UNITAR E-Workshop on Professional Networking Skills
In the modern working environment, one's professional network is just as important as one's skills. The ability to create and maintain long-lasting connections leading to mutually beneficial impacts is valued more and more by companies and organisations.
With the digitalisation and increased inter-connectedness of today's social interactions, cross-sector and cross-cultural communication becomes a norm, giving an advantage to those who can apply charismatic leadership, professional networking skills, and cultural sensitivity in any given social or professional situation.
This innovative and highly interactive course aims to provide participants with this advantage by providing them the knowledge and skills from world-class experts necessary to thrive in an international setting and to create long-lasting and solid professional relationships anywhere.
The e-workshop aims to provide participants with the ability to enhance their professional capabilities by reinforcing their understanding and competency in what it means to network internationally. The interconnected workshop themes will allow participants to understand their current leadership style and methods to enhance their leadership performance; will address the objective frames through which different cultures can be perceived, therefore minimalising cultural misunderstanding; and will encompass the social faux-pas in different cultures. By doing so, participants will accumulate the necessary knowledge and skillset to build up long-lasting and impactful professional relations under any circumstances or constraints.
After successful completion of the training, participants will be able to:
- Identify their own leadership style preference and be able to adapt according to the situation;
- Understand through which frames they percieve different cultures and use tools to minimise cultural misunderstandings;
- Apply the necessary etiquette when being a host or a guest at the table of a different culture;
- Explain the main factors influencing a wine's taste and understand the labeling system;
- Apply the skills acquired to reinforce their networking skills in an intercultural environment.
The course consists of four interrelated modules and one simulation exercise.
Module 1: Wine Knowledge
20-21 May 2021
- Why do we drink wine? Wine as a symbol
- Wine and art
- Correctly describing and presenting a wine
- Wine labels
- Wine pairing
- What influences a wine's taste?
Module 2: Leadership and Networking Skills
24-25 May 2021
- Tools of leadership: influencing, role modelling
- Establishing rapport
- Resilience
- Leadership styles
Module 3: International Table Etiquette
28 May 2021
- Why and how to entertain at the table
- Host-guest dynamics
- Table manners and set-up in different cultures
- Cultural and universal faux-pas at the table
Module 4: Cultural Awareness
31 May-1 June 2021
- How do we perceive cultures? Universalism vs. Particularism
- Tools to decipher cultures
- Adopting approaches to minimise cultural misunderstandings
Simulation Exercise/Assessment
7 June 2021
- Participants will be given a scenario and will have one week to prepare a presentation based on their case, to be given on 7 June
The training programme runs from 20 May-7 June with the following event dates:
- Module 1: 20-21 May
- Module 2: 24-25 May
- Module 3: 28 May
- Module 4: 31 May-1 June
- Simulation Exercise: 7 June
All e-workshops will be conducted via the platform Zoom and will be facilitated by a recognised expert on the theme. In addition to this, UNITAR staff will be present to assist participants with any questions they might have. Participants who have successfuly attended all e-workshops as well as participated in the simulation exercise will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.
The material presented in the e-workshops will be interactive and group discussions, quizzes, and assignments will be given for participants to further advance their knowledge.
In addition, the live components will all be offered in the late morning or early afternoon Geneva time, for participants across all time-zones to be able to attend at reasonable times.
The training programme is open to all actors who wish to take on leadership roles in their respective environment and to build up their charismatic leadership skills and intercultural communication skills in order to build up their professional international networks.
Participants can include high school students, university students, young professionals, business leaders, and international servants of all backgrounds.
In order to ensure the highest quality standards, the registration will be closed after 35 participants. Slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. At the end of the programme, participants will receive a UNITAR certificate of completion.