV of Deutsche Telekom and Orange through on-line and face-to-face coaching and cross-cultural training.
Mannheim, September 24th-25th, 2024
Prof. Pateau facilitates a cross-cultural seminar for MBA' students at the Mannheim Business School, the leading business school in Gerrmany
All of our assignments start off with an in-depth study of the context surrounding the request and a need analysis.
Our program design, which is always drawn up in direct consultation with our clients, begins with what we consider to be an absolute priority : a brief introduction of our tool to concerned members of management. In the case of mergers or takeovers, this action is launched well in advance in order to avoid surprises and frustrations during the negotiation period. Later it will guarantee coherence and quality control. This indispensable introduction is often followed by an on-going audit that distinct identification of what is at stake : specific characteristics, corporate (sub)cultures, personal strategies and imperatives.
AuditA cultural audit in the form of interviews and questionnaires helps to understand the history of the organization and outlines the underlying feelings, fears and expectations of those involved as well as the sources of their de-motivation or misunderstandings.
A true barometer of the degree of integration after a merger or takeover, an inventory in the case of a recent internationalization, reorganization, or dysfunction, the audit serves to eliminate stumbling blocks and defines the measures that need to be taken in terms of the organization, training and communication. Many companies have been able to experience for themselves the speed with which our approach produces accurate insights and, most particularly, they have been able to appreciate its precision and high quality.
One recent example : At the end of 2008, we conducted a series of semi-controlled interviews for one of the European leaders in the supply industry that clearly identified what was inhibiting cooperation between the French, English, Dutch and German units. The results allowed us to launch a series of actions that helped to significantly improve work effectiveness within the group.
The resulting program that is recommended to the clients, takes into account the varying degrees of the target audiences' internationalization and cultural integration. To this end, we have defined three key phases :
The range of our services also extends to customized actions, in particular, when conflicts existing within teams or among staff members need to be resolved.
MediationMediation techniques are increasingly called upon today to address conflicts between individuals or groups.
Poor knowledge of the other party's cultural baggage is often at the heart of the negative interpretation of behavior that can produce a breakdown in communication or even a refusal to cooperate. Understanding the cultural foundations underlying the behavior patterns of those involved allows better quality listening and communication to be implemented. Above all, mutual rules can be accepted.
One recent example : In a labor conflict where discussions were at a standstill, the dialogue was restored between the elected representative of the German staff and the French CEO.
In addtition to these one-off interventions, we offer personal support to decision-makers whose success depends largely on their capacity to 'read the hidden signals' sent by staff and partners and on a management style that has the capacity to engender both commitment and trust.
CoachingThis entails individual preparation prior to taking up new functions in a multicultural context and includes consulting and monitoring throughout the phase of professional integration.
The success of an assignment in a new environment (after a merger, on a new site, abroad, in a different organization, at the head of a multicultural team…) depends not only on the open-mindedness and the commitment of the individual, but also on his/her intercultural awareness, in-depth knowledge of the other's system of logic, of the social and cultural history of the company and its staff. Brought together, these elements allow for an accurate analysis of situations and, as a result, better decision-making.
One recent example : Within the framework of traditional coaching, a French Project Manager about to head a Franco-Italian team also spends several sessions preparing for the stumbling blocks in the Franco-Italian cooperation.
