Atelier Carrière - Working effectively in a French Cultural Environment

Working in Paris is the dream of many people – land of luxury, good food and that special “je ne sais quoi”. The reality can be quite different from our fantasy and we soon learn that we may not be having our “Emily in Paris” experience we always dreamed of.

In fact, we can quickly learn that working in France is quite challenging because there are so many cues that we miss because there are a lot of rules in France, but they are mostly unspoken and you only find out when you have broken one of them. Understanding culture as a whole and French culture, in general, will help you navigate better your work experience in France.

This session is an interactive session where we will:

• Look at culture as a whole and understand where our individual culture lands on the different dimensions (I can use Culture Map or Globe Smart – I have both)

• Take an in-depth look at the French culture and our different countries’ cultures. Discuss the co-relation of French language and culture.

• Work in small groups to how we are different from our countries, and the danger of using a broad brush of applying culture based uniquely on country.

• In a larger group, discuss the insights from this discussion.

• In another small group, discuss our dimensions and talk about the differences and how they can cause friction and come up with ideas to mitigate them. Also, think of what issues could arise if we are too similar.

• Translate these insights into how we can be more effective at an individual, managerial and organisational level.

• Come away with some actions that we can put into practice straight away to enhance our effectiveness but also our enjoyment of our work in the French environment.

The session will be led by , an experienced senior human resources director in talent and leadership development and coaching who consults, facilitates and coaches for multinational companies world-wide. She is specialised in cross-cultural career management, having worked on this subject for 25 years. She comes from a multicultural background, with a South Korean Mother, an American Father and a French husband. She has lived in the US, Asia and Europe and worked with people on nearly every continent. She currently has lived in France since 2007. She will bring perspectives and stories from her own experience.

OBS: The link for this event, will be shared a couple of hours beforehand.

Should you face an impossibility to attend this workshop, please inform Giuliana ([email protected]) as early as possible. As we have limited places to this workshop, a “no show” means that some fellow alumni would not be accepted.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher INSEAD Alumni Association France