In international business, the way you present yourself — your manners, cultural awareness, small talk, dining behaviour and professional presence — shapes how people judge your competence before you open your briefcase. This two-day course builds practical skills for making confident, appropriate impressions in formal and cross-cultural business settings, from first introductions through networking events and professional dining.
Professional first impressions and etiquette essentials, small talk and networking, cross-cultural communication and awareness, business dining protocol and ethical decision-making.
Every session runs in a small, boardroom-format group — typically six to eight senior professionals. Your trainer tailors content to the specific industries, organisations and challenges each participant brings, so you work on real situations, not generic examples. The learning combines evidence-based best practice briefings with structured discussions, practical workshops and peer learning. This is training with a coaching and consulting flavour — focused on building skills and producing outputs you can apply in your work immediately.
- Make confident first impressions in formal and cross-cultural settings
- Navigate business dining and social events with ease and professionalism
- Adapt your communication style for different cultural contexts
- Build rapport through effective small talk and professional networking
- Represent your organisation with credibility at every level of seniority
- Handle ethical dilemmas in business interactions with sound judgement
- Apply cross-cultural awareness to avoid common missteps in international settings
- Project professionalism and confidence in unfamiliar social or business environments
- The role of etiquette and manners in professional settings
- Professional greetings and the five factors of a good handshake
- Business card exchange: protocols and cultural awareness
- Making effective small talk
- Techniques for remembering names
- Dress codes and personal presentation
- Business dining: dos and don'ts for business lunches and social occasions
- Telephone etiquette in formal and informal settings
- Email etiquette and professional correspondence
- Thank-you notes and professional follow-up
- Defining ethics and morals in a business context
- Identifying personal and professional values
- Kohlberg's six stages of moral development
- Classical ethical frameworks: the golden rule, utilitarianism and the categorical imperative
- Case study: applying ethical reasoning to real business scenarios
- Common causes of poor ethical decisions and how to avoid them
- Codes of ethics: purpose, organisational readiness and implementation
- Decision-making tools: the smell test, the shoe test, the Potter box and the Kidder process
- Building and sustaining an ethical workplace culture
Professionals who represent their organisation in cross-cultural business settings and want to make confident, appropriate impressions in formal and informal interactions. Particularly valuable for those who travel internationally or host international visitors.
The following are some of the ISOC trainers who regularly lead this course, depending whether you join us in London, Dubai or live online.
The two days build progressively, with each module combining briefing, discussion and practical exercises. The small-group format ensures every participant gets individual attention.
Nothing specific is required. If you have a current project or challenge relevant to the course topic, bring it along — the practical exercises can incorporate real-world contexts.
No. The course covers universal principles of professional etiquette and cross-cultural awareness, with practical guidance for the cultural contexts most relevant to participants in the room.
Yes. Etiquette and cross-cultural awareness are areas where even experienced professionals have blind spots. The course is calibrated for senior settings where impressions carry significant professional weight.