Written on 8:31 PM by O
From Japan to South Africa and Sweden to California, business cultures differ. For the business traveler, it is vital to know what to expect and how business is done in different cultures. How rude it would be for an American Business man to remain seated in a meeting room when an older Eastern management figure walks in. Indeed, it might be the deal breaker for the parties involved. Respect of elders is a very important thing to remember to practice especially as many higher-ups in the east tend to be older men.
Doing business with other cultures, especially if you are bringing your services to other countries follows a similar pathway as dating. If you were dating someone from another culture and saw the potential for something more, it will behoove you to learn his/her culture. You would learn how they greet so that you don’t offend them as signals are very different in different cultures (i.e. an open palm used to wave hello or goodbye in the west is an offensive gesture in the Hausa community in Nigeria). You would also want to know what to give as a gift to woo your love interest. In many eastern cultures, a token of the right kind signals friendship and a will let the other party feel more at ease. If you follow the scripts you have rehearsed in life experiences, they may help bridge the gaps in situations like these, especially if they are new to you.
One of the lessons I am learning these days is that business and life have a lot of parallels. There’s much in real life that teaches us about business. The principles are practical and most of us already know them. It is the assembly of our knowledge to create a direct reference that is a little harder for some than it is for others.
How have past experiences helped you with professional connections lately?
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