'I've Made It'

Expats in India

Active Harmony

Working in India: The challenge

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India’s despite its roaring economy and membership of the emerging BRIC bloc, establishing and doing business in India still poses a considerable challenge to multinational organisations. India is vast and diverse in territory as in population, resources and some unique cultural traits that can create misunderstandings and potential conflict hence a cost to the organizations.

Doing Business in India: Specific Challenges

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• Understanding the unifying cultural and diversifying aspects of India
• Identifying and managing communication challenges with local team or virtually
• Process of finding team and management’s motivation and drivers
• De-code the cultural nuances to elicit change and movement to desired outcomes
• Working with and /around the system
• The What and How of "Gaining local commitment"
• Finding approaches to address the "Un-discussables"
• The process of feedback in face saving culture.
• Understanding the conflicting norms in decisions
• What work and what is a pain or a friction point?

I’ve Made It – Building Intercultural Resonance with India

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Delivering self-awareness, knowledge and skills, I’ve Made It’s customized programs provide the framework for foreign leaders to interact, work, manage and lead effectively in India.

I’ve Made It is the perfect bridge between India and the world given our experience over last 2 ½ decades in several countries, multicultural environments, and offering real time solutions to G-Local leaders.

Having worked closely with over 50 expats in India and their local and virtual teams doubly confirmed the gulf between cultures and the pressing need for cross-cultural competence.  We put our experience to create key approaches to succeed to India.

• Start with leaders gaining a deeper understanding of their own cultural blueprint and contrasting this with the complex cultural tapestry of India. Then go beyond the standard norms of respect, tolerance or adaptation to leverage cultural differences, proactively look for gems in different cultures, and promote unity in diversity to drive productivity.  
• Capitalize on leaders diverse competencies to build global dexterity a unique understanding and approach to build a capability to adapt behavior in a new culture without losing their cultural identity.

Decoding India: A Framework

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Step 1 – Identifying cultural blueprints– India vis-à-vis Expat’s country of origin

Step 2 – Approaches to understand and navigate through cultural diversity

Step 3 – Interpreting the unsaid and invisible rule book of relationships, cultural               empathy, respect and tolerance

Step 4 – Attaining intercultural sensitivity with emotional maturity, flexibility,               people skills

Step 5 – Building your personal leadership style and tapestry of success

Step 6 – Mental and emotional frameworks to - adapting, adjusting, acclimatize

Step 7 – Cracking the code to cultural mastery "The I’ve Made It Way"

Delivery Format

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Programs are delivered virtually with available technologies, one on one or group interactions to gain macro understanding followed by coaching sessions to support clients during multiple transition periods experienced while doing business in India. We use varied cultural assessments and during training and coaching sessions work both the alignment and gaps with cultures and flex style to be an effective leader.

Multiple Options:

• 2 hours Online – Pre departure to India. An introductory session for Expat and spouse to feel comfortable about relocating to India.
• Face to Face or Online. One/two day program in India – Focus working in India following by daily living for family.
• Coaching Sessions – Support expats to unknot India’s complex tapestry.

Cultural Gap Assessments:

We use varied cultural assessments which showcase the alignment and gaps with the new country. We chose assessments based on outcomes defined. The reports are eye openers even for the global leaders hence popular way to gain buy in for cross cultural training and coaching. In our training and coaching sessions we use the report to build country knowledge and develop skills viz: style switching strategies, approaches to communication, model for a cultural dialogue and how to flex leadership style to be effective in India.