Every businessperson in a foreign country is an Ambassador. Demonstrate integrity and respect and you will earn yourself and your country a good name. To work successfully with associates in another country, it's imperative to learn about the other person's culture. Etiquette, international style, will help a businessperson expand globally.
Etiquette, international style, helps build relationships: Anywhere in the world it's important to first get to know the person(s) you're dealing with to build a bond of trust. Make time to develop relationships and you will be rewarded. Develop a genuine interest in the foreign country, customs, and people you have an interest in business development, and doors will open!
A drink or meal outside of the office will usually always provide a more relaxed atmosphere to build trust and gain more information than in a boardroom. Avoid discussing politics, religion, and personal affairs as a general rule.
Etiquette, International Style, Do's and Don’ts:
Do be polite and smile. In any language or country, nonverbal communication is often remembered longer than the verbal.
Do be a good listener. Ask interesting questions and attempt to speak a few words of their language.
Don't boast too much about yourself or be too direct.
Don't speak too loudly.
Don't speak too quickly especially if English is not the first language of the person(s) you're talking with.
Don't assume that "yes" always signifies agreement, especially in Asian cultures. In order to save face, people will avoid saying "no". In Buddhist cultures (much of Asia), do not point the bottom of your feet at another person (i.e., when sitting). The feet bottoms are considered unclean and it is impolite to direct them towards people.
Meeting and Greeting Etiquette:
Dress conservatively. Rarely do people dress as casually or as provocatively as in America. Dressing formally shows respect for the person you're meeting with.
When making introductions in any culture, introduce the highest-ranking person first. Never call someone by the first name unless you are specifically asked to do so.
When shaking hands, keep the hand pumping to a minimum - once is enough. Cheek kissing is sometimes acceptable when two people know each other very well and is common in Europe and Latin countries. In parts of South America for example, even businessmen can be seen pecking cheeks before or after a meeting as a sign of friendship.
Be careful not to violate a person's personal space and keep touching to a minimum. In Buddhist cultures, do not touch anyone's head, for example patting a child's head, as it is considered the sacred part of the body and touching is appropriate for family members only.
When in doubt about the rank within a group, show the utmost respect for the eldest person. But, don't make the mistake of snubbing the younger members. In the group-oriented cultures of Asia, and especially Japan, decision making is by consensus from the bottom up. In the Latin group oriented cultures, decision making is usually a steep top down process.
Remember to have plenty of bilingual business cards on hand wherever you go.
Timely Etiquette: Attitudes toward time are the major source of annoyance in international interactions.
How far in advance appointments and bookings must be scheduled, and to what extent punctuality is stressed or ignored are all important considerations to remaining in control during business meetings. Develop flexibility to avoid angry outbursts. Japanese, for example, take a much longer-term goal setting process - sometimes planning 5 years out. They may have three meetings to make decisions others may make in one meeting.
Gift Giving Etiquette: When going abroad, especially on business, don't worry about lugging gifts to foreign countries. But, a person visiting from afar always appreciates a small gift. A handwritten note of thanks is also universally appreciated. Be careful about overly admiring your host's possessions especially in Arabic countries, as you may be given the item on the spot and your host will be offended if you refuse it.
Entertaining and International Etiquette: As a foreigner, you can expect to be entertained, often quite lavishly. While all this entertaining is going on, never forget that table manners count everywhere; yours, however, may not be theirs.
Entertainment is seldom complete without toasts to honor guests and host. A few well-chosen words can get you further than hours over the bargaining table, so give thought to some appropriate toasts beforehand. Avoid jokes since they often don't translate well.
Global business development calls for proper etiquette, international style. Develop the “soft” etiquette skills for the culture of your choice and watch your business grow.
