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Have you ever struggled with other colleagues’ styles of communication? Have you ever wondered why some people seem to use more formal language, or are more direct than others? Culture plays a big part in how we communicate: research in the 21st century is global, and research teams are intercultural. At the University of Cambridge postdocs are the most diverse group by nationality, representing almost 100 countries. Communicating across cultures means more than learning a foreign language. It takes conscious discipline to think about one’s own cultural assumptions and to try to make sense of others’.

This two-hour workshop will give you tools to help identify where national culture might be having an influence on your professional and social interactions, where common misunderstandings can occur, and how to address potential challenges, especially when most of it is now happening online. The content of the session is informed by research from intercultural studies and refers to culture as a framework of shared values, attitudes and behaviours. It explores the nature of generalisations and the relationship between culture and personal values. Join this workshop to learn more about the importance of cultural competence in interactions - find out more about the impact of cultural (national, regional, interdisciplinary etc.) differences on management styles, team dynamics, communication and more.

About the Speaker: Kasia graduated from the Technical University of Dresden where she gained a master’s degree in German as Foreign Language, French and Polish. As a result of her first-hand experience of seeing academic performance and work relationships flourish through greater appreciation of the different perspective of how we see the world, she helps students, researchers and staff fully embrace the potential of Cambridge’s international diversity through training and coaching. This involves design and delivery of talks, lectures and workshops for specific audiences (undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, visitors and staff) and supporting individuals on a one-to-one basis by helping them develop agile interpersonal skills. Outside the University, she works as a trainer and coach which enables her to bring the practical experience from training in the international corporate world into academia.

Do you consider yourself a good influencer or negotiator? When is it appropriate to negotiate and what are some of the key principles and skills that can enhance your influencing skills?

This interactive and participatory session will introduce you to key principles of influencing and negotiation that can be applied in day-to-day workplace situations and interactions and provide an opportunity to practice some of these skills in the session.

By the end of this session participants will:

• explore key principles of influence
• identify the difference between asking and negotiating
• gain practical techniques for communicating with influence
• identify the appropriate negotiating style for your context.

The Speaker: Daniela Bultoc is a Winner of the Times Higher Education Awards and recognised at a UK national level in three consecutive years for outstanding support for researchers and academics, a communities of practice expert, professional trainer and coach, Daniela is a highly regarded international researcher developer consultant who seeks to support and inspire researchers and academics to reach their potential in academia and beyond.

Be sure to check out the other sessions in our Postdocs Masterclass series in the "Related Courses" section below!

A must-attend virtual session with information tailored to postdocs in Cambridge, whether University-based or employed by Colleges or Research Institutions.

At this event, you will be given information about:

Your contract Professional development and the Careers Service How to connect to the wider postdoc community at Cambridge You will also meet representatives from various University services who may be helpful to you while you are working in Cambridge.

Postdocs: Researcher Development & Support (one-to-one sessions)

The postdoc RD team are offering one-to-one meetings online for all postdocs. These meetings will be tailored to your individual needs and provide an opportunity to consider and discuss a variety of topics relating to learning, skills and personal development. This is not an exhaustive list but areas for discussion could include:

• Managing your time whilst working from home
• Collaborating effectively
• Maintaining resilience and coping strategies
• Reflecting on and identifying your key areas for development

Each meeting will last for up to 45 minutes and, given the present circumstances relating to Covid-19, will be conducted online using Teams.